America has a long and storied history of remaking British television shows for American audiences. Sometimes the adaptation thrives, going beyond its roots and taking on a life of its own-one example being The Office. Other times, it goes so horrendously wrong that the show is quickly cancelled and banished from the public's memory. Think Viva Laughlin, based off Britain's Blackpool, which lasted only two episodes. While it's too early to tell which category MTV's Skins (with the same name as its British counterpart) is going to find itself in, if the pilot is any indication, we can expect good things down the line for the series.

The original version of Skins is already a hit in its native U.K. and has found a cult following on this side of the Atlantic after airing on BBC America. Additionally, the show has garnered critical acclaim for its strong characterization and ensemble cast. Also of note is the series' liberal attitude toward portraying sex and drug use among its characters. These issues are out in the open and often are the focus of many episodes.

The creators of the original series, father-and-son team Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain, have been working hard to make sure the MTV version stays true to the heart of the British series. This includes having a cast of amateur actors comprise the lead group. This feature met with little resistance in Britain, where the legal age of consent is 16, but has become a source of controversy in the U.S. The frequency of sexual themes and the young age of the actors has led the Parents Television Council to call for the Department of Justice to classify Skins as child pornography. Major advertisers like Mars and GM have been pulling their ads from the show, despite the fact that the show has actually been toned down somewhat to conform to the stricter American standards.

The first episode itself follows the British pilot quite closely, though MTV has promised that as the season progresses the scripts will deviate from the U.K. stories. The episode is somewhat light on plot, serving primarily as an introduction to the show's many characters. There's Tony, the group's unofficial leader, who's smart, good looking and popular with women. He's calculating and manipulative toward his friends, family and just about everyone else. His best friend Stan (Sid, in the original) is pretty much the opposite: an unattractive slacker desperate to lose his virginity. There's also lesbian cheerleader Tea; mature Daisy; hard-partying Chris; Tony's girlfriend, Michelle; and Abbud, a Muslim who is very selective about the parts of his religion he follows. The basic plot follows Tony in his desire to help Stan lose his virginity before his 17th birthday, and he hatches a plan that includes buying drugs, crashing a rich girl's party and enlisting the help of Cadie, an acquaintance of Michelle's who has "self control issues."

However, the plot isn't really the point: Skins is a show that lives and dies on its characters and writing, and they are two things that the pilot gets right for the most part. As the focus of the episode and the hub of the group, there's a lot of importance riding on Tony, and actor James Newman seems to be up to the task. He has to walk a fine line, being manipulative while still coming across as likeable enough so that if people will not forgive his failings, then at least they will believe that he could take advantage of people. There are a few slips in his acting, along with some awkward bits of dialogue, but for the most part, Newman is more than capable and will probably improve as he becomes more comfortable with the character.

Another plus is that the show never takes itself too seriously, which is a refreshing contrast to other high school shows. The writers handle everything with a certain lightness, and they aren't afraid to take the show to somewhat surreal places. This can be seen in additions such as the terrifying, track-suited drug dealer Le Dong, or the reactions Tony receives when he visits an all-girls prep school.

All in all, Skins looks like it could become just as successful here as it has been in its home country. For the most part, it's well-written, solidly acted and plays up its weirder moments, something that isn't done with many shows in its genre. Still, the first epsiode stuck very closely to the plot of the original pilot, so the writers' talent for penning more original stories has yet to be seen. There are also some serious issues to work through, such as the PTC's pornography charges. But if it can clear these obstacles, Skins could go on to do great things.