The British teen soap Skins may not be brilliant, but it sure looks good. The show still haven’t premiered in Norway, but I was led to it by a profile in British gaymag Attitude on young leads Nicholas Hoult and Mitch Hewer. The piece was typically well-written, the guys looked smashing, and the plot instilled in me a sense of O.C.-esque soapy drama, all adding up to an almost irresistible sales pitch. I ordered the first season on DVD, and watched it in its entirety over two exhausting days.

Initially, Skins seemed to play to the shallowest of my instincts. All episodes packed with incredibly hot young things, frequently naked, I didn’t ask for substance or some actually engaging dramatic developments. But as the show found its course, even the storylines grew on me. While not fully developed, the gay character Maxxie Oliver is refreshingly sef-assured, and he fits well into this group of people managing their minor troubles, while generally enjoying being young. Of course, it was no drawback that Mitch Hewer is both wildly charming and incredibly attractive. The love triangle storyline he had with Nicholas Hoult’s protagonist cynic felt a bit forced, but to couple two such hunks could never be a bad thing, no matter what you demand from your average telly fare.

Because the first season lowered my guard, and occasionally even managed to get my into the Skins universe, I’m a little surprised that I have not yet signed up for my copy of the season 2 DVD, which was released just last week. Even more so if you consider the fact that Hewer finally will get naked, and they even promise that Maxxie will take center stage for one or more episodes. I’ll probably come to my senses soon, overcoming the creeping feeling that my reasons for enjoying this show are simply too shallow. Until then, I praise some higher power that the essentials are already available for YouTube viewing.