Drugs, sex, and scandal. Not exactly a typical day in the life of the American teenager. But on MTV’s new adaptation of the British hit “Skins,” the all-teen cast participates in events that shock the socks off parents all over the country.

After premiering on MTV in January, “Skins” immediately faced a hubbub of adversity. Parents, politicians, and advertisers alike were shocked to see the activities of the characters in the first episode including partying, stealing drugs, and performing sexual acts.

While these groups were outraged at the subject matters the show presented, many students had a completely different reaction: captivation.

The American version, almost exactly copied from the UK’s original, follows nearly the same plot lines in its first season as were previously done by characters in the British version.

The American characters are almost exact copies of the British ones, with a few name or sex changes here or there. The pilot of the American series showed events nearly identical to the British one, which premiered in the UK in 2007.

With all of these similarities, the main question fans of the original are asking is what’s the point?

When news of the remake hit hardcore fans of the original, there seemed to be only one feeling: disgust. Some fans decided to boycott the show entirely, while others, like myself, wanted to compare and contrast.

In comparing the two, I found myself liking the original better, with a few exceptions. While the UK characters were more original, some of the actors portraying them in the US version seem like a better fit.

Some of the episodes also seem to flow better than the British originals, but overall, like in most cases, the remake falls short of the original.

In the American show’s future, it will be interesting to see how it pans out. It will be especially entertaining to fans of the old show if the creators of the new one change some of the key plot events and get rid of the predictability.

As is true of all television shows about high school, I don’t find “Skins” to be a realistic portrayal of my life. The trend with TV seems to be that it’s either too extreme, or too sugar coated (“Saved By the Bell,” anyone?)

Until that changes, however, it is predictable that normal teenage fans will go for what brings the drama, providing a bright future for “Skins.”