So what is Skam?
Skam, Norwegian for “shame,” is a Norwegian teen drama, written and directed by Julie Andem, that ran for four seasons. Each season follows a different main character as they navigate relationships, friendships, and family. The characters all attend the Hartvig Nissen School, one of Norway’s most prestigious schools located in the country’s capital, Oslo.
Skam has been praised for its realistic depiction of teenage life, excellent writing, and direction. Skam originally aired by releasing clips at different times throughout the week in tandem to social media posts from the characters’ Instagram and Facebook accounts. Full episodes were released on Friday. Skam first aired in 2015, but started gaining international Internet popularity in 2016, during the show’s third season. The show was so popular by the time it concluded that multiple countries decided to remake the series in their own native language, to further expand the international reach of the show.
What is it about?
Skam is a teen drama, similar to its predecessor Skins and its successor Euphoria. Season 1 follows Eva Kvigg Mohn (Lisa Teige) as she copes with trying to make new friends in her first year of high school and her boyfriend’s shady behavior. Season 2 follows Noora Amelie Sætre (Josefine Frida Pettersen) and her complicated relationship with the school’s troubled and attractive bad boy, William (Thomas Hayes). Season 3, which catapulted Skam into international popularity, follows Isak Valtersen (Tarjei Sandvik Moë) when he meets new student Even (Henrik Holm) and comes to terms with his identity. And finally, Season 4 is about Sana Last Bakkoush (Iman Meskini) and her relationship with her religion.
Why should you watch it?
Skam is one of the best depictions of teenage life I’ve ever seen in television. We’re all way too familiar with cringey TV about teenagers played by actors in their mid-20s, who speak like the middle-aged writers of the shows think teenagers speak. Well, I’m here to tell you Skam is nothing like that. Julie Andem may be an adult, but she’s an adult who seems to have an actual idea of how teenagers behave and the things that are important to them. The problems her characters experience are raw and authentic, and her dialogue is real and believable. Nothing is over dramatic or blown out of proportion, but, at the same time, Andem doesn’t downplay how difficult heartbreak and friendship issues can be for teenagers.
Another aspect of the show that makes it stand out amongst teen dramas is the casting. Andem was very insistent on casting actors appropriate for the age of her characters, and for most of the Skam cast, the show was their first real acting job. Hair, makeup, and other wardrobe decisions are simple as well, so characters aren’t sitting alone in their bedrooms in full faces of makeup. All of this supports the writing and directing in making the show seem more authentic and realistic.
The format of the show also lends itself incredibly well to Internet success and makes the story very engaging for anyone watching it live. Waiting for clips to come out throughout the week made everything feel like it was happening in real-time, that these characters weren’t just characters, but teenagers like you dealing with problems similar to your own. The social media accounts that the characters had supported this illusion as well; seeing posts from Eva or Isak or Noora on your Instagram feed made them feel so real and genuine.
This is all without even mentioning the soundtrack, which is easily one of the best parts of Skam. Andem uses a combination of popular American music, Norwegian music, and deep tracks from all over the world to support the story and character journeys. One of my favorite moments in the show comes from Season 3, when Isak is returning to school after having his biggest secret exposed. “Hate Me Now” by Nas plays in his headphones as he walks through the courtyard in slow motion. Everyone is looking at him while he stares straight ahead, trying to ignore their gazes. Nas’s song is the perfect choice for how Isak is feeling in that moment, and the way that the scene is directed with the music supporting it is brilliant. Half of my playlist is songs from Skam, songs that I probably never would have heard before if it wasn’t for this show.
What about the remakes? Should I watch those?
Yes! The remakes, while they generally follow the same story, put their own twist on the characters and plots that keep things interesting for original Skam fans. There are currently seven Skam remakes: Skam France, Skam Austin (United States), Skam España (Spain), Skam NL (Netherlands), Druck (Germany), WtFOCK (Belgium), and Skam Italia (Italy). Some of the remakes are definitely better than others, and some fall into some of the pits of teen television that the original Skam was so careful to avoid. Regardless, each of them has a unique take on the world and characters of Skam and is worth watching. Below are three of my favorites.
Skam France was the first remake, and thus, had pretty big shoes to fill, despite that its take on the original is excellent. It doesn’t stray too far from the original in terms of plot, but the actors breathe a new life into the story and make it seem different and exciting even for people like me who know the plot inside and out. This remake has my favorite version of Sana, named Imane (Assa Sylla), and Even, called Eliott (Maxence Danet-Fauvel).
Druck, the German remake, is another amazing take on the original show that plays a lot more with the characters and the plot than France. While there are subtle changes in the first two seasons, the third season that follows Druck‘s Isak, Matteo Florenzi (Michaelangelo Fortuzzi) changes up the characters and their stories in a way that is so refreshing and interesting. In case you can’t tell, Season 3 is my favorite season of any Skam, so when a remake does it as well as Druck does it, it instantly becomes one of my favorites.
Finally there’s Skam Austin, which has a soft spot in my heart despite it not making it to many people’s favorites lists. Austin is the American remake, which aired on Facebook Watch and is still available there for free (yes, I did make a Facebook account just to watch it). Austin also doesn’t stray far from the plot of the original, but its characters are so different it makes the entire show feel new. It takes itself a little less seriously, which gives the show a more fun energy and makes Season 2, notoriously the most dramatic of the seasons, a bit lighter and easier to watch. Unfortunately for any Season 3 fans like me, Skam Austin has so far not been renewed for a third season, even though Austin‘s Isak, Shay Dixon (La’Keisha Slade), is easily my favorite version of the character.
Conclusion
Skam is the best teen TV show that you’ve probably never watched. I’m constantly recommending it to fans of Euphoria and Skins who like the draw of a realistic teen drama, but are not finding it completely in those shows. With four seasons and seven remakes, there’s an endless amount of content that’s all so amazing you’ll never get tired of it. Watching the remakes is a great way to practice any language you’re learning, I know that Skam France really helped me in my high school French classes. There’s also a great social media community surrounding the show through which you can meet fans all over the world.
Beyond all of that, though, Skam has a lot of heart. Its characters are loveable and its story is heartwarming. This show has gotten me through some of the tough times in my life, and I know it’s always there for me if I need something to cheer me up. Hopefully this article convinced you to check it out.