Skam

I've seen a lot of TV shows during my life (probably more than most people) and I am having serious issues finding a show that is better than this.

As a 24 year old guy I am probably not the primary audience for this, but I've never once felt like I am too old for this or that this was written for somebody else. It instead made me feel nostalgic and reminded me of my high school experience, which was pretty similar to what is shown here (just with less partying). There are no classic "jocks and nerds" groups in this, just different groups of friends that interact with each other. I don't know if this is because the high school experience is different in Europe than in the US (where most popular TV shows are from) or something else. But it certainly felt closer to home.

The first two seasons were brilliant, but season 3 felt so real that it made me cry more than once. The character of Isak could have been written after any closeted gay boy during high school. And that basically struck so close to home. I pretty much fell in love with Tarjei Sandvik Moe and his character. His acting ability at 17 pretty much makes every other actor seem like an amateur. He expresses so much emotion through his body language and facial expressions that I believed that this is actually what he was feeling.

Season 4 has just started and I am going to watch the first episode after I finish writing this. Sure it probably won't be as good as season 3 (mostly because I pretty much saw myself in season 3), but I have no doubt that it will be brilliant. The main issue is - where do we go after Season 4? Season 4 is supposed to be the last one and I have serious issues finding a suitable replacement. To be honest... I pretty much lost interest in all other TV shows because none of them can compare to this.

SKAM was an experience, from beginning to end, that I firmly believe people of all ages can enjoy, though I will admit it will probably appeal most to the teenage mind. This show combines well-written characters with interesting plot lines and development to create an amazing show viewers will fall in love with. It does have its issues with a few somewhat dull scenes, including one scene that consists solely of characters eating breakfast in silence, but that can be forgiven.

SKAM is the first show I've seen in a very long time that has cast teenagers to play teenagers. Not only that, but the actors are a part of the production and do get a hand in deciding things about their character. The show itself contains some great messages about standing by your friends, accepting yourself, and coming to terms with your identity, and they do it in a tasteful and realistic way. No one gets their happy ending without making a few mistakes along the way. The show does contain some themes that are often considered taboo for teenagers to do or even talk about in today's society, like drinking, sex, partying, and drugs. SKAM does a great job of portraying the teenage party scene in a realistic but still kind of tasteful way.

Overall, SKAM is a great show that I would encourage most people to watch. Maybe not a show to watch with your little sibling or kid, but a good show for people over the age of thirteen.

I discovered this amazing and unique Norwegian series, set around an Oslo high school, this summer (2017) with S3 (Isak & Even), which got more global attention and was published on more platforms and more commented on by fans because of its appealing and destined-to-be-classic gay teen coming-out love story, and then watched S1 (Jonas & Eva) & S2 (Noora & William), moving on just in time for the current, ongoing S4 (Sana) up to the the end, seeing the final episode of S4 on its actual final real-time day The Eid (Eid al-Fitr ) June 25. The real-time, of- the-moment quality was essential to the authenticity of the series and its proximity to the present teenage generation. (We are told that the series was made up as it went along, with input from teens, and nobody knew during S3 who was going to be featured in S4.)

Amazingly all this that I watched was not officially published but local fans' artisanal publications on various platforms with homemade but spot-on idiomatic English subtitles (including all the text messages and explanations of wordplay, maybe the best subtitles ever). It was easy to get hooked and hunt for more and more wherever you could find them. There was nothing like it ever. It was so good and these kids and their talk were so fascinating it made you study the texts and want to learn Norwegian (which I loved the sound of, but found pretty baffling). All this came at kind of a serendipitous time right after I'd devoured all but the last not yet translated of Karl Ove Knausgård's addictive 6-vol. Series of autobiographical novels, "My Struggle," so I was used to living vicariously in Norway.

Besides being innovatively naturalistic with its real-time scenes and online broadcast, heavy use of SMS etc., it also boldly covers a social range using appropriate actors, notably Tarjei Sandvik Moe as "Isak," who became a global gay heartthrob, yet was a an actual 15, 16, 17-year-old student at the Hartvig Nissens high school featured in the series. And what a compelling, watchable young actor he is! We live through his lies and dodges, double-takes and self-discoveries moment by moment.

Each of the 4 seasons is the love story of one couple, all connected with the others through the school. S1 is an ordinary (cute) couple, and the boy, Jonas (Marlon Langeland of the imposing eyebrows) spoils their love through excessive jealousy of the beautiful Eva (Lisa Teige). S2 is a screwed-up couple, a snobbish, particular girl and a rich, spoiled, damaged top dog. Noora's and William's story is painful and as true as Isak & Even's. When N & W finally connect, it's super-intense, but also fragile. S3 is Isak, the gay-questioning boy who has to come out to himself, while pursued by the older, more sure Even, who yet has psychological issues. Their first dates are romantic, a scene based on Baz Luhrman's Romeo & Juliet. Then, after the requisite heartbreak and Isak's difficult coming out to his (totally accepting) pals, who sort of knew it all along, as did Emma (Ruby Dagnall), the girl he was stringing along and using as a facade, "Evak" wind up moving in together and being the most loving and stable couple of all, a pearl of a romance cultivated in adversity. Also interesting, a microcosm of the school social groupings, is Isak's loyal little posse of Jonas, Magnus and Mahdi and himself, who talk of nothing but sex though only one, Jonas, of S1, may know anything about it so far. Magnus is the one who has to get laid, his naive eagerness a running joke, till he finds a gf, somebody we've been seeing all along, Vilde, the most eager and innocent of the girl posse, which includes Vilde, Noora, Eva, Chris, and Sana.

S4, though it continues with all the former characters, focuses primarily on the most baddass and arguably the most complex and interesting character, the Muslim, hijab-wearing Sana (the excellent Iman Meskini), who as time goes on very much finds a boy she loves, Yousef, who's from a Muslim family, but sadly, her religious beliefs don't allow her to be with him when she discovers his attitude to God.

The joyous party at the end both celebrates the young actor's esprit-de- corps and underlines that "SKAM" is throughout very much an ensemble piece, with no minor characters, because they all count, Chris, Vilde, Isak's gay roommate and scold Eskild, the bus groups, the top dog boys, everybody. Mostly to these kids, adults don't count that much, and are seen only from the neck down,except for Sana's parents, who do count for her, and the hilarious, wise school "nurse", more an offbeat counselor, Dr. Skrulle (Astrid Elise Arefjord), whose little scenes of quirky advice-giving are priceless.

I confess to by now having watched some "SKAM" episodes three, four, or more times. Each time gets better and I marvel more at the wit, adorableness, and how, say, Isak and his posse play off each other when they're together. These kids are incredible. You may think of the UK series "Skins," which is remarkable in its own way, but it is totally different, bent on grimness, and dark humor and absurdity, and not as real and true, or as helpful. Because watching "SKAM" can be healing and enlightening, as well as touching and fun. And it's basically about togetherness and love.

Season One: 8/10

Season Two: 8/10

Season Three: 10/10

Season Four: 8/10

Themes: Drama, High School, Friendship, Romance, Religion, Lgbtq+, Gay Couple, Coming Out, Mental Health, Cheating, Sexual Assault, Bipolar Disorder, Partying & Norwegian.

Top five characters: 1) Isak Valtersen, 2) Even Bech Næsheim, 3) Vilde Hellerud Lien, 4) Yousef Acar and 5) Jonas Noah Vasquez.

Skam certainly makes me relive my teenage years all over again. Usually I'm not really into high school shows, but this is not your average high school drama at all! In fact, it actually feels more like you're watching a documentary rather than a fictional show, and that's exactly why Skam stands out from the rest. Every character is unique and you can definitely relate to their personalities and problems. You can even recognize yourself and your friends in many of the characters.

What makes Skam stand out even more though, is the way its characters interact with the viewers. They're not just actors and actresses playing a role. They "become" the characters so to say. The show runners have done this by creating Instagram and Facebook accounts for every character, as well as posting screen dumps from text messages between the characters on the shows official website. Combining this social media aspect with the show adds something unique, that I've never seen before, hence making Skam feel much more real.

Skam doesn't try to be overly dramatic nor does it try to be picture perfect. It's the perfect combination of both and it manages to stay this way all the way through. I've already binged through season 1 and 2 in no time, and I can't wait to watch more of this fantastic show! If you want to feel 16 again, I would definitely recommend this show!

Good job Norway!