In its best iteration (i.e. The First Generation), Skins was one of the sharpest television shows on UK screens at a time when shows aimed at (and starring) young people were not exactly knocking it out of the park.
Although its on-screen drug use and exaggerated rave parties gained tabloid headlines, it was the excellent writing, sharp humour and refusal to shy away from difficult topics that set the show out from others.
However, few could have predicted that years later, several of its stars would go on to become Hollywood A-listers, but the show's status as a platform for silver screen glory has been confirmed with the Oscar nomination of Daniel Kaluuya.
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The actor was nominated for his role in horror film Get Out. His fellow Best Actor nominees are Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name), Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread), Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) and Denzel Washington (Roman J. Israel, Esq.).
Competition for the award will be stiff. Collectively, the above actors have one four Best Actor Oscars, though admittedly three of those were won by Daniel 'I refuse to get out of bed without an Oscar' Day-Lewis.
However, Kaluuya is not the only Skins star to flirt with Oscar glory. At last year's event, Dev Patel was nominated in the same category for his performance in Lion, in which he starred alongside Nicole Kidman. He also starred in 2008's Slumdog Millionaire, which collected eight Oscars.
When asked what he would like people to take from his portrayal of Chris Washington in Get Out, Kaluuya told his interviewer: 'Fight for what you believe in'.
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A long way from his role as Posh Kenneth in the British teen drama there.
Kaluuya and Patel are not the only Skins actors to enjoy success in film and TV.
The show's leading man in its first series, Nicholas Hoult, has starred in a number of Hollywood films including Mad Max: Fury Road, A Single Man and numerous X-Men films, while Hannah Murray and Joe Dempsie will be known to Game of Thrones fans as Gilly and Gendry respectively.
However, the best Skins character without a shadow of a doubt was Michelle, who this story has just reminded me of.
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It's also now reminded me of the bright light Skins cast upon a teenagehood that was less characterised by invites to huge raves and kissing girls like Michelle (or girls plural, or singular, for that matter) and more focused on playing on my Xbox and staying indoors.
Still great, though. Good luck with your award ceremony, Daniel.
Featured Image Credit: SkinsTopics: TV and Film, Celebrity, Oscars
