Girls
Imagine Sex and The City if it were actually funny and featured believable characters and situations. Girls has been a sensation in the US, and the UK is catching on quickly. Painfully funny but extremely explicit - which won’t stop your young people watching it.
Discussion Questions : What worldview does Girls promote? Is it compatible with Christianity? What do we learn about relationships from Girls? How can we engage people, such as the characters from Girls, with the message of the Bible?
Skins
A Daily Mail-baiting show about young people and all the potential debauchery that they get up to. Full of big characters, bigger storylines and the occasional epic party, it’s a show that shocks but also has a soul.
Discussion Quest ions : Do you think that Skins is a fair representation of what it is like to be a young person in the UK today? Has the show helped you deal with any issues or themes in your own life? Is it appropriate for a Christian to watch Skins?
Don’t call me crazy
More than half a million young people across the UK are being treated for some kind of mental illness, and over 3,500 teenagers passed through inpatient units like The McGuinness Unit in Manchester last year. Don’t Call Me Crazy shows young patients telling the world what it’s really like to live with mental health issues - through the good times and the bad.
Discussion Questions : Is it taking advantage of patients to film them and put it on TV? What have you learnt from the show and how has it impacted on your life? Does the Church do enough to support people with mental health issues? What could they do better?
T.O.W.I.E
The Only Way Is Essex is proof that in today’s world, anyone can be a celebrity. A ‘reality’ show about people’s lives, it’s like Eastenders but with less trips to the Queen Vic and more fake tan.
Discussion Questions : Do you show people around you the ‘real’ you? If you had a camera following you around 24 hours a day, are their parts of your life that you wouldn’t want shown?? What is it about TOWIE that makes it such a popular show?
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is a comedy that has made being geeky cool. A sitcom about four nerdy male friends who have their lives turned upside down with the introduction of ladies, it’s the most viewed comedy show in America and the closest to Friends that young people today will get.
Discussion Questions : What is it about the friendship group that makes them get on so well? Who do you share your life with? Are they positive influences on you? What are you passionate about in life? Do you channel your passions appropriately?
