Looking for a new TV show obsession? Or any obsession at all? SKAM is the answer to your 99 problems.
"SKAM," which translates to "Shame" in English, is a Norwegian teen drama that has gone viral on pretty much every social media outlet, growing mainly from Tumblr. It has blown up in fame not only in Norway, but internationally, in countries ranging from those neighboring Norway, such as Sweden, to those that are all the way across the pond, like us here in America. There are 3 seasons so far with very short episodes that are at most 30 minutes long (perks of foreign shows). Each season has a different main character, which makes the show a thousand times more intriguing.
Okay, you get that the show may be famous and interesting, but I know what you are thinking..."A Norwegian TV show? Why would I ever put myself through reading English subtitles to watch a show?! Where would I even find the episodes with English subtitles?!"
Before I watched the first episode, I thought the same things as you. I told myself that watching a Norwegian show would be weird, especially because of the language barrier, but that didn't stop me. A friend of mine recommended the show to me (shout out to her!) and told me it is similar to the UK show "Skins" (which I also love). "Skins" is similar to Skam because of its focus on a group of teenagers dealing with deep issues. I don't want to compare these shows since they are each different in their own way, but I guess you could say that they are
And don't worry about not having English subtitles to watch this show. English-speaking people are so infatuated with this show that they have created subtitled episodes for every single episode of every single season. So sit back, scroll down, and enjoy the English-subtitled episode links I have put below for y'all!
If you decide not to scroll down and click the link, here's a little preview of what you'll be missing if you skip out on watching Skam:
(P.S. I purposely tried my hardest to include gifs and pictures of the show without any spoilers so you could enjoy watching the show in peaceful surprise...you're welcome!)
"Girl Squad" Power
Skam has the most inspiring girl crew on television. They help each other grow and keep each other grounded. They go on camping trips, prank each other, celebrate holidays together, come to each other for advice, take care of each other when they are drunk, and so much more. Overall, they are extremely supportive of each other, which is sadly not something we commonly see on American TV shows. Skam shows that girls are not perfect. They have insecurities, "boy problems", and fights, but no matter what, they are always there for each other. Us girls need to always remember to support each other like the girls on Skam do.
Deep Talks and Life Lessons
The characters on this show don't have talks about pointless things like how much they despise that girl in their grade that wore the same dress as her at that party or how her boyfriend isn't as popular as someone else's. They talk about real issues that teens actually experience like sex, religion, sexuality, family, love/relationships, drugs, mental illness, political refugee crises, insecurity, rape and coming of age. The situations are relatable and educating at the same time. They connect teens to situations that they may be going through and also help them understand situations they may know nothing about. Overall, they show vital lessons of hope and character as realistically as possible.
A Proper Depiction of a Muslim Girl/Hijabi
I have never seen a show depict a Muslim girl so accurately and beautifully before. This is one of the rarest things to see in media and entertainment, especially in our current society. The writers of this show created her as a normal significant character, not just as "The Muslim Girl." There are moments in the show where she breaks the stereotypes of Islam through her dialogue with other characters, as shown above. This is a huge deal because of how powerfully it resolves the misunderstandings of Islam in media and entertainment. Props to the minds behind this show for portraying a Muslim girl in the most genuine way possible.
The Most Authentic Representation of Teenagers
Every character on this show is so real. Before making the show, the creator of it went around Norway studying and interviewing teenagers to gain insight on them for the show. That is why teens are so accurately portrayed on Skam. They are shown as insecure teens struggling to find a place in society, having slight parental security, confusion on their sexualities, carefree personalities, an obsession with their phones, and pretty much every single thing that actual teens are. Although I love Gossip Girl, this show is the complete opposite of it in the best way possible. The characters don't look like models and walk the streets with Prada bags. The actors are actual teenagers playing teenagers. All of the actors' ages range from the lowest being 16 to the highest being only 21. The main character of Season 3, played by Tarjei Sandvik Moe, is 17 years old acting as the role of a 17 year old. The clothes they wear are clothes that normal people like us could buy at shops like H&M or Uniqlo. It is so refreshing to see teenagers being depicted so accurately since it makes you feel a much more passionate connection to the show and its characters.
A Strong Dose of Feminism
It is such a powerful statement to display feminism on TV and/or in movies since it is (sadly) so rare to see. All of the female characters on this show strongly represent feminism as independent and fierce women. They stand up for themselves, their friends and their women's rights in multiple occasions throughout the show. They speak out against slut-shaming, sexists and situations of rape. They preach women's support of other women, which is something we all need to learn and apply to our lives. Who
Cute Guys (of course)
Like every teen drama, Skam has cute guys we dream of being with. This show has them, but with a little twist. They are cute, Norwegian guys! *Faints*
Romantic Relationships (Including LGBT)
(no gifs/pictures because no spoilers!)
The range of connection that the couples have on this show is so deep and unique. They are genuine because of how serious and relatable they are. Every episode and situation that the relationships go through are so intimate and special all at the same time. The show does not fail to display the problems that come about with having a boyfriend/girlfriend as well as the beautiful affection that relationships possess. The connection that they have with each other sinks you into them deeper and deeper. Most importantly, the situations are not cliche at all. They are completely distinct and special in their own way. The couples on this show will become your #1 OTPs (One True Pairing) and make you fall in love with love more and more.
Amazing Style
The style of each character is unique and specific to their personalities. The style on this show is one of my favorite parts about it. Every character dresses like a real teenager and gives the ultimate OOTD inspiration!
Great Music
This show has a way of making its awesome song choices flow perfectly with the scenes. Here are some of the best songs that I discovered and regained love for through this show:
Lorde - A World Alone
Radiohead - Talk Show Host
Everclear - Local God
Coldplay - Paradise (Instrumental!!)
Lana Del Rey - Music To Watch Boys To
Amy Winehouse - The Girl from Ipanema
Here is a link to all of the songs in every episode of every season of Skam: http://www.tunefind.com/show/skam
Shout out to Julie Andem, the brilliant creator of Skam, for showing that LGBT love is as special as any other love, depicting teens as authentically as possible, giving people a dose of Norweigan life and culture, teaching teens life morals, positively representing Muslims in entertainment, and overall, just brightening up our days with this incredible show.
I hope this article made you smile and/or convinced you to watch Skam!
Here is the link to watch seasons 1, 2, and 3 of Skam for free with English subtitles: http://skam-online.tumblr.com/episodes
Happy binge-watching!
