'Skam': What made Norwegian teen drama such a hit
What's the story
It has already been eight years since the first season of the popular Norwegian teen drama series Skam premiered.
Set in Hartvig Nissen School, a real high school in Oslo, it follows a group of teenagers who deal with issues of peer pressure, sexuality, mental health, sexual assault, and religion, besides love and friendships.
Then, what sets it apart and makes it so special?
#1
Each episode was released in real time
The show's unique storytelling format proved to be a major contribution to its popularity.
Daily clips were released throughout the week which were combined to broadcast an episode every Friday. These clips were released in real time.
For example, if one of the characters in the show is watching television at home at 9:15pm, the clip was released at the same time.
#2
Real social media presence of the characters
The real-time clip release made the audience feel like they were actually watching something as it was happening.
This was made ever more life-like with the real-life social media presence of the characters.
They posted what the characters were doing at that time of the day and also shared group chats and text messages exchanged between the characters regarding their upcoming Friday plan.
#3
Each season focused on a separate character
Each season is focused on one of the characters of the group.
Season 1 focuses on Eva's struggles in her relationship and in making friends in school.
Season 2 follows a carefree and opinionated Noora while the third season revolves around Isak and his struggles with his sexual identity and relationships.
And, the final season follows Sana dealing with her Muslim identity and prejudices.
#4
Not preachy, not romanticized! 'Skam' was real
What made Skam unlike the others in the genre, was it was not preachy. Neither did it romanticize the themes it dealt with.
Skam didn't try to teach the dos and don'ts like the other series that deal with similar issues, such as Gossip Girl, Euphoria, or Generation.
The characters just deal with it which is a more realistic portrayal.