MTV's controversial series Skins attracted only about half the viewers it did when it premiered a week ago.
Skins' second episode drew 1.581 million viewers on Monday, down from 3.255 million, one of MTV's biggest series debuts ever. Among viewers 12 to 34--MTV's target demographic, Skins drew a 1.35 rating, making it the 11th ranked show on cable in prime time. A week ago it was No. 2 with a 2.87 rating.
MTV boosted the viewership of the premiere by using a special episode of The Jersey Shore as a lead in and all of the salacious buzz surrounding the show couldn't bring in enough new viewers to match the previous week's levels.
Skins raised a ruckus amid accusations that a combination of storylines involving sex and drugs, plus a cast that includes actors under the age of 18 could be a formula for child pornography. The Parents Television Council also began contacting advertisers on what it called the "most dangerous" show for children ever on TV, and sponsors began to drop the show.
On Mondays' episodes, the only advertisers were movie studios, Red Bull and acne and stretch mark treatments.
