NBC, heady with the long unfamiliar smell of success, is snatching up projects, most recently jumping onto the fantasy train by finalizing a deal for Wonderland, executive produced by CSI creator Anthony Zuiker.  Wonderland is a drama set in the years after the events in Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland book, and is said to focus on Alice and a new character, Clara.

Elsewhere, the CW has picked up the J.J. Abrams, Ken Olin and Bryan Burk-produced project Electropolis, described as an undercover cop show meets (in my own interpretation) Skins.  For more on both of these projects and why every network seems primed to have an Alice in Wonderland story next year, hit the jump.

Though the network made a valiant effort to capture the same magic that made the British import series Skins a success here in the United States, today Deadline reports  MTV has decided that it will not renew the steamy teen drama series for another season. The first season, which was met with some controversy and accusations of child pornography back in January, ended roughly three months ago, and with no word on another season since then, the grave seemed to have been dug for the series. MTV says, “Skins is a global television phenomenon that, unfortunately, didn’t connect with a US audience as much as we had hoped. We admire the work that the series’ creator Bryan Elsley did in adapting the show for MTV, and appreciate the core audience that embraced it.” If anyone liked this series, but is unfamiliar with the original British series, I’d recommend checking that out as a much better substitute.

On the controversial MTV television series Skins, actress Sofia Black-D’Elia plays Tea, the 16-year-old, openly gay cheerleader who is as big a mystery to herself as she is everyone else. This wild card is as beautiful and confident as they come on the surface, but also has the same self-doubt that is normal for any teenager her age.

During a recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, Sofia Black-D’Elia talked about being a fan of the BBC series that Skins was adapted from, the honor of working with the original show’s creator, bonding with her co-stars, how she loves Tea’s honesty, dealing with the criticism that the show has already received, and being a role model for other teens looking to be confident in their own sexuality. Check out what she had to say after the jump:

The pilot of Skins US is virtually the same as the first episode of Skins UK.  Beat by rambunctious beat.  But the opening scene is slightly altered for MTV.  In Skins UK, we are introduced to Tony in bed before a morning workout set to Chingy’s “Right Thurr.” Skins US has the same scene, but instead kicks off with a shot of Tony’s younger sister outside in a snowfall set to Animal Collective’s “My Girls” — by far the more beautiful song choice.

Skins is about what you think it’s about: teens who party, drink, get high.  But the father/son team of Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain — who  created the original and run the adaptation — are earnest in their efforts to show the beauty and confusion of being a teenager alongside the recklessness.  It’s like a more provocative My So Called Life.  And I take “My Girls” as a proclamation that, yes, Skins US will continue to strive for the beautiful moments that Skins UK achieves at its best.  My review of four of the first five episodes after the break:

Created by father and son team Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain, Skins is the ground-breaking UK series, featuring Nicholas Hoult and Dev Patel, about a group of friends who navigate complex relationships and the difficulties of daily life in their formative years. It’s raw and edgy, and depicts the sex and drugs that is present in the lives of the teenagers that it follows. Now, Elsley is bringing his hit series across the seas, as the writer/executive producer on the adapted version that will start airing on MTV in January 2011.

During an exclusive interview with Collider, newcomers Jesse Carere, Daniel Flaherty, Ron Mustafaa and Britne Oldford talked about the chemistry between this ensemble cast, keeping things as true to the teenage experience as possible, and maintaining a level of edginess that the original series is known for. Check out what they had to say after the jump.  You can watch the just released trailer here.

In case you weren’t aware, MTV is making a big jump into scripted TV with their remake of the hit British teen series Skins. Today the first trailer for the series has cropped up online, and it looks to deliver almost a carbon copy of the original British series, not unlike NBC’s first season attempt at adapting Ricky Gervais’ The Office. The show will likely need sometime to grow into its own skin (pun intended), but if you’re a fan of all the issues of teenage life including sex, drugs, eating disorders and more, then this show is for you. We’ve included the trailer after the jump, and even though it’s not hardcore porn or anything like that, I’d say that it’s probably NSFW.

The British cult hit TV show Skins is being adapted into a film.  For those unfamiliar with the show (like myself) let us consult Wikipedia: “Skins is a British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England through the two years of sixth form (similar to our “grades”). The controversial plotline explores issues including dysfunctional families, personality and eating disorders, mental illness and death.  The show is notable for its casting of amateur actors and young writers. The cast are entirely replaced every two series, when the characters leave sixth form.”

Variety reports that the cast is being kept under wraps, but executive producer Steve Christian says “there will be some names from series one and two and some new faces as well.”  I’m curious to know if first series cast members Nicholas Hoult (A Single Man) and Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) will be in the movie since they’ve hit upon successful film careers. Production is set to commence at the end of September.  Hit the jump to see a (slightly NSWF) trailer for the show.