Whatever Happened to the Show “Skin Wars?”

Skin Wars was a strange but interesting show that allowed body artists to ply their trade to show just how good they could be and to eventually gain the respect and admiration of their peers and the judges. Rebecca Romijn was named the host of the show and since there’s few people in this world that know the value of body art more than she does, it was a good fit. Keep in mind that she played the part of Mystique in the first three X-Men movies, and was instrumental in helping to get the films off the ground with her look and acting skills. Just for a reminder of what she brought to screen, here’s an example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCHmlO523TQ

So as you can see if anyone knows what it’s like to be painted up in body art on a big scale it would be her. But while this show enjoyed three seasons on the Game Show Network it wasn’t renewed for a fourth season. Instead it was decided that another show will be making a comeback, Face/Off. This show is, by contrast, more costume than makeup, though there is a fair amount of both to be honest since the models have to look the part that the artists are trying to conceptualize into their pieces. Skin Wars was more of a show that used the human body as a canvas and didn’t seek to hide the basic form away under a costume but instead tried to accentuate it. The models they used were absolutely stunning, and the work that was done was quite impressive really.

The radiant hues and colors that were used for so many of the models were simply brilliant and no matter the skill level of the contestants it was impressive to watch as they attempted to build on themes given by the judges and the host in order to become the most esteemed artist in the room. It was a bit cutthroat at times as most shows like this are, but it was also a chance for the artists to show that body art is still very much a growing interest and is still very respectable given that the human body, when used as a canvas, is a remarkable sight to behold.

The downfall of the show is that it was beginning to lose its interest.

Between season three and a possible season four the show was lower on the ratings scale than anyone wanted to see it go, and unfortunately when this happens a lot of producers will look at giving a show the chop if they can’t find a way to reboot or retool it. Skin Wars was unfortunately becoming a lot of the same old, same old without any redemptive values that could bring it out of its funk. The work was still brilliant and the models were still just as great but the idea was growing a bit stale. The problem with shows like this is that eventually one needs to shake them up in order to keep the attention of the audience or the risk becomes greater for losing viewers on a daily basis. Even moving to Netflix where viewers had unlimited access for a while wasn’t getting it done unfortunately.

Why Face/Off might be favored.

Face/Off is slightly more dynamic in that it creates a need for more three-dimensional thinking and forces the artists into situations where it’s all or nothing with the very real possibility that there is no hope to get their design finished on time. The same situation exists with Skin Wars, but without the added stress of having to add on prostheses that could fall apart at any given moment if they’re not applied correctly. The modes in Skin Wars could begin to sweat and possibly ruin the art, but that seems a tad paltry of a concern next to those that Face/Off has seen in the past. The idea of losing an entire section of a costume is a little more pressing than one swatch of paint being smudged or out of place, but there is concern on both shows about getting everything right.

The idea of Face/Off is a bit more practical as well as it reflects an industry that is still vital to film and TV productions. While the old style of creating characters that are little more than hastily thrown together stage productions is not the desired method in Hollywood, the designs and creations of the artists on Face/Off are still testaments to the skill and dedication that people have given to their craft. Skin Wars is about the same when it comes to time, effort, and dedication, but unfortunately the show just didn’t seem to change enough as time went on. Without any clear direction or idea on how to change things it was just a matter of time until the show got the ax.