2007, I'm finding my independence at University, being simultaneously grown up and enjoyably childish at the same time, drinking, partying and embracing the freedom. Then E4 go and premiere a TV programme where a load of 16 year olds have beaten me too it and are seemingly making a better job of it. I'm talking about skins, E4's massively unrealistic, but incredibly watchable teenage drama; back for its fifth series this week with a brand new cast.
Something about a new series of skins always excites me - from the clever advertising to the anticipation of seeing what new characters the writers will come up with. And there was even more pressure this year to come up with an exciting new bunch of sixth-formers.
While the second generation were great (far better than the first) there were obvious comparisons between the two. The writers seemed to follow a noticeable formula: the slightly dorky one - Syd/JJ, the gay one Maxxie/Emily & Naomi, the pilled up one Chris/Cook etc. and when the new cast pictures were released, people quickly commented things like ‘he has the looks like Freddie but the personality of Cook’.
Comparisons were always going to be made so it was important that the writers came up with something different. While at the moment there isn’t much to be said about most of the cast they’ve certainly thrown us a couple of interesting curveballs in the form of non-gender specific Frankie Fitzgerald and mysterious Matty - whose few words during a brief encounter with Frankie were more intriguing than anything the rest of the cast said put together.
For an introductory episode, the ratio of screen time was strangely weighted; giving more attention to the girls, leaving the lads attempting to provide some comic relief. However, the relationship between Frankie and ‘the Plastics’ was well established. And the Carrie-esque changing room scene cleverly foreshadowed the prank to be played on Frankie later on in the episode. The changing of relationships from start to finish - with a clear divide emerging - could provide an interesting, and ultimately more realistic group dynamic this series.
(Along with Carrie, there were a couple of other clever nods to teen films, such as Mean Girls & Donnie Darko)
Music, as ever, played its part in the storytelling. Music from upcoming bands fleshed out the soundtrack while Frankie Goes To Hollywood was played for laughs. The cleverly ironic use of Fergie’s ‘Glamorous’ as Frankie entered the party more than made up for her incredibly obvious and slightly tacky burning of societal norms in the form a sequinned dress.
All in all, this was generally a well written, funny, and at times moving intro episode, which has left me wanting to know more about some of the characters who weren’t given as much attention as the others. It didn’t ‘wow’ as much as previous series openers have, but something about its simplicity took me back to when Tony first woke up and introduced us to his world.
Frankie’s battle to find friends, but be accepted as an individual rather than a carbon copy, coupled with Minnie’s jealousy over her new ‘rival’ should provide some different avenues to explore, and it will interesting to see how this year’s crop of kids make their mark.
It may be ridiculous at times (though that may be because I can detach myself - I’m an Inbetweener at heart) and it may enjoy exploiting its bad reputation (skins parties, drugs, sex, violence), but the show deals with a lot of issues that teenagers face - mental illness (eating disorders, aspergers) sexual orientation, substance abuse, death. Like it or not, it’s far more culturally relevant, and representative of our society than any of the teen dramas imported from America and for that reason, it should be praised, and watched, and just enjoyed for what it is.
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