Thursday, January 28, 2010

TV Topic: I love the British Series "Skins"
(Season 1 & 2)


This is basically my love letter to "Skins." I might be late to jump on the bandwagon, but my affection for it is no less rabid than any other fan's. It had me in a tailspin. I lived and breathed "Skins" (Seasons 1 and 2) for two straight weeks. I was so obsessed that every dramatic climax had me drowning in emotions, whether it was anticipation for an impending hookup or dread of an imminent death. Even after I made the mistake of reading episode plots before watching them and spoiling a major twist, I couldn't help but mention the series in every medium (FB and Twitter) to every person (friends and family) during every occasion (dinner and parties). They had me hooked and I got addicted. I would literally plan my day around Netflix Instant Watch viewings. I even ditched a party early so I could watch two episodes before heading to bed. They were so heartbreaking that I swore off the last two. I couldn't bear to see what I knew was the inevitable. But I eventually caved in, hoping that once I finished the season, I could go back to my normal life. *Sigh* Alas, I'll never be the same. Check out a breakdown of the cast and why I love each character (spoiler-heavy):


Tony (Nicholas Hoult)
His drama: He cheats on his girlfriend Michelle and preys on her insecurities, calling her Nips because of her "uneven" nipples. He treats his best friend Sid like a pet.
Craziest Scene: When he decided to dabble in homosexuality because he was bored.
His Redeeming Quality: He covers for his wild child little sister Effy, and tries to help Sid lose his virginity.
Why I love him: Before his accident, he was the most manipulative and sadistic a-hole in the history of teenage characters. He could've made Gossip Girl's Chuck his bitch.
Latest gigs: He played Colin Firth's temporary distraction in the dramatic indie A Single Man. This March you can see him in Clash of the Titans, and soon he'll start shooting his role in the Mad Max revival.

Michelle (April Pearson)
Her drama: She's majorly insecure. Tony can send her in a downward spiral with just one word. She has a twisted--albeit stereotypical--belief that she can control her boyfriend with sex and that all she's good for is a roll in the hay.
Craziest Scene: When she refused to talk any other language but Spanish so she could practice for their finals. She actually sounded fluent. But the one word she needed to know desperately, "pregnant," she couldn't translate.
Her Redeeming Quality: She not only introduces Sid to his future one-and-only, but ironically helps Jal get over her insecurities.
Why I love her: No matter how down or damaged she gets, she always has Sid's best interest at heart.
Latest gigs: She was in last Spring's UK horror comedy Tormented.

Sid (Mike Bailey)
His drama: His parents are romantically screwed up. He thinks he's in love with Michelle, even though she's his bff's girlfriend, and he realizes way too late that he's in love with Cassie. He's also a D student with no set future.
Craziest Scene: When he had to evade a pot dealer who he owed a crapload of money to.
His Redeeming Quality: If you sit him down and tell him he has to try harder, he tries harder. Things may go right over his head sometimes, but he has such a good heart that he doesn't disregard other people's emotions even if he doesn't get them.
Why I love him: He's so awkward and goofy that he can make you laugh without saying anything.
Latest gigs: He's in the BBC battle-heavy, Middle Earth series "1066."

Cassie (Hannah Murray)
Her drama: She's anorexic and her free-spirited nude artist parents are extremely neglectful. Her most reliable parental figure is the cab driver who takes her to rehab. She feels incompatible with the rest of the world and is always questioning why people do things and why things happen. Even though she's smitten with Sid, she hurts herself whenever she can't compete with Michelle.
Craziest Scene: Post-Michelle-and-Sid's hookup, she turns semi-evil and sleeps with every guy and girl she comes across to get back at him. She even gets two slugs and names it after both of them.
Her Redeeming Quality: She plays dumb and loopy, but she understands more about people then most of her friends. And she may say "Wow" a lot, like an airhead, but she can turn around and give you the harshest truth when you need to hear it.
Why I love her: Her ability to throw you a curve ball. She's always more lucid than she lets on.
Latest gigs: She just wrapped up the German film Womb, and the American teen thriller Chatroom with Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass).

Jalinda AKA Jal (Larissa Wilson)
Her drama: Her mother abandoned her and her brothers when they were little. Her dad neglects her because she looks too much like her mom. She stresses herself out trying to get into music school with her clarinet skills. She's like the designated-walker for all of her friends, who are often high on pills or drunk. She's also their most reliable shoulder to cry on. When one of them is in trouble, she's the one who is most likely to actively try to solve their problem, but they're rarely there for her.
Craziest Scene: The boys dared her to steal the hat of a singer while he was singing and she did.
Her Redeeming Quality: Even though she's a push-over, she's also a hot-head. When something pisses her off, she really lets whoever's to blame have it. She has balls of steel. lol.
Why I love her: She's very nurturing for someone who doesn't have a mom.
Latest gigs: She did Tormented with April.

Chris (Joseph Dempsie)
His drama: He's always high on some type of pills. He's always up for a party. His dad abandoned him for another family, and his mom later abandons him too. He has a serious heriditary condition that he ignores happily. He has a very low opinion of himself because no one has ever believed in him, so he clings to any girl that shows any confidence in him, including his teacher.
Craziest Scene: When he tried to bed his Psychology teacher on the class trip to Russia.
His Redeeming Quality: He gave Cassie shelter when she needed it most, and he fell in love with Jal.
Why I love him: He's one of those lovable fuckups. His devotion is very adorable. And when he falls for a girl, he falls hard. He'd change his name if they asked him to.
Latest gigs: He did an episode of "Merlin" this summer, and is currently filming the upcoming drama Edge.

Maxxie (Mitch Hewer)
His drama: He's gay and he's proud of it, but his best friend Anwar, a Muslim, is forced to be religiously opposed to it. There are also a few city thugs who rag on him for being gay. While his dad does support his life choice, he doesn't approve of his decision to skip college and become a dancer. Plus, Sketch, a geeky shut-in who photographs him from a distance, tries to make him fall in love with her by seducing Anwar.
Craziest Scene: When he viciously rejects Sketch on stage in the middle of the school play.
His Redeeming Quality: Even though his best friend disapproves of his life choice, he doesn't just brush him off and stick to the gay crowd. He fights for him.
Why I love him: He's an amazing dancer.
Latest gigs: He was one of the stars of the "Glee"-like British teen series, "Britannia High."

Anwar (Dev Patel)
His drama: The only religious rules he follows are praying and rejecting homosexuality. He doesn't believe in his religion and doesn't want to follow in his father's professional footsteps. He's also hard-up for sex, which makes him desperate enough to sleep with whoever's available, including his bff's stalker.
Craziest Scene: When he rescues a Russian teenager from who he thought was her abusive father, and then had his sexual awakening.
His Redeeming Quality: He would do anything for his bff, even if it means going against his life-long beliefs.
Why I love him: He's so misinformed in the ways of women that his every flirtatious attempt is laughable.
Latest gigs: Well, you've already seen him in Slumdog Millionaire. This summer he'll star in M. Night Shyamalan's action adventure The Last Airbender.

Effy (Kaya Scodelario)
Her drama: She has a self-destructive nature, stays out all night, strings guys along, and does whatever drug is at a party.
Craziest Scene: When she went to a warehouse party and swung from the ceiling in a harness while straddling a guy she just met.
Her Redeeming Quality: She was the strongest person that her brother could rely on after his accident, and when her parents fell apart, she cleaned up after them too.
Why I love her: She knows who and how to manipulate in order to execute a perfect plan.
Latest gigs: She was in the indie space drama Moon last year. She'll be in the unorthodox violent teen indie Shank, and she'll also have a role in the upcoming Clash of the Titans.

4 comments:

  1. i wish there will be back on skins...or do a movie with all of them..

    ReplyDelete
  2. they are making a movie!

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  3. I ♥ Maxxie!
    He is awesome :D ♥♥♥

    ReplyDelete