Skins is a weird TV concept that, in theory, shouldn?t actually work. Firstly, the show?s creators take huge risks every two series by ditching the cast who have just established themselves to viewers in terms of their character traits and personalities. Every new cast will bear similar resemblances to the last, but viewers now have to find someone else that they ?connect with.?
Secondly, the plotlines in Skins may have started off being groundbreaking, but will they be rebranded as slightly dull and repetitive?
Not for a second do we believe that the new cast will warp into angelic students who care for the homeless after completing coursework. The drunken partying and drug taking will always remain alongside the emphasised fantasy element that all the characters indulge in this 24/7. Following the teaser trailers we've seen, this series looks like it might take a step back from previous intense episodes.
As series 4 showed, the writers of Skins wanted to take the show somewhere darker and do more than just have episodes of two blokes fighting over a girl, friendships disintegrating and people finding the strength to be their own person.
Effy battled against mental health issues and got roped in to a sinister side plot with the doctor responsible looking after her, ultimately leading to the shows romeo Freddie having his face smashed to bits with a baseball bat. Unlike a lot of American teen dramas, the series wasn?t wrapped up neatly with happy endings. The shows finale ended with Cook, also fighting for Effy?s affection, confronting the doctor for turning his friend into a bloody pulp before lunging at him.
For Skins series 5, another cast has been formed and, based on the trailers, this series looks like it will confront issues of acceptance and friendship. Though nothing is ever straight forward, so no doubt someone will go on some sort of make believe bender after snorting lines of cocaine that is actually sherbet. Because we have a talent of judging a book by its cover, we've dissected all the characters for you:
Franky ? Because she doesn't appear to shop in so-called ?chic? shops like H&M, Topshop or American Apparel, She'll no doubt be the victim of the baying gang of girls. From the outset people will look to befriend her, though we assume it'll all go tits up with mass bitching sessions and probable suicide attempts. Or killing sprees after playing Call Of Duty for a week straight.
Alo ? If nobody makes a rubbish joke of going, ?ello Alo?, we?ll be quite upset. Seemingly a loner who lives in a van with his dog, and if Channel 4?s program on Gypsy weddings made this subsection of society a laughing stock, then Skins will attempt to make being a traveller almost cool. He also looks porn, so we envisage he?ll either try and make some, or have his wanking exploits posted on YouTube.
Rich ? Call the fearmongers! This child has long hair and wears black clothing! He is clearly a social outcast who wants to preach the devil’s message to fellow students. Oh hang on, that's right, we're not The Daily Mail. So we realise that Rich is a kid who is currently going through a phase of thinking bands like ?Mega Kill Mega Death Mega Mega Kill? are awesome and aspects of popular culture are only embraced by people because we've been brainwashed in to liking them.
Mini ? She appears to be the sort of girl whose viewpoints change depending on what the trending topics on Twitter are, what magazines dictate she should love and what is advertised to her. Basically, she's the girl who is up her own arse thinking that she sets fashion and influences others when she is actually being exploited by others. Little miss popular probably can't write a coherent sentence and talks in text speak. What a LOOL.
Liv ? The sort of girl that begs for attention, otherwise she'd start melting and disappearing in to the cracks of the floorboards. Liv will also be your unwanted lifestyle coach who?ll other all sorts of patronising advice and won't stop unless you tell her to fuck off or just give in and pretend you give a toss. Likely to suffer a mental breakdown at some point.
Grace ? Goshy gosh! Fluffy kittens! Grace appears to be this series’ posh girl who hails from a privileged background and will be thrust in to the real world where She'll encounter people that her parents would normally keep out of their house with gigantic electric fences. Her fantasy lifestyle bubble will burst when someone comes up to her at a party and asks if he can do her up the wrong?un.
Nick ? He has the honour of dicking the show’s popular girl Mini. The show’s golden couple will likely lead the rest of their merry gang of followers, stir things up and break-up at least once before romantically getting back together behind the skips at a McDonalds. Looking like he has enough charm and energy to loan out to others, he?ll probably grate on us within the first seven seconds of watching him.
Matty ? We all like a mysterious character don't we? He sounds like the sort of person you become after a night out. As in talking absolute guff and thinking at the time that every single world uttered is beautiful and poetic after drinking multiple pints. He?d like to think he's deep and meaningful, but instead has a strict curfew at 9pm and can only claim paracetamol as the hardest drug he's necked.
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