Taking a cue from my fellow Bloggers, I decided to start a new weekly feature where every week my buddy Robin Wildman and I take a look at the latest episode of "Skins" and offer our extensive and insightful (ha!) fan perspective! This week, the premiere episode of Series 6! What have our favorite characters been up to during the break? Who hooked up with who? And how does it relate to '90s Board Games? Find out below as Kevin & Robin watch "Skins" Series 6, "Everyone!"
Kevin: So, opening off the bat here, I've got to say that I am officially on team Maloysius! That's Mini/Alo shipping to you new comers. I know you must be very excited about that. I was a pretty big Minky supporter by the end of last season, mostly because a) I wanted Franky to get with someone and b) I thought Mini's protectiveness was kind of adorable. I really liked the idea of Mini pulling a 180 on a character she totally brutalized in the season premiere. But within ten minutes of this episode, I was definitely behind Mini and Alo getting together. Especially since Alo got pretty much zero love last season. He was well on the way to getting Anwar'ed. But their interactions (ever since he called her Minerva) have been delightfully hilarious.
Robin: I have been shipping Mini and Alo FOREVER. My "Skins"-obsessed roommate tells me the internet is upset that they got together too suddenly, to which I say, pay better attention, internet. There were signs, and you missed them. Keep up.
Kevin: Speaking of Mini, I don't know if I've mentioned this before but I've really grown to like that character. Like, I always enjoyed her early on, but as the first season went continued and then with the Series 6 premiere, I just think she's great. I can't even really pinpoint what it is. There's something about her. She has that kind of bitchiness to her that I tend to gravitate toward (yes, I have problems), but an underlying sweetness--well, her own brand of sweetness. It could also very well be that she kind of reminds me of Karen Gillen. I'm not the only one getting that, am I?
Robin: I also am a big Mini fan. I always liked that she was really insecure about sex (though I guess, not anymore?), because most of the "Skins" kids are way more confident than people actually are at that age. Also she had the best line of the episode, something about liking Franky better when she might have been a lesbian. But for the record, I don't really see the Karen Gillian thing. Maybe you connect them because both are Scottish?
Kevin: Yes, all Scottish women are the same to me. In that I love every single one of them.
Kevin: Getting to the episode itself, is it me or was the setup kind of weird? Like, they're vacationing in Morocco, just sort of chilling at this run down house. Is that, like, a normal thing British kids do?
Robin: Surely, this is NOT normal. I think I've mentioned before how now that I'm (mostly) a grown-up watching "Skins" (as opposed to the early seasons when I was closer to the characters' age), I spend a lot of time wigging out over how irresponsible they are. Like don't they have homework to do? How do they always have so much money for marijuana when hardly any of them have after-school jobs? Basically the whole first half this episode was me trying to determine who was funding this trip. And more importantly, did David Fucking Blood approve this? Seems unlikely. This episode also made me hate winter. It was difficult to watch in January.
Kevin: "Don't they have homework to do?" Seriously? Jesus, Robin. You and your Lawful Good behavior.
Kevin: Oh! Franky! How could not have mentioned her already. For those who don't know, I was super in love with Franky last season, but right from go we see a very different Franky this episode. She certainly looked like she's grown since we last saw her. And it's funny, cause when she first shows up this episode, I noticed that her braces were gone. And I thought to myself, "Huh. That's interesting. I wonder if the creators did that to signify her growth." Then I thought to myself, "No, you idiot. The actress probably just probably didn't need braces anymore."
Robin: Franky, man. How gorgeous is she in this episode? (Don't answer that actually.) And, also, how bizarre is it that she looks that gorgeous? I get that people reinvent themselves a lot in high school and getting your first boyfriend would probably lead to some of that, but it was really jarring to see her, say, sleeping in sexy bras and whatnot, when last season she was wearing men's briefs around. So, I don't know. I'll reserve judgement on new Franky till I've seen more of her, I guess.
Kevin: Yeah, I agree. I'll see how I feel about "FemFranky" as the season goes. You hit the whole "first boyfriend" thing, too. She's been dating Matty it seems, and immediately we see that they're having major problems. I'm wondering if that's because by her nature Franky can't be in a relationship or if it's just because it's Matty and he's, well, Matty. You've never liked him, right?
Robin: OF COURSE she and Matty are having problems. He's the worst. Give me an Alo over a Matty any day.
Kevin: Incidentally, speaking of Franky's new wardrobe, how awesome was Rich's pink tank top and shorts? That had to be one of my favorite bits this episode.
Robin: How awesome were ALL the clothes in this episode. I really want Mini's red one-piece. Just saying.
Kevin: What is your obsession with clothes? This is at least the fifth or sixth thing in which you've mentioned how adorable the clothing was as a main point. I believe it was the first thing you said to me about the HUNTRESS miniseries.
Robin: Huntress's clothes WERE really cute in that miniseries.
Kevin: Was it me or did that Luke guy look super weird? There was something off about him. And he's like some weird drug dealing, creeper. Plus, Franky was all over him. I was like, "What? Why? He's super freaky looking!"
Robin: I'm really happy you brought this up. I watched this episode with my roommates and we got into a HUGE thing over whether that guy was incredibly attractive or incredibly terrible. For the record, I vote terrible looking. He looks like the weird 90s-guy dates from that board game Dream Phone. But maybe some people are into that?
Kevin: Then there's the big thing that happened this episode. Franky drives off with freaky dude. Matty goes speeding off after her with Liv and Grace in the car with him. Sure enough, car flips, and poor Grace gets hurt BAD. You know, since her and Rich got together, I think every fan knew she had a target on her back. This is "Skins," after all. Happiness cannot last for an extended period of time.
Robin: It sounds weird to say, "I'm glad this happened." But they're fictional, so, it doesn't matter. I'm glad she's in the hospital. The show wasn't going to have them be happy and drama-free, so I prefer this to breaking them up over something dumb.
Kevin: Well, this is "Skins." It's either in the hospital or DEAD. Obviously, the repercussions of this episode are going to play out for a while. Franky obviously feels very guilty about what happened. Rich must be PIIIISSSSSSEEDDDD. Nick's a bit torn. And Matty's run off. I'm sure you're of the opinion that Matty actually doesn't even need to come back?
Robin: Matty can stay away forever for all I care.
Kevin: Let's talk a few predictions for the season. Who do you think is hooking up with who? Obviously, Alo and Mini are secretly together. But it seems every other relationship has been torn up. I'm wondering if Franky and Nick's guilt will pull them together. Liv... I'm not too sure what her story is going to be this season. Last season it seems she was just the girl who got with other people's love interests, and drama ensued. Rich... poor, poor Rich. What do you think?
Robin: I actually really like the idea of Franky and Nick having a mismatched romance founded on mutual guilt, but I wouldn't want them together for all time. And since Liv seems to have nothing going on, I predict her storyline will dovetail with the new character's. Though probably not romantically, as I just read online that he's gay.
That's all from Robin and me this week! Next week, we got Episode 2 headed our way, focusing on our favorite metal man, Rich!
