Rin says: They all go inside and have cupcakes/muffins, because why not.
Sophy says: When in doubt, have cupcakes/muffins. Skins is making me think again!
Mini cheerfully tells the Mr Franky responsible for the cupcakes that they’re “sex” because she’s hilarious like that.
She takes the blame for making Franky late back from college, saying that she took her out to buy something to wear to her party, and the dads are all OMFG OUR CHILD HAS FRIENDS AND IS GOING TO A PARTY WHY WHY WHY WHAT WHAT WHAT SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE. Well, not in so many words or in so many caps, but you get the idea.
We also get some potentially important info here – Geoff and Jeff have only had Franky for two years, and whilst that’s clearly long enough for her to have bonded quite nicely with them, it also leaves a lot of mystery re: basically the whole of her life. Intriguing.
Sophy says: I love the fact that Franky just stands up and leaves the room for no good reason other than the fact that her anxiety is making her rude again. See Franky isn’t a bad-tempered or unfriendly person naturally. It’s just that this whole situation is so overwhelming and impossible to her, and that strange, ineffable sense of impending doom? Yeah, she’s getting it as much as we are.
Dad the Elder follows her upstairs, and leaves Dad the Younger to Mini’s well-mannered mercies. She tries the old pretend-you-kn0w-the-secret-already thing with him re: that grief back in Oxford, but she doesn’t get terribly far with it. Young Dad, as sweet as he may be, seems to share some of Franky’s anxiety and wariness, and to that I say ‘Gold star, Young dad’! He rushes off to check on dinner/figure out what to say next and then…
Rin says: When the Fitzgeralds have left, Mini snoops around and takes a look at the computer history. AS YOU DO.
What she finds is a ‘facebook’ group page which is basically a page for mocking Franky and christ. Is that what kids get up to these days? Thank god I didn’t have Facebook when I was in high school.
Also one of the comments is ‘Window licker’ 
WHAT GAY AS A WINDOW?
Sophy says: Oh god, this is just horrendous. When I was a kid some other kids took a picture of me in my bathing suit at the top of the flying fox looking terrified and they put it in the school paper as part of a funny caption contest. I was a small devastatingly humiliated thing. This looks like that times a million.
And meanwhile, I’m taking that gold star away from you Young Dad, or whoever it was who can’t fucking clear their history.
Rin says: The pictures are so fucking horrible and oh god Franky, you poor little thing.
Sophy says: I can’t even. It’s so vile 
There should be some kind of award for the way Grace said ‘Mini… that’s naughty!’ It was just… transcendent.
I also love that when Grace tells Mini this isn’t fair, Mini just goes ‘Yeah, but look at that one!’ It made me laugh so much. And then I felt guilty. 
Rin says: Older dad checks on Franky and calls her bluff when she says she’s using the toilet because he hasn’t heard any, ‘lavatorial what have yous’ and OH GOD, I sincerely hope the rest of Skins stays that way. I think we’ve all had our fair share of lavatorial what have yous on Skins. Yes?
Sophy says: OH CHRIST. SEE AGAIN WITH THE TOILET HUMOUR THAT WORKS. I giggled at this and my heart kind of clenched at it too, because it was so sweet. CLEVER CLOGGS.
And allow me to answer your question in macro form…
Sophy says: I think Naomi says it all.
Rin says: Naomi always says it all. Now I’m just going to stare for a while. And by ‘a while’ I mean all day.
Rin says: When they go back down Franky hears younger dad telling off the girls for looking at the pictures of Franky. Franky waits for a minute and then barges in with a good ol, ‘WHAT THE FUCK?’
Sophy says: This is so masterfully executed – the way she hesitates at the door as if she’s steadying herself, getting ready to charge in and be outraged instead of afraid.
Rin says: She yells at them and makes them promise that they won’t tell anyone and it’s so desperate and full of hurt and Franky 
Sophy says: I love how she reverts from fist-shakey to just plain shakey in .02 seconds. And oh, their faces are so innocent, even Mini’s – I believed her for a second there, when she said ever so sincerely that she promised not to tell. And in fact, I still sort of do. I love that with Mini it’s never quite clear where her schemes begin and end. I think at this point it’s possible she was indeed going to keep it to herself – or at least that she didn’t have any grand plans to put posters up all over the school.
Rin says: The girls leave as Franky sits on the stairs and lets out a ‘dicksplash.’
Sophy says: haha! I love the way Geoff yells out that only he can call Jeff that. Or is it the other way around? Seriously, writers, the matching names are cute, but awfully inconvenient for someone with the early signs of dementia.
Rin says: Matching names, same bed. <3 Older dad then yells up the stairs at Franky saying, ‘No person is an island.’
Which, okay.
Sophy says: hahahahah OH MY GOD. That movie. So gorgeous. That macro. So gorgeous.
Rin says: Franky gets a text message and it’s from Grace. BECAUSE GRACE IS THE BEST, IF YOU DIDN’T ALREADY KNOW. There are so many X’s, it’s adorbs.
Sophy says: I almost squealed at this part. I mean. Who sends someone a text message just saying they’re awesome? Well, who apart from me and Rin to each other???
Oh I don’t know, there’s just something about this that is so young - possibly all the x’s and exclamation points and ‘tomoz’ and whatnot. So young and so unbearably sweet.
Rin says: Lol omg, I wonder if people will think you’re just being funny or telling the truth. Then again that’s half the fun.
Rin says: The first cap is one of my favourites, the way she’s leaning into the frame, from the perspective of the little world she’s created.
I also love her little singlet. Cute.
Sophy says: Yes, her compromise outfit is adorable. She can come to my party in it any time.
Rin says: SHE’S MAKING A STOP MOTION. Like, if there’s one way you want to make me love you, it’s good stop motion. So thank you Skins for that.
Has anyone seen my pants?
Sophy says: I think Jamie Brittain organized this. He knew about Rin’s trouble with pants and was like ‘Aha! I’ll get her good.”
Rin says: I love how they use this as a way for us to get into Franky’s head and her past.
Sophy says: This is the epitome of show-don’t-tell and it is fucking dazzling.
Rin says: As she watches her little wooden doll become hunted, she realises she doesn’t want to be that anymore. That she can change it if she tries. So she puts on the makeup, and she uses her reflection on the monitor as it overlaps the wooden doll face and dsoagjmpaoesrmgpaw. Skins. 
Sophy says: Oh oh oh. Skins. The doll, the mirror, the makeup. IDENTITYGASM.
Rin says: TRICK OR TREAT.
Sophy says: Oh my gosh this episode. That little tiny moment is so perfect. The fact that she says it, the way she says it too. And the way Dad the Younger responds? My heart. He tenderly smooshes her makeup into a smokey heaven Effy Stonem would approve of, and tells her about that time when he was young and trying to make a compromise with the world.
Rin says: DADS Fixing makeup.
One of the things I really loved about this moment was Franky SMILING, like, proper smiling. She must have had a shit time growing up, and it’s nice to see glimpses of Franky getting along with her dads, and that maybe her home situation has drastically improved by being adopted by these two. At least there’s one part of her life that isn’t completely screwed up.
Sophy says: I love everything about this scene. So I’m going to go ahead and quote.
“You’ve just been a bit overzealous, that’s all. Here, let me… When I was your age I bought myself a Sergio Tacchini tracksuit and a sovereign ring for every finger.”
“You wore sovereigns?”
“I even had a playboy one. Didn’t get any more shit off the estate after that, but I developed so much testosterone I didn’t know what to do. So I joined the TA.”
Dad the older chimes in lovingly with…
“And when our eyes met across the assault course, he just couldn’t deny me.”
… and it’s glorious. Glorious. Really, not a whisker out of place.
This is what Skins is all about – the smooth-strong overlap of a central theme, and a restrained poignancy hiding in smiles.
Rin says: She walks through school feeling less sure of herself than she should, having put on all that makeup to try and fit in. BUT IT ISN’T RIGHT Well, we get to that part later.
Sophy says: Everyone’s doing that thing where they’re like Fresh meat. Alo is nice and inappropriately WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK about her transformation. Settle down, Alo. It’s not like she just stapled a cement mixer to her clit.
Rin says: We see Nick with all of his jock buddies, and why have we never seen jocks at Roundview prior to this moment? 
Sophy says: I’M SO EXCITED FOR JOCKS. OMG. RUGGER JOCKS. NEW TERRITORY. I really like the way Nick smiles at her as she walks past. It’s less predatory than it might have been, and it makes me wonder if Nick is more than just a bitchy jock who does his bitchy girlfriend’s bitchy bidding. And oh of course he is. Skins characters are always more than just.
Rin says: Franky makes her way over to Mini and crew and they love the new Franky. Liv wants her to fuck her and Gracie adds even more gold with, ‘Pretty please with sugar on top.’
Sophy says: OH GRACIE YOU AND YOUR GOLD I CAN’T EVEN.
Rin says: GANG RAPED BY CLOWNS. Oh Mini. Way to tact.
Sophy says: Yeah, that was… not the nicest thing to say, especially in the context of the epic sexual harassment bordering on assault Franky received back in Oxford. And there was something in the way Mini said it, something in her eyes that meant Oh my God, like, remember that fraping you got?
Sophy says: And that’s why Franky responds so violently – that’s where “Do I look like a bulimic fucking barbie?” comes from.
She senses the threat, and again, it makes her rude. There is so much going on in this conversation that has nothing to do with the actual words said. It’s wonderful.
Franky apologizes immediately and Mini is all but she is nowhere near as convincing about it as the little yellow guy.
She slinks off to whisper in her jock boyfriend’s ear, and I think we can all guess it’s not a sweet nothings moment.
Rin says: This teacher Original punk Charlotte Fucking Bronte JANE EYRE 
:X:X
Sophy says: He is HILARIOUS.
Sophy says: Just the way he says “No. This! Is my mum. Sandwiched between Dickens and Nabokov.” Absolutely amazing.
And really. This is my ID. Guh.
Rin says: I love this part of the episode so much. Dakota’s delivery is so good, how she fumbles her way through her speech and doesn’t look up at anybody.
Sophy says: Dakota is truly wonderful in this scene. Oh what am I saying, she’s wonderful in all of her scenes. But this… I loved that this was real. That it struggled out of her the way it did. She starts with ‘fuck’, quickly apologizes, the teacher says ‘No. Fuck is good. Fuck is poetic expression for the unsayable soul,’ and she doesn’t seem too convinced, but a second later she sighs out ‘fucking’ anyway. Oh this writing.
And really, it has to be said and it’s best to say these things in gif form so…
It’s okay Skins US. We still have the ring on our finger. JUST TREAT US RIGHT, OKAY? Okay.
Rin says: “I’m not over the moon at being me in the first place.”
“I JUST WANT TO LIKE, JUST BE.”
Sophy says: I adored the way she said she wasn’t over the moon about being her in the first place. Adored.
And omfg.
Rin says: Will Effy ever stop? She doesn’t even go here anymore ftlog.
Rin says: GRACIE YES WE CAN
Sophy says: THIS IS HOW WONDERFUL JESSICA IS. SHE CAN PULL THIS OFF. I LAUGH WITH HER. GIDDILY.
Rin says: If Gracie ran, I’d totally move to America and register to vote especially. Also in my mind, they’re both just telling each other how much they rock. YES Gracie is that awesome, shes got the president all head in hands over her.
Sophy says: “YOU DA MAN BARACK. NO YOU DA MAN GRACIE. NO YOU. NO YOU.” Amazing.
Sophy says: Here comes Nick! He says rugger practice overran “and shit” but I think he might be fibbing. I THINK HE MIGHT BE UP TO SOMETHING.
He and the teacher have an amusing little exchange re: soap and shower gel, and Mini looks like someone just told her she’s going to puppy-cancer prison.
Rin says: Mini, look as remorseful as you want. I don’t give a fuck, what you’re about to do is downright cruel.
Sophy says: It’s really really awful. Funny caption x a million.
Rin says: SERIOUSLYYYYYY. I don’t care what your deal is, this is kind of unforgivable. Even though I know I’ll be forgiving you by the next episode 
. And I still love Alo and Rich.
Sophy says: I still love Mini. 
I mean I hate her. But I also love her. But yeah, this was just so wrong and so premeditated which makes it even more wrong.
Alo manages to be sweet whilst telling the unvarnished truth.
“What’s the big joke?”
“You… Franks…”
She turns around and sees the pictures all over the walls… and bolts, hurling some well-deserved ‘Fuck yous’ into the crowd.
Grace and Liv give Mini some equally well-deserved ‘Oh my god you didn’t.’ looks and Mini tries to shrug it off, seems to be faintly trying to pretend it wasn’t down to her. But it’s too late. The bitch is out of the bag.
Rin says: My comment when this scene starts was, ‘Holy shit amazing.’
Sophy says: It just has so much energy. Dakota is brilliant once again, managing to infuse the scene with such passionate rage whilst also giving it a certain sweetness – an almost-sense-of-humour. On top of that it’s absolutely beautifully lit and shot and paced and just… everything is coming together. Magic.
Rin says: I didn’t have many expectations for Dakota before watching this. But she pretty much blew that indifference out of the water, she is so damn good. Especially in this scene. Break downs are always in danger of becoming too over the top, but she plays it perfect here. Just the right amount of anguish
Sophy says: I had no expectations. I know she’s acted before, but I’d never seen her in anything so it was neither here nor there for me. I was blown away. Absolutely blown afreakingway. I believed every second of her hurt, every little bit of her anger and every little bit of her goodness too.
Rin says: Prior to this, I was ALWAYS looking out for Matty. Seriously. As every second passed I was getting more and more excited for his scene, cause you just knew they were saving it. And HNNNG.
With all that build up, this was in no way a let down for the introduction of Matty. He’s everything I wanted him to be and I AM SO EXCITED for the rest of the season, and seeing how he comes into play with all the other characters.
Sophy says: I adore him. I think he’s one of those love or hate characters, and I can safely say that it’s love for me. Whilst I think the writing in this scene was perfection, I do think that some of the lines are right at the edge of believability and as such are incredibly difficult to pull off without sounding silly or false. Matty came off neither as silly nor as false, and a lot of that is down to Sebastian. He didn’t feel like an ordinary kid trying to be extraordinary. He just was extraordinary. These kinds of characters are the writing and acting equivalent of a soufflé – the Tonys, the Cassies, the Effys, the Cooks, the Pandoras, the JJs, the Mattys – people on the fringes of real. Kudos to Skins for so often getting them so damn right.
Rin says: Matty is mysterious and enigmatic and there’s just this aura about him, his presence. Seb and Dakota, yes and more please.
Sophy says: After watching the episode I said to Rin: “I think Matty is going to be one of those characters that I just violently ship with whoever is in the scene with him at the time.” She wholeheartedly concurred.
I loved the way he walked up to the gun and said Bang. There was something incredibly potent about the combination of her utter distress and his utter calm.
Rin says: GLORIOUS FUCKING HEAD FUCK THING. I just want to hug Sean Buckley for that one.
Sophy says: Absolutely breathtaking. And the way she demurs when he says she’s beautiful, all the pain and all the doubt that tumbles out of her. I just. OH FRANKY. OH MATTY. LOVE.
Rin says: I totally get what Sebastian means when he describes Matty as being this character who affects everyone’s lives without knowing it. Right now he’s giving strength and reassurance to Franky, without even really meaning to. He’s just telling it how he sees it and he doesn’t know what it means to Franky in this moment.
Sophy says: Bullets for bitches. I swear, everything Matty said was incredible.
Rin says: REMEMBER TO AIM STRAIGHT FOR THE HEART NEXT TIME.
4 minutes. That’s how long it takes for me to fall in love with a character.
Sophy says: …
Rin says: Jesus. Fucking. Christ. Manip my head onto anything and I love it, but in this context and and and IMAY.. it’s so beautiful Sophy. As soon as our eyes….
Sophy says: I thought you might like it
Rin says: WALLACE AND GROMIT REFERENCE? I COULD KISS YOU FOR THAT GRACE.
Sophy says: Please. You could kiss her for breathing.
Rin says: And this is why I continue to gush over Grace. She doesn’t care about all of that appearance bullshit. She likes Franky and likes hanging out with her, and that’s all that should matter, even if no one else thinks so.
Sophy says: I love that Grace just shows up in her room, it’s so Cassie of her.
And yeah, the fact that she’s coming to apologize, to try to patch things up even if she’s not the one who really can or should have to? There’s a lovely continuity to Grace in this episode. She’s always patching – interrupting tense moments with a silly story, taking Franky by the hand, running up to Mini when she’s all alone, sending the text after they leave Franky’s house… now this. She’s a beautifully constructed character and a beautiful person.
Also I really love her posh voice. The way she says “Frankeh”. Aw.
Rin says: Franky takes a moment to think about what she should do, even consulting her wooden doll. And this is when Franky becomes a heroine and we cheer for her. SHOW THOSE FUCKERS, we screamed as we rallied behind her. She should probably get dressed first…
Sophy says: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Rin says: See it came back! The jacket covering the mirror is taken off as Franky is ready to face herself and JUST BE. She gives herself a little pep talk and she’s ready!
Sophy says: ;gjlsdkgjldkgj. The attention to detail in this episode. It’s just fucking dazzling.
Sophy says: haha! Burning the dress! Go Franky Badass!
Rin says: Um that street? Pantless.
Rin says: Oh Alo and Rich. Those two and their antics
Sophy says: HAHAHAHAH THEY’RE SO LAME AND ADORABLE. I love how easily the bouncer sends them packing. For some reason in this scene they really reminded me of Darren Lamb and Barry from Eastenders – which they should take as a compliment of the highest order.
Rin says: LOL at Alo saying he’d go gay for Franky.
Sophy says: The funny thing with Alo is that he seems to be so innately good-natured that he can get away with saying almost anything – or at least that’s the vibe I’m getting so far. Because if we just look at the words on their own, that was not a nice thing to say, but Alo has such a niceness about him that you completely buy that it’s a slip of the tongue, a pure blockhead moment, and the only censure he needs is Rich to tell him “She’s a girl, you dick.”
Also he wins all my love forever and ever for saying what he says next.
“You alright, littlun?”
LITTLUN. AS IN LITTLE ONE. AS IN I’M DYING OF CUTE ALL OVER THE PLACE?
Rin says: Littlun is so cute. Sophy, add ‘littlun’ to the list of fake friends you have to make me out of Pipecleaners.
The bouncer tells Franky she’ll “look like a nun at a brothel in there.” That’s me at every night out!
Sophy says: Franky ignores the nun/brothel talk and strides into the party, head held high, ready to face her fear, ready to refuse to back down and disappear.
Rin says: MINI. HAS. A. BRAID.
AND SHE’S BLONDE.
Two strikes.
Sophy says: I can’t believe you’re letting her get away with this. You must really like this bitch.
And okay wait a minute WHAT is going on with Nick and his rugger mates. What are they. Why. How. I don’t. Something must be done about this.
Rin says: CINDERFELLA.
Sophy says: I don’t even. What. Just.
So anyway. Franky faces up to Mini. She says she won’t leave – “I don’t want to. No. I’m staying. I’m not going anywhere.”
She stutters a little, but it’s still impressive. A little too impressive for Mini, who is about to launch into a tirade of abuse when Franky just cuts to the chase and does it for her.
“Cuntless, dyke-like, nobody, stutter-fucker, spacko, lameo, shit-headed wanker-magnet, oliver twisted, thimble-titted, loser loner fugly bastard!”
It’s absolutely breathtaking. My breath was took. For real. Can I just say how resentful this makes me of all the accolades Glee received for its homophobic bullying storyline? I love Chris Colfer as much as the next person, but I can recognize that I would not even have been feeling a twinge of emotion if it weren’t for his face. The story itself was – sorry is – such utter shit. Completely awkward, heavy-handed, after school special shit.
This, Glee, is how you do a homophobic bullying storyline – that is if you want it to be real, resonant and genuinely inspiring.
And I think it’s kind of brilliant that they managed to say so much about homophobia without actually giving us the least hint as to whether Franky is actually even gay or not. The silence on that issue is deafening. DEAFENINGLY GENIUS.
Rin says: Franky you are awesome. Your plethora of insults is awesome. Glee, no cookies for you. And I agree, the ambiguity of sexuality is awesomely played. They’re still young.
Rin says: “I think you’re great. A billion miles better than this… this bollocks place. And I really feel that we could be mates. Fucking awesome mates.”
Just. The way she opens herself up to them, puts it all out there. There hasn’t been a braver person since Emily Fitch. Fer srs.
And I love how her speeches aren’t perfect or profound, they’re just the straight-up truth about what she wants. What she feels.
Sophy says: And oh my goodness, her bravery and truth is just beautiful. Beautiful. “Fucking awesome mates.” I can’t even. The way she puts herself out there despite everything… My heart was absolutely going to break if it weren’t for a certain little black-haired girl and her two bottles of champagne, and I think Franky’s might have too, and I think absolutely she knew it, but she wasn’t going to run away or hide. She wasn’t even going to take refuge in pretending she doesn’t give a shit.
SERIOUSLY. I JUST. SOMEONE’S CLEARLY BEEN DOING HER HOMEWORK…
Rin says: Omg, I’d read this every night. Can we make up our own commandments too? If so, may I suggest Sundays be Pie Day? No church, just bake and eat pies. American dessert pies, that is.
Sophy says: Pie motion, seconded. Annnnd passed.
Rin says: Liv. Spineless. 
Sophy says: IT’S OKAY 
I DIDN’T WANT HER AT THE COOL KIDS’ PARTY ANYWAY
Rin says: The impression I’m getting off Mini is that she sees a bit of herself in Franky, and I’m not totally sure why I feel that way. It’s not like I’m secretly hoping Mini’s gay or something, cause I’m really not. Just the way Mini looks at Franky, there’s resentment mixed with a little bit of self-loathing and it’s an interesting cocktail. Needs moar.
By the way, Frankenstein is the best nickname ever. I mean… it would be if used in an endearing way.
Sophy says: I completely agree with you – the expression on her face right after she gets all up in Franky’s business and yells ‘Now get the fuck out of my party!’ is pure panic. I’m really excited to find out all the places that is coming from. On the whole gay front, I do think it’s interesting that when Franky leaves, Mini mumbles something about how “lezzers” are like “shit on her fucking stilettos”. That’s some quality homophobia you’ve got going on there, Mins. Not going to make any assumptions at this point, but I can’t help but idly wonder if someone’s worried her own sexuality might destroy her image – the identity she’s trying to choose, if you will.
Rin says: BLONDIE. HEART OF GLASS.
Sophy says: CHRIST. BOBBING SOPHIA. I JUST. SHE’S. I. WHAT. OMG.
Rin says: JFC!! All she wanted to do was bop along! You dont know Franky, she might have just quietly gone home after the song was over. Then again….the chart has never been wrong thus far.
Sophy says: “Where the fuck is grace?” Mini asks, and oh! Oh! I KNOW WHERE, I KNOW WHERE!
Rin says: GRACIE! With two bottles of champagne! She should always be holding champagne.
Sophy says: Grace/champagne bottles is without a doubt one of the cutest things I have ever seen in my life.
Rin says: KIDNAPPING. I LOVE THIS SO HARD. Even though I fucking hate clowns and that mask is creeping me out.
Sophy says: I’m not sure the clown mask was the most sensitive choice given the whole ‘gang-raped by clowns’ remark but oh well. Beggars can’t be chooses.
I also love that Franky drops the gun in the mailbox – she’s all Send this useless hurt elsewhere.
Rin says: Pretty beach. And having a beach in Skins will never not remind me of S2 Skins.
Sophy says: I know right! It took me right back. And I love the sense of freedom the sight of the ocean lends to this next scene.
Rin says: WELCOME TO BRISTOL! The welcome that Franky should have had in the first place, and the lights! OH GOD THE LIGHTS!
Sophy says: This is my favourite place. It’s so simple but so heartfelt.
Rin says: CHEERS! You fuckers. Omg so cute. I love this foursome. Be foursome forever, mmkay?
Sophy says: I SERIOUSLY LOVE THIS FOURSOME.
Rin says: When they started jumping into the pool the only thing I could think of was Heather Hogan and her whole spiel about water and baptism etc. We had Naomi and Emily ‘jump in’ and Effy too, and all the gen 1 kids, Tony in s2… it is a bit of a theme isn’t it?
Sophy says: It sure is, and it’s a damn fitting one.
See this is Franky’s initiation. This is an initiation for the four of them. This is where it all really starts.
And oh my god, the song that starts playing. British Sea Power – Waving Flags. It is all youth and nostalgia. Played alone it can make me tear and gear up and pine for my past and flush at the future. In conjunction for this scene, which is all about endings and beginnings, all about the Fuck You Alls and the New Starts… it’s almost overwhelmingly in its emotional power.
Rin says: Franky peels back layer after layer and you don’t need me to really spell out the metaphor for that here, do you?
Sophy says: I love the fact that she doesn’t strip down as much as she could though. Because she doesn’t have to, you know? With these kids it’s enough to be herself, even if being herself means hiding some.
Rin says: She dives in and hello, amazingly cute and lovely friendships are formed.
Sophy says: Right. Friendships are formed and genitals are seen. OH ALO. Of course you’re completely naked. That’s just who he is, after all. Absolute, unabashed honesty. What you see is what you get.
Rin says: They splash about and play and have fun and JUST BE.
Sophy says: Grace spits water at Franky because she is adorable.
Rin says: The last shot is Franky laughing and JFC it couldn’t end more perfectly.
I loved loved loved this episode. It was fucking amazing, and it did one hell of a job introducing all the characters (except for maybe Nick who I’m sure we’ll see more of later). I have to say, I had a blast watching this episode and found myself already becoming really invested in these kids. I loved that they could get me to feel for them so early on, and seriously Skins. You’re getting good at that.
And I don’t say this lightly, believe me, but this was far and beyond the best gen opener out of the 3 that we’ve had. I was completely engaged throughout the entire episode, surprised even myself by how much I was laughing and just enjoying the episode. It had great pacing too, which is something Skins struggles with here and there. Overall just, big fucking gold star from me. I find myself willing the week to just fly by so I can have my next episode.
Sophy says: Oh that laugh, the way it bubbles up out of her in time with the surge in the music and that’s it, we’re done, that’s all we need. Absolute perfection.
And alright, okay, this is how I feel.
*deep hyperventilatey breath*
This episode was basically perfect in my eyes.
I am an extremely nitpicky person. Many is the time someone has rolled their eyes at me and remarked that I’m incapable of just enjoying things without pulling them apart and jamming my finger into their wounds and stuff.
Um. So I pulled this apart, over and over, and I just came up with wonderful every time.
Plot, dialogue, music, style, pacing, acting, everything worked, and it worked together. That’s why this one of those episodes you almost have difficulty talking about. Because… what’s the phrase? It’s like dancing about architecture? The reason this episode works is the same reason there’s no point in reading poetry that’s been “translated”. The only way to really tell someone why this is so good is to make them watch it – there’s nothing I can do to condense it, there are no words that will put it better than it puts itself.
The bottom line is that I love these kids already. The only ones I don’t feel particularly connected to are Liv and Nick and I’m sure that’s a matter of ‘not yet’, seeing as how they were on the backburner somewhat in this episode. I love Grace. I love Mini. I love Rich and Alo. I love Matty.
I love Franky dearly and I honestly didn’t expect to. When I saw the promo pics for her character I found myself scoffing at her outfit and thinking ‘Oh geez, here comes Awkward Hipster.’ I expected her to be something of an insufferable cliche. I expected her to be what Mini wants to pretend she is.
But she’s not. She’s not that at all. I’m not quite sure exactly what she is, but then neither is she, so we’re even. All I know is that she’s 100% genuine and I’m 100% in her corner.
Genuine. I think that’s the word – the one that means all of how I feel about this gen so far. See, initially,at least, gen 2 came off as far less real to me than gen 1 did. Pandora, JJ and Cook, love them or hate them, were all larger than lifers. The twins, too, were pretty in your face, identical-but-not-the-same anime dolls that they were. Naomi, even, with her shocking blonde hair and her icy blue eyes, and Freddie, a vision of lean, tanned gorgeous, riding into town on his white horse skateboard. And then there was Effy, who had grown up into something utterly stunning and Mysterious, note the capital M.
It was all a bit too slick and not quite real enough. And of course, those characters had depth – serious plummetty depth. In true Skins style, they were all cliches and hey, wait, absolutely not cliches. But that didn’t quite get across in the first episode the way it does here. In fact, that didn’t quite get across in the first episode of gen 1 the way it does here.
This episode… it wasn’t about buying drugs and crashing parties. It wasn’t about naughty checklists and sex in the school nurse’s office. It was about friendship and bravery and…
Oh. It had heart.
Rin and I didn’t think we’d feel this way. Really we didn’t. I’m a gen 1 stan, Rin’s a gen 2 stan – whilst we were putting on a brave face, we were prepared to be sulky and resentful for at least the first three eps. And yet.
It’s not over till somebody gets beaten to death by an errant bat, but I can’t help but be optimistic when they open the gen with an episode I’d happily rank in my top ten Skins episodes of all time.
And I just want to write a quick love letter to Sean Buckley. Dear Sean Buckley, I’ve loved you from the moment I saw your first episode. I think it was 405.
And now I’d like to write a quick thank you note to everyone who was in the writers’ room when this third set of fresh and delicious characters were created. There. Done.
So I guess it’s safe to say Rophy loved this episode, like fierce.
However, I have heard that the reviews have been mixed…
Sophy says: I guess Mandeh just isn’t as enamored of the whole not-telling thing as I am.
Rin says: Sneer. And sneer.
Rin says: NEXT TIME. RICH!!!! I’m glad that they chose to do someone on the other side, seeing as we had a lot of mini and crew last ep, so focusing on Rich seems like a good idea. BALANCE!
Can’t wait to see what it’s about And I have to say he wasn’t one of the characters I was most excited about going into this, but after having such a good first ep…well, I feel like they can’t go wrong. (Watch out self, remember how you felt during eps 2-5 of s4??)
Sophy says: My hopes are so high. I’m not even going to try to pull them down.
So excited for Rich’s episode. I think it could be a really interesting follow up to Franky’s seeing as how he’s the other unusually dressed character – the other person engaging in some kind of outwardly visible quest for identity. Skins, is the whiteboard question going to be with us for the rest of the series? Please say yes.
Rin says: RICH/GRACIE, OMG.
Sophy says: sf;lkdjklsdfj. I defy anyone to watch that promo and not be bouncing in their seat.
BOUNCE, ROPHITES! BOUNCE LIKE PANDA POPS!
Teo
/ January 30, 2011But, but, buttttt….I miss Emily.
Ok. Now I don’t feel guilty for loving this episode so much…I might have even LOVED it.
And don’t worry… I miss you too Naoms.
Amelia
/ January 30, 2011Some girl on tumblr reckoned that anyone that enjoyed this episode was brainless and that the episode was unwatchable, which put me on a bit of a downer (i could give you her tumblr url so you can judge her naomi style but i won’t). i have to say the dialogue and delivery of certain actresses made me cringe but everyone has different opinions. the episode was alright overall. not great and not shit. at least it wasn’t like the generation 3 opener which was more unrealistic. i’m looking forward to rich’s episode.
SkepticEddie
/ January 30, 2011Rin says: WALLACE AND GROMIT REFERENCE? I COULD KISS YOU FOR THAT GRACE.
Sophy says: Please. You could kiss her for breathing.
I unabashedly admit that I would kiss Gracie for breathing. She’s just so sweet and innocent and genuinely nice. And her wardrobe is SO ADORBS!
I really loved this episode. And I’d agree that it’s the best gen opener so far. Gen 1 was a bit shaky. Everything was there but bits of it flopped and it needed a bit of time (EPISODE 2 EPISODE 2!!!!!) to grow into itself. Gen 2 was amazing in retrospect, when you notice the subtleties, but a bit too in-your-face on first watching. This, though, was prefect. It was brand new and it just worked – oh how it worked. I found myself laughing out loud, squealing at the screen, and bouncing up and down as I watched. The only thing that almost didn’t work was Matty’s scene. It did *just* manage to work, but only if I used the main part of my brain that was going, “ooooh angst and random connection and insight and THIS EMOTION IS BRILLIANT” and ignored the little cynical bit at the back going “eh…bordering on heavy-handed…” I bought it up until “beautiful.” GORGEOUS FUCKING HEAD FUCK THING was great and really believable and I loved BANG but beautiful was less natural. And I didn’t really like his parting shot (lol) about aiming straight for the heart. Meh. Still, UTTERLY FANTASTIC.
The kidnapping was one of my favorite parts – right down to the clown mask, regardless of my clownophobia. I loved the way it showed that the “gang-raped-by-clowns” mask that Franky sometimes gets hidden behind is something forced on her by others, and she’s an unwilling victim. And the mask keeps her from seeing and it keeps everyone else from seeing her. But, at the same time, the mask allows her to be swept up into this great foursome, this fantastic new friendship (please be strong and lasting and adorbs). If she had seen them coming, she probably would have run. If she hadn’t gone through all that shit with Mini, if her first two days hadn’t gone exactly as they did, things might not have turned out the way they did. To get to the wonderful pool surrounded by fairy lights, you first need to be kidnapped and blindfolded with a clown mask. GUH, Skins. I love you.
Lastly, I don’t think Liv is really a coward. I think she’s quieter than Grace and she lives life a little slower. We know from her character bio that she’s a great dancer and I think that it’s probably going to be a bit of a refuge for her. It seems like she enjoys life while it’s fun, but she gets uncomfortable when it gets difficult. She’ll put Mini in her place on one or two points, but she’s not ready to go chasing after Franky with champagne. All that sounds cowardly, but I think it has to do more with the way she processes things than being afraid. Laya plays her in this way where you can she that she’s thinking, she’s just not sure what to do yet. I get good vibes.
Sidenotes: I’m glad Naomi and Emily are still making frequent macro appearances. Sophia too. And I was pleased to see Tony; he’s a rare (as a rainbow and a hundred times more precious) treat. I was worried I wouldn’t like Rich, but he’s completely adorable and I can’t wait for his episode. Also, Mini has crooked teeth. I think they’re cute.
Ruth
/ January 30, 2011Grace (or the actress I suppose) is one of those people who is so reDONKulously pretty it is all a bit unfair – but then she plays one of the most instantly loveable characters and all of a sudden it’s a-okay!
lobstersforlife
/ January 30, 2011I…yeah. Let’s just say that every time I have watched a generation pilot of Skins I ended up sulking on how it just wasn’t good enough. Generation 1 was mostly because the promos of hardcore partying had put me off and made me believe it would just be another show about crazy unrealistic teens. Let’s just say that after Cassie’s S1 episode I was struck with eternal and deepest adoration of the kind I had never experienced with anything other than a gold old book. At Gen 2′s first episode, I’d come late into the fandom, I’d done no fandom-research, and I’d just finished a two days straight Gen 1 marathon and therefore knew nothing of the total generation changing. I hated that episode (not really the characters though) and cried myself to sleep missing Gen 1 to bits and pieces. Eventually, and soon enough though, it was Gen 2 that pulled me into the Skins fandom so kudos to them, I shall never forget or cease to love any of those kids (except for JJ though, never got on that train) – Naomily, Katie Fucking Fitch, Effy, Panda, Cook and Thomas shall hold my beating heart in their hands until my last breath.
So, coming into Gen 3 I avoided all pre-premiere spoilers, convinced myself that I would once again hate the first episode and eventually, gradually, fall in love with them all over again.
Except that hating part?
Never came.
I found myself depriving my brain of oxygen for the entire duration of the episode, pausing only to take a breath at the (god-sent) commercial breaks. No, really, I felt lightheaded when it was over. To be perfectly honest, I loved Dakota in Golden Compass (although, as always, the book shall forever be infinitely better than the movie) so I expected great things from her but she still blew me away. So did every single one of the actors. And Gracie, oh Gracie. You have my heart, my soul and my love in your hands – do anything you want with it and it will still beat for you. My heart beat at the same pace than Franky’s throughout the entire episode (I have never been bullied per se but have moved around enough in my life to know exactly how she felt), and since it came out I’ve watched it in a loop close to 10 times.
All this to say, this recap and you guys just said everything I couldn’t voice properly enough to be understood – and those macros made me roll around with laughter. Indeed, Skins just did an entire season-worth Glee bullying storyline in 45mn and so much more eloquently and beautifully that I just want to punch Glee in the face. Again. Until it bleeds. I’m speaking puddles of blood. With bats.
Here’s to hoping that Sophia will forever haunt the Skins fandom, that Effy will continue her quest for the gayest race, that Mandy shall continue to fondle and abuse those we love the most (or not.). Emily Fitch is giving you two thumbs up, Rophy (and Skins 501), she baked a cake and took you to her ~lake. It’s chocolate. Enjoy it.
Did this sound like a love letter to Rophy? Not enough? Well here goes then. I have loved you from the first time I saw you. I think I was less than a year younger than today, but I might as well have been twelve. Here’s two champagne bottles for you and my eternal adoration. Good enough?
Keep up the good work!
Cheers from cold and freezing -Svalbard- Canada.
M
/ January 30, 2011“this is my favorite place.”
“it’s lovely. it’s a lovely place.” “it’s one of my favorites.”
*sniffle*
ZOMG
/ January 30, 2011I watched this episode on the sly at work and had to restrain myself from laughing when Grace got all “YES WE CAN!” brilliant! I wasn’t expecting it at all, but the way Jessica played her made me absolutely fall in love <3
spiritualtoenail
/ January 30, 2011i can’t even comment on this episode. i have too many thoughts and emotions flowing through me. i finally got a chance to watch it today, and i loved it so much that i watched it again a few hours later with jill when she came home.
i will say that we fo sho discussed freya’s ability to deliver her lines so perfectly. god. this show. this show.
brothasoul
/ January 30, 2011you. both. are. brilliant.
I happened across this site a couple of days ago. I was reading thru the comments following Heather Hogan’s Tea recap on AE & a commenter said that they would check out your site, to try to make sense of the ep. I was game, so I jumped, and I loved the introduction:
“If you loved Heather’s recap. Well. You probably won’t like ours.” d:-)
So I spent the next hour loving it in that whole “the only way to really tell someone why this is so good is to make them” read it kind of way. And that was as completely unexpected, as was the mindblowing brilliance of Skins 5.1
I appreciate how the two of you have joined together and created this space for talking about shows that we love, and how your words and emotions flow onto the page as if channeled directly from my brain…
…in most cases.
I personally am hoping that the foreboding “Warning: Danger of Drowning” sign @ the entrance of the baptismal pool is a message that Mini will later ignore, especially given that from what I can tell, Matty doesn’t get an episode to himself.
Anyway -
I am glad that I discovered your site. And your take on the Matty/Franky meeting threatened to bring a brotha to tears – seriously – like every other episode of Oprah.
Let’s just keep that last bit between us.
*wink*
Erika
/ January 30, 2011Oh Grace…hands down my favorite character so far!
I seriously had to pause the episode after she said/did something funny. Her little hand wave was adorbs and I cracked up when she screamed when she was in the mall. Loving Grace x1000000.
Also agreeing about the best ep of a season. Wasn’t a fan of Gen 1 opener and Gen 2 opener is all about sex. You don’t really see into the characters like you do in this one. I loved it!
Miss Erin
/ January 30, 2011OMFG, Mini giving Sophia MDMA… bahahahaha, best thing ever!!
Absolutely loved this episode. I’ve watched it twice already, and I was gushing all over the place both times. Franky and Grace. Rich and Aldo. Mini. Matty! Ahhh, loved them all! (except Liv and Nick aren’t quite there, yet). I’m so excited for the rest of the series. <3
Michelle
/ January 30, 2011When I saw that scene of Franky all dressed up and walking up that street on her way to the party…and those lines…and OMFG. I KNEW RIN WAS RUNNING AROUND PANTSLESS!!!
Loui
/ January 30, 2011Oh my lord, is it good to see a gender-bending, awkward, undefined, self-loathing, strong, fantastic little ball of confusion on my screen.
THIS, this is adolescence. Mine at least.
This show, when it is real, is so fucking real.
Buckbeak
/ January 30, 2011First of all, I’ve just died reading your recap. Couldn’t stop LOLing. That girl’s room macro was win. That’s exactly what I whought while watching the episode, athough I thoght about Emily instead of Naomi being there LOL The poor girl would implode.
Also, Sophy:
“Genuine. I think that’s the word – the one that means all of how I feel about this gen so far. See, initially,at least, gen 2 came off as far less real to me than gen 1 did. Pandora, JJ and Cook, love them or hate them, were all larger than lifers. The twins, too, were pretty in your face, identical-but-not-the-same anime dolls that they were. Naomi, even, with her shocking blonde hair and her icy blue eyes, and Freddie, a vision of lean, tanned gorgeous, riding into town on his white horse skateboard. And then there was Effy, who had grown up into something utterly stunning and Mysterious, note the capital M.”
Where did you leave Thomas? HAHAHHA, I love how we keep forgetting the guy in every GEN2 mention.
I’m not gonna lie. I was one of those fans who were prepared to slag this gen off at the first sign of pathetic plot devices or OTT creative choices. I’m still very critical about the 405-407 bunch of episodes and having JB alone as the showrunner from now on scared me. But I loved that I was proven wrong in the end, cos it’s a good vibe and a proof that they have learned from past mistakes (and I hope my beloved GEN2 get a proper farewell with the movie). IA this is the best gen opener ever and yeah it just felt so real and normal thanks to that focus on friendship and just fun. Franky (Dakota’s acting was flawless) looks like a world of a character, and has all the tickets to become the center of this gen. Grace is pure adorableness, I knew I’d like her and it has to be a scene with her making tea LOL. Alo and Rich came off as a total surprise and I love, love them! Those four geeks have already got me, I must them. And what to say about Mini? OMG, when a a character makes you hate and love at the same time, there’s something about it definetely. Her reactions just after crappin on Frank’s face were intriguing. Can’t wait to see her eppy.
MOARR MATTY… *pass me a bucket, please* Franky/Matty needs to happen. My brain was off in that scene, sorry.
Sophy
/ January 31, 2011Thomas wasn’t in the gen 2 opener!
Buckbeak
/ January 31, 2011Oh true, the non-mention is justified then LOL (alhough we all know he secretely wanted to be in it hehe)
Brooooooke
/ January 30, 2011Am so jealous that I cannot yet watch this ep! Anyone know when this is coming out in NZ?? The episode looks great, and I am quite captivated by Frankie’s face. I just watched the first EP or Skins USA, and while it was ok, I didn’t love it (and the US accents really threw me…), so I’m hoping this will be better. Of course this good be the best episode ever written, and it would still get ‘mixed reviews’ simply because it’s the 3rd generation, and everybody already has they’re great loves. I think, the more character’s, the better (that’s not to say I wouldn’t want a Naomily spin-off), tell more stories. The two boys and Frankie look like people from my school, so I will be looking foward to seeing charcters that are maybe a little more personnal, as much as I loved all the old characters (except Anwar..FUCK ANWAR).
blondie
/ January 30, 2011I have a bit of a mixed opinion on this episode as a whole. On the one hand, I probably wasn’t as enamoured by it as Rophy was. I’m Sorry! It was mostly down to Mini, I think. I do like her character, don’t get me wrong, but some of the things she said seemed very over the top to me. Like, I was sitting there thinking, “how does someone get away with doing/saying that in front of all those people?” And I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, I’m more than aware that it happens every single day to people all over the world, but it just seemed a bit much to me when it was all crammed into one episode.
On the other hand, I fully appreciated the themes they were going for, and how it really is like nothing we’ve ever seen on Skins before. Characters liek Franky and Rich have never been seen in Skins really. We’ve got a realistic viewpoint on the world of bullying from Franky’s eyes – there’s been bullying in the other gens, yeah, but it never was as cut-throat and cut-to-the-bone as it was with Franky. With JJ for example (bear with me, I don’t really want to drag him here either haha) he was kind of patronized and outcasted sometimes, but all the other characters found him endearing in some way. He was never called the malicious things Franky was. And with Rich, we’ve never had a genuine ‘rock’ character on Skins – which is funny because of the amount of people who go to gigs. Not everyone bounces around on MDMA in clubs, you know haha.
But I too love Gracie LIKE FIERCE. That may be partially because she reminds me of a girl I know – both in looks and personality. So bubbly, so energetic yet so nice and unintentionally sweet at the same time. And the girl I know sends ridiculous over the top texts as well. Oh, and Matty I love too <3
Overall I like this gen, and think they remain very promising. I'm really intrigued about Mini's character especially, because after reading a synopsis about her ep (I won't give spoilers, don't worry) there's an issue in it that has also never really been dealt with in Skins and I'm eager to see how they'll tackle it.
Thanks for the recap Rophy. Looking forward to Ep 2
Mia
/ January 30, 2011Thank you thank you thank you skins for not letting me down. I LOVED this episdode, like fierce ya know?
I loved every single thing about it, the acting was superb, believed it all.. I was in there with them. Absolutelly brilliant and can’t wait for moar.
It’s awesome that I’m gonna have something to look forward to every week again. (Since Misfits, tru blood and basically every show I like is on hiatus)
And since I didn’t like Skins US AT ALL. This is what was needed to balance up the skins awesomeness.
Mia
/ January 30, 2011Also, the clown mask was a gen 1 skins party reference. Rophy… I am so dissapoint.
Mely
/ January 31, 2011Well, I didn’t hate this first ep, but I didn’t love it either, I’m still to attached to gen 2 to see the real potential of this gen..
Harsh things first, which need to be said imo : I didn’t like Dakota’s acting, it didn’t ~speak to me the way it did for all other characters, like Grace, Mini or Alo/Rich. I don’t know, I thought it was either too forced, or not enough in other parts. But hey that’s how I see it, no offence there
I’m glad you guys loved the first pilot, it means more comitment to the show and maybe, recaps more regularly?
Now the easy/praising part :
LOVED, LOVED Grace. Like, love at first sight. As soon as she opened her mouths talking abt her past life dreams, I was hooked. Moaaar Grace!!
And Mini. Mini the biatch, I love her, like, I love her more than Katie when I first saw her. (But Meg did an incredible job at depicting an obnoxious, bitchy person.)
Here, you can already see the underlying meaning and fears in her speech, I’m already liking her hard, even if she did this awful thing to Frankie.
Needs more Alo/Rich aswell, the comedy couple!
Loved the parallels/crossing caps between gen2 and gen3, needs mooooaaar aswell
you guys rock, as usual!
xx
Rin
/ February 1, 2011Oi you! What do you mean ‘it means more commitment to the show and maybe, recaps more regularly?’
Amelie. You know we slave all day and night as it is. You want us to work towards an early grave too??
I hope the next eps will slowly turn you around, gen 3 are so different to gen 2. It’s a completely new beast to love!
Sanni
/ January 31, 2011Loved the episode, which surprised me. Loved the recap, which didn’t.
“Genuine. I think that’s the word – the one that means all of how I feel about this gen so far. See, initially,at least, gen 2 came off as far less real to me than gen 1 did. Pandora, JJ and Cook, love them or hate them, were all larger than lifers. The twins, too, were pretty in your face, identical-but-not-the-same anime dolls that they were. Naomi, even, with her shocking blonde hair and her icy blue eyes, and Freddie, a vision of lean, tanned gorgeous, riding into town on his white horse skateboard. And then there was Effy, who had grown up into something utterly stunning and Mysterious, note the capital M.
It was all a bit too slick and not quite real enough.”
THIS. I agree so much.
And…BELLE AND SEBASTIAN REFERENCE IN YOUR RECAP?
THEY’RE MY FAVOURITE BAND, LIKE, EVER.
A.
/ January 31, 2011I wholeheartedly agree with you Rophy – on every single comment you had about this episode -; fabulous recap for a fabulous episode! XD
Paula Thomas
/ January 31, 2011Great recap, first time I’ve read one of yours!! (I read plenty of Heather Hogan’s of course)
One thing, the ‘Frankenstein’ insult misfires on several levels – not least because Dr Frankenstein wasn’t the monster but the maker of the monster!! But also Mini is making a grotesque monster of herself.
I loved that the new adults in this ep. were ones with whom I could sympathise and empathise. The only other sympathetic Skins adult was JJ’s mum. His dad was rightly judged by Cook as a tosser.
Thank you for making me laugh.
Sophy
/ January 31, 2011I’m sure Sean is aware that Frankenstein is the creator of the monster not the monster, but someone like Mini might very well not be, so it works for me that she would say it. Also you could look at it on an ironic level, where in fact Franky’s presence is what is turning Mini into the grotesque monster. It’s pretty interesting actually.
Paula Thomas
/ January 31, 2011But my point, which I perhaps failed to explain properly was that it failed in hitting its target from Mini’s point of view, not from the writer’s. I was just surprised you didn’t pick up on it.
Rin
/ February 1, 2011A first time reader! Glad to have you on board. Hope to see you stick around.
anamewhatsinaname
/ January 31, 2011the entire NE changing room macro made LOL so hard “where you just looking at those girls while we were kissing?” “i was scared”
LMAOOOOOOOOO ….
also the lezzer gold one. brilliant.
so glad you guys like mini. i agree freya did such a great job. i don’t get all the hate on the boards. she seems like such an interesting character (and raging homo)
wonderful ep.
Emma
/ January 31, 2011What an amazing episode! And great recap too!
The acting was phenomenal and the characters really drew me in right away. Like you guys, this is the first Skins generation I am seeing from the beginning (came late to the party).
One thing about Franky: I know nothing’s been said overtly about her sexuality, but, c’mon! Striped boyshorts, guys! It’s a no-brainer!
Frankie
/ January 31, 2011The one sharing my name is gay.
Proof?
Striped undies before she dives in the pool.
I rest my case.
Rebecca
/ January 31, 2011I was surprised Heart of Glass didn’t elicit a HOLYTHROWBACK reaction from you. 402 Sophia flipbook, anyone?
Also, I think the clown mask was absolutely deliberate considering the “gang-raped by clowns” line. Maybe to show that was still the face people were putting on her, but also to show that she can be loved despite all that happened in her past and that once she takes the mask off she can be surrounded by beauty and awesomeness and LIGHTS. That’s the first layer of her layer-peeling pool-jump/baptism.
Also, on the is-she-or-isn’t-she front with Franky, as she is stripping off the layers and getting down to her pure self (which actually she was remarkably in touch with the whole time considering the rawness of her speeches) we see STRIPED UNDERWEAR. However, I am so inclined to ship Franky/Matty that I’m not sure what to make of it. I love Franky/Mini, too, though. And in the locker room, Mini already had on her skirt or shorts or whatever those were, so her sexual preferences can still be a mystery. I love the mystery of Mini. That’s one of the things I’m most desperate to get to the root of. Last thing, I loved the contrast between how open Grace and Liv seemed with making gay-ish comments about Franky’s “fuck-me eyes” and the like and Mini’s jarring homophobia. Want moar.
Rin
/ January 31, 2011Our holy throwback reaction was in macro form.
Rebecca
/ January 31, 2011Oh, yes. I suppose it was.
Nemesis
/ January 31, 2011Is it weird that I liked the dads more than Frankie herself? And they’re totally like Mitchell and CAmeron, plus, the military wedding! It’s like giving all those conservative Americans the middle finger, it’s brilliant!
Mini and Grace, love them to pieces. Everyone should be in love with Grace! And I have a feeling I’ll like Liv too.
I’m hoping the boys get more interesting soon, in Gen2 I missed male characters I could love as much as Sid or Tony. Here they might be great… but who I’m totally not feeling is Matty. I mean what WAS that? Sorry, it’s just … no! And I looked forward to his character so much, but no no no!
Your “About a boy” reference was the funniest thing ever, but there was one reference you missed: When Grace draws lipstick on the mirror for Frankie. I’m convinced it’s taken directly from the “A hard day’s night” Beatles movie, where one of them said he never had a wet shave and one of the others in response puts shaving cream on the mirror where his friend’s beard-shadow is and shaves the mirror. Best movie EVER!
Rebecca
/ January 31, 2011One more thing, the ep was VERY VERY VERY Mean Girls, from the very individualistic new girl to the trio led by the blonde HBIC to the scandalous documents scattered in the hallway. Alo and Rich were Janis and whatshisface. I’m sure it was deliberate, but it did sort of hang uncomfortably over the episode for me. The end, at least, branched off from the story, which, I think, was the entire point. Nonetheless, thoughts?
Sophy
/ January 31, 2011It’s possible they were thinking of the film when they wrote the ep, but then again Mean Girls wasn’t the first to use that formula. Bitchy queen bee and henchgirls mess with new kid whilst lame kids who are actually cool look on isn’t original now – but it wasn’t original for Mean Girls either. And beyond that the scripts have very little in common.
Rebeccapedia
/ January 31, 2011Technically it was more Heathers than Mean Girls, but again, like Sophy says, who hasn’t done a HBIC story? And there’s a big difference between home-schooled I WANT TO FIT IN Cady and the broken yet strong individual who wants to be herself that is Franky. I did think during her “Cowshit and bullshit” thing, oh wow, I love her in a Regina George type way, but I wouldn’t push the comparison any further. It’s like milk and soya milk, just no, they’re so different IT SHOULDN’T BE CALLED MILK JUST BECAUSE IT’S WHITE, WHO OKED THAT?!?!
Rebecca
/ January 31, 2011This is true. I think Mean Girls was just the first HBIC story to really stick with me, so it’s what all others must inevitably be measured against.
Rebeccapedia
/ January 31, 2011GAH! Love, love, loved it. This is definitely my favourite gen opener, I liked the pilot, (Tony sliding down the pole and then the way he spits out his toothpaste, JFC, that’s just utter perfection) I really disliked the season 3 opener, but this one, it was so wide open and interestingly beautiful. I love all the girls. If it wasn’t Skins I probably wouldn’t love Mini, but all that fear, and those tiny flashes of sadness, she will turn out to be great, I know it, IN MY BONES! Also Liv, the second she started dancing in the mall with Gracie, um yes, love, love, love, you are great and you will end up brave and centred by the end.
The only question I have is did Roundview amalgamate with a couple of the posh schools or something? Since when do they have money for/actually bothered with rich-kid sports? Also, even though Tony was a bit posh, Mini seems to me like she belongs in the ladies college across the green, and I found it really interesting that she had such a problem with Franky’s non-conformity when Liv is stood there next to her with part of her head shaved in raver clothes, (at one point I thought she had ELECTRIC GREEN DUNGAREE’S on!!!) and apparently that’s no issue at all. Also I thought the rugby boys were possibly trying to do the Haka? No? Also Fergie’s Glamorous, it makes me lol, a song about being glamorous by a lady who has peed herself in front of thousands of people . Skins people know this, it’s totally on purpose.
I’m really glad we’re getting a boys episode next week, because I absolutely love all the girls, and I can’t wait to get to know the boys properly too. I loved this episode so much, it seems like they go for the fun during the each gen’s first season and the serious during the second one, they jumped right in, ughhhhhh so good!!!
The no man is an island is my favourite macro (close second is Gracie Obama, YES WE CAN) little Tony, awwwwwww! And can I just say, I hope Effy and Sophia managed to make it into every re-cap!
tapette
/ January 31, 2011It’s hard not to make a thousand connections to other pop culture moments in this show, and I mean that in a good way. When they played
‘relax’ I wondered if Derek Zoolander would arrive on the scene to assassinate a world leader. When Frankie framed Mini between her fingers I thought of the Kids in the Hall man who crushes people’s heads.
I probably won’t ever be able to not imagine that Franky is Baby Tilda Swinton. I loved her Pee Wee Herman shoes and motorized wheelchair adventure. The homophobic boys reminded me of those girls in series 1 who beat up Sid and Michelle for allegedly giving them cheek. The hostile locker room hit a bit too close to home, so well done and so painful to watch. Her connection to the genderless robaxacet doll sets up the identity theme perfectly.
Mini is so Heather Chandler I half expected her to force Liv and Gracie to trot out a lunchtime poll. I can see why you like Mini. When she looks at Franky I get the sense that she’s uncomfortable because Baby Tilda Swinton reminds her that she’s too much of a coward to do anything but conform. And while she can cast Frankie as a monster, monsters are often threatening simply because they are different and undermine social norms. Monsters tend to be reviled but also secretly desired and the desire terrifies us. Alo saying he’d go gay for Frankie was wonderfully queer.
Alo and Rich look straight out of Degrassi. The pool scene was especially poignant because like entering locker rooms, the act of going swimming can be a very awkward and embarrassing experience for those of us who don’t fit our assigned gender. The removal of layers makes us vulnerable and nervous to be in our bodies in the presence of others. I saw Frankie’s decision to join them in the pool as a sign of trust.
Lily
/ January 31, 2011I remember back in August or whenever thinking sulkily that I would hate this gen. I’m a fierce Gen 1 loyalist, and it took me a while to begin watching Gen 2 {and I fell in love!}, but I never thought I could become so enamoured with a new lot of Skins folk in only one episode. Reading the initial character descriptions , I thought they all sounded a bit.. well, dull maybe? I can’t quite think of the word. But oh! How I should know by now never to trust those things. This beat any sort of expectations I had; there was so much heart and depth and subtle hints of layers to come. And it was at the same time hilarious and light and fun. It was just.. seamless and effortless. Like you said, I really couldn’t have asked for a better opener.
Grace is absolutely adorable, and I already adore the relationship between Alo + Rich. Matty is just lovely, and I think Liv and Nick will have the potential to be interesting once we get to know them a bit better. Wow Dakota played Franky with such conviction. I feel terrible for her, but I think she’ll get braver and braver throughout the series, I suppose. I am really intruiged by Mini though. Freya is brilliant as a {quietly vulnerable} HBIC, and a la Skins style, I think Mini is definitely more than just a typical Queen Bee bitch. Like Cassie {my favourite character ever}, Effy or Naomi, I think there is a depth and reason behind Mini that was ultimately well intentioned. She’s a pretty girl who’s hitting the self destruct button in a very forward way, and something about her is already tugging at my heart strings as much as – if not more than – Franky. ♥
kamm
/ January 31, 2011OK I think I can do this I think I can actully love another generation or at least the ones we’ve met so far … is it weird I still feel kind of guilty for moving on?
Rin
/ February 1, 2011I’ll always be living with the guilt. Always.
‘TIS THE CROSS WE SKINS FANS BEAR!
folkpants
/ January 31, 2011I was in love with this new series of Skins before Frankie even got on the scooter. It pains me to realize, after seeing new US Skins and UK Skins episodes in the same week, how completely clueless America is. Frankie’s episode is why Skins is the most beautiful television show I’ve ever seen. The US version is just the most ridiculous wanna-be copy-cat. Even though the shows have the same creators, it’s like they had to strip everything to make it available to the stupid American viewer. US Skins doesn’t deserve to have the word Skins in it.
Otherwise, I love this generation. I love that Bristol has a set of good parents for once. (Not terrible parents that eventually learn something from their kids and help out a little, maybe, later on.) The dads are so wonderful in their protection of Franky. You don’t have to know her history- you know it was bad by how worried they are. They want to protect her so badly. Very excited about watching this group continue on.
And also, thank you Sophy so much for the “dancing about architecture” reference and comment. This is what I think of when I think of Skins. I can’t describe it to anyone, I just know it.
Emma
/ February 1, 2011Wait what was the homage to Gen 2? I missed that.
Alexandra Ellen
/ February 1, 2011Loved it. Ace Recap guys!
I love Franky too, but I always knew I was going to. Grace makes me melt. And Matty, Ohhhh, “So why do I see, a fucking glorious headfuck thing?”
Possibly my favourite line in Skins yet.
You are SO right about this being more realistic. I’m eighteen, and I’ve watched every episode of skins, but out of all of them, this is the first one that my heart has completely stuttered for, the first one that I’ve genuinely connected with experience-wise.
Just, *contented sigh*
Lezlie
/ February 1, 2011I just…don’t have words…thank you….huge appreciation. I honestly never thought I could love Skins as much after Naomily…and the pictures of the new cast looked…uninteresting…but interest was sparked from reading that John Sessions was playing a gay dad…so I semi-reluctantly watched it last week and totally enjoyed it. Your recap made me appreciate so much that I missed – any chance of you running a Skins Summer School? And totally agree with what you had to say about Dakota and Sebastian and their star quality; we had Nick in Gen 1, Loveless and Jack in Gen 2 and now these two.
Thanks once again for your marathon efforts – recaping the US & UK Skins in the same week, you deserve a medal *hands you both a medal*.
D
/ February 1, 2011This episode was amazing! Just perfect and intriguing and enough to make me long for the next episode. I cannot wait to see what they do with this cast. I can’t wait to learn these characters stories. I think you go into each new generation with a bit of apprehension and this episode washed all that away for me. I fell in love with it immediately. So well written. So well acted. Heartfelt. Wonderful.
I was a big fan of Pandora for all of Gen 2. I can already tell that I am going to have those same feelings for Grace. I loved every line she had in this episode. Great delivery.
I just cannot say it enough. I loved every minute of this episode!
lo
/ February 1, 2011thought it came across a bit after school special with the whole teasing-blonde barbie-posters on the wall story line but it wasn’t horrible. not particularly attached to any of the characters yet but i can see how they might get there if they stop doing obvious story lines like this one.
besides that, i adore your recaps.
bridget
/ February 2, 2011From the start, I wanted to label this episode “Mean Girls”. I mean, we’ve got the new girl in school; the popular trio consisting of the queen bitch, the unquestioning sidekick, and the ditzy girl (I didn’t mean it, Gracie, I swear!); the showdown over why it’s not right to be so nasty… Hell, there was even field hockey. And someone said the word ‘fugly’. All we needed was for Gracie to proclaim, “Most people think I’m lying about being a virgin because I prefer jumbo tampons, but I can’t help it if I have a heavy flow and a wide-set vagina!”
I love Mini. She’s wonderful because she’s such a friggin’ mystery – almost as big a mystery as Matty or Franky.
She’s two things at once, raging back and forth… but as a viewer, you can never figure out which of her identities is real. (“Does choice define identity?”) Is she a bitch or is she not? Is she both?
One reason I think a lot of people had such a hard time liking Katie in Gen 2 was that she was pretty much set in one personality. She was easy to label and, because of that, easy to write off. To appreciate her in the third series, you really had to be looking for the little glimpses of the Katie we would see in s4. Those glimpses were always very much there, but not enough people picked up on them.
This Mini is a different story, though. The actress is doing such a fantastic job at subtly teetering back and forth across that line. She’s got a very expressive face, and it’s the reason I can’t wait to find out what her story is. I think the writers maybe learned a lesson from the past series.
I’m curious if maybe something happened to Mini (rape or intense bullying or something) in her past, but the gay possibility is quite interesting as well. It would be a riot if both she and her boyfriend are gay. lol One reason I’m interested in her story is that her bullying of Franky makes no sense. People like her character don’t normally bully such easy targets. They don’t need to. They bully people who oppose them. That’s not Franky… or at least it wasn’t. I think Mini can see the strength in Franky, though. What she’ll do with that, I guess we’ll find out. Another reason her bullying doesn’t make the most sense is Grace. God love Grace, but she’s too much of a sweetheart to last with someone who was a genuine article bitch. Grace isn’t like JJ; I think she could definitely find other friends pretty easily. The fact that Grace is good friends with Mini makes me think there’s more going on with her.
The wild west duel in the field was nicely shot. When Matty showed up, all I could hear in my head was, “You are beautiful, Susie Salmon.” lol I need more of this kid.
At the end, when the trio kidnapped Franky, I got a little involuntarily nervous. I mean, I knew nothing would happen – that none of them would hurt her and it would end up being a bonding session of some sort – but all I could think about was how small Franky looked when she was thrown over Rich’s shoulder and then I was reminded of the shit Franky went through at her old school and how she potentially could have been very fucking scared at having been thrown in the back of a van.
naomi
/ February 2, 2011I… didn’t really like it my first watch through? I think because I was so anxious to see what was going to happen, and the Western Standoff Scene is gorgeous and perfect but also at the same time ridiculous, and the bullying was so painful (and apparently, even though I’ve stopped watching Glee, it still has me trained to be very suspicious of anything that could even potentially turn into an after-school special, which this at times seemed like it might) and the whole bringing a gun to a words-like-knives fight made me really nervous, and like I was watching a movie about the lead up to a school shooting? And then I read your recap and it gave me the courage to rewatch, several times, because I ended up quite enjoying it on the second and third and fourth go-around.
So what I have to say now is:
1)the music in this episode is gorgeous (and I hope that they make a Heart of Glass reference in every gen, turn it into a Skins motif)
2)everything in this episode is gorgeous (why can’t US Skins look and sound like this???)
3) Grace is adorable
4) Mini is as gay as a window
5) seeing Bristol *happening* all around them and knowing that Karen and Effy and Katie are happening right along with it, and that Cook and/or Dr. Foster might or might not be happening too, is making my heart hurt, and there needs to be more fanfic and a skins movie asap (also Katie should revisit her alma mater and show Mini who’s the real HBIC, maybe also give her the last of Emily’s STUN and/or some brownies, Pinot Grigio, Cider Oblivion, oils…)
6) if Frankie is straight, and personally I think she probably is, WHY WAS SHE WEARING STRIPY KNICKERS??? My gaydar is awful but I thought I finally had a foolproof way to tell if a girl likes to let other girls into her pants, provided she’s willing to take them off and show me what she’s wearing underneath, and now it’s being wrenched away from me! (Mini in patternless underwear, at this early stage, does not ruin the stripy knicker trend, because she’s trying really hard to be straight, and in her head the choice of boring knickers is a part of defining her closeted identity. Or something.)