Ryan Sheely and Matthew Wrather wrap up TFT Summer School and Skins Series 2, focusing on the Effy, Jal, Cassie, and finale episodes. Themes include the ultimate meaning and worldview of Skins, the privileged position of Effy within the narrative, Jal’s second-order performance, the profound weirdness of Cassie, and necrosociality.
Next Week: The return of Gossip Girl!
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First!
I’m not sure if I graduate summer school, as the waffles forbade me from seeing the end of Jal’s abortion.
In my opinion, the machinations on Gossip Girl are very overt compared to Skins. With GG, the theme is always pretty obvious and lacks much subtlety.
I’m with Chatworth here, the waffles refused to let me see the last 10 minutes or so of Jal’s episode. Perhaps I can get an ‘Incomplete’ to be made up at a later date?
I had been hoping for a comment on the fact that the club where Effy went to was named ‘Jailbait’. I found it interesting that the bouncer would let those who clearly weren’t old enough in while barring Tony who *was* old enough.
I’m going to miss the Summer school until the next one! Every episode, even introducing them to the fraternal parts of family too! As much as the re-re stuff grated on someone with the most minor of learning difficulties, it was worth it to know that other people have been overthinking Skins! I thought, long ago, that I was the only one.
The only especial response I had to this episode was that I’d love to see a realistic version of a British city or its people on an American show. Or a realistic interpretation of a British show when it’s remade in America. The geography of New York is less important than the symbolism, as the city that never sleeps etc. somewhere far more exciting and as you say with opportunity for reinvention. Paris could have played the same role in the past, but France holds no real cultural relevance for the TFT of today… who presumably would be influenced by shows like Gossip Girl or even Friends (thinking of the issue of rent) showing a flagrantly unrealistic and idealistic (viz. glamorous) view of New York City. Also, I think a lot of people were drawn to Cassie in the same way your girlfriend, Mr. Wrather, was put off her.
Season Three streaming on Netflix now.