Review: Skins 305

305: 'Freddie'

Wr: Ben Schiffer
Dr: Charles Martin

Synopsis: Freddie has always been the black sheep of his family, and is growing more and more sick of this. But when Freddie's sister Karen signs up for a reality TV show, he is forced into acting like a perfect family for the cameras.

Review: Ah, Freddie. I knew you were my favourite new member of the Skins collective... well, after JJ at any rate. This episode is a classic instalment of the series, featuring many of the elements that transformed it from an amusingly frank take on teenage life in season one to a serious, considered examination of the human condition in season two. Gone are the outrageous plot exaggerations, over-the-top narrative trajectories and unbelievable dalliances with contrivance and in their place, we are treated to a comprehensive look at the inner-workings and familial/social situation fo a thoroughly likeable and rather complex character. This is no forty five minute struggle for empathy like Cook's episode and nor is it half an hour of kookiness followed by fifteen minutes of self-reflection like Pandora's (which, by the way, I'm certainly not knocking). No, this is a well thought out, entirely cohesive and logical essay on the trials and tribulations of friendship, romance and, most importantly of all, loss.

It certainly helps that Luke Pasqualiano is excellent as Freddie. He brings a quiet confidence to the role that prevents his epiphianic moments from seeming mawkish and his inter-relations with the rest of cast from seeming forced. He plays well off everyone: with Effy, you feel the heartbreak in his voice, you see it in his eyes and you buy into every horrible segment of it. With Cook and JJ, you see the affection built from years of solid friendship and with the former, when things get ugly, as they inevitably do in the final scene when the bastard confronts Freddie's sister, the anguish threatens to tear you apart. You feel how difficult this is for Freddie, how much he evidently wants to return to normality but cannot reconcile this desire with the actions of this so-called 'best friend'. And with his immediate family, well, this is the most believable unit we've seen so far. It's in the minutiae, such as the looks he gives his dad when he paints the shed and the comfort he gives his sister when she loses the competition (which, in itself, had me laughing out loud... a glorious send-up of the ludicrous reality TV genre, if ever I saw one). The conflict is potent without seeming forced and this is largely thanks to the strength of the acting, but it is also the nature of the situation as well: the death of Freddie's mother remains a fact rather than an analysed trope and this grounds it in a level of believability. Importantly, there is nothing OTT about it: it simply is and out of its ordinariness comes its strength.

There is certainly something to be said for the personality traits of this week's central character too. Perhaps it is simply because I identify with him the most, but Freddie comes across, to this writer, as the most immedately likeable of the bunch. He doesn't stand out in terms of his characteristics and, as I've noted before, he very much observes the actions going on around him rather than participates in them. And yet, he is also the 'fixer-upper', coming to the rescue of his friends when they need him. Such positive features invariably generate empathy and even more so when, as here, they are countered by those who exhibit opposing behaviours. So Effy rejects his advances, regardless of just how heartfelt they are. There's no two ways about this one guys, she leads him on. In the shed, at school, when he meets her at the lake... she evidently wants him but is too messed up and selfish to make it happen without hurting him. Now sure, the girl's got her own issues to deal with but that does not mean she has carte blanche to routinely break the hearts of those who will do nothing but treat hers with respect: and it certainly doesn't mean she can be okay with it, aware of it and all. The episode leaves you with nothing but sympathy for Freddie's love-lorn, rejected heart and a bitter resentment of Effy's cruelty in stamping all over it. Perhaps he was mistaken to go to her at episode's end and he should have let her come to him, realising the error of her own ways, but can you blame the guy? She's sending out mixed signals all over the shop and he just wants to know! And as for Cook, well, if you still liked him for whatever warped reason at the beginning of the hour, you'll hate him by the end (even if that tickling scene with JJ was extremely cute). Sure, he's trying to demonstrate the strength of his bond with Freddie and how this supposedly supercedes any romantic affiliations but come on... find a better way to do it than (a) sabotating his sister's chances at happiness and (b) banging Effy. Again. No sympathy from me guys, Cook is a world class fuckwit but then, that's exactly what we're supposed to think, isn't it?

That an episode can generate such heated feelings towards its central players is proof positive that it is nothing other than a resounding success. Freddie's hour works beautifully because its motifs are entirely relatable, they are dramatised in a considerably believable fashion, the dialogue is absolutely spot on and never strays into cliche (Freddie's lack of diction at times is a nice touch) and the acting is superb from all involved. With such a strong story, production and cast, you can't help but be swept along with it all and start involving yourself in the friendship/romantic/familial politics inherent in the episode. At times, this is powerful, moving stuff and at others, it's magnificently entertaining. This is what the show needs more of: intelligent, adult ways of approaching teenage issues, exempt from unbelievable, extreneous incident. This feels far more like the Skins I came to know and love. 9.2