303: 'Thomas'
Wr: Bryan Elsley & Daniel Kaluuya
Dr: Simon Massey
Synopsis: Thomas arrives from the Congo and finds himself homeless and penniless. He gets into trouble when he meets Johnny White. However, the gang find Thomas may be the answer to their problems when they realize he has one advantage over the sinister gangster. Chillies, anyone?
Review: Skins has the frustrating habit of forestalling the progression of its season-long narratives through the introduction, early into the year, of an additional character to the central gang that we've just become accustomed to, and, more crucially, by giving he or she their own episode. It happened with the somewhat questionable Sketch in season two and it happens again here with Thomas, the boy who has travelled from Africa to live in the glorious British Isles and soon discovers that it isn't exactly all it's cracked up to be... or at least, that finding a home really isn't. While it is a little irritating that we receive a diversion from the main plot focus so early in the season, and that nothing is really developed in relation to the ulterior strands (well, except for Emily and Naomi's fragile relationship which may well be somewhat one-sided), Thomas' hour largely works thanks to a combination of simultaneously witty and clever writing and a stellar performance from the actor playing him. This is essentially an allegory on the subject of immigration: while it is never outwardly expressed in the episode, verbally or thematically, the narratalogical content is sufficient to ensure that the point is put across, however subtly. Thomas is entering Britain from a foreign country with nowhere to live and no job. He is desperate to set up home, with however little he might be able to acquire (it will be significantly more than he had in his own country) and to begin to earn money in order to bring his family over and while he ultimately ends up doing so by unsavoury means, moralistically, there is little objectionable about his enterprising nature because he is being forced, unduly, to fork out ridiculous sums by a corrupt English 'gangster'. The people here force Thomas to look to the underbelly; it is not his natural inclination. And let's face it, you know you were egging the guy on, desperately wishing that his ploy would succeed and, when it nearly didn't, you were delighting at his good fortune in the gangster's 'showdown'. The character is unquestionably likeable: he gives Pandora something to set her mind to and her first experience of romance, puts the unruly school kids in their place and almost disrupts the fragile relationship between Effy's parents which is already significantly on the rocks. It's a shame he appears destined to return home, never to be seen again, but then, distance isn't something that has proved to be much of a handicap in Skins before. Certainly a solid effort on the whole and a bit of an improvement on last week, even if it does stall major developments from taking place (if you don't count Pandora's romance, that is). I'm still not too keen on the gangster strand but overall, Thomas' hour is a welcome contribution to Skins lore and his character a pleasing addition. And can we have more of him naked, please? That scene was surprisingly hot. 8.6
304: 'Pandora'
Wr: Bryan Elsley
Dr: Simon Massey
Synopsis: Pandora throws a party which descends into chaos with the arrival of Katie's drunken friends. Pandora, completely unaware of the ingredients, indulges in some special brownies causing her to lose all inhibitions and jeapordize her friendship with Effy.
Review: At last! High five Skins, you did it! After three weeks of solid-but-nothing-to-write-home-about instalments, the show really delivers with episode four, a veritable Pandora's box of delights, so wickedly delicious that you'll be guiltily flogging yourself for days for taking such delight in it. And yes, that horrific pun was intended. Pandora's episode, perhaps predictably, is the best of the bunch so far and it's thanks to a fantastically realised premise that screams 'potential!' from the get go and doesn't fail to deliver. Throw the gang together in a single location and predicate the proceedings on something outside of their conventional modus operandi and hey presto, you're onto a winner. In sending the girly girls to Pandora's scrummy-wummy super sweet seventeenth birthday party, where they're to play Twister, wear pyjamas and talk about boys, the writers hit pay dirt as the opportunities for conflict are endless. So first there's the doting, clearly mad mother (who explains Pandora to the nth degree); then we have Effy 'sparking' things up a bit thanks to her own somewhat messed up family life - the revelation of the affair is masterfully handled and did anyone else catch the Larkin reference? "They fuck you up, your mum and dad". "They don't mean to." "But they do." Priceless. This obviously brings a great deal of issues between the two best friends to the surface and allows for an onscreen acknowledgement of what we've all been thinking: that Effy and Panda's relationship is somewhat inexplicable and, frankly, weird. But it works. Such is life. I do question the sense in having Pandora lose her virginity to Cook, and Thomas' return is the most predictable thing I've seen all year, but I suspect this is due more to my personal dislike of the character than any reasonable objection.
Next up, the boys. Infiltrating the slumber party and causing all manner of havoc. Katie is clearly on course for getting her comeuppance for her generally twatty nature, specifically through her evidently adulterous boyfriend, but it is good to see her warm slightly to Naomi, even if that does look set to fall by the wayside now that she's seen her snogging her sister. Nicely done that, by the way. JJ also witnesses this somewhat tumultuous event first hand,bless him, and then 'locks on' when surrounded by so many drunken, loutish twatheads in Pandora's house. Interesting development this and one that is actually pulled off with a significant chunk of believability thanks to the boy's substantial acting skills. It's a nice touch having Freddie take care of him too and illustrates once more his crucial, but silent, role within the group.
Pandora's episode lacks a string of hyperbolic events and this is where it draws its considerable strength. While there are clearly exaggerated elements, the whole does not feel so OTT as to be unbelievable. Effectively, this is a straightforward story about a birthday party gone slightly wrong, that taps into the well of underlying character conflict and brings recent developments to the fore, taking them in new and at times, slightly unexpected directions. It three-dimensionalises a number of our central characters and offers several fantastically played scenes that address the psychological make-up of their inter-relations. While Thomas' return straight after Pandora finishes her sexy time with Cook is a huge groan-inducer, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and the rest of the episode more than makes up for it. Certainly the best instalment so far this season... trust Pandora to bring everyone together, eh? 9.0
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