S1E7: Well, for a mediocre teenage drama, it’s safe to say Skins is probably the best of the bunch (but then again, I don’t really watch many teenage dramas, so my opinion might be biased). “Michelle” offered us another episode that made me say, “eh.” However, in that same vein, there were a few moments within the episode — as there have been in a few episodes this season — that made me believe that Skins has the potential to be a really good show. But, again, those good moments were surrounded by over-the-top, in-your-face melodrama that does nothing except annoy us.
“I love you.” -Michelle
We open with the gang partying at a rave, because, you know, teenagers spend their nights at raves drinking, taking ecstasy, and doing various other drugs. Michelle and Tony sneak off and have sex in a back hallway, and Michelle follows that up with a big statement. She tells Tony that she loves him. But Tony, being the dickhead that he is, pretends that he doesn’t hear her and blows her off and heads back to the party to take more ecstasy.
Thus, with this opening scene, we have a perfect example of one of my frustrations with Skins. Sure, maybe kids do actually do a crazy amount of drugs and go to raves and all that, but none of these moments in Skins feel realistic at all. Everything — the choice of music, the clothing, the actors’ lines — just feels disingenuous. They’re trying to appear hip and cool, but the harder they try, the faker it feels. It’s like that coffee shop I go to sometimes on my way to work. Sure, it looks old, rustic and charming, but c’mon, in reality, the place has only been open for two years — all that “wear and tear” isn’t real.
“Maybe I’m a disappointment.” -Michelle
“That’s right. You are.” -Principal
Michelle wakes up with Tony in her bed. She heads out to the kitchen and we get a taste of her life; her mom is with a man she doesn’t know (“Jackson? Or is it Jason?”) and it’s quickly very apparent that Michelle doesn’t have a very supportive home life.
She goes to school and meets with the principal who gives her a tough talk. And, honestly, I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this part of the episode. Everything the principal said was spot on — Michelle relies on her looks for her confidence, pretends to be stupid to attract boys, etc. — and yes, that plot device was a little cliche. But, Skins has treated teachers as morons for the entire first season, or perhaps more accurately, Skins has treated every single adult as a moron for its entire first season. Suddenly, we are presented with an adult who knows what the hell they are talking about, and we can see from Michelle’s body language that the principals sharp words don’t go unnoticed.
“You have a sexually transmitted disease, it’s called Chlamydia.” -Michelle
Michelle goes to the doctor for a checkup and a renewal on her birth control pills, but gets some unfortunate news: she has Chlamydia. Rightfully, she’s pissed at Tony. After she lets loose on him, she confides in Tea (who we, as audience members, realize is the source for the Chlamydia) who obviously feels very uncomfortable with the situation. She claims to not know as much as Michelle thinks, and weirdly enough, that results in Michelle actually being jealous of Tea’s “ignorance” of the situation. But, we know that Tea is quiet because she actually knows too much, but is confused by the whole situation — probably more than Michelle.
“I love you Stanley.” -Michelle
So, what does Michelle do to solve her sadness? Well, she goes and tries to sleep with Stanley — a guy she knows has been in love with her for years. It’s a perfectly understandable action for a character like Michelle, but that doesn’t mean it’s the smartest. Even though their interaction was funny and, dare I say it, charming, it still is just another example of Michelle looking for happiness in another person, rather than within herself. But, don’t give up on her yet — at the end of the episode, just as I thought she was going to fall back into the trap with Tony, she asks him to leave. (Perhaps using someone to “get back” at them isn’t the healthiest way to move on with your life, but I do think this is a very realistic action that people in relationships do. That scene — benefiting from some solid acting from Rachel Thevenard as Michelle — was one of the strongest yet in Skins short life.)
