Skins

AVERAGE VIEWER RATING:

Episode Guide

Series two

Go to Series one

Episode 1/10

Tony has sustained a massive head injury after being hit by a car. Taking care of their invalid friend has been tough for Sid and Michelle, so Maxxie is looking after Tony for the day. But Maxxie has problems of his own. He desperately wants to leave college to become a dancer, and his dad (guest star Bill Bailey) is set against it. Meanwhile, Tony's parents have the same attitude when he announces he wants to return to college.
Episode 2/10

Maxxie has a creepy feeling someone is watching him. But when his stalker turns out to be a girl, Sketch, he's not impressed. As the college production of Osama: the Musical teeters on the brink of disaster under the heavy-handed guidance of lecherous drama teacher Bruce (guest star Shane Richie), the obsessive Sketch is prepared to do anything to get her leading man - and if she can't have him, she'll make sure nobody can.
Episode 3/10

Sid's already struggling with Tony's condition and Cassie's departure to Scotland, so the arrival of his terminally ill granddad - a notorious Glaswegian hard man - along with Sid's uncle Sandy and his two weird cousins, does nothing to improve his mood. Add to the mix Sid's estranged mum and it's Jenkins family meltdown time. But when Sid comes down to breakfast one morning, he makes a discovery for which nothing could have prepared him…

RT Choice (Jack Seale, 25 February 2008)

Being brilliant every week isn't enough for Skins - in this second series it's brilliant in a completely different way every week. This episode takes place almost entirely in Sid's house, as his meek father (Peter Capaldi) faces a visit from his own far-from-meek dad.

For half an hour it's a brittle, kitchen-sink comedy about the Sisyphean task of living up to parental expectations, leavened by Skins' trademark blasts of cartoony fun. But the killer scene comes later when Sid and his estranged best friend Tony reconcile, wordlessly, during a night out at a gig - a deftly orchestrated emotional sucker punch. If you're avoiding this show because you assume it's just a smutty romp for teens, reconsider.
Episode 4/10

When Michelle's mum Anna (Arabella Weir) gets married - again - Michelle has to contend with a new, big-breasted, emotionally manipulative stepsister, Scarlett (Sia Berkeley). Before she knows it, Scarlett is invading her life, co-opting her friends and offering unwanted advice about her still incapacitated ex-boyfriend. So when Scarlett inveigles her self into Michelle's birthday camping trip and starts to move in on the emotionally fragile Sid (Mike Bailey), Michelle's forced to take drastic action.
Episode 5/10

Chris's college career has already featured drugs, petty theft, non-attendance and resounding failure, so when he's caught having sex in the science corridor, it's the final straw. Homeless and penniless, Chris is going downhill fast - until Jal steps in with a challenge. She'll try to unwind a little if he gets his act together. So as Chris begins a series of short-lived jobs, and moves into the smallest bedsit in Bristol, Jal begins to chill out. And when she does, she's a revelation.

RT Choice (Jack Seale, 10 March 2008)

Yet another episode that's so much more than it initially seems: it's mostly laugh-out-loud knockabout comedy (directed by Harry Enfield) about Chris trying to get a job, but the gags are offset by pitch-dark heartbreak and insightful glimpses of the gang's confusion and loneliness. Uniquely brilliant.
Episode 6/10

Since his accident, Tony has been isolated, living in a world of half-understood dreams. He tries to act normal, but bumping into Sid and Michelle at a club sends him spiralling again. As he tries to escape, Tony encounters a strange, beautiful girl who seems to understand what he's going through. The next day, at a university open day, Tony runs into her again. His head tells him she's an angel. But can he ever trust his head again?

RT Choice (Ruth Margolis, 17 March 2008)

Because reviewers have far more fun with material they can eviscerate, I keep waiting for Skins to slip up. But so far it's resolutely failed to fail. So guess what: here's another exasperatingly flawless episode. It may be trying a little too hard to befuddle us with an "is it/isn't it a dream?" sequence, but I still came away wanting to drown it in adjectives like "delicious", "innovative" and "absorbing".

Tony, who's been physiologically forced to keep his rocks on since being splattered by a bus, leads the action. On his way to a university open day and interview, he meets a deranged soldier (Sean Pertwee), who eats his sandwiches. On campus, it's like Royston Vasey, but with cooler outfits and perkier breasts[…]

Next time, please, I'd appreciate something to complain about.
Episode 7/10

Chaos reigns in the Stonem household and it seems it's down to Effy to sort things out. With Dad working abroad, Mum's lost the plot and Tony can't think of anything apart from Michelle. As if all this wasn't enough, the deadline for Effy's GCSE art coursework is looming and she's been told to babysit the new girl, Pandora. How can Effy ever hope to maintain her reputation for being the wildest kid on the block?

RT Choice (Jack Seale, 24 March 2008)

The weakest episode of the series by far, which doesn't stop it being funny, brave, and imaginative. Tony's inscrutable sister Effy tries to untangle his love life; the plotting's as blunt as her methods, and her blankness doesn't make her a great main character. But there are odd moments of wonder.
Episode 8/10

Jal faces the biggest dilemma of her life so far but until she works out what to do about it, she's forced to keep it a secret. In the meantime, she's up against the pressures of exams, auditions for music school, and emotionally demanding best friends - and now Chris wants her to move in with him. Little does she know he's keeping a very important secret from her.

RT Choice (Jack Seale, 31 March 2008)

Any lingering suspicions that this show is flip or irresponsible are obliterated forever by this perfectly judged, profoundly upsetting hour of pure drama. Pregnant Jal is surrounded by family and friends, but quite alone as she wrestles with an impossible dilemma.
Episode 9/10

Cassie's back with Sid, Chris is on the mend, Michelle and Tony are together again, and exams are finally over. To celebrate, Sid has organised a dinner party where everyone can try to get along. But how can they? Relationships are strained, Jal is lying to Chris, Chris is lying to everyone, and tragedy is about to strike. When it does, it's all too much for Cassie, who runs until she's far, far away…

RT Choice (Jack Seale, 7 April 2008)

What to love most about Skins? The fluid flair of the direction (tonight: a woozy opening montage featuring the whole of our beloved gang)? The impeccable soundtrack (tonight: the Stooges, Adele, Fionn Regan and - gloriously - Lipps, Inc)? The cheeky humour? The constant surprises?

None of these. It's the way Skins not only avoids trivialising the torments of being a teen, but elevates them to universal, devastating drama.
Episode 10/10

It's the day of the A-level results - and Chris's funeral. The gang have made a pact not to look at their grades until after they've said goodbye to Chris. But Jal can't face getting out of bed and Cassie is halfway across the world. To cap it all, Chris's dad Graham (Mark Heap) appears and creates a problem for Sid. So who does Sid go to? Tony, who comes up with an enterprising solution that could restore their friendship.

RT Choice (Jack Seale, 14 April 2008)

The kids say their goodbyes in a typically tender, strange series finale. Next year there's a whole new cast, but they'll struggle to match this brilliant group of actors, who go out with a bang: several unstoppable tear-jerking scenes and a car chase between a hearse and a Mini. Sensational.