Last week we saw La Roux-esque outcast Franky wallow in, admittedly warranted, self-pity as she arrived to a new city and college and unwittingly established the self-absorbed “bulimic barbie” Mini (as Frankie would put it) as her new nemesis. While Franky may have made some enemies last week, but she also made some friends, in the form of outcasts Alo and Rich, and it is the latter that we see into the life of this week.
Metalhead Rich (Alexander Arnold) can’t get a girlfriend and he’s trying to act like he’s not bothered – he’s not interested in any of the “non-metalhead” girls that frequent Bristol, and why should he? He’s got his music, why should he need anything else? Rich’s forced individualism may be cringingly done and overwritten into the script, but on another level feels quite accurate, believable and even humorous (nice touches include a strop when he runs out of moisturiser).
Rich and his cocky-go-lucky best friend Alo (Will Merrick) have a semi Tony/Sid relationship, except Alo is deluded and Rich ignores him, so it’s a lot healthier for both characters than the Series 1 duo. Although the scripting is arguably not what it was back in that first series, this week’s relatively light storyline about Rich’s difficulty talking to girls is more than welcome after the uncomfortable darkness of Series 4. A delightfully car-crash attempt to ask out a fellow metalhead in the college library is a particular highlight.
Surprisingly enough for Rich, Alo eventually employs the vacuous and popular but secretly repressed Grace (Jessica Sula) to help out. The banter between stubborn, sulky Rich and the ever eager and optimistic Grace is often hilarious, and the reserved ballet dancer passing out after trying her hand at listening to metal is without a doubt the funniest scene of Series 5 so far.
While Sula is so far one of the weaker members of the cast, the episode sees Grace become far and away the most interesting character. “No one fucking knows me”, she unexpectedly cries at Rich, leaving a lot of unanswered questions, except for one: there’s no doubt that Rich and Grace are a classic Skins couple in the making.
A ‘shocking’ halfway twist seems improbable, but is so well directed and hauntingly shot that the improbability seems irrelevant. The extended experimental soundtrack for this sequence is commendably brave for a show aimed at attention-wandering teens and makes the pay-off even more rewarding. The final 15 minutes of this episode are proof that Skins still has the ability to make the viewer feel vulnerable, empathetic and emotional.
Whilst Franky’s episode felt somewhat stale and rehashed, despite the lead character’s likeability, Episode 2 is fresh and touching, while all the more involving for focusing almost entirely on just three characters. Those missing old-school Skins need not fret, however, with next week’s preview shows Mini vomiting on her shirtless boyfriend.
Airs at 10pm on Thursday 3rd February 2011 on E4.