Fears that Grace may actually be dead come become all the more real with the sudden introduction of boyish risk taker Alex. A replacement for Grace? We shall see.

There’s something instantly likeable about Sam Jackson’s Alex: aside from carrying a dice and list of dares-to-self around, he initially seems, well, normal. A rarity in the freak show that is Skins 2012.

When Liv takes a liking to him, however, you predict he will turn out to be a weirdo. And when suddenly he starts punching people and kissing strangers due to his life being inexplicably ruled by the dice he carries in his pocket, your predictions prove to be very correct.

So naturally Liv goes home with him and has dinner with him and his eccentric senile grandmother, played with effortless wit and charm by Fenella Fielding. Typical.

And as you would expect, Alex’s home life is suitably messed up. With an invisible yet constantly interfering father looming over his life by phone, he is left to look after his grandmother.

Despite clichés, the introduction of this new character turns out to be a winning move, particularly with a string of surprising twists, the revelation of Alex’s homosexuality being a particularly unexpected, but interesting one.

Despite the introduction of Alex, this episode seems also centric to Liv, who once again finds herself falling for the wrong guy. Again, however, her volatile defence mechanism proves Liv to be one of the more immature characters, unable to understand and express her emotions.

A cathartic scene in which the gang gatecrashes Grace’s school-arranged faux-neral is one of the best scenes this cast has filmed, and really showcases the raw, confused emotion Laya Lewis is able to express so well.

As the episode closes with a funeral for Alex’s grandmother, it is a surprisingly emotional moment in Skins history, and one that even hints at the quality of TV that the very first series provided back in 2007.

Alex is a welcome addition to a cast sorely lacking something thus far. Does this mean Grace is gone forever?

Aired at 10pm on Monday 6th February 2012 on E4.

> Order the Series 6 DVD on Amazon.

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