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Monday, 17th January
Wow, Season 5 has already produced a masterpiece episode. Skins has spoiled most all other tv programs for me because of its quality. There are so many.. layers.
Only Skins can take severe things (drugs, guns, etc.) and- not soften them, but show them in a light where we can understand why they’re part of a character’s life; and, with our close connection to the character, what would normally be our shock or repulsion is more like fascination.. Like this scene, where a victimized Frankie retreats to some candid place, doing target practice as she indulges her anger and frustration.. She’s on the very verge of snapping; at the edge of the cliff, looking down into the abyss…
And then a stranger appears. And this is the amazing part. He’s her angel. He comes out of nowhere. His presence suddenly throws off of her isolation; her downward spiral. And he has an omniscient, all-knowing aura about him. What results is a gorgeous scene. Somehow it’s this event that saves Frankie. His actions were simple- yet profound- and maybe, most of all, gave her the sense that she was recognized, that someone saw her. She has lived with the torment of bullying for so long that she has naturally begun to believe that she’s worthless. But the angel sees something different. The difference is that he sees Frankie as Frankie. And although the gun reappears later on, she chooses not to act on her darkest thoughts. And with that choice- when she disposes the weapon- we see Frankie’s first step toward embracing her genuine self.
I really loved this shot as direct symbolism. It parallels the shot where Grace puts lipstick on the mirror Frankie is looking into.
We don’t know everything about Grace from this first episode but we can tell that she has a pure heart. Simply drawing the lipstick on the mirror was a mere suggestion- nothing forceful.
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Sunday, 30th January
I’d never realized how well maroon and mustards/pale golds went together until Naomily.
(Source: reconnaissants)
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Monday, 31st January
So, I love Skins. I wish they wouldn’t make an American version of Skins though - it just doesn’t seem right to me.
Agreed!! The mistake they’re making is copying UK’s season 1. The adaptation is missing the rich subtlety of the original. Also, the original actors are their characters and it’s like no one can ever be that character ever again. Rophy Does sums it up so well. For me Season 5 has already beaten US-Skins to death with its epic greatness. And it’s only on episode two.
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Saturday, 5th February
Skins Season5Ep02
I love how, when Rich was watching Grace’s ballet recital, he was mostly watching her shadow. The scene was beautifully shot, but I don’t believe it was shot this way just for aesthetic reasons, because this is Skins and the creators are good at being clever and symbolic.
We know from Rich’s bedroom and his outfits that he likes the colour black. In trying to appreciate the beauty of Grace’s performance, I think he was drawn to the darkness of the shadows moving across the stage.
I also noticed in other scenes that Rich often looked down when talking to Grace. I think he was looking away from Grace because he felt confronted by and unworthy of how beautiful he found her.
gifs by glorious-fucking-head-fuck-thing
Nice!! I’ve watched it twice already and haven’t even gotten to consciously analyzing the visual symbolism. The first few times I’m just like, “prettehhh”. Rophydoes comes up with a lot of neat connections (and hilarity).
Anyway I love how skins couples its characters. Rich believes that only magnetic opposites attract, not people. But we know that opposites attract when the opposites are complimentary. Great couples in narrative are the ones that find in the other person the qualities they lack themselves, and so they help drive each others’ development. Gracie is so open and sweet, Rich shut off from everyone; Gracie takes pride in being a great friend and making sure everyone likes her, while Rich won’t compromise. And it was so entertaining when Gracie became a metalhead version of herself. <3 We feel an immediate dynamic between them, although it’s still in the platonic stage because Rich didn’t have a clue. And although he finally realizes that he could be with Gracie, he was passive about it at the end of his episode. Rich has begun this new challenge of compromising- because isn’t that what we all do sometimes when we don’t want to be alone?
It’s going to be fun to see these characters develop; and knowing skins, it probably won’t be as I predict: that Gracie will gain more independence from Minnie and Rich will actively pursue her (Cassie’s squirt gun = Gracie’s performance?). Even if it plays out like this, it’s already an interesting story.
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Monday, 7th February
