Skins rambling.

[hardparade]

I'm gonna start with the negative stuff, partly to get it out of the way and partly because it's the thing that's like, freshest on my mind or whatever.

I REALLY DO NOT LIKE THAT EMILY HAD SEX WITH JJ.

I love their friendship a lot, and I know that this was just a friend thing, but...ack. I don't like it. I was kind of just saying "No. No, no," at my TV as it was leading up to it. :/ I just don't get why it had to happen, it makes no sense. Emily is gay, and imo, 'to help a friend out' isn't a good enough reason for her to have sex with a guy. I kind of hope we'll get more explanation there, like that it's something to do with what Katie might've said to her at the club. Because otherwise, I'm really disappointed, and Skins doesn't often disappoint me.

I don't like how Skins has always made losing your virginity seem like THE MOST IMPORTANT THING EVER. It's something that's always bothered me, right from the pilot when Tony was all "omg Sid you're a sixteen year old virgin, this is so embarrassing, WE CANNOT BE FRIENDS UNLESS I PIMP YOU OUT ASAP." I know that it's kinda like that in real life, so it's more of a general annoyance than a Skins annoyance, but it just...with this, it felt especially wrong. Not so much with JJ, because while that's still stupid, I could tell right from the beginning that they were going to make a big deal out of him having sex for the first time, lol. But Emily? She is a sixteen/seventeen year old girl who knows she wants to have sex with girls. There is no need for her to have sex with a boy.

I do believe ~sexuality is fluid~ and everything, but it's not like she actually has feelings for JJ, is it? GAH. I don't know. I just think it's sad, and I really hope they justify it better.

But okay, aside from that, I did enjoy the episode. Quite a lot actually. I adore JJ, and I can't even tell you the number of times I like, wanted to climb inside my TV in order to give him a hug. How anyone could not like this boy is just BEYOND me. HE IS PRECIOUS. ♥ He's also just a really interesting character, I was studying autism in Psychology the other week and the whole thing, idk, it was just really interesting to watch. And he is so oddly endearing when like, going into rages and having swearing outbursts and stuff. I love all the writing on his wall as well.

I'm disappointed that we didn't see HOW THE HELL Freddie/Katie happened, because even though I'd read a spoiler about it, it came out of nowhere. I don't really have a problem with it, it's just random, and EVERYONE IS SLEEPING WITH EVERYONE ON THIS SHOW, SRSLY. Although, it's kind of like that in real life when you have a ~group~ like they do (it wasn't quite this bad with the first generation, though, was it?!).

But yeah, so that was random, but kind of entertaining, I love how snarky Katie is, she's kind of growing on me. Like, not in an actual 'I like her, she seems nice' way, obviously, but...she's growing on me the same way Cook is growing on me. I make no sense, let's move on.

So even with the Katie thing, JJ's "You don't even like Effy--" and "I'm not the one telling fibs," didn't reeeeeally make sense, did they? He can't just have decided Freddie doesn't like Effy because he's fucking Katie, I don't think. WELL WHATEVER. I assume that is actually how it was supposed to be interpreted, but it was pretty ambiguous. Wasn't it? Or is the Cook/Freddie clouding my brain? Idk, I feel like Skins tries to give us the opportunity to ship anyone with anyone, and like, gives little shoutouts to every possible pairing, and lets us take lines how we want to and twist them to fit our own OTPs or whatever. It's nice of them.

Freddie's a dick, by the way. I have more reason to dislike him now, it's not just that he's boring. So now I don't like him OR Cook, but at the same time, I ship them like burning. BURNING. It feels like it's been a really long time since I've got so excited about a TV pairing, I was all "!!" every time the two of them were on screen together.

I still love Effy. I loved her being all "Everybody loves me," to JJ and then thanking him for loving her when he left. The thing with the mango juice was adorable. I didn't really get the whole thing with him supposedly loving her, though, actually. I know it was set up a bit from the beginning but it still felt weak and kind of pointless. I mean, she's AWESOME, but it seemed silly for all three of the guys to have a thing for her. Meh, that's irrelevant now anyway, I'm glad that 'JJ loves Effy' was crossed out on his wall at the end.

Cook/Pandora bothers me. D: I was okay with it when Thomas was away, but now it's like...really, Pandora? Really? WHY? *sigh* I'm glad he found out.

I'm starting to ship Cook/JJ, by the way! I was on the fence about it for a while but that scene in Cook's room sealed the deal for me. I love that JJ yelled at him and then immediately turned around, and I'm SO GLAD Cook hugged him because I would have like, thrown something at the screen if he'd left, PEOPLE NEED TO BE HUGGING JJ AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. And when he called him his fruit bat! And said "Feel the love!" or whatever. And god, the hug was so like, tender or something, the way he curled his hand round the back of JJ's neck kind of made me melt.

Yeah, as much as I love Effy, I am choosing to see this whole thing with the three guys as an EPIC GAY LOVE STORY. Don't judge. It makes more sense this way.

Soooo glad Freddie and JJ saved Cook in the club, omg. And how Freddie was clearly like, worried sick like a mother or something, whilst simultaneously still being really, really mad at him. It was wonderful. Ooh! That reminds me, when Cook and JJ were talking, I loved how Cook said Freddie was 'asking for it' and JJ was like "Asking for what?" because oh, it could have meant so many things.

Glad that even when Cook was being ~honest~ and telling Freddie he could have Effy, Freddie still didn't do anything. But at the same time that just means they're building Freddie/Effy up more so it's a bigger deal when it happens and, meh. I don't want them to get together. HOW GOOD WOULD IT BE IF THEY DIDN'T. I mean, it would be so unexpected. And then Effy could really lose it, because she'd be all heartbroken, even after being all "Nobody breaks my heart." It would be awesome and go against the cliché storyline I was expecting. SHOW, DO THIS.

I liked Effy's brief talk with Naomi, too. I like how she knows about, and understands, the whole Naomi/Emily thing, it's nice. Because everyone else seems to be all judge-y about it to some extent and that sucks. Oh, I don't get what's going on with them, really, though. It seemed like things were mostly sorted after last week. I don't get why Katie seems to have forgotten she saw them kissing, too. I know it's because we haven't had a chance to see Katie and Emily talk properly, and that'll probably happen in their episode, but idk, it's confusing.

Next week looks bizarre, but fun. I like seeing Effy going off the rails. And she kisses Pandora on the forehead. ♥ Yay.

I feel like there was more I had to say, I can never remember everything right after the episode. DISCUSS WITH ME IN THE COMMENTS?

Comments

[moogle62.livejournal.com]

I KNOW RIGHT

EMILY DID NOT NEED TO SLEEP WITH J.J, SHOW. Also, my Freeview cut out, like, just as Emily told him to take his pyjamas off, so I didn't see anything past that point: could you maybe tell me what happened in the preview for next week?

Here are my thoughts:

- UNEXPECTEDLY LIKED COOK THIS EPISODE, WHAT? I think that hug had a looooooot to do with it; the fact that he curled his hand around J.J.'s neck sent me quite amazingly insane.
- "Can I still come to the shed?" - jbdkjabfjkabkjab BOYS YOU ARE ALL IN LOVE
- Freddy is starting to annoy me
- I love Effy so freaking much. She is gorgeous, and, like, all emotionally chipped around the edges, and she thanked J.J. for loving her, and she's friends with Naomi - I seriously loved that scene of them both at the party.
- Ridiculous sexings aside, I liked Emily and J.J. as friends! They were so sweet together.

I too think I probably have more things to say, but my brain is half-dead from tired, so I cannot dredge them up right now. FAIL, Moog.

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

I'M GLAD YOU AGREE. IT WAS STUPID.

Ummm next week, well, it was sort of a mash of little clips of things that didn't make any sense (as usual). It showed Effy lying in a forest and looking at some mushrooms, some people running crazily through a forest in the dark, Effy kissing Pandora on the forehead, UHHH OH GOD I can't remember anything else. I think they were trying to be extra vague and ~mysterious~. It looked like a kind of camping trip episode, though, maybe?

Lol same here, every time I like Cook, or like his interaction with someone, or, let's just say DON'T HATE HIM, I'm sort of amazed by it. The way it's going, I wouldn't be surprised if by the finale, I actually genuinely like him. :/ But yes omg, sweetest hug EVER.

"Can I still come to the shed?" - jbdkjabfjkabkjab BOYS YOU ARE ALL IN LOVE
LOL THIS. SO TRUE.

Freddie's just such a twat. He had no reason to be treating JJ like that, you know, in the shed, and saying he had to ~choose~ and everything. Ugh.

Yes to everything you said about Effy! A lot of people seem to be hating her this season, and while I agree she was kind of more fun back in S1 when she didn't talk, I still absolutely love her. I really thought I'd have problems with the EFFY SECRETLY HAS A HEART thing that's unfolding, but I'm enjoying it. ♥

I liked them as friends too, a lot. It made a lot of sense and it was just cute, which sort of makes me even more irritated that they had to bring sex into it, one-time thing or otherwise. >:(

[thisissirius.livejournal.com]

EFFY IS ALREADY HEARTBROKEN. SHE IS PINING FOR TONY.

COOK/FREDDIE HAS EATEN MY SOUL.

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

OMG, OF COURSE. THIS. I STILL HATE HOW THEY HAVEN'T MENTIONED HIM. HI, HIS PARENTS ARE SPLITTING UP? WHERE IS HE?

UGHHHH MINE TOO. AND I LOVE IT.

[letmypidgeonsgo.livejournal.com]

EFFY IS ALREADY HEARTBROKEN. SHE IS PINING FOR TONY.

OMG YES! WHY IS HE NOT THERE COMFORTING HER?!

i think that now, in my own personal canon, he left just before JJ got to their house - that's why, ya know, disshevelled bedstuffs, nakedness, loud music...

muahahaha

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

OH GOD I LOVE YOUR BRAIN. THIS IS DEF WHAT HAPPENED. I WANT TO WRITE FIC ABOUT THIS NOW.

[breathe-me27.livejournal.com]

I am choosing to see this whole thing with the three guys as an EPIC GAY LOVE STORY.

Oh, me too. Like, in last week's episode when Naomi asked Freddie, "Is this about Effy?" Then Freddie said, "Is it that obvious?" And I was yelling at the tv, NO IT'S NOT ABOUT BLOODY EFFY IT'S ABOUT THE FREDDIE/COOK/JJ BREAK UP! *CRIES*

Gah, I'm so conflicted about Cook these days. He's a twat, yes, but then every episode he says or does something that makes me love him for two minutes. Then he goes back to being a twat and I go straight back to disliking him. Idk.

I actually don't think Freddie/Effy will ever happen properly. I know that they're meant to be the main couple and there's all this build up but...I just can't see it. I think that Freddie will move on. Even at the end of this episode, with the way he acted towards Effy, on the surface he's still angry and hurt that she chose Cook over him, but something about the way he looked at her... It sort of looked like he was thinking, 'Yeah, I'm starting to wonder why I was so obsessed with you.' He's no longer "dazzled" by her, so to speak, lol.

Plus, if Freddie moves on (preferably without fucking Katie in the process, plz), we can have more Freddie/Cook goodness, yes? XD

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

LOL I KNOW, RIGHT. THIS IS THE GAYEST STORYLINE EVER. IT'S GOT TO BE LIKE THIS ON PURPOSE.

I know exactly how you feel about Cook. Occasionally I forget how much of a twat he is, because yeah, he does something nice or amusing, and then I'm like "Yay Cook!" and then...he goes back to his usual self. It's confusing.

I like your theory about Freddie/Effy, and I see what you mean. I won't be surprised at all if it does happen, because of all the build-up there's been, but I agree that Freddie could move on and it sort of seems like he's starting to. I think he would have done something, maybe, if he still felt so strongly about her? He was given the opportunity, so. I don't know. I'd like it a lot if the point of this storyline was the three guys' friendship issues and Effy falling apart, and NOT the Freddie/Effy love story we've been led to expect, haha.

AND YES I HOPE SO. XD

[breathe-me27.livejournal.com]

For me, that Freddie/Effy kiss in the water, where he says, "Know you know" was a crucial moment for showing that he could move on. I think that was his way of saying, "Now you know how I feel, you know where I stand, it's up to you. I really like you, but I'm not going to try anymore, unless you want us to have something worth trying for."

...Maybe I read too much into things, lol.

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

No, that makes total sense, because otherwise he would have stayed, right? I know he went to her house at the end and everything, but it was like...that felt like more of a reaction to the Cook thing than anything else. I DON'T KNOW. I'm really not sure how it's all going to go.

[cocacola.livejournal.com]

COOK LIVES WHERE CHRIS USED TO LIVE.

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

OMG I NOTICED THAT. I MEANT TO MENTION. HE AND CHRIS TOTALLY KNEW EACH OTHER, THEY KEEP GIVING US ALL THESE CONNECTIONS.

[cocacola.livejournal.com]

AND THIS IS AWESOME. AND OMG, I KNOW RIGHT, THEY TOTALLY USED TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND HANG OUT AND TAKE DRUGS.

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

OMG. IDK WHY THIS IS SO COOL BUT IT IS. I WAS WATCHING AN INTERVIEW WITH JACK EARLIER WHERE HE SAID HE KNEW JOE, LIKE, THEY DID SOMETHING TOGETHER? ACTING SCHOOL? REGULAR SCHOOL? I CAN'T REMEMBER BUT I GOT EXCITED ABOUT IT.

DAMMIT, WHY DID CHRIS HAVE TO DIE. D:

[yazzigazzi.livejournal.com]

hey, just popping in. sorry:)

but...


MONKEY MAN AND COOKIE MONSTER. FTW.

[letmypidgeonsgo.livejournal.com]

i have not yet read any of this but i just have to say

OH MY GOD YOU'RE ALIVE!!!

srsly, on my flist it's odd that someone goes a day w/o posting, let alone a week! we're a crazy bunch

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

Lolol, yeah, Skins seems to be the only thing I've been posting about lately, I think I usually update more often. Idk. Don't panic when I disappear for a while though. XD

[hot-jupiters.livejournal.com]

So this is SO RANDOM okay, and you have to bare with me.

I'm catching up on all the eps of the new season and... Effy's legs creep me out. That is ALL I have to contribute to this conversation thus far. Is there something wrong with me?

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

LOL that really is random. I think I know what you mean, though. They're just really skinny? There are some shots where they show her from like, the back, and she's wearing a really short dress/skirt, and idk, her thighs look weird.

She's pretty much insanely gorgeous in EVERY OTHER WAY though, so it's not a problem. XD

[hot-jupiters.livejournal.com]

LOL THIS THIS THIS.

it was sweet

[(Anonymous)]

labels are no good, they only box you in!! she kissed a girl, she slept with a boy.. she might take a vow of chastity next, or join a commune.. so what!!.. i think she's cute!! and he's a good buzzer.. he deserved some love & she had it to give..sweet!

[letmypidgeonsgo.livejournal.com]

Re: the Emily being gay yet having sex with JJ thing, I think 1 of 2 things is most likely: a) she's actually bi, or strongly prefers girls but isn't like horribly turned off by guys, or b) it's not like she has to 'get it up', and any stimulation a guy would provide is probably the equivalent of her using her fingers or a toy (if she keeps her eyes closed)

Re: the virginity thing, as is often the case IRL, it's not so much about the actual sex, but rather the idea that you'll be the last of your peers to have done something.

Re: Freddie/Katie, I assume we're going to be finding out more about what lead up to this in the twins' ep...or at least some of the fallout

Re: JJ's mysterious bit about Freddie not even loving Effy/telling fibs, this is the one thing i REALLY hope turns out to be like the OMG THING THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING...

which means EPIC GAY LOVE STORY is the only possible explanation here. I need to rewatch any and all interaction between the three boys, from the first ep onward.

I don't get why Katie seems to have forgotten she saw them kissing, too. OMG i was like SCREAMING this at the computer! she is in some serious denial

my bit of rambling is here, if you wish to partake

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

I don't think she's bi, but I'm not sure why, maybe just because I think they've set it up for Naomi to be? And it'd be lame if they made neither of the girl-loving girls on the show full-on lesbians, lolol. I don't think she has any sexual feelings for JJ, so yeah, it was probably the second thing, but it still bothers me. I guess because there are a lot of lesbians who would not want dick anywhere near them, whether it's to help out a friend or not, haha. It's hard to explain, it just rubs me the wrong way. It's like saying "yeah, this is a lesbian character, but she's going to fuck a guy and it's no big deal." :/

And I agree with you that the virginity thing is a peer pressure thing rather than about the actual act of sex, but that kind of doesn't make a difference? Meh, it's just something that's always bothered me.

I hope we see more explanation of Freddie/Katie in the twins' episode, it'd be weird if we didn't. I guess it doesn't really matter though, in a way.

EPIC GAY LOVE STORY is the only explanation, for sure. I mean...I do think JJ's statements make SOME sense without the gayness, haha, but they just seem a bit off. The way Freddie cuts him off and goes "Don't tell me what I want!" was interesting, especially because it sounded like JJ was going to say "You don't even want Effy, you want [someone else]", you know? I really do think I read too much into these things though, and I don't want to get my hopes up because I do think it's unlikely. BUT I CAN STILL SPECULATE, AND HOPE.

Lol seriously! Or else the WRITERS forgot, idek. It was just weird when she was like "You promised me that wasn't true", SHE SAW HER MAKING OUT WITH NAOMI, are we meant to believe she never confronted her? I guess she is just seriously in denial and telling herself it didn't happen. :/

Heading over to your entry now!!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

I think everybody is having a bit too much sex with everybody. (I totally wrote this while reading your post and before seeing you had written the same thing later. XD I guess this episode is just so much more like that than others.) Of course, it's Skins, but Emily having sex with JJ was maybe too much - especially since Naomi, the reluctant one in their relationship, refused sex with Cook. Though it was super cute and their friendship is totally awesome and adorable. <3

About Katie, now I get why we didn't see her in the previous episode: she didn't know yet about Naomi.

I was really sad when Cook said in front of Thomas that he had had sex with Pandora. *hugs Thomas* He's so nice. :-) And I have no idea why that idiot keeps having sex with Cook now that Thomas is back o_O WTF, Pandora?

YES TO COOK/JJ! And there was some Freddie/JJ too, which is rarer than Cook/JJ and Cook/Freddie.

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

Yeah, exactly. It's not surprising, because it's Skins, haha, but it just seems like it's going a bit too far! And yeah, the comparison you made to Cook/Naomi is spot-on--I think that's another reason why it bothered me. Even if Emily doesn't really see it as a serious thing, it's still HAVING SEX WITH SOMEONE ELSE, and it seemed weird that she'd do that. :/

*hugs Thomas too* He really is nice, god, I felt so bad for him when Cook was rambling on about it all. :/ And I have no clue why Pandora's still sleeping with Cook anyway, it makes no sense, ugh.

Yes!! Basically, Freddie/JJ/Cook = epic gay love story, focus of this series. *nods*

[hot-jupiters.livejournal.com]

OKAY. I'm now fully caught up and... a few things.

WTF IS PANDORA DOING? What is she doing? I loved her when she told Effy off outside of her house and Thomas came back. She seemed so... self-aware right then. "Just because I'm useless don't mean I'm nothing." BUT THE WAY SHE'S ACTING... it's like she's just done a complete 180 and gone back to being this ... I dunno. I just don't like what they're doing to her.

Poor Thomas - and that's another thing. BAH, I really want to see more of him, and not just as the sweet, clever, loyal boy who's getting fucked over by hanging around with kids who haven't got their shit together nearly as much as he does. I want to see him more, I want to know how he's managed to adjust so well. I want to see him with Pandora to see why, if for any reason, she's been fucking Cook behind his back. BOO, WRITERS. GIVE ME MORE THOMAS.

In the same vein, I don't think I like what they're doing to Effy either. I think I liked her a lot more when she was fucking people and fucking things up because that's just what she does, she doesn't care, and she's fine with it. But now it feels as though they've turned her promiscuity into a defense mechanism. Does that make sense? I guess I just preferred sociopath!Effy to lost-and-lonely-little-girl-inside!Effy, and it looks like its heading this way just for the eventually Freddie/Effy. WHICH, okay, I definitely don't want that to happen. If it happens, it'll feel like she's being tamed by him, mostly because he doesn't seem to be as destructive. As much as I don't like Cook/Effy, they make WAY more sense to me than Freddie/Effy because they're almost two sides of the same coin at this point.

Emily/Naomi... yeah, I really want to know what Katie's said to her. Like, I REALLY want to know what's going on there. JJ, loves, will NEVER not love him, I don't think, but Cook. I hate you, Cook. He is the WORST kind of bastard and I don't like that I'm supposed to suddenly feel for him because he's 'got nothing else.' BUT, with that said, I LOVE him with JJ and Freddie. Freddie is... typical angst bucket boy to me. Not tremendously interesting, no, and even less so when coupled with Effy, but with Cook and JJ he's LOVELY.

I ship Freddie/JJ/Cook so hard it's not even funny. Like... I really want to see it written. I need it like BURNING.

[likecharity.livejournal.com]

YES EXACTLY. I would really like to see some explanation of wtf made her decide to keep seeing Cook. She seemed so upset and guilty when Thomas came back, so it makes no sense. D:

I feel like in the previous seasons they managed to do this FOCUS ON ONE CHARACTER PER EPISODE thing much better? I'm really trying not to compare the seasons, but that's something that really stands out to me. This season, I feel like I'm constantly wondering what's going on with everyone else and we're not getting to see it. Like what you said about Thomas. It's just confusing. :/

I agree with you pretty much 100% about Effy. I definitely prefer her as, well, a female Tony, sort of manipulative and just doing things because she feels like it, and not actually getting HURT by them. And yeah, they've definitely turned her promiscuity into a defense mechanism. They're going down the route of her fucking Cook because it's easy and meaningless, because she loves Freddie and that scares her. Which seems so cliché and obvious to me, and it bothers me because Effy's meant to be weird and mysterious and just INTERESTING and they're giving her a storyline that doesn't seem to fit. I agree with you about preferring Cook/Effy. Even though I don't really like them together, it makes more sense that way.

I really hope we get to find out in one way or another what happened after Katie dragged Emily away from Cook, because that seemed important. And I love that you feel the same way about Freddie and Cook and JJ as I do. It messes with my head to kind of HATE Cook's character, and hate Freddie's too, but then get all melty whenever they're showing affection to each other or JJ. XD

I have read Freddie/JJ/Cook! Here. (http://snakevsladder.livejournal.com/9767.html) It's just smut really but it's so IC, it's perfect.