Skins (series 7)
Skins Series 7 | |
---|---|
DVD cover art for Skins Redux | |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
No. of episodes | 6 |
Release | |
Original network | E4 |
Original release | 1 July – 5 August 2013 |
Season chronology | |
Skins is a British teen drama created by father-and-son television writers Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain for Company Pictures. The seventh and final series, entitled Skins Redux, began airing on E4 on 1 July 2013 and ended on 5 August 2013. The final series sees the return of several characters from the first two generations of the show.
Summary
Notably, all of the characters featured have undergone enormous personality changes since their last appearances: Effy has cast her party-hard lifestyle and issues aside, and has become more mature and ambitious. Naomi has lost much of her ambition as a principled young woman and is now a layabout and stoner. Emily has become more confident. Cassie has overcome her mental issues, but has become solitary, serious, principled and tired, and Cook has become much more subdued, serious and calculated, as a result of having spent years on the run. In addition, the series leaves behind its traditional setting in Bristol, moving to the less familiar cities of London (around Canary Wharf in Fire, and near Finchley Road in Pure) and Manchester (in Rise). Its subject matter moves on from teenage problems to more adult issues, such as insider trading, terminal illness, rough living and the criminal underworld.
Background
On 8 March 2012, Channel 4 confirmed that Skins will come to an end after a seventh series of six episodes, which would feature characters from the first and second generations. The third generation would not be involved in the seventh series. Channel 4 promised "a celebration of this truly iconic series".
Jamie Brittain, who had quit the show after series 5, returned as part of the writing staff. Brittain also revealed via Twitter that filming would begin in late October.[1]
E4 and Company Pictures announce the return of its multi-award winning teen drama Skins for a new series. Series seven will mark a departure in style with former stars Hannah Murray, Jack O'Connell and Kaya Scodelario returning to the roles which shaped their careers in three individual stories, each one broadcast in two one-hour parts.
The three stories will have distinct titles: 'Skins Pure' (featuring Cassie), 'Skins Rise' (featuring Cook) and 'Skins Fire' (featuring Effy). Lily Loveless (Naomi) and Kat Prescott (Emily) will also appear in guest roles. Each two-part episode centres on the characters now in their early twenties.
Skins co-creator Bryan Elsley said: "The three will play their iconic characters as they emerge into adulthood, and bring new challenging stories of young adults, grappling with life in Cameron’s Britain, to vivid and entertaining focus." C4 commissioning editor Sophie Gardiner added: "Skins is a show that defined a generation. That generation is growing up." C4 have announced Skins will bow out after the seventh series, to be aired next spring. But an insider held out hope the show could still return elsewhere. The source said: "If it does well it might come back, maybe not on E4 but on some other platform." [2] The series began on 1 July 2013.
Episodes
Series number |
Episode number |
Title | Featured character(s) | Directed by | Written by | UK viewers (millions) |
Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
56 | 1 | "Fire (Part 1)" | Effy Stonem | Charles Martin | Jess Brittain | 0.872 | 1 July 2013 |
Effy, now aged 21, is working a dead-end job as a receptionist for a leading London hedge fund and lives in a flat in Canary Wharf with Naomi Campbell, who is an aspiring stand-up comedian, while Emily is currently in New York on a lucrative internship. Fed up with her mundane life, Effy approaches a friend, Dominic (Craig Roberts), who works as a researcher for leading companies, and who has a crush on her. Dominic teaches her the skills of the trade, and she is able to clinch a deal in the place of her superior, Victoria (Lara Pulver), who is enraged. Impressed by her performance, her boss, Jake (Kayvan Novak) offers her a job on the trade floor. Effy persuades Dominic to illegally give her some useful financial information about a troubled deal, with which she makes her company over a million pounds. At home, Effy continues to be frustrated by Naomi's slacking, and sits through a failed performance of hers. Naomi, however, has received some devastating news - that she is suffering from cancer. Note: Also featuring Amy Wren.[3] | |||||||
57 | 2 | "Fire (Part 2)" | Effy Stonem | Charles Martin | Jess Brittain | 0.706 | 8 July 2013 |
A few months have passed since Part One. Effy is in a fully-fledged relationship with her wealthy boss Jake and, despite her illness, Naomi is becoming a successful and popular stand-up comedian, though she still can't afford rent. Effy still has regular cigarette breaks with Dom, who declares his undying love for her but forcefully requests that she stay away from him. Effy knows how to deal with this as she has been in this situation before. However things start to take a turn for the worse with the FSA (Financial Services Authority) dig up clear evidence that Effy has been insider trading and have requested a meeting. She goes to Jake for help, who insists that she deny everything, as they are both involved. The strain on Effy's life becomes more intense when Naomi's doctor tells her that her radiotherapy is unresponsive and she must start chemotherapy immediately. As the cold winter comes, Naomi's illness worsens and Effy's legal situation becomes more severe. After meeting with Victoria who, despite convincing her to write a statement declaring Jake's involvement, tells Effy that she will indeed go to jail, she discovers Dom's precarious situation too. He storms up to her flat, screaming at her for ruining his life. When her verbal consolations and pleas for forgiveness fall on deaf ears, she kisses him. The two then begin to initiate sex, only for Dominic to flee, apologizing, when Effy suddenly appears unwilling. Emily returns from New York, furious at Effy for having all the time with Naomi, and at Naomi for hiding her illness from her. After learning that Naomi is dying, Emily forgives Effy and embraces her girlfriend once more. Effy then signs a statement which exposes the truth about the insider trading, including Jake's name. Her story closes with the foreboding certainty that she will receive a prison sentence. However, in the final frame, in the back of a police car, Effy gives a small smile. This is a sign of resilience; the audience is given some hope that, ultimately, she will be fine. Note: Also featuring Kathryn Prescott, Lara Pulver,[4] Craig Roberts[5] and Amy Wren.[3] Final appearances of Effy, Naomi, and Emily. | |||||||
58 | 3 | "Pure (Part 1)" | Cassie Ainsworth | Paul Gay | Bryan Elsley | 0.499 | 15 July 2013 |
Cassie attempts to make sense of her life by spending time alone in London, but she soon realises someone is following her. Suddenly a strange friendship blossoms out of mutual loneliness, but she is unsure the new relationship can survive in the real world. | |||||||
59 | 4 | "Pure (Part 2)" | Cassie Ainsworth | Paul Gay | Bryan Elsley | 0.53 | 22 July 2013 |
Cassie's strange new relationship is tested to its limits in the concluding part of Skins: Pure Note: Final appearance of Cassie. | |||||||
60 | 5 | "Rise (Part 1)" | James Cook | Jack Clough | Jamie Brittain | 0.547 | 29 July 2013 |
Cook has a job delivering drugs to Manchester Revellers. When he is asked to help his employer's girlfriend find a house and finds that she is irresistibly attracted to him, he sets off a chain of events which will lead him into a world of savage revenge and a confrontation with his own teenage past. Note: Also featuring Liam Boyle, Lucien Laviscount.[3] | |||||||
61 | 6 | "Rise (Part 2)" | James Cook | Jack Clough | Jamie Brittain | 0.59 | 5 August 2013 |
In the final part of Rise, Cook's dalliance with his employer's girlfriend has devastating consequences. Basically, Emma, Charlie and Cook run away from Louie but he captures Emma and kills her. Cook finds out and fights him, but doesn't kill him. Charlie gets into Louie's car and runs away, while Louie is left on the ground and Cook's storyline ends by him walking away. Note: Final appearance of Cook. |
References
- ↑ Twitter / jamiehotsors: @Lewis_v Later this month x
- ↑ "Last fling for Skins". www.thesun.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
- 1 2 3 Waring and McKenna - Personal Management Agency, Mayfair, London
- ↑ 'Skins': Lara Pulver, Kayvan Novak to star in final series - Skins News - TV - Digital Spy
- ↑ Twitter / kScodders: Director Charles Martin working
External links
- List of 'Skins episodes at channel4.com
- List of Skins episodes on IMDb
- List of Skins episodes at TV.com