Well folks we made it. Last Monday the first season – and potentially only season – finale of MTV’s Skins aired. After all the often unnecessary hype this show has generated, did you ever think it would happen?
“Eura/Everyone” focused mostly on when Tony’s silent sister Eura goes missing and Tony enlists his former friends to help him find his dear little sis. The episode was filled with tender and funny moments, a few hijincks, and it wrapped up everyone else’s storyline as cleanly (and somewhat boring) as you can imagine. There were no big surprises; no one was hit by a bus. But the result was a solid conclusion with enough open-endings that if by some chance Skins does get a second season, there is enough room for more development.
Eura Snyder has been a silent observer of her brother and his friends constant drama. It is fitting then that the finale centers around Eura trying to help Tony the best way she knows how: by causing a scene. With Cadie’s help (troubled teens find always find each other), she fakes her disappearance and directs the entire gang to her whereabouts at a club.
Stanley finds Eura backstage completely safe with no kidnappers in sight. Stanley is peeved: how could she do that? Eura tells Stanley what he is too dense to notice himself. Tony loves him and that boy-girl too. (What does that mean Eura? Is Tony potentially gay? Please let there be a second season just to explore Tony’s sexual confusion.) Eura’s actions don’t help Tony kiss and make up with his friends but it puts her in a better place with her family.
She and Tony are closer than ever and Eura speaks to her parents, probably for the first time in months.
Shunned by his friends, Tony has been moping for a while. (Not that I have really minded. The less Tony around, the better for all of us.) His parents realize that something is up but they don’t know how to deal with Tony’s sudden onset of premenstrual symptoms. His father has really spoken to Tony since he was nine and dressed like Luke Skywalker.
Tony only appears to love Eura unconditionally but his sister knows the truth. By faking her disappearance (someone has been watching Pretty Little Liars) Eura also knows that he will turn to his friends to help him find her. The gang comes through, arriving en masse to a club, getting in a fight, and tracking down Eura.
At the end of the episode, Tony frantically calls his dad for help when he fears that Eura is really in danger. He hasn’t made up with his friends yet but Stanley gets a better understanding of what makes Tony tick. And the Snyder siblings are closer than ever.
Stanley loves Cadie. No, Stanley loves Michelle. Cadie! Michelle! Who will he choose? Or choose him? Sigh.
The most boring and monotone love triangle (pentagon, if you include Tony and Tea) ever finally gets an ending. Without Tony around, Stanley and Michelle have become best buddies again. They are even sharing ice cream…on a pier…in winter. That’s a deep bond. Meanwhile, Cadie has dumped Warren and still has so many issues. At least she has a therapist who will listen to her, no matter how much she embellishes her stories. She definitely wants to be with Stanley and vice versa. Michelle and Daisy seem to know this, but Stanley doesn’t. (“Maybe we’re just a story we like to tell each other,” Cadie tells Stanley at one point)
Cue a kiss from Cadie, which Michelle witnesses, Cadie demanding that Stanley figure out how their story ends. It is convenient that Stanley has a creative project due in his musical expression class. At the club, Cadie tells Stanley “I want you to do something. Go crazy! Express yourself!” So Stanley grabs the mic and begins to sing Tears for Fears’ “Shout”. And Cadie joins him. The emotion!
Vodpod videos no longer available.I found this to be a nice ode to the original Skins season one finale where Sid performs “Wild World”. For this cast and these characters “Shout” worked perfectly within the episode. But after all this, Stanley chooses Michelle.
Tea wants to be with Betty. She waits for Betty and they talk at a bus stop. (That must have been one uncomfortable conversation to overhear.) But Betty is not forgiving Tea for her bi-curious actions any time soon. She wants Tea to prove that she cares. At least this is what Betty says when she isn’t high on painkillers. When Tea visits Betty in the hospital before surgery, Betty admits that she wants to be with Tea even though she totally hates her.
Things between Tea and Tony aren’t perfect; they end up holding hands during the club scene when Tony is upset over Eura’s disappearance. What matters in the end is that Tea chooses Betty. She climbs into bed with Betty after her surgery.
Poor Chris misses Tina, who has gone to North Dakota for “some space”. That’s what we’re calling being an accused sex offender these days. He still doesn’t have a stable place to live and after he is discovered living in Abbud’s treehouse, he begins squatting at Tina’s abandoned apartment. (That won’t end well.) Chris is still the party guy. He leads the group to the club and has a blast. He winds up crashing at Stanley’s for the night and the final shot of the episode is every PTC member’s worst nightmare: a drunk as hell, but jovial Chris having the time of his night.
The inevitable has happened. Abbud has fallen for Daisy and is worried that she will dump him for breaking their friends-with-benefits pact. Daisy balks at first but comes around by the episodes conclusion. I really like their relationship. It was foreshadowed early on that their friends with benefits, emotionless sex would develop into something more. Now if only Abbud can keep avoid “Muslim rehab”.
All in all, I was really satisfied by Skins. Was it as great and wonderful as the U.K. series? Hardly. That is in part because that first generation of Skins borders on perfection on so many occasion. But when this version strayed from its predecessor, it did show significant potential.
I want there to be a second season just show Skins can finally show naysayers why there needs to be a teen drama like this on television. It’s entertaining but doesn’t overly depend on melodrama to get to the point of a story. It deals with real issues without sugarcoating anything. It’s a very necessary show to have around.
What did you think of the finale and the season overall? Are you hopeful that there will be a second season?
@Cinefille 
Apart from money, I don’t understand why there had to be an All-American Skins. I find it pointless and plain destructive for what Skins really represents- troubled British teens.
By the way, compliments on the blog, you do make some interesting points and from what I’ve read on your critics’ list, you actually know what you’re talking about. Well done, I will keep up to date with your blog.
S.
Thanks so much for your comment, Sophia! I agree that the American Skins is a bit unnecessary, especially when compared to original series. Even though the acting improved, it never had the same amount of character as the U.K. version. Maybe if the location of the show was firmly established instead of setting it in a nameless New England city… If there is a second season, I’ll watch. Despite its flaws, Skins is still significantly better than other US teen dramas.
Thanks again!