Skins Rewind: Who’s That Creeper In The Window?

After a five-month hiatus and just in time for summer, Skins Rewind is back. I left off after recapping the Series 2 premiere episode, “Maxxie and Tony“, which caught us up to the gang’s whereabouts after Tony’s horrific bus accident. But the real drama of Series 2 kicks off in episode two thanks to the presence of new character, Lucy aka Sketch, who disrupts the already fractured inner circle.

Sketch, who is portrayed by Aimee-Ffion Edwards, is the first of a Skins staple. The first series for each generation introduces us to the core characters, their problems, home lives, love triangles, etc. Then the second series brings in a new character who wrecks everything. (The second generation has Sophia and the third generation has Luke.) It is safe to say that the only time this new character really worked was in Series 2. Sketch is a whole breed of crazy and drama unlike any other.

After noticing Sketch’s presence during the premiere episode (it is implied that she was taking pictures of Maxxie), we learn that Sketch lives with her extremely ill mother near Maxxie and his family. It is immediately clear that Sketch is delusional and obsessed with Maxxie. She has fabricated a ridiculous story about Maxxie being her boyfriend, even though she is well aware that he is gay.

At Roundview, preparations are underway for Osama the Musical, which seems to be a lively production about New York City and 9/11. Maxxie and Michelle are the leads and everyone else, including Sketch, is on the stage crew.

Hoping that Maxxie will notice her, Sketch has been quietly leaving gifts for him in his locker and she is crushed when Maxxie ignores these advances. (Apparently miniature Oscar statuettes filled with chocolates do not woo everyone. I must be easy.)

But Sketch will not give up. She attends a costume party hosted by Roundview’s drama teacher, hoping that Maxxie will finally notice her.

Maxxie does approach Sketch… to see if she will dance with… Anwar. Crushed, Sketch finds herself witnessing a (tiresome) Tony-Michelle interaction and then bonding with Michelle over how boys can make girls feel like shit. Whether she knows it or not, Sketch is slowly transforming into Eve Harrington.

After leaving the party, Sketch breaks into Maxxie’s flat, goes into his room, puts on his clothes, and masturbates in his bed. (I bolded that sentence for emphasis.) She ends up getting stuck there for the night.

The following morning Sketch returns home and finds her mother collapsed on the floor. (Not a good thing when your mother is wheelchair-bound.) Their conversation sparks Sketch to tell a very big lie. She accuses the drama teacher of having kissed her and “rubbed her”. (Her lie is also retaliation because the drama teacher laughed in her face when she asked him for Michelle’s part.) Naturally, the drama teacher is ousted from Roundview.

Michelle takes sympathy on poor Sketch and invites her to eat lunch with inner circle. It then takes Maxxie about two seconds to realize that Sketch is his stalker. Once Maxxie knows, everything spirals out of control. Sketch’s mother finds out that she lied about having a boyfriend and about the drama teacher. There is only so much her mother can do though before Sketch ties her up and steals her medication.

Why does Sketch steal the medication? She must get the lead from Michelle and make Maxxie realize she is just “as close to a boy as you can get”. Drugging Michelle is just the way to do that. (Eve Harrington would be proud.)

Maxxie sees Sketch for her true self and rejects her… on stage… in front of the audience. (“I felt nothing. You disgust me.”) Sketch does not take too kindly to being scorned like that. So she does what any wise young woman does. She begins a sexual relationship with his best friend, Anwar.

So far, Series 2 is a barrel of laughs, guys.

Odds and Ends From “Sketch”

The Episode’s Other Storyline: It is all about Tony, Michelle, and their complicated relationship. Since his accident, Tony can’t express emotions, he’s forgotten that he loves Michelle, and he has been kidnapped by Abigail. By the end of the episode, Tony kind of comes around and tries to comfort Michelle after she’s been drugged. Basically, things aren’t great between them. Not that I care though. I never liked their relationship.

Episode MVP: Chris. Given how crazy this episode is thanks to the stalkers, crippled mothers, pathological liars, and a 9/11-themed high school musical, Chris provided some much needed comic relief.

Best Line: Have you listened to the lyrics from Osama the Musical? “Then came the day, Osama blew us away” is a priceless gem.

Number of Jal spottings: Several, including this one:

Best song: Jill Cohn – “Doormat” – Heard while Sketch breaks into Maxxie’s flat.

Lastly, how could anyone be turned off by Anwar?