It is hard to believe but we have passed the midpoint of the first season of MTV’s Skins experiment. The show has had its ups and downs as the pieces come together. If you made to choice to stick with and not overwhelmingly compare this series to the UK version, then you probably have been pleasantly surprised. (If you haven’t read The New Yorker’s recent review of Skins, do so now.)
Monday’s episode focused on Abbud, played by Ron Mustafaa. So far Abbud has been the series most peripheral character, the human equivalent of a lapdog. Abbud can be overly energetic, a bit sexually depraved, sometimes Chris’ sidekick, and another straight boy yearning for Tea Marvelli. And sometimes, he prays to Allah. Abbud also makes some shocking discoveries about his friends.
I have jokingly referred to Liv as Jal 2.0, but after last night’s episode I quickly realized that Liv is no Jal. She is stuck somewhere between her family’s expectations, her best friend’s deception, and her desire for someone to care about her.
I am a 90s child. As a kid there was nothing I loved more than a quality tween show – All That, The Secret World of Alex Mack, Saved by the Bell, Boy Meets World, and Doug. Some shows –Clarissa Explains It All and Saved by the Bell – I didn’t necessarily watch when they were broadcast, but there was always morning repeats that I watched before school. I even named my cat after Salem on Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
In the video embedded below, one YouTube vlogger goes where no other has gone before. She writes and performs a wonderfully, nostalgia-ridden song called “We’ll Always Be All That,” about the tween shows of the 1990s. It is a catchy tune that references everything from Keenan and Kel to Sister, Sister to Guts. Not only am I obsessed with this song, but I am very impressed. Enjoy!
My discovery of Sports Night was inevitable. I’ve heard countless great things about this Aaron Sorkin comedy, which aired from 1998 to 2000. I knew it was right up my alley. Well-written witty dialogue (I like alliteration just like Dan Rydell), great plot lines, even better characters, Robert Guillaume – it has everything a girl could want from a quality half-hour comedy. It also helps that at one point in my life, my dream was to work for a cable sports show and thanks to Sports Night I was able to live as vicariously as you can through a sitcom.
With the each episode I watch, the more in love with this show I have fallen. I have grown to love these quirky characters and to savor every conversation between them. As I approach the end of the series, I’m holding out on watching the series finale for as long as I can. I just don’t want Sports Night to end. (Although I am sure this will be my first of many viewings.)
My absolute favorite scene of the 48 episode series (other than any scene with Robert Guillaume’s Issac) comes at the end of this 10 minute segment. In the second season premiere, two characters who never really clicked as a couple in the first season, Casey (Peter Krause) and Dana (Felicity Huffman), finally initiate a relationship. Their kiss then seamlessly transitions to the beginning of the show. It was after this moment that I finally got on board with the Casey-Dana relationship and was pissed when William H. Macy showed up to ruin it.
Moments like this one have had helped me come to adore Sports Night, a show that perfectly executes serious plot lines such as Issac’s stroke and more humorous ones, like what happens when your ex-boyfriend dates a porn star.
With just eight episodes, Series 4 of Skins has come to an end. As we say goodbye to Effy, Pandora, JJ and the gang, lets look back at the best moments from the series finale.
@Cinefille 