History Series / Skins

* NiceHat:
** Chris has a couple of them. Sid has a few hats not very many of them are nice though.
** In Chris's S2 episode, he dares Jal to steal a "cool hat" they spot on a singer at a club.

** As to how ''brotherly'' their affections are ([[RelationshipWritingFumble staring longingly at each other through the window whenever Effy leaves...]]), but the Stonemcest fandom is quite popular, despite being [[BrotherSisterIncest what it is]]. It's also implied that Tony's absence was one of the contributing factors to her deteriorating mental health in Generation 2.

* MasochistsMeal: In series 3, gang boss Johnny challenges Thomas to a spicy pepper eating contest to settle his debts. [[spoiler: Thomas [[UnaffectedBySpice smugly devours a whole handful without breaking a sweat]]. Johnny tries to one-up him and [[BringMyBrownPants immediately soils himself]].]]

** Cook's rationale for crashing Pandora's pajama party. JJ doesn't believe him, until he runs into [[SchoolgirlLesbians Naomi and Emily]]...

%%* SchoolgirlLesbians: Naomi and Emily; Tea and Betty.

* OnlyChildSyndrome: Fairly prevalent throughout the show. Sid, Maxxie, Sketch, Pandora, JJ, Naomi, Alo, Rich, Mini, Grace and Alex all appear to be completely devoid of siblings. Franky is the adopted only child of her two dads, but it turns out towards the end of series 6 that she has a biological sister. Cassie has a brother, but he is around fifteen years her junior. Chris has a deceased older brother and an infant half-brother. Michelle has a step-sister but no biological siblings. Cook has a much younger brother whom he has seen little of prior to the period covered by the show. And of course, there are the Stonems.

* SuddenlySexuality: [[spoiler:Mini's]] interest in [[spoiler:Franky]] has been seen as this by some viewers, coming as it did after all the drama with Nick. And then, after it ''had'' been developed toward the end of S5 and in the prequel novel, the show announced that [[spoiler: Mini was actually straight and not in love with Franky]], and these same accusations started up again.

** Anwar, Maxxie and Chris can be seen as this throughout Gen 1 [[spoiler: Up until Chris kicks the bucket, that is.]] Especially in the S1 Pilot episode, where they go to a gay bar together.

-->'''Cassie:''' Oh. Wow\\

* OneSteveLimit: Averted in several instances. In addition to Jim Stonem (Tony and Effy's father), In late S2, Maxxie's boyfriend is named James, and the second generation had both James Cook and James Fitch, twins Katie and Emily's younger brother. Of course, one of the writers is Jamie Brittain, although there is no obvious AuthorAvatar. Also, in the first series, Cassie's fellow patient at the therapeutic treatment centre ("Water Bottle Girl") is sometimes credited as Katie. The sixth series had two Al's-Alo and Alex (they're even referred to as Al 1 and Al 2 occasionally in Skins Lock-in). Alex shares his name with a hanger-on "conceptual artist" who appears in Cook's series 4 episode. The show has featured Franky's two dads, Geoff and Jeff. There have been Elizabeth Jenkins (Sid's mum), Pandora's Aunt Elizabeth, and Elizabeth "Effy" Stonem. "Beth", the ManicPixieDreamGirl in Tony's series 2 episode may be another if she is an actual person, although many fans see her as Tony's subconscious manifestation of Effy. All the men in Sid's extended family, with the exception of Sid and his father, Mark, have names which are variations of "Alexander". She may be a Shelley, but one of the chav girls who beat Sid up in his series 1 episode is called "Shell", as is Michelle. Thomas Tomoni shares a name with the tutor Tom. Averted by Skins: Fire, where a different character named [[spoiler:Freddie]] goes by without comment.

** Anwar, Maxxie and Chris can be seen as this throughout Gen 1 [[spoiler: Up until Chris kicks the bucket, that is.]] especially in the Pilot episode, where they go to a gay bar together.

* OneSteveLimit: Averted in several instances. In addition to Jim Stonem (Tony and Effy's father), the second generation had both James Cook and James Fitch, twins Katie and Emily's younger brother. Of course, one of the writers is Jamie Brittain, although there is no obvious AuthorAvatar. Also, in the first series, Cassie's fellow patient at the therapeutic treatment centre ("Water Bottle Girl") is sometimes credited as Katie. The sixth series had two Al's-Alo and Alex (they're even referred to as Al 1 and Al 2 occasionally in Skins Lock-in). Alex shares his name with a hanger-on "conceptual artist" who appears in Cook's series 4 episode. The show has featured Franky's two dads, Geoff and Jeff. There have been Elizabeth Jenkins (Sid's mum), Pandora's Aunt Elizabeth, and Elizabeth "Effy" Stonem. "Beth", the ManicPixieDreamGirl in Tony's series 2 episode may be another if she is an actual person, although many fans see her as Tony's subconscious manifestation of Effy. All the men in Sid's extended family, with the exception of Sid and his father, Mark, have names which are variations of "Alexander". She may be a Shelley, but one of the chav girls who beat Sid up in his series 1 episode is called "Shell", as is Michelle. Thomas Tomoni shares a name with the tutor Tom. Averted by Skins: Fire, where a different character named [[spoiler:Freddie]] goes by without comment.

* [[spoiler:WeddingDay: Rich and Grace's attempted wedding in the S5 finale. It doesn't go according to plan, and they don't go though with it, but it still ends happily]].

** Sid's dad Mark starts out as distant, fiery and emotionally abusive. This becomes subverted later on though, after Sid's mum abandons them.

* AbusiveParents: Chris has the shittiest parents in the world, directly affecting his upbringing, his welfare and his personality. His dad cut Chris out of his life permanently after the death of his brother, and his mum runs off and abandons him in series 1.

** Cassie's parents. Some could argue that her seeing them naked all the time, as well as the pictures of her mother giving birth to her brother with the ''umbilical cord still attached'' constitute abuse. They are definitely negligent of her and (to a lesser degree) of her brother. As far as we know, they didn't even [[spoiler: visit her in the hospital after she tried to kill herself]]. They also don't keep track of her behaviour in regards to her anorexia at all. When Cassie says she will be signed off from the clinic if she has gained weight, it is clear that her parents don't know if she has even done it.
*** Not to mention in S2, they let her go back to Bristol without setting her up with any living arrangements. They must have given her some money, though, because what else would explain her being able to [[spoiler: escape to New York]] in her centric episode?

* AdultsAreUseless: On so many levels, though it does get subverted at times with the parents.
** Possibly justified in that the series is from the point of view of teenagers, who often feel let down or ignored by adults.
** And that the sort of teens who could get away with as much partying, drug use and sex as these characters do would ''have'' to have somewhat inept/oblivious parents.

* AnguishedDeclarationOfLove: S2 has two, from [[spoiler: Chris]] to [[spoiler: Jal]] in the former's episode, and from [[spoiler: Sid]] when he reunites with [[spoiler: Cassie]] in Effy's episode. But the show's most notable one came in the S4 finale, from [[spoiler: Naomi]] to [[spoiler: Emily]].
** The one from [[spoiler: Nick]] to [[spoiler: Franky]] is usually looked over, despite the fairly awesome acting, because of people's opinion on the couple.
* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler: Chris, Freddie, Grace, Naomi, Sid's dad...]]
* {{Arcadia}}: Creevey farm and Somerset; the latter is TruthInTelevision.
* AscendedExtra: Pandora had a small part in Effy's episode in series 2. Along with Effy, she was promoted to a central protagonist in series 3 and 4.

* BerserkButton: When an anxious, edgy Cook sees Effy and Freddie kissing in a nightclub, he explodes in anger and violently takes out his rage on a bystander who brushes past him.
** Hilariously enough, he does this only seconds after lecturing an emotional Emily on [[{{Hypocrite}} burying her feelings and letting them burn inside her.]]
* BetaCouple: Grace and Rich were this in S5.

* BettyAndVeronica:
** ''Skins'' is fond of playing with this trope. With Sid as the Archie, it initially appears that Cassie is the Betty while Michelle is the Veronica. Series 2 [[BettyAndVeronicaSwitch turns this on its head]].

* BingeMontage

* BookEnds: The first season opens with Tony in bed, close up on his face; the second season closes with Effy in the same bed, close up on her face.

* BreatherEpisode: JJ's Season 4 episode.

* BrotherSisterIncest: Tony and Effy are ''very'' infatuated with each other. Tony's own girlfriend admits that Effy is the only person in the world Tony truly cares about. Expect eye rolls from Effy every time a girl hits on Tony in her presence. Also, Tony's Season 2 episode reveals that he has thoughts of having sex with Effy. (subconsciously, of course ...maybe)
** As to how ''brotherly'' their affections are ([[RelationshipWritingFumble staring longingly at each other through the window whenever Effy leaves...]]), but the Stonemcest fandom is quite popular, despite being [[BrotherSisterIncest what it is]].
*** Effy's Unseen Skins episode in Series 1 takes this UpToEleven.
*** It's also implied that Tony's absence was one of the contributing factors to her deteriorating mental health in Generation 2.

** According to the showrunners, Effy is short for Elizabeth. The name of Tony's ManicPixieDreamGirl in his S2 episode is Beth. She is later revealed to be a manifestation of his subconscious. Make of that what you will.
*** And it's Beth (i.e.: Tony) the one who implies that he has thoughts about having sex with Effy.

* CallingTheOldManOut: Sid in his S1 episode, first when he calls his dad a dildo, and second [[spoiler:right after his mom leaves them because of his father's insufferable behavior]].

-->'''Cassie:''' Oh. Wow.
-->'''Chris:''' Fuck it.
-->'''Pandora:''' Bloomin 'eck!
-->'''Pandora:''' I'm useless.
-->'''Doug:''' Oggi! Oggi! Oggi!
-->'''Danny:''' Nice one!
-->'''Cook:''' Grab my balls!

* ClassTrip: ''Episode 6: Maxxie and Anwar'' in which the gang go to Russia. Described by one reviewer as "Carry on Russia", since it is a fairly dramatic break from the standard ''Skins'' episode.

* ClusterFBomb

* {{Commune}}: Naomi's mum Gina turns their house into a commune populated by naked people, Jesus lookalikes, free love (one of the hippies notes of just-woken-up-naked-Naomi that "it's nothing he hasn't seen before", and she's "even got the same haircut her mum does" — he's not looking at her head), random transients and dopey women called Dopey who object to the heteronormative patriarchal symbolism of the humble banana.

* ContrivedCoincidence: [[spoiler: Liv's season 5 episode involved her randomly hooking up with Matty who unbeknownst to her is the brother of Nick whom she had been sleeping with amongst other things ]].
** Also, Luke, the sociopath who [[spoiler:indirectly contributes to Grace's death during the gang's trip to Morocco,]] just happens to live in the Bristol area.
* CorruptTheCutie: Pandora. To some extent, possibly JJ.
* CosmicDeadline: All the evidence and clues suggest that the S4 finale was mashed together out of two distinct episodes at the very last minute.
** All but confirmed by the showrunners - Jamie Brittain is on record as saying that the latter half of the season didn't go as planned (the finale was supposed to be entirely Naomi's episode, rather than the Everyone it turned out to be, for example).
* CountryMatters: [[Series/TheThickOfIt Peter Capaldi]] guest starred on this show. A few other characters have thrown the C-bomb around too.

* CrowdSong: The last 4 minutes of Season 1, the cast all break into singing Cat Stevens' "Wild World", which is a departure from the norm of the series. This actually fits in perfectly as the lyrics describe what is happening and it also leads to some comedy when random extras such as men in the restroom and the bus driver sing too...

* DarkerAndEdgier:

* ADateWithRosiePalms

* DeadlyDoctor: Effy's psychologist Dr. John Foster abuses his powers to manipulate Effy into forgetting Freddie and falling in love with him.
** Not to mention he's also a demented killer, but his [[spoiler: savage murder of Freddie with a baseball bat]] doesn't quite fit the trope as well.

** Several characters get this in Series 4, most prominently Cook and Effy.
* DiabolusExMachina: [[spoiler: Freddie's death]] in Series 4.
* DisappearedDad: Chris' father abandoned his family after Chris' brother Peter died, Pandora never knew her father (though the man that helps her in her season 4 Unseen Skins is hinted to be her dad), Effy's dad is suspiciously absent when his daughter is in the hospital after trying to kill herself, Thomas' dad is gone, Michelle's father is never even mentioned though we see two step-dads, Naomi's dad is mentioned in passing as being a twat, and Liv's dad was just never brought up.

* EagleLand: "Osama! The Musical" is a definite example of Type 2. And oddly enough, the way the ''Skins'' characters are viewed by the Russians in the school trip episode encompasses a lot of stereotypes about Americans (culturally ignorant/insensitive, arrogant, gullible, etc.) as opposed to English ones.

* {{Expy}}: Most of the US cast are based on characters from the first UK generation. Besides those that share the same first name, Stanley=Sid, Cadie=Cassie, Daisy=Jal, Abbud=Anwar, and Tina=Angie. Tea could also be considered the DistaffCounterpart of Maxxie, though she plays a much bigger role in the plot.

* {{Fanservice}}: Angie, Michelle, Chris, Maxxie, Tony, Anwar although his is played for laughs, Freddie, and pretty much everyone else to varying extents.
** Holy hell, Katie in her S4 episode...
** Or the beginning scene in the Series 4 episode "Emily" where Emily walks around Naomi's living room in nothing but her panties and the postman sees her breasts.

* {{Fictionary}}: Twins Katie and Emily have their own language.
** Technically not a true example, as 'twin talk' is real: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_language

* FriendshipMoment: Many.

* {{Gayngst}}: Emily, Naomi, Mini and once or twice Maxxie.
** In the American version, Tea and Betty.
* GeniusBookClub: Tony and Cassie, plus Effy in her S2 episode.

* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex

** [[spoiler:Freddie's fate]].
** Also used when Alo accidentally [[ItMakesSenseInContext blows up a cow.]]

* HandsOffParenting: Cassie's parents are preoccupied with sex and making nude paintings that they tend to overlook their daughter. In a twist the father is the artist.
** Naomi's mother subscribes to the NewAgeRetroHippie variant, having turned their house into a commune.

** Sid and Tony. Tony kisses Sid once on the lips and once on the forehead, they sleep naked or mostly naked in the same bed, and [[spoiler:Tony cries when he's sending Sid off to New York to find Cassie]].
-->'''Tony''': "I always loved you the best, Sid."

** Effy and Pandora end up like this.
** Alo and Rich for ''sure'' in Generation 3.

* HoYay: Tony and Sid, to a degree. Freddie likes to touch foreheads with JJ and Cook.
* HorribleCampingTrip: in Series 2 and 3.

** Maxxie to his stalker Sketch.
** Emily to JJ and, [[SingleTargetSexuality most likely]], Naomi to Cook.

* INever

* InnocentInnuendo: In-universe example. Sid is helping Jal zip up a dress in a changing booth and gets his finger stuck. The resulting conversation causes a few worried looks from the other shoppers.
** Also, Maxxie's mom helping Tony with his fly.

---> '''Rich''': "I'm a metalhead, I like metal music... why do you think I dress like this?"
--->'''Grace''': "I thought it was a joke or something!"

--->'''Cook:''' "Have you ever heard of wish fulfillment, J.J.?"

** At the end of Series 2, we never find out what happens between [[spoiler: Sid and Cassie]]. And while it's implied that [[spoiler: Tony and Michelle don't get back together]], it's never quite revealed why, and there's hope left for a reunion.
*** It's revealed in Skins: Pure, Cassie's two parter that [[spoiler: Sid ''did'' find Cassie and after traveling America for about four years prior to the events in Skins: Pure, Cassie dumped him and left for London.]]

* ManipulativeBastard:
** Tony in Series 1, before his fall from grace.
** Sketch then becomes the old Tony's SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute in Season 2. Except creepy instead of outwardly charming.
** Effy in her S2 episode.
** Mini in Franky and Rich's episodes, before her own fall from grace.
* MissingMom: A common trope for the show. Chris' mom ditches him in his season 1 episode without us even seeing her until Cassie's episode in season 2.

* MistakenForCheating. Sid angrily accuses Cassie of cheating on him with her Scottish gay friend.

* OverprotectiveDad: Katie and Emily's father Rob Fitch, greeting Freddie and JJ with a big smile on his face:

* APartyAlsoKnownAsAnOrgy
* PlatonicLifePartners:
** Chris and Cassie in S2.
** [[spoiler: Sid and Michelle]] seemed headed down this route in S1, but S2 seems to have muddled things a bit.

** Alo - the character, not the episode - is this for S5.
** Chris Collins, like his UK counterpart, seems to have taken up this role in the U.S. remake.

* PutOnABus: Harriet, the hapless college Principal, is abruptly removed from her post at Roundview and replaced with the draconian Professor David Blood in series 4.

* RichBitch: Abigail Stock

* SchoolgirlLesbians: Naomi and Emily; Tea and Betty.

* SexAsRiteOfPassage: It's the plot of the first episode!

* ShoutOut: Cook's look towards the end of his S4 episode (in his lawyer's office in front of the window; defiant, collar popped, arms in front) is a direct reference to a famous shot of Lewis Thornton Powell, one of the people involved in the Lincoln assassination, in irons.

** Possibly AbigailsParty in the first episode, the name of a 1977 UK play involving an alcohol-laced house party.

* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: Subverted with Michelle, who seems to understand that Sid cares about her more and would be a nicer boyfriend than Tony, but still prefers Tony. [[spoiler: Played with more in S2, when Michelle and Sid ''do'' get together and it doesn't work out because, despite everyone's theorizing to the contrary in S1, Sid doesn't actually love Michelle but Cassie, and it turns out Tony really ''does'' love her.]]

* SlumberParty: Pandora's episode.

* SortingAlgorithmOfDeadness: [[spoiler: Chris]] and [[spoiler: Freddie]] have both been put through it.

* SoundtrackDissonance: Lots, and the music team know it.

---> Pandora: Can I open it? I love parcels!

* SureLetsGoWithThat: "It's only the drugs, right?" Yeah...
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: In the final episode of the second generation, [[spoiler:Karen replaces Freddie in the group - given that they're siblings and have relatively similar personalities, it's not too jarring.]]

* TheirFirstTime:[[spoiler: Mini and Nick in season 5 goes through this with the complication being that only Mini is a virgin and extremely reluctant; it was actually a TearJerker to many viewers.]]
** The scene where [[spoiler: Mini]] practices sexual positions is some kind of broken Heartwarming moment.

* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: In Cassie's episode she keeps getting texts telling her to '''EAT!''' on her phone and seeing the word spelled out elsewhere. Nobody is texting her. They are all just hallucinations.

* TokenMinority: Jal Fazer, a bright girl who is discriminated against because she is black, and Anwar Kharral, a Pakistani Muslim whose religion leads him to question his friendship with Maxxie.
** Maxxie, Emily, and Naomi to an extent, definitely Thomas.
** Cassie because of her anorexia and JJ because of his autism.
** Matty could be interpreted this way, but Grace for sure.

* TwinSwitch: In Katie and Emily's S3 episode, Emily pretends to be Katie and sits in for the latter's exam because [[spoiler:Katie doesn't want anyone to see her injuries after Effy hits her with a rock in the previous episode.]] Which results in a very confused Freddie when he sees what looks like Katie kissing and then walking away hand-in-hand with Naomi.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Cassie's parents appear in her Series 1 episode and are then never seen again - even after Cassie attempts suicide and ends up in hospital.
** The fact that Cassie's parents are woefully neglectful of her when we ''do'' see them might account for this.
* WhatTheHellHero: At least out of the first cast, Jal is probably the only major character who hasn't pulled a WhatTheHellHero.
** Pulled by ''everyone'' in the second generation. J.J. even gets one. Ironically, Katie may be one of the only people who didn't.
** And then season 6 rolled around...
* WhereWereYouLastNight

* YouNeedToGetLaid: In season 1, Sid, Jal, and Anwar. In 3, J.J. In 5, [[spoiler: Mini and Rich (although in Rich's case, it's more "you need to get a girlfriend.")]]

* MomentKiller: In the penultimate episode of series 3, Harriet after having an incredibly stressful year,[[spoiler: dances with Doug at the annual school ball. She is about to lean into kiss him... but then Emily and Katie storm into the room beating the shit out of each other.]]

** In the U.S. version: when Tony is the Archie, Michelle is the Betty and Tea is the Veronica. With Tea as the Archie, Betty is, well, [[CaptainObvious the Betty]] and Tony is the Veronica.

* FriendshipMoment: Many, often [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming Heartwarming]].

** In S3, Emily is the only one who truly sympathizes with and listens to JJ, helping him to confront his crummy friends, even flashing her breasts at him to get him to focus when he's getting "locked-on." He also comforts her later in his episode, when she's crying about her homophobic sister finding out that she's a lesbian. They even share a sympathy screw at the end! ...But wait, we did mention Emily [[IncompatibleOrientation is a lesbian]], right? Just in case anyone hadn't figured it out from the previous episode, Emily gives JJ a spectacular coming-out speech that doubles as her CrowningMomentOfAwesome.

** Maxxie and Tony getting it on is, for the [[YaoiFangirl Yaoi Fans]] in the audience at least, a pretty [[FetishFuel hot]] moment... until the camera pans to Michelle and you see her wince. And whatever leftover hotness is then doused in cold water when Maxxie rebuffs Tony, saying that "We've finally found something you're not actually good at."

* TheLostLenore: [[spoiler: Grace to Rich]] in the sixth series. The whole second episode of this series is about his denial and later acceptance of her death.

* TheLostLenore: [[spoiler: Grace to Rich]] in the sixth series. The whole second episode of this series is about [[spoiler:his]] denial and later acceptance of her death.

** First Generation: Tony recovers from [[spoiler: the bus accident and regain Michelle's love, but they are not going to back together and say goodbye forever]]. Jal keeps studying the clarinet and follows her dream of being a musician, [[spoiler: but Chris died and she aborted their child]]. Cassie and Sid are reconciled but after [[spoiler: Chris' death, Cassie run away to New York. Sid at the ending is looking for her in Manhattan but we don't know until Skins Pure if they have seen each other again]]. Anwar goes to London with his friends, dumping his girlfriend but has not a clue about what he will do with his life.