Oh well, okay...

[flister]

What up, y'all?

So, basically, I've been well absent and that. Bloody life. But I've been lurking and whatnot, mostly around Skinsfans and I have some things I'd like to share.

Read on only if you A) have seen 601 already B) don't mind spoilers, or C) don't give a toss about Gen 3 at all but would like to hear some good quality ranting...

Now, I'm mainly doing this to get things off my chest so don't think I'm trying to start a debate if you proper love Gen 3 - please continue to love this show as I once did - or piss anyone off for the sake of it. I just need to put my ~feelings out there. And, being a bit OCD, I shall do this in bullet point form:

• Franky - who the hell is she? I mean... it was hard accepting that Gen 2 was over and nothing could ever really quite compare but then there was this interesting character who didn't fit in any boxes and I thought, 'Thank you, Skins, for creating another exciting creature'. And now look at her. She's been girlyfied - which, okay. I'm well up for people growing and developing on TV but SHOW IT TO ME. Wearing a dress for a wedding in the S5 finale does not count. I'm gutted, actually. She was different and, for a while, I loved her. Now I do not.
• Mini - correct me if I'm wrong but does Mins not have an eating disorder that caused her to cover her stomach the first time she slept with her boyfriend? And now - what? The very first scene she's got a mostly exposed abdomen and doesn't give a fuck who sees. Great if she feels better about herself but, honestly, WHERE IS THE DEVELOPMENT?!! And then she shags someone who is clearly just interested in shagging - why did she have a problem doing it with Nick only to just randomly decide she fancies Alo because he got a stiffy in the car? If they'd like, I dunno, had a really nice chat or... fucking hell, I don't know. I just don't buy it.
• The gang stole someone's drugs/there was a car accident - hello, 101. I liked you much better. Even with Anwar. Who, btw, is far more endearing than Alo and THAT is saying something.
• 'LOL SAYING HOMOSEXUAL IS FUNNY!!!' Nuff said.
• Going to Morocco - setting things abroad is shite. How can they all afford that?! Why aren't they all in bedsits in South Wales?! There is nothing real about this.
• Dialogue like, "Holiday!!!" If anyone can ever tell me that they've actually shouted that out in glee then I'll remove this point from the list ;)

Saying all that, there were some things that I did like:

• Matty legging it - well in character, I thought. Even if it was massively cuntish.
• Rich being the whingy party pooper - because we've all been on holiday with that guy.
• Nick - he was my favourite character in this episode. I loved his journey last year - it was the only one that made sense. Plus he's like the only Skins boy this gen to not be skinny as a rake - Nick has the build of a rugby player and he's not massively buff or anything - he just looks like a normal fella. Like, imperfect. Plus, I love his expressions. He seems the most real out of everyone.

Now, I'm weeeelllll aware that realism hasn't always been Skins' strong point. But when it's done it properly it's been the best thing about it. It's about relationships and being a bit different and trying to be normal but realising you're not and dealing with your family and finding out who your friends are. And it's about reminding us of elements of our youth that we might have forgotten if we're old bastards like me or reinforcing what's both amazing and difficult about it if we're still living it.

I miss the show that I love and I keep watching because I keep wanting to be proved wrong. But, having gotten a waft of spoilers, I think that it's really cocking it all up.

I can only hope that Nick continues to develop and that someone, somewhere gets through to the writers that it's not cool to fuck their fans about. We're the ones who watch. Don't read what everyone says just to fuck about with it. That's not cool.

Anyway, if anyone wants to weigh in - go for it. I just feel that this has been rather cathartic and has allowed me to release some of the rage I've been feeling since I watched 601 on 4OD last night.

So, yeah. Snogs and that.

Fx