An ONTD Original: Top 10 Skins UK Characters
Skins (2007-2013) was a highly popular British teen dramedy that explored the lives of various hard-partying 16-18 year-olds, navigating the turbulences of teenage life. Despite its oftentimes exaggeration of reality for the sake of drama, for the most part, Skins did a remarkable job of exploring its characters, more so than any other teen drama this OP can think of. With its unique format, most episodes being bottle eps focusing on solely one character, we were able to truly indulge in the lives of these kids - who dealt with all sorts of relatable issues from mental illness, eating disorders, family traumas, grief, romance, sexuality, drug/alcohol abuse, and more. With three different casts or "generations" spanning six seasons (I'm not counting season 7, which is abysmal and non-canon in my head), this is my opinion of the show's 10 best characters. I've judged them on the performances of their actors, their overall character arcs, their memorable moments, and their ability for the audience to relate to them. This show is extremely controversial and divisive, so feel free to agree or disagree with my choices.
10.) KATHERINE "KATIE" FITCH, played by Megan Prescott, Generation Two
Delivering one of the show's most quotable lines, Katie Fitch was one half of the Fitch twin sisters of the second generation. Completely opposite from her shy and timid sister Emily, Katie is bold, brash, and blunt. In season 3, Katie is a bit of a shallow, mean girl, only caring about popularity, boys, and partying. She's also a huge bully to Emily, who is struggling with her sexuality. But Katie learns to accept her sister throughout the season, and we begin to see a softer side to her. In season 4, Katie's family falls apart, and she also learns she can't have kids, and so she refocuses on her life on being nicer, eventually becoming a close friend to just about everyone in the group.
9.) OLIVIA "LIV" MALONE, played by Laya Lewis, Generation Three
While not exactly the most memorable character in Skins history, Liv is actually one of the show's most down-to-earth. She isn't really the best role model, being a huge fan of drugs and drinking, promiscuity, downing a whole bottle of vodka to show a guy she just met how much she likes him -- but at the same time, Liv retains a chill, mostly level-headed spirit, and is quick to call out other characters on their bullshit. She always looked cool, and was someone you wanted to hang out with irl. Her season 6 episode (which deals with her hypochondria and grief over the loss of her best friend Grace, as well as the separation it's caused between her and other best friend Mini) is gut-wrenching, and one of the series' absolute best.
8.) SIDNEY "SID" JENKINS, played by Mike Bailey, Generation One
Love him or hate him, but the first generation of Skins would not be the same without pathetic little Sidney. Arguably the main character of the generation in partnership with his best friend Tony, Sid lives in Tony's perfectionist shadow, serving as the butt of his cruel jokes and manipulation. Sid is awkward, dirty, not particularly smart, and kind of just a flop of a person. But as a result, he is absolutely hilarious. Sid's sad life delivers some of the funniest moments of season one, but things get much bleaker for him in season two after the sudden death of his father. Sid never really made the best decisions, but did any of us as teenagers?
7.) EMILY FITCH, played by Kathryn Prescott, Generation Two
The quieter of the Fitch sisters, Emily begins her arc as a closeted lesbian with a crush on the outspoken Naomi Campbell (not the model), living in her twin sister Katie's bossy shadow. Emily and Naomi's relationship, particularly in season 3, is a downright iconic portrayal of young lesbian love, but it was Emily who was always the more admirable of the two. Emily finds her voice through her love for Naomi, learning to stand up for herself against her family, and is extremely cute and likable in season 3. In season 4, Naomi and Emily's relationship experiences some hardship and Emily goes through a bit of a wild child breakdown, but her central episode that season has her playing detective, a role she fits right into.
6.) ELIZABETH "EFFY" STONEM, played by Kaya Scodelario, Generation One/Two
Another love or hate situation, it's undeniable that Effy Stonem IS Skins. With four main series episodes devoted to her, as well as being the connecting bridge character between the show's first and second generation, Effy embodies everything about the show: an uncaring and hard-partying exterior that masks a dark and broken spirit. Effy begins the series as Tony's quiet and observant little sister, smarter than everyone around her, nihilistic, and too cool to care about anything or anyone. She would often look at the camera cheekily with her piercing blue eyes, breaking the fourth wall as if to say "does any of this really matter?" But deep down, Effy does care, almost too much, and in season 4, we learn that she has been quietly dealing with a psychotic depression and PTSD after an incident in season 1. Her breakdown leads to some drama that feels completely contrived for sensational sakes, but the beginning of the cracks in the facade of the show's coolest character is downright heartbreaking to watch.
5.) ANTHONY "TONY" STONEM, played by Nicholas Hoult, Generation One
The show's first protagonist, Tony begins the series as a magnificent bastard, highly intelligent, pretentious, self-absorbed, and downright sociopathic. Tony takes pride in manipulating the lives of his friends and loved ones, all because he can. In the first season, Tony is the rare instance of a character who is both the main character and the villain all at once. It isn't until the season finale, when getting hit by a bus gives him a brain injury that changes his personality and screws with his memories, that Tony is able to redeem himself. In season two, Tony struggles to find himself again, as well as struggling to make amends with the friends he hurt. Eventually, Tony becomes a kinder person and a better friend, and goes off to university, most likely doing great things with his brilliant mind.
4.) MINERVA "MINI" MCGUINNESS, played by Freya Mavor, Generation Three
While Frankie Fitzgerald was the protagonist of the third generation, it was undeniably Mini McGuinness who was the breakout character. Portrayed flawlessly by the gorgeous and talented Freya Mavor, Mini is one of the show's most realistic depictions of what it's like to be a teen girl. Funny, honest, and surprisingly quirky, Mini begins as a typical Regina George type. But we quickly see her cracks show, learning that she is relatively lower middle-class despite making herself look wealthier, her mother is a promiscuous mess, and her father is a deadbeat who abandoned her. Most of all, Mini is shown to be extremely insecure to the point of starving herself, over-exercising, and sacrificing her virginity just to appease her fuckboy of a boyfriend Nick, even though she didn't want to, a heartbreakingly relatable moment for many teen girls. Over the course of season 5, Mini comes into her own, becoming less of an awful bitch and showcasing her inner sweet nature. In season 6, however, Mini loses her best friend Grace and becomes depressed, turning to farmboy Alo Creevey for comfort and eventually getting pregnant with his baby. While teen pregnancy isn't exactly the life I wanted for this character, her reasons for keeping her baby make sense considering her tough life, and wanting to give a better one to her daughter, who she (off-screen) names "Grace".
3.) JAMES COOK, played by Jack O'Connell, Generation Two
It what is, in my opinion, the absolute best acting on the show, Jack O'Connell delivers a dynamite performance as wild child James Cook. Cook is obnoxious, crude, violent, and extremely self-destructive. He is a typical example of toxic masculinity, molded into a sad and aggressive young boy who sabotages his own life at every turn. Cook may make some terrible decisions throughout the show, but deep down, he strives to be loved, to be seen as more than the fuck-up that he is. Cook loves harder than most, and is heartbroken at the crumbling of his friendship with best friend Freddie and his first true love Effy. Jack O'Connell effortlessly slips in to this character, who he has described as being an extension of himself irl. He delivers the most nuanced performance on the show, to the point where you truly begin to understand why Cook is so fucked up. He doesn't exactly get a redemptive arc, which is sad yet frank, but he is easily a character that you'll never forget.
2.) CASSANDRA "CASSIE" AINSWORTH, played by Hannah Murray, Generation One
A hot mess, disaster of a person, Cassie is another one of those characters you never forget. Cassie is deeply, deeply disturbed, dealing with severe anorexia in the first season and a host of other mental illness, including depression and bipolar disorder. Despite this, she retains a bubbly, flighty personality, like Luna Lovegood on acid, and delivers gems of lines such as "I like the boats. They go places" and her catchphrase "Oh..wow". Cassie's mousy voice, eccentric clothing, and strange idiosyncrasies make her both uncomfortable and addicting to watch. Her season 2 episode is hands-down the series' best though, as we and Cassie both begin to realize just how fucked up she is, and that there might not be any saving her. Cassie is quite possibly the first character that viewers latch onto, as she's portrayed as being extremely unique right off the bat, and is one that undoubtedly will leave an impact for better or worse.
Honorable Mentions:
JALANDER "JAL" FAZER, played by Larissa Wilson, Generation One
NAOMI CAMPBELL, played by Lily Loveless, Generation Two
RICHARD "RICH" HARDBECK, played by Alex Arnold, Generation Three
1.) CHRISTOPHER "CHRIS" MILES, played by Joe Dempsie, Generation One
If you ever want to make yourself cry for hours, indulge in the story arc of the beautiful Chris Miles. Arguably the show's most lovable character, Chris is noted by a vast majority of fans to be the series' best. A light of positivity in a sea of sad and angsty teens, Chris is a simple-minded but fun-loving person full of wit, joy, and heart. He is the kind of person you'd want as your best friend, always there to make you laugh or be a shoulder to lean on. He was rather self-destructive, always engaging in risky behavior with a strong penchant for trying new drugs, but his silliness and light-hearted spirit made you want to join right in. He begin to learn that Chris' zest for life comes from a fear of dying young like his older brother, who fell victim to a brain hemorrhage. Unfortunately, Chris succumbs to same illness that took his brother, resulting in one of the most sudden and heart-breaking deaths in TV history. Despite his passing, Chris' happy spirit lived on in the hearts of his friends and girlfriend Jal. Chris and Jal were complete opposites, a total fuck-up class clown versus the motivated bookworm with high prospects for her future, but their relationship was pure, and they brought the best out of each other. If Chris were a real person, he'd bring out the best in everyone, because he makes you want to see life for what it can be. He makes you want to forget about all of the darkness and just have fun, because life is short, and it's not worth it being sad. Chris Miles is a very special character, one so special he almost feels real, and he will live on in my heart and the heart of Skins fans everywhere.
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Agree or disagree, ONTD? Who are your favorites?