Skins - S4 Ep3 'Cook' - My thoughts...
So, I don’t normally do a ‘my thoughts’ kind of post after I watch an episode (last week’s angry rant/retraction of angry rant not included) but I really enjoyed Cook’s episode...
I don’t know if I’m in the minority here for liking it but I really did. I’d rather watch this episode five times in a row than ever watch Thomas’ again, that truly was boring in my opinion. I feel like with Thomas they left him too underdeveloped in series 3 and therefore too late to develop him in series 4 because I really don’t care about him.
I think Jack is a great actor and I think this episode, in parts, showcased why. Cook has been the loud-mouthed, drinking and drug monster who is supposed to not care about anyone but himself but I felt like towards the end of last series, the relationship with his dad and Freddie and JJ falling apart as well as his true feelings for Effy really showed a different side to him and that this episode was a continuation of that.
Cook is all front, an attitude that’s all act just to protect himself. Let’s face it, he’s got crap parents and has obviously grown up in a way that he feels like he has to act out and rebel against it. And I think other than Freddie and JJ, Effy is the only person he’s ever felt he could care about because she kind of understood him.
I felt his pain in this episode, for loosing Effy to Freddie. It doesn’t matter that he’s not the most likeable character, again, just like all people, he’s human and all he wants is to be loved and cared about.
His relationship with his brother was great and important, I felt. Seeing that he had started to rub off on him obviously caused him more grief than he let on.
Cook and Naomi - Loved every single one of their scenes together including their kiss. That’s right, you heard me, I loved the kiss big time! To me, Cook, Naomi and Effy all connect on a wavelength that the other characters just can’t. They all grew up lonely - surrounded by people but so, so lonely and so they all have these bravado’s and defence mechanisms that they put on to protect themselves from love that they never thought they deserved and that’s why I think when they do finally open up and let it happen to them, they fuck it up. It’s not that they don’t want it; it’s that they want it so much that instead of relishing in it, they push it away and try to deem themselves unworthy.
The kiss - it wasn’t sexual at all, and yes, some people see it as not needed, but I thought it was entirely necessary. Cook and Naomi share the guilt of Sophia’s death and are both dealing with the repercussions of their actions and the pain of hurting/loosing people they love, it was a desperate clinging onto someone that understands just how fucked up they and their lives are. Nothing else and I can relate to that feeling so alone and numb that you just want someone to remind you that you’re still alive, even just for a second, one touch.
Let’s clear another thing up, the use of “affair” clearly she meant the one night they shared together and not something that went on for months and I suspect Naomi called it an “affair” as opposed to “cheating” because she lied and it continued on long after Sophia left her house.
I adored that we saw Naomi clearly feeling ashamed and guilty for what she did to Emily and that she not only is acknowledging it but is also letting herself feel it. That’s an important character development for Naomi in my opinion. She’s been far too removed from what she’s supposed to feel for far too long and yes, she is a little late on this but given the type of personality they gave her in series 3, I find it totally in character and realistic.
Naomi watching Emily sleep broke my heart - obvious guilt is obvious <3
What was said between Cook and Naomi = I heart their friendship hard.
Cook accepting, at least on some level that Effy’s not trying to hurt him and that Freddie’s not trying to screw him over and that all they’re trying to do is give love a chance, was an important moment for his character. I love that, Effy’s confession, seeing his little brother turning into him, and speaking to his lawyer and Naomi finally made him take responsibility for his actions and realise that he has to change and grow up because life isn’t just a game, it’s real and everything that has a cause, has an effect and that everything that has an action has a reaction - not always the ones you want either.
Also, Cook giving Naomi a second chance and taking the blame for what they did is one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen on Skins and I loved it.
Now, looking forward to Katie’s episode next week, except Thomas/Katie?!!?!? DNW EVER!
I don’t know if I’m in the minority here for liking it but I really did. I’d rather watch this episode five times in a row than ever watch Thomas’ again, that truly was boring in my opinion. I feel like with Thomas they left him too underdeveloped in series 3 and therefore too late to develop him in series 4 because I really don’t care about him.
I think Jack is a great actor and I think this episode, in parts, showcased why. Cook has been the loud-mouthed, drinking and drug monster who is supposed to not care about anyone but himself but I felt like towards the end of last series, the relationship with his dad and Freddie and JJ falling apart as well as his true feelings for Effy really showed a different side to him and that this episode was a continuation of that.
Cook is all front, an attitude that’s all act just to protect himself. Let’s face it, he’s got crap parents and has obviously grown up in a way that he feels like he has to act out and rebel against it. And I think other than Freddie and JJ, Effy is the only person he’s ever felt he could care about because she kind of understood him.
I felt his pain in this episode, for loosing Effy to Freddie. It doesn’t matter that he’s not the most likeable character, again, just like all people, he’s human and all he wants is to be loved and cared about.
His relationship with his brother was great and important, I felt. Seeing that he had started to rub off on him obviously caused him more grief than he let on.
Cook and Naomi - Loved every single one of their scenes together including their kiss. That’s right, you heard me, I loved the kiss big time! To me, Cook, Naomi and Effy all connect on a wavelength that the other characters just can’t. They all grew up lonely - surrounded by people but so, so lonely and so they all have these bravado’s and defence mechanisms that they put on to protect themselves from love that they never thought they deserved and that’s why I think when they do finally open up and let it happen to them, they fuck it up. It’s not that they don’t want it; it’s that they want it so much that instead of relishing in it, they push it away and try to deem themselves unworthy.
The kiss - it wasn’t sexual at all, and yes, some people see it as not needed, but I thought it was entirely necessary. Cook and Naomi share the guilt of Sophia’s death and are both dealing with the repercussions of their actions and the pain of hurting/loosing people they love, it was a desperate clinging onto someone that understands just how fucked up they and their lives are. Nothing else and I can relate to that feeling so alone and numb that you just want someone to remind you that you’re still alive, even just for a second, one touch.
Let’s clear another thing up, the use of “affair” clearly she meant the one night they shared together and not something that went on for months and I suspect Naomi called it an “affair” as opposed to “cheating” because she lied and it continued on long after Sophia left her house.
I adored that we saw Naomi clearly feeling ashamed and guilty for what she did to Emily and that she not only is acknowledging it but is also letting herself feel it. That’s an important character development for Naomi in my opinion. She’s been far too removed from what she’s supposed to feel for far too long and yes, she is a little late on this but given the type of personality they gave her in series 3, I find it totally in character and realistic.
Naomi watching Emily sleep broke my heart - obvious guilt is obvious <3
What was said between Cook and Naomi = I heart their friendship hard.
Cook accepting, at least on some level that Effy’s not trying to hurt him and that Freddie’s not trying to screw him over and that all they’re trying to do is give love a chance, was an important moment for his character. I love that, Effy’s confession, seeing his little brother turning into him, and speaking to his lawyer and Naomi finally made him take responsibility for his actions and realise that he has to change and grow up because life isn’t just a game, it’s real and everything that has a cause, has an effect and that everything that has an action has a reaction - not always the ones you want either.
Also, Cook giving Naomi a second chance and taking the blame for what they did is one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen on Skins and I loved it.
Now, looking forward to Katie’s episode next week, except Thomas/Katie?!!?!? DNW EVER!