SKINS 4.4

WRITER: Georgia Lester
DIRECTOR: Neil Biswas
GUEST CAST: Redd Smith, Ben Evans, Kessie Bartlett, John Bishop & Ronni Ancona

[SPOILERS] Two episodes after her twin gave a lead performance in one of the best episodes since the reboot, it's Megan Prescott's turn in the spotlight. Playing arguably the less interesting of the twins in terms of storyline, her character, Katie, has always been fairly disconnected from the main cast, and so another family driven plot follows...

Setting the basis for Katie's character development over the episode is the news from her doctor that, out of nowhere, she is experiencing premature menopause, and thus will never be able to have children. Katie's attempts to talk to her family about this proves impossible as her parents continue to argue. She then attends a wags hen night, complete with overblown stereotypes, where the predictable scene of Katie realising their materialism and general stupidity occurs. Still, it's nicely done as Katie punches one of the girls in the face before shouting at her and being thrown out.

The majority of the episode centers on a continuation of the Fitch family's storyline from Emily’s episode -- it’s nice to see that apparent standalone episodes aren’t always as irrelevant as they might seem. Again though, it’s a shame that Katie’s mother (Ronni Ancona) remains quite so exaggerated and mad. The family discover that Katie's father (John Bishop) has bankrupt the family, leaving them homeless and the parents arguing. This gives way to some nice oddball humour when bailiff's come to repossess the family's belongings. The two bailiffs (Chas Early and Jordan Long) are stood admiring a glass swan in an amusing exaggerated West Country accent whilst the Fitch's sneak their most valued possessions into their car and drive away. Again though, it's nothing new, and brings to mind the original cast stealing a casket in the second series.

Katie is eventually forced to ask Naomi (Lily Loveless) to let the family move in with her and Emily, despite the family's disapproval of their lesbian relationship. She accepts, and in the midst of the family's moving in is a typically drink/drug fueled barbecue between the main cast. Emily once again steals the show, acting as a pilled up mess, making out with another girl in front of Emily and nicely flipflopping between surprisingly confident aggression and a feeble side to the disappointment and embarrassment of her sister.

Meanwhile, Thomas (who everyone is apparently friends with again -- since when?) in a pretty contrived fashion, finds himself locked in a bathroom with Katie whilst she is naked in the bath. Surprisingly for the program, the token sex scene is resisted, and the pair merely kiss, and Katie finally finds someone to tell about her premature menopause.

The show ends with the Fitch's making up despite their problems, the parents making out, and the family sharing pizza in an empty house. It's lovely and all, but it’s hard not to feel that the current series is becoming increasingly formulaic; an initial event, a loopy family, character maturity, and then a sentimental ending with a resolution that seems tame for a show that was once seemed to be gritty and unpredictable.

18 FEBRUARY 2010: E4 (HD), 10PM