Maybe they should have called this episode something like "Anwar and Maxxie Go to Russia" or "Skins, Russian Style." This was by far the lightest and zaniest episode of the show so far, which definitely threw me off after the higher emotional moments of the last episode. It was still a lot of fun, and a nice diversion, but so far the low point of the show for me.Anwar and Maxxie have really worked well as comic relief, Anwar being especially hilarious, but while Anwar's muslim background and Maxxie's homosexuality could make for interesting drama and conflict, it didn't really do much here. I think it's commendable that Maxxie is actually a fully realized character, emotional and sensitive, rather than flamboyant, but while the mix of drama and comedy usually works so well, the story here was so filled with hijinks that the emotions never really resonated. I kept waiting for the dramatic moment for everything to change (like the way the Jal and Chris episodes were able to turn themselves around), but didn't find it in the main story.
Instead, it was Chris and Angie finally getting together. "Let me in. I'll show you my reverse psychology." And that Decemberist music cue! And that next morning. "I don't have sex with my 17 year old students. How old are they normally?"And maybe a little in Sid seeing Maxxie's drawing of Cassie.
Unfortunately though, because of the zany hijinks, the episode felt wildly out of continuity. Those crazy Russians with their hoses, glue factories, Neil Diamond, Friends watching ("We were on a break"), and money scams. Also, I know that Tom was just written into the show, but can they kill him off and fast.And what the fuck is wrong with Tony? I don't even know what to make of his pass at Maxxie.
2 comments:
I agree that this is the most slapstick episode yet, but i think it sets the stage nicely for the final three, and Simon Amstell wrote it.
We definitely disagree on the Sid centered stuff, his episode is not one of my favorites, but I agree it had some great moments.
I like how both our blogs are turning into skins fansites.
It's interesting that that's your take. Of course, I will know better when I get to those final 3, but if there are moments that set the stage nicely for the final 3, they are just that, moments.
What I really liked about the Sid episode, besides being a sucker for Sid, is that it really felt thematically cohesive and pieces of dialogue resonated for moments in the entire episode. Anwar and Maxxie was just a hodgepodge.
Right now my top 2 were Cassie and Sid, who surprisingly enough, are also probably my favorite characters. I'm afraid to really know what that says about me.
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