Skins: Series 5

The teenage BAFTA-winning show, Skins, began its fifth series on 27th January.With a brand new cast and the challenge of fulfilling the drug-infused, love-lusting, crazy-raving that began three years prior to the new series, Skins had a lot to live up to.

The show, set in Bristol, brought its viewers a variety of "cliche" characters, who unlike before are not all in the same clique of friends. Uniquely, the character of 'Franky', played by The Golden Compass (2007) actress Dakota Blue Richards, is different to other protagonists of the show before, in that she is the "outsider" - the new girl, whose efforts to fit-in are somewhat tainted from the onset, as seen from the tragic times she spent in her previous school. It appears from the first episode that the audience will witness dramatic changes and potential character growth in Franky; this is hinted at from the mysterious guy, actor Sebastian De Souza, whom she meets and calls her 'beautiful'.

Franky Fitzgerald

The plot also contains the unoriginal "Mean Girls" (2004) in Mini, the "Queen Bee", played by Freya Mavor, and her two followers. More reminiscent from the Mark Waters film, is the imitated scene where stolen pictures from Franky's laptop are spread across the school; the ultimate scandal of the bully. Personally, there are far more unique ways to demonstrate such behaviour as bullying, and predictability becomes less and less watchable.

Mini McGuinness

Nonetheless, within the first episode, the talent can be seen from the British young actors. Already, I have a slight dislike to the character of Mini, and have got a soft spot for Alexander Arnold's character, 'Rich Hardbeck', music snob and metal head.

As it is only the first episode, I do not believe Skins Series 5 should be written off just yet, as the easy-watching and appealing show always manages to bring a lot of laughs and some good fun.

I personally will look forward to the second episode!