Skins - Series 6 Episode 1

It has definitely been a while since we have last seen the enigmatic bunch of drug-infused, sex-focused, and alternative-fashion from the third generation of Roundview students, but the Skins cast are back and are causing chaos in Morocco. The scene is set, backdrop of the horizon, and we are reintroduced to each character; bitchy-yet-beautiful Mini (Freya Mavor), ‘farm-boy’ Alo (Will Merrick), hunky-stud Nick (Sean Teale), and the gorgeous Liv (Laya Lewis) ride in to the scene on motorbikes squealing and screeching at each other, and it also appears that the adorable Grace (Jessica Sula) and metal-head Rich (Alexander Arnold) are still lovingly together, in contrast to Franky (Dakota Blue Richards) and Matty (Sebastian De Souza) who join the crew in Morocco after holidaying on their own in Tunisia with what appears to be a shocking outcome. Franky is less than interested in her beau and is easily swayed into the arms of the gorgeous, yet troublesome, Luke, played by newcomer Joe Cole.

(From Left to Right) - Nick, Alo, Rich, Mini, Grace, Matty, Franky, (Bottom Row) - Liv and newcomer Alex

Similarly to its predecessors, the first episode focuses on the drug-fuelled parties and sexual antics of the teens which is predictable and will no doubt be a recurring and prominent theme in every episode. However, as a Skins fan already knows, along with the drugs always comes havoc. Beach raving, “Gap Yah” drug-dealers, bikini wearing, kind-natured locals, an exciting car-chase, and a traumatic accident ends with shocking results and leaves one of our favourite characters hospital ridden and looking unlikely to make a recovery (well, not in the next couple of episodes at least), and another MIA. Although, I must confess, that this is not the strongest opening episode of a new Skins series, the producers usually manage to keep fans captivated by making things more thrilling and climatic as the series develops. With some new faces like Alex played by Sam Jackson, and now with the former tight-knit solidarity once displayed by the Skins crew appearing to have deteriorated; there will no doubt be some exciting and twisted stories for the viewers to get lost in.

Check out the second episode of series six on Monday 30^th on E4 at 10pm.

Haywire

A star-studded cast of Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas, Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Antonio Banderas, and real-life MMA Fighter Gina Carano (and former American Gladiator “Crush”) bring to life Steven Stoderbergh’s new action-espionage movie Haywire. If you are a fan of Stoderbergh’s other films including Oceans Eleven, Michael Clayton, and Traffic, then you will definitely enjoy Haywire, with its fairly simple, yet captivating plot.

Mallory Kane (Carano), a highly trained and sought after spy, is suddenly on the run after managing to successfully free a Chinese journalist who was held captive. Kenneth (McGregor), Mallory’s ex-lover and former employer double-crosses her and attempts by all means to have her murdered. Now the prime target of skilled assassins, Carano shines and gets the chance to demonstrate free-running stunts in breath-taking fight sequences, with extreme suspense and mystery.

In order to survive, Mallory must find out the truth.

Mallory Kane played by Gina Carano

This is a fantastic action movie to start off 2012, definitely try and catch it if you can!

New Girl

New Girl, the hotly anticipated American Sitcom, definitely lives up to expectations when it hit UK screens in January; with the (500) Days of Summer film-star and beautiful Katy Perry lookalike Zooey Deschanel as the lead role of Jess. The episode opens with Jess (pictured below), recently discovering that her boyfriend, whom she shares an apartment with, has been cheating on her, and finds three male flatmates on the internet who are desperately looking for someone to move in with them. There is a genuine real-life feel with regards to being thrown in to random flatshares, as Jess and the audience are not introduced to the new characters with long-winded in-depth background stories, but rather are forced to get to know each of them personally at face value.

Jess played by Zooey Deschanel

Deschanel shines in a quirky and weird-yet-wonderful role which allows the audience to fall for the lovable and, at times, misunderstood Jess. The pilot episode of the new series definitely gives a hint of how the new flatmates, along with Jess, will journey through an abundance of highs and lows which will test their new found friendship.

New Girl is a hilarious and easy-watching show which is fits perfectly for a Friday night sitcom.

This is England 88

Television in December often includes adaptations of classic Victorian Literature, dramatic storylines in popular soaps, and of course the favourite Christmas-y films that we have all seen many times and nevertheless still love. However, director Shane Meadows goes against the stereotypical seasonal television and gives viewers some of the most captivating and harrowing scenes to end the year, with the third instalment of his franchise set two years after his character Lol (pictured below) has an affair with her fiancé, Woody’s, best friend Milky, and then murders her serial rapist father. Yes, it can only mean one thing, Meadows has done it again, it’s This is England 88.

Lol played by Vicky McClure

The opening of the show instantly puts you smack in the context of England in 1988, similarly to the prior series and film before it, there is a montage of archive footage which gives just enough period detail to let the plot unwind. As like the shows predecessors, a lot of focus is paid to the trials and tribulations of growing up. We see how Gadget, Kelly, and the like are still together, but there is a huge absence due to other circumstances of Lol, played by Vicky McClure, Woody, played by Joseph Gilgun, and Shaun (pictured below), played by Thomas Turgoose, which enable these actors to give some of the most mesmerising television performances of the year. There is an instant element of heartache where each of these characters appears on the brink; now raven-haired Lol with the constant haunting of her murdered Father, loveable Woody who is struggling with his immersion in the 80’s new wave of middle-classes including a new “posh” girlfriend, a potential promotion at work, and suffocating parents, and finally Shaun who has enrolled at drama school and bored with his relationship with Smell, played by Rosamund Hanson, risks everything for a fumble with his middle-class co-lead in the school play.

Shaun played by Thomas Turgoose

The climax of the show occurs after continuous mental torment for Lol from her deceased unsettling Father, and in these final chilling and torturous moments there is some of the most haunting scenes that have been on British Television in 2011. However, there are some light-hearted moments which also enforce Meadows’ fantastic use of realism by creating the unique dynamic of friendship which is hard to succeed in doing on television.

With a final hug which sees reunited two of our favourite characters from the franchise, it feels like everything is finally going to be okay. But, then again, This is England, is never going to be that simple and we can only hope that sure enough there will be another few episodes which will divulge more into the lives of our favourite “youths” of 1985.

Woody played by Joseph Gilgun and Lol (McClure)