Skins: JJ: Everyone’s on the pill!

One of the big things that separates Skins from every other (American) teen show out there is their casual use and portrayal of drugs. Teen shows have always dealt with drugs but while a show like 90210 would focus on Addiction and Overdose and the General Badness of Drugs In General, Skins doesn’t judge. Characters take drugs like candy, and there’s hardly ever any consequences. In “JJ” practically everyone was on the sweet stuff.

JJ isn’t normal. We know this because he kept saying as much throughout the entire episode. His mum wishes he were normal, he hasn’t got any friends because he isn’t normal, “normal” people don’t go to therapy and he does, and there’s even a handy graph on his wall with the word NORMAL scribbled on it and then the word “unusual” next to his name. (There’s also the words “Head Butt” next to Effy’s name which should also indicate just how not normal JJ is because that’s just weird.) His room’s littered with toys, the little kids on his block tease him, and his therapist is an ass. Suffice it to say JJ’s got issues.

At therapy JJ finds Emily, who needs therapy also because... she’s a lesbian. No, she’s there to try and see if she can be more open with people. And possibly score roofies for another “rendevous” with Naomi. And she kinda sorta did! After bonding over their new STUN pills and Emily finally coming out as a lover of tits and fanny, she and JJ form a rather cute new friendship. Except for the little mishap with the explosive vomit. That wasn’t so much cute as TOTALLY GROSS. I mean what was that??

Anyhoo, after talking with Emily, JJ realizes that he’s got to be more honest about what he wants if he wants to be treated differently. And from then on out his character took on a kind of interesting role. JJ acted as a sort of vessel: through his interactions with each individual character as he went on his Quest To Get What He Wants(And Walking In On People Half Naked To Get It) we saw a glimpse into who they really are. Emily finally shared that she’s gay; Effy expressed honest interest in being someone’s friend for the first time; Cook came out with his “fuck people” (both figuratively and literally) philosophy; and Freddie proved himself to be an enormous turd.

The whole gang eventually find themselves in a club at a party thrown by Thomas (?) where Cook’s tripping on some STUN pills JJ gave him, Emily’s drunk off her ass and dancing slutty, and Effy and Naomi are united in their mission to avoid their one true loves. Cook gets beat up and in his messed up state he tells Freddie that Effy loves him. He also reveals that he’s popped Panda and Freddie has to save him once again from beat by Thomas, who overhears.

The episode ended with the virgin and the lesbian having sex.
The whole thing was kind of out of left field, but the only way I reconcile it is by remembering what JJ said in the beginning of the episode: that if he was normal he’d lose his virginity. Maybe the scene was suppose to summarize that in spite (and probably because of) all of the things that make him an unusual guy he’s actual just as normal as everyone else. But the scene still felt totally incongruous, if only because Emily is certainly not in the right frame of mind to be giving pity fucks. She just got over figuring out her sexality and is still not over her (oddly unmentioned) relationship with Naomi. A more likely candidate to have done the deed with JJ? Effy. He likes her, and she likes fucking. Not something I’d necessarily want to see, but still would’ve made more sense to me.

Other notables about the ep:
- I liked the scene in which Cook comforts JJ after he has his fit. And if I have to compare it to the hug Freddie gave JJ I gotta say Cook’s was way better (but then again I also think Freddie’s a turd, so....) Because while Freddie hugged he asked for space, and while Cook hugged he didn’t ask for anything, he just offered his love.

-“Grab my balls” sounds even funnier over loud speaker.

- I was a little disappointed with JJ’s mom and lack of dad. The previous episodes alluded to them being especially quirky folks who love to give maxims about pubic hair. I would’ve liked to see some of that!

- Katie/Freddie? Any takers? No? Didn’t think so.

- Cook’s living situation leaves me wondering. His episode unfairly left out any of his familial backstory. I’ll guess we’ll have to wait and see what’s got him living in a dorm. But it’s just another thing that makes his character very similar to Chris.

- The ep revealed that Pandora is still crawling back to Cook for some surf and turf sessions. This could mean two things: she’s either really obsessed with sex, or, she’s going the Effy route and running to Cook out of fear (what’s she got to be afraid of, you ask? Having to face Thomas after unwittingly betraying him.) One thing’s for sure though: she clearly regrets going to Cookie, no matter how many times she does it.

- New JJism: “shitification.”

- Cook has a tendency to look hot with any girl they pair him with. And he’s pretty much had his share of all of them. His dance with Emily was brief but definitely had shades of hotness. Let’s rank these pairings, shall we? From least to most hot:
Cook/naomi (school scene)
Cook/effy (nurse’s office)
Cook/emily (club dance)
Cook/pandora (twister sex)

- And finally, things we learned about British people today: They’ve all got a supply of mango juice at the ready. Who knew!

Next week, Effy! (The Bon Iver song used in the “Next Time” clip only got me more excited :D)