Skins - "Cadie" Review

“You can’t keep doing just whatever you want you know. Things can’t always work out for you.” -Cadie

I need to preface this review by stating that I will be making no more comparison’s to the British version of Skins. It’s unfair to both shows.

That being said, there’s not much to discuss about this episode of Skins. We learn that Cadie is clinically depressed and obsessive compulsive. She craves happiness so she looks for it in companionship, but her companions just seem to want her for the free drugs she can score. I was beginning to wonder if Cadie could pick up on social cues or if she was just playing dumb to Stanley when he asked for the drugs. Cadie’s home life appears to be adding to her stress and anxiety. She has beautiful mom who wants nothing more than for Cadie to just be pretty. She tells her that emotions aren’t real and feelings are batty. Her dad, a taxidermist, is a bit cooky too. I don’t like that the home life is a partial cause. Seems like it would be more interesting if she had a supportive home life and she was still this way. The current situation seems to allow Cadie an excuse and let the readers think she can be cured.

The other thing happening in this episode is that the status quo is being upset. After Tony’s hot encounter with Tea, he is beginning to obsess over her. He goes so far as to confront her and tell her of his feelings. Tea turns him down, but it didn’t appear to be cut and try as she admitted that she felt something too. Cadie sees Stan with Michelle and decides to try and sleep with Michelle’s mom’s boyfriend. Stan sees that and scolds Cadie saying that she always flips out. The interesting part is that he says he cares when she does it. It was a nice moment after he said he cared when he realized after saying it, that he actually does care.

The big issue is that I don’t feel connected to any of the characters or any of their relationships, so I don’t feel any empathy toward their plights. I’m almost rooting for the upheaval, which sounds devilish, but I think something needs to get shaken up or else the show will stagnate.