Michelle (Skins series 1)

"Michelle" is the seventh episode of the first series of the British teen drama Skins. It was written by Bryan Elsley and directed by Minkie Spiro[1] It premiered on E4 on 8 March 2007.[2] It is told from the point of view of main character Michelle Richardson.

"Michelle"
Skins episode
Episode no.Series 1
Episode 7
Directed byMinkie Spiro
Written byBryan Elsley
Original air date8 March 2007
Guest appearance(s)

Plot

Michelle angrily watches Tony and Maxxie hang out together on the Green as if none of the events of the previous episode happened. She breaks up with Tony for not confessing to cheating on her. Jal attempts to comfort her and Maxxie attempts to apologise, but Michelle insists on being alone. Despite their huge argument, Tony is confident that Michelle will eventually forgive him.

Later, Angie attempts to avoid Chris by hiding in the broom cupboard where she finds Michelle, drunk on vodka. The two have coffee and Michelle confides in her about her woes. Chris finds them and Angie agrees to give them both a ride home. After dropping off Michelle, Angie attempts to end her affair with Chris but they end up having sex in her car. At Michelle's home, there is little sympathy for her breakup—her mother, Anna, dismisses her problems while her stepfather, Malcolm, criticizes Michelle.

At school, Tony reads aloud an essay about the role of sex in relationships, embarrassing Michelle. Angie berates him for his cruelty and Maxxie confesses to the group that Tony performed fellatio on him on the Russia trip. Jal informs Michelle about Tony's various flings with other girls during their relationship, including with Abigail Stock. Michelle picks a fight with Abigail in front of her friends, but Abigail's brother, Josh, breaks up the fight. He takes an interest in Michelle but she attempts to use Sid as a rebound instead. However, Sid realizes he cannot have sex with Michelle because he is in love with Cassie. Sid's father walks in on them in hugging on the bed together and is pleased to see that Sid is not gay.

He and Michelle go to visit Cassie at the psychiatric hospital, but he is dismayed to find out that Cassie has a new boyfriend and is now celibate. At the hospital, Michelle runs into Josh and he asks her out. Michelle happily accepts, but her happiness is short lived when she gets into another argument at home with her stepfather.

On her date with Josh, Michelle learns that he is mentally unstable and is on mood stabilisers. However, she has sex with him and excitedly makes plans to see him again. Back at home, Michelle finds Malcolm preparing to leave her mother and cynically notes that it is her mother's shortest marriage yet. Meanwhile, Tony finally realises Michelle is moving on from him and devises a plan to win her back. He meets up with Abigail and convinces her to let him take nude photos of her. He then has a friend steal Josh's mobile phone. Tony then uploads the nude photos onto it and sends the photos to Josh's contact list, including Michelle. Michelle is horrified and dumps Josh because she believes he is too crazy to date. Back at home, she finds her mother sobbing over Malcolm's desertion and comforts her.

To cheer herself up over Josh, Michelle and Jal head to the bars together where they bump into Malcolm. He admits that he is contemplating returning and Michelle encourages him to do so and offers him some advice.

At her house, Michelle bumps into Tony, who tells her he is sorry and that he loves her. He begs her to take him back and promises to change. Though she forgives him, she firmly refuses to take him back, saying she'll 'see him around'.

Acting

Main cast

Arc significance and continuity

The episode reveals some facts about Michelle's home life. Michelle and Malcolm do not get on well. She is irritated by his childish mannerisms, such as slurping milk from his breakfast cereal. He and Anna bicker often and he criticises her about her "big arse". Michelle's mother, Anna is often too busy to listen to Michelle; their relationship seems relatively good, but they argue over Anna's choice in husbands. Michelle's series two feature will focus more significantly on her relationship with her father, who is unseen in this episode.

Tony and Michelle break up in this episode, which leads to the group isolating Tony in favour of Michelle in the next episode. A number of revelations also change the series' dynamics to set up for the finale.

  • Sid realises he has fallen in love with Cassie, and out of love with Michelle.
  • Angie and Chris are now in a relationship, which Angie wishes to keep secret, but Chris wishes to be honest about it.
  • The group learn about Tony's attempt at seducing Maxxie in Russia.

Tony recites Romeo and Juilet to Michelle's window. This is later portrayed in a series 5 episode of "Grace", episode 7 when Rich serenades to grace using the line "It is the east and Juliet is the sun." which Tony uses but this time Rich climbs up to Grace's room reciting different parts of the scene in the play.

Soundtrack

References
  1. Michelle at e4.com/skins
  2. skins at imdb
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