TVSquad

The plan from the beginning was that every two years the cast of Skins would be completely overhauled (almost) to keep it fresh and young. As I started watching the second generation several weeks ago, I realized that most of these kids were so unlikable.

As it progressed, I remembered that I found the first cast almost as unlikable, and realized the pattern of Skins. The first season of each generation shows us their weaknesses. They are children who've discovered sexuality, but have no comprehension of real world consequences. They don't think about their futures or much of anything beyond the next rush.

Then, in the second season we finally get to see them transitioning into young adulthood. I think it was the jarring slap back to to the uninhibited children that threw me. But still, I needed someone in that young cast to care about. Someone to root for.

Another unique narrative device on Skins is that each episode focuses on one member of the cast. While all the storylines move forward concurrently, for that one hour we get to learn more about that individual; their home lives, dreams, aspirations, etc. This allows for a true ensemble experience, with no personality dominating the series.

So far, we've focused on Cook, who's completely without conscience, and Thomas. Thomas is incredibly likable, but also seems to have it together in a healthy, if naive way. Then, this week, the spotlight shifted to Pandora. Sweet, childlike Pandora.

Pandora, along with Effy, is the only character from the prior generation to return. She had only a bit role in the second season, where we saw her and Effy become friends. All we knew about her then was that she talked constantly and was a bit off. Thankfully, none of that has changed.

What she also represents is pure innocence, something that more representative of youth than most of the other characters. She planned a pajama party complete with brownies and Twister, and yet every single one of her friends thought that meant drugs and alcohol and boys and sex. None could fathom that it was nothing more than what it appeared on the surface.

Pandora, ironically named, represents everything they'd already lost in their rush to be grown up. When the party inevitably turned into what everyone else thought it should be, she spent the night crying in the bathroom.

But she's also having a sexual awakening of her own, having fallen desperately and youthfully in love with Thomas,who represents the other naive innocence on the show. Unfortunately, in true Skins fashion, she fell to a moment of weakness into the clutches of Cook, and I can only assume he took her virginity; to her a key and poignant moment, to him just another notch. She was wanting to learn how to have sex for Thomas, I just don't think she was intending to learn by having it.

But I have my somebody to root for, and in a way two somebodies. As the only good and truly decent people in the whole cast (maybe three if Freddie is as good as advertised so far), I can root for Pandora and Thomas to find true happiness, and maybe even love within one another's arms. Of course, they'll have to get past this Cook thing first, as I'm sure that incident will soon rear it's ugly head.