Skins: The OG Sad Girl
If you were on Tumblr between the years 2014 - 2016, you might have come across screen caps from a show called Skins.
While Skins first aired on E4 in the UK in 2007, the controversial tv show still captivates viewers years later; but what is it about this teen drama that has made it gain a cult like following?
Skins was set in Bristol, UK in the mid to late 2000s and followed the lives of a new group of friends every two seasons; which became known as different generations (gen 1, gen 2, gen 3). The first half of each generation would focus on more lighthearted issues and occasionally touching on tough topics. While the second half would delve darker and focus on more serious issues. This let the viewers watch these characters learn and grow through hard situations. The show depicted a variety of topics such as eating disorders, depression, broken families, addiction, sexuality and self-worth. The show has notable alumni such as Dev Patel, Daniel Kaluuya, and Nicholas Hoult.
While the show was a commercial success when it first aired, it wasn’t until 2014 when it really took off. Grunge was having a major revival on Tumblr and with it came the “sad girl” aesthetic. Mental illnesses such as depression and eating disorders were being glamorized and many quotable scenes and characters from Skins fit this aesthetic at the time. Specifically Cassie Ainsworth (portrayed by Hannah Murray) and Effy Stonem (portrayed by Kaya Scodelario).
Both Cassie and Effy dealt with a mental illness in the show. Cassie battled Anorexia Nervosa while Effy developed Depression and Psychosis. While the show was progressive with talking about these topics, they also romanticized these issues. What drew people to these two characters were Cassie’s whimsical charm, Effy’s mysterious “cool girl” act and the idea that having a mental illness made you “more attractive”. In a sense they were manic pixie dream girls. Girls that were quirky or mysterious that everyone lusted after or wanted to be. This made impressionable viewers believe that if they did exactly what these characters did, they too would in a sense be a manic pixie dream girl.
In the show Cassie starves herself and attempted suicide in the first season and has seemingly recovered 100% by the second; in real life this would have a far negative impact. Effy’s plot showed her slow spiral into a depressive psychosis episode which came to a climax with a suicide attempt while the whole time two boys fought over her. As an adult this isn’t that realistic but as a young 14 year old this was deemed romantic.
As the show gained popularity on Tumblr, so did the romanticization and idolization of these characters. Soon enough people began posting black and white edits of Cassie and Effy (specifically Effy) with a depressing quote that they never said. Furthering the idea that having a mental illness is a cool, quirky thing to have.
As someone who first watched Skins as a young fourteen year old, this show will always hold a special place in my heart. Watching it as a twenty-two year old is bittersweet. I still love my favorite characters (Cassie, Chris, Jal and Effy) but some of the theatrics do seem a little far-fetched now. Love the show or hate it, but you have to admit; it’s pretty iconic. What other show has had the whole cast break out into a Cat Stevens song in their season one finale? It’s 2022 and people are still replicating Effy’s smokey eye. As the Tumblr Grunge era starts its revival, I hope the people who are just getting into it enjoy it as much as I have.
Love always,
Soha