Skins: Volume 1

Skins is an edgy Brit-teen drama which follows the lives and loves of shameless teenagers who get high, get drunk, get laid and get up for school while pushing boundaries and managing parents with the finesse only teenagers can.

Tony (Nicholas Hoult, About A Boy) is the best-looking boy in town. His sidekick Sid is less successful with the ladies, much less until bonkers anorexic case Cassie turns up. But Sid's in love with Michelle, the school hottie, who goes out with Tony of course. Then there's sassy musician Jal, party animal Chris, Maxxie and best mate Anwar, who manages to combine the pills, the thrills and the spills with his faith - well, sort of.

Watch Skins: Volume 1 video diaries here!

Episode 1 - 17-year-old Tony is smart, good-looking and very cocky. He undermines his dad (Harry Enfield) on a daily basis and effortlessly covers for his delinquent younger sister. Tony even reckons he can help his best mate Sid lose his virginity. Abigail's party seems like the perfect opportunity to get Sid laid, and make some money selling drugs - until Sid over-orders, and his prospective date Cassie overdoses.

Episode 2 - Cassie leaves the post-party carnage of Michelle's house just as her mum (Arabella Weir) arrives home. Today's appointment at the eating disorders clinic will be Cassie's last if she's put on enough weight. But while her mum and dad (Neil Morrissey) are too wrapped up in themselves to notice that she's not been eating, someone else has. Sid, meanwhile, worries that drug dealer Mad T**tter will be after him for the money he owes.

Episode 3 - Jal's dad's an urban music producer and her brothers are hip-hop wannabes, yet Jal's far from the average "ghetto girl". With the title Young Musician of the Year within her grasp, the prodigious clarinettist should be happy. But what's the point if her family doesn't care? At least she has her friends - although Sid has other things on his mind. He's in love with his best mate's girlfriend, and there's a vengeful drug dealer after him.

Episode 4 - Party animal Chris wakes up one morning to discover £1,000 in cash and a note from his mum telling him she's gone away. His immediate reaction is to blow the money on drugs and throw a massive party for his friends. And when the cash is gone, it's time to sell everything that's not nailed down and do it all over again. But Chris can't hide from the truth forever - it looks like his mum may never be coming home.

Episode 5 - Things are not looking good for Sid. He's failing at college, he can't get his best mate's girlfriend Michelle out of his head, and now his mum's walked out on his dad. On top of all that, his so-called best friend Tony takes great delight in manipulating him - and Michelle - for his own selfish purposes. Meanwhile, Sid's ignoring Cassie, the one girl who really loves him. And in her fragile state that could lead to tragedy.

Episode 6 - A school trip to Russia starts disastrously, with Sid being subjected to an intimate search by airport security. Maxxie and Anwar clash over Maxxie's homosexuality, but when Maxxie turns to Tony for advice he's in for a big surprise. Meanwhile, Angie fends of fellow teacher Tom, and instead sleeps with pupil Chris. And Anwar loses his virginity, but risks death in the process.

Episode 7 - Michelle's had enough - of her lying, cheating boyfriend, of her mum's latest idiot husband, of men! Well, until Abigail's handsome, charming brother Josh arrives on the scene. A jealous Tony is determined to sabotage the new relationship. But will Michelle take him back? Meanwhile, Sid's finally seen the light. He's in love with Cassie. Too late, she's now seeing Simon, who she met in hospital.

Episode 8 - Tony's actions finally come back to haunt him when 14-year-old sister Effy is drugged and kidnapped by Abigail's brother Josh. He's intent on revenge after discovering it was Tony who circulated naked photos of Abigail from Josh's phone. Determined that the punishment fit the crime - and then some - Josh demands a horrendous retaliation. Sid heads off on a rescue mission but it means abandoning Cassie yet again.

Episode 9 - Sid's pulled himself together and is ready to tell Cassie how he feels about her - but his attempts land him in a padded cell. Tony's also in the mood to make up, but is Michelle? Chris gets a painful introduction to Angie's - seemingly gay - fiancé, and Anwar and Maxxie have some issues to confront too. As they converge on Anwar's birthday party, a shocking and tragic event occurs, before a musical, and ultimately uplifting, finale.

Written by Bryan Elsley, Jamie Brittain, Jack Thorne
Directed by Adam Smith, Simon Massey, Pay Gay, Minkie Spiro, Harry Enfield, Charles Martin, Aysha Rafaele
Produced by Chris Clough
Executive Produced by Bryan Elsley, George Faber, Charles Pattinson
Original Music by Fat Segal
Cinematography by Nick Dance, Steve Lawes
Film Editing by James Hughes
Costume Design by Harriet Barsby, Edward K. Gibbon

Episode 2 of Skins is named as one of Entertainment Weekly's favorite episodes of the year (2008). "Cassie's struggles with anorexia could have made for a preachy, melodramatic mess. Instead, it was a refreshingly original take on misfit angst." - Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly