‘Because if it didn’t end, it was forever.’

Ethereal, that’s the word that comes to mind when I think of Cassie. Not just in terms of her physical appearance, but her entire mannerism. There’s always been something other-worldly about Cassie that one either loved, or got annoyed by. Mostly loved. Now, Skins Pure part one, from the trailers looked a lot more sinister than what it turned out to be. It wouldn’t be too farfetched for Skins to have gone either way, really. Having already covered a psychotic therapist and even an actual crazy stalker type main character in series four and two, respectively, it’s safe to say that Skins could very well have chosen to go dark with Pure. However I’m glad it didn’t, we’ve seen Cassie go from airy-fairy to dark and scary before and this new Cassie was a breath of fresh air.

With Cassie’s episodes and storylines in the past we’ve always had a touch of the surreal, for instance text messages from no one telling her to eat, usually attributed to her fragile state of mind. It seems that time has changed Cassie in ways that can only be understood by remembering the character she was before now. If we have a look at the focus of Skins Fire we should note that where Effy had control over her own agency, even when she started to go mad in earlier series, Cassie always seemed to me to be someone who was influenced so much by those around her. So much so that the only time she felt powerful was when she harmed herself in the form of anorexia.

I stopped eating, and then everyone had to do what I said. That was powerful. I think it was the happiest time of my life. But I had to stop before I died, because… otherwise it wasn’t fun.

Cassie now is a stark contrast to the Cassie of series one and two, I’ve seen a few ‘where’s Cassie’s iconic ‘oh WOW’ and ‘lovely’? Makes me wonder what exactly about ‘Time Changes Everything‘ they don’t understand. Cassie’s grown since those years when she always seemed ready to either run or harm herself at the first sign of trouble. Don’t get me wrong, there are still traces of that old Cassie present, she will always be slightly unearthly, and a bit disconnected with the goings on around her, however she’s not one to run anymore.

She’s been back in London for about two months, working as a waitress at a diner and we find out that since the last time we’ve seen Cassie her mother’s passed away and it’s sent her dad into his own funk, judging by the telephone conversations she has with him. She goes about her life quietly and calmly, not knowing that she is being photographed by someone and the photos being uploaded anonymously for the world to see. Although the photographs are rather beautiful, the idea of not knowing that someone’s taking photos of you, without your knowledge let alone your consent is a little disconcerting. It’s brought to her attention by a random customer of the diner who seems to be in love with the pictures, promising to keep Cassie’s ‘secret’ before stating she wished she looked like Cassie and leaving Cassie to her thoughts once more.

Cassie’s reaction is to seek the stalker out, she discovers that it’s Jakob (Olly Alexander) from the diner where she works, a weedy almost pathetic fella. When she beats the crap out of him and shouts ‘Don’t speak to me! What do you do, do you want!?’ It’s a throwback to earlier heavy use of slapstick humour in the show. After Cassie takes his very expensive camera and leaves, thinking it over a bit she meets him again at the end of the episode. Jakob pleads with her, saying he ‘just takes pictures’ and that it’s the only thing he can do before telling her that all it is is pure. You wind up believing him and so does Cassie. Part one ends with Cassie agreeing to let Jakob photograph her, because it’s him, her and a camera and the audience sees what they want them to see.

Special Mentions:

- Yes I, too, believe that the boy she mentions traveling with before she left was Sid. It was the writers’ way of saying ‘yes she found him’ and ‘they were together for a bit’ but this is Skins and together forever just isn’t done.

- Yaniv (Daniel Ben Zenou) seems like the kind of dude that doesn’t mess around when it comes to something or someone that he wants or likes. So Cassie screwing him and then saying she just didn’t want to be alone and subsequently ignoring him, doesn’t sit well with Yaniv at all. Especially when Cassie can’t explain what it is that she’s ‘waiting for’.

- That girl with the room near Cassie, she gives some interesting life advice. I like that she’s upfront with how it is she earns a living what with being an actress. It’s nice of her to listen to Cassie’s problems, even if she cuts it short because she’s about to have sexy-time with men.

- Something’s coming. Magic. Cassie did say she was waiting.