Like a recurrent bout of dysentery, BBC America’s teen soap opera Skins is the gift that keeps on giving. The September 17^th episode (Thursdays, 9:00 p.m. ET) of the sex-slathered drug-addict drama continued its efforts to portray teenage life as crushingly depressing, obsessed with meaningless, emotion- and consequence-free sex, and manageable only through the ingestion of massive quantities of controlled substances.

The episode in question focused on J.J., an anxiety-ridden autistic teen prone to rage-filled outbursts caused by social dysfunction disease.  Even J.J.’s friend Cook compassionately refers to J.J. as “my own little fruitbat” and “a [muted ‘t**’]  who's not going to try and finger [my] p**** candy.” During a conversation with Emily, J.J. discovers that she too has difficulty asserting herself emotionally. In an ordinary drama, this discovery would lead to a meaningful discussion and perhaps even a friendship between the two. But on Skins, it leads to sex, sex and more sex. Here are the show’s actual conversations between J.J. and Emily:

J.J. bumps into Emily outside the doctor's office. Emily is trying to be more honest with people, so she tells immediately tells J.J.:

Emily: “I want to have sex with girls…Yeah, I like girls. I like sex with girls. I like their rosy lips, their hard nipples, bums, soft eyes. I like [muted ‘t***’] and fanny.”

Later, J.J. and Emily talk while sitting in a park:

Emily: “If you were normal, what would you do?”

J.J.: “I'd lose my virginity first, several times….Then I'd tell Effy I love her and lose my virginity a few more times.”

Emily asks J.J. if he really loves Effy. J.J. reacts with extreme anxiety. To calm him down, Emily lifts her shirt and shows J.J. her breasts, then tells him he needs to ask for what he wants.

J.J.: “Could I see your breasts again?”

Of course, Emily and J.J. are not the only characters involved with sex in the episode. Among other instances, J.J. and Emily burst into their friend Freddie's room, where they find Emily's twin sister Katie and Freddie having sex. Naomi asks Effy about Cook: “You're seeing him, aren't you?” Effy replies, “I'm [muted ‘f******’] him occasionally. I'm not seeing him.” And after trying to get high by taking J.J.’s anxiety medication, Cook confesses that he knows Effy loves his friend Freddie, but that he has sex with her anyway…while also having sex with Pandora. Because in the Skins universe, everyone in high school is having sex with everyone else – all while high on pot or stoned on pills (preferably both at once). Just like real life! But of course, Cook complains that nobody understands him. After being beaten bloody by club-goers, Cook sobs in self-pity:

Cook: “I'm pissed off, yeah. She's taking the piss... and it's hurting me. ‘Cause Cook needs the love too. Cookie's got nothing. Cookie's always got nothing. That's why I do her, pal. That's why I pop Panda. Panda's popped. It's always the same. Great [muted ‘t***’] Panda. Great [muted ‘t***’] Effy. That's all I get ‘cause I'm s***. I'm pure s***.”

Finally, in what passes for a happy ending on Skins, Emily takes J.J.’s virginity – all the while making clear that she is doing so only because she feels sorry for him: “This is a once only charity event, you understand?...Now, get on with it. In you pop.”

As the PTC has previously shown, Skins is of concern for many reasons: its depiction of drug use and drinking as acceptable and even normal for teens; its assumption that every teenager is having sex with every other one; and its constant, tiresome profanity. But most of all, it is the self-centered and nihilistic attitude of despair promoted by the show that may be most harmful to teenage viewers. Indeed, one scene in this episode serves as a perfect summary of the Skins philosophy:

J.J.: “If it's wrong, why are you doing it?”

Cook:  “‘Cause it's life. You gotta get in there and never [muted

 ‘f******’] stop. S***’s waiting to do be done, and if you're not going to

do it then you're a pathetic little p**** fart.”

J.J.: “What about other people?”

Cook: “[Muted ‘f***’] other people. [Muted ‘f***’] ‘em.”

This is the worldview Skins – and BBC America – is pushing on teenage viewers. For its despair-ridden portrayal, Skins is once again the Worst Cable TV Show of the Week.

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