Skins (series 4)

Cook is in prison, charged with grievous bodily harm for beating up Shanky Jenkinson. He pleads not guilty and is sent to live with his mother Ruth. He bonds with his younger brother Paddy, but clashes with his mother. Cook is expelled from college for his brush with the law. He visits Naomi, who tells him they must deal with their guilt over Sophia. Cook learns that his mother slept with Freddie, but Freddie tells him she only performed oral sex. Cook argues with Ruth, leaves the house with Paddy and steals Ruth’s car, trashing it. He has a moment of insight when he sees Paddy acting like him. Cook pleads guilty at trial and is imprisoned.[4]

Katie has a job as a wedding planner. Their client is Brandy, a stereotypical WAG. Katie visits the doctor, thinking she is pregnant, only to discover she is experiencing a premature menopause and is infertile. Her family is bankrupt after her father Rob’s ill-spending. Katie goes to Brandy’s hen party, but gets into a fight, is barred, and gets her and her mother sacked. The Fitches' house is repossessed and they are forced to move in with Naomi and Emily, whose relationship is strained, even though Emily, remembering Jenna's rudeness to her, would like nothing to do with them. At a BBQ party, Emily gets drunk and high and makes out with another girl, leading Naomi to admit to the group she slept with Sophia and sold her drugs. Katie has a bath and Thomas accidentally locks them inside. They start to kiss, about to have sex, but Katie breaks down, telling Thomas about her condition. They agree to be friends. Katie consoles Emily and the Fitches move back into their now empty house, the family beginning to reunite.[5]

Freddie and Effy live a hedonistic lifestyle in the Stonem house with Anthea gone. Freddie's education suffers and when he tells Effy this, they argue and he leaves. Freddie returns to see Effy sticking newspaper cuttings about death onto the wall. He becomes worried about her psychotic behaviour. He talks to his grandfather, Norman, and becomes determined not to make the mistakes with Effy that he perceived his father made with his deceased mother. Freddie takes Effy outside in an effort to cheer her up, but she becomes frightened. On their way home, Freddie mistakenly rides their rented rickshaw into a street festival where Effy panics. Katie finds her and they take her to Norman's nursing home. He convinces Freddie that Effy needs clinical help. However, Katie then reveals that Effy has locked herself in the bathroom. Realising she is at risk of attempting suicide, Freddie breaks in to discover that Effy has slashed her wrists. When Freddie goes to see Effy in hospital, she tells him to go away. He burns the cuttings in the Stonem house, Cook suddenly appears, worried about Freddie. He puts aside his own feelings for Effy and convinces Freddie not to give up on her.[6]

JJ is in love with Lara Lloyd, a fellow employee at a confectionery shop, but lacks the courage to ask her out. Thomas gets JJ to ask her out and she accepts. Freddie sneaks Cook over to JJ's house and forces Cook to stay in JJ's room. Cook gives JJ some poor dating tips. JJ visits Lara's flat and discovers that she is a single mother with a young child. Her ex-boyfriend, Liam, walks in and threatens JJ, telling him to leave Lara and his child alone. The date goes disastrously due to several mishaps, but JJ later finds her and they have sex at Lara's. JJ returns home but his mother takes him to the clinic for more medication, and Cook is angry at JJ for leaving him for so long without food, water or access to the bathroom. JJ allows Lara to meet Naomi and Emily. Upstairs, Emily tells JJ that Lara is using him to get back at her ex. JJ snaps at Emily and makes remarks on her own relationship, reducing her to tears. JJ's mother also thinks Lara is a slut and after they discover the bathroom is locked due to Cook hiding there, Lara leaves. JJ becomes angry and beats up Liam when he sees him talking to Lara, who then calls off their relationship. JJ apologises to Liam, who tells JJ he loves his child and for JJ to look after Lara. JJ serenades Lara with a ukulele version of 'True' by Spandau Ballet, and she takes him back.[7]

Karen is worried about Freddie's whereabouts. Cook begins sleeping with an Effy lookalike while staying at Naomi and Emily's. Naomi has been accepted to Goldsmiths and spends her days partying at home, still devastated by her breakup with Emily. Mandy reveals that she's gay and in love with Emily. Thomas and Katie conspire to make Pandora jealous, but Katie soon develops feelings for him. JJ takes care of Lara's baby for her. Karen gives Cook Freddie's notebook, which hints that John Foster wants to hurt Effy. The police raid Naomi's house after Cook's one night stand tells them where he is. Cook escapes and flees to Freddie's shed, where he meets Effy. The rest of the gang meet there and throw a birthday party for Freddie in his absence. Naomi admits her love for Emily, who in turn takes her back. Cook heads outside briefly where he spots a figure observing Freddie's house and follows it, assuming it to be John Foster. Thomas and Pandora are both going to Harvard next year. Cook breaks into John's basement, where he finds Freddie's blood-stained clothes. Foster soon arrives with the baseball bat and knocks him to the ground, telling him that he is "nothing." Cook rises, laughing and admits he is a criminal and has no sense. He then tells John that he knows he killed Freddie. He suddenly attacks and swings at Foster screaming "I'm Cook!" as the episode ends, leaving the outcome unknown.[9]