Skins (TV Series) Tony (2008) User Reviews

Bad idea, good execution

[mike_2511 · 7/10 · 17 April 2012]

This is a pretty divisive episode, what with the pseudo-dream-sequences and unconventional structure. I'm not sure how I feel about it; probably that I didn't particularly like the idea but thought the execution was fantastic.

The filmography is undoubtedly great (iconic images like Tony walking back into the club in the gauze light, showing his fear and desperation and love), and the acting by Hoult especially is excellent, and far beyond anything he achieved in the first season (where he was also pretty damn good, mind).

The bulk of the action is set on a university campus, where Tony goes for an opening day/interview, though you're left wondering how much of it is meant to be real. It's not made at all clear, so it can be taken as a fantasy sequence metaphor for Tony pulling himself together or as at face value.

The main value this episode has for me is for the interaction between Tony and Cassie, with a couple of really humorous, and touching moments. The season's overwhelming sense of melancholy pervades this episode, and it's these two characters who best encapsulate it; Tony for what he's had and lost, Cassie for the really tragic, destructive, unhappy nature of her character. The scene at the end where Tony tells her it's alright with a hug is just beautiful.

A Melancholic, Touching, Unique and Intriguing Episode - My Personal Favourite

[TheMelancholySpirit · 2 December 2019]

Skins Season Two is arguably the peak season of the entire series, what with its subtle humour, depressing and heartbreaking drama, relationship showcases and beautiful acting -- everybody does their job so well. Season Two shows us the aftermath on what has happened to series one "antagonist" Tony Stonem, Effy's older brother and the lead character of the first generation.

In his titular episode for the show's second season, Tony has a hard and stressful yet inspiring way of maintaining self control and shaping up to be a better version of his older self. The episode is, of course, pretty much almost entirely in Tony's head, a dream-state sequence. The man he meets on the train is a result of human-form walking PTSD and is a scene in which it ultimately shows the strength of the mind and confidence Tony will maintain if he pushes past his own PTSD from his accident. Tony, having changed a lot due to his accident and his subdural hematoma, isn't nearly as confident as he used to be, but with the help of a mysterious woman (who is part of his own subconscious), he regains confidence and becomes a better version of who he used to be due to being more openly compassionate, considerate and grateful. The episode's tone and mood is overall, melancholic and somewhat sad yet it has levels of high optimism throughout and ends on a positive and high note. The teacher Tony meets in the episode is a result of what Tony will or could become if he doesn't change. This is also the same man from the train, yet clean and with no scars, almost divided into a second person of the first. You could even say the entire opening scenes in the club of the episode are result of just a dream itself. But some things do, of course, happen. Though obviously the tattoo we see the woman getting, it is actually Tony who gets it. And I think the entire group of children and the two teachers who are quite strange, are also fictional. They're not there.

By interpretation, the episode is smartly done and is something different and new at that point for Skins. They redid this in Rich's episode in Season Six, and it is - in my opinion - the highlight of the third generation's episodes. Tony, in this episode, is absolutely brilliant - Nicholas Hoult does a great job. The episode doesn't have much of the others but they're still there, especially in the beginning of the episode. Towards the end, Tony confronts Sid and Michele and confesses his love for Michele and Sid alike. He then leaves the toilets where they're at and then the episodes shows how Tony has changed and has ultimately secured his own status and animus.

I wholeheartedly love the episode and think it's my personal favourite alongside Effy's episode of Season Two which follows this one. 10/10 A tragic, depressing, bleak, melancholic, uplifting, optimistic, unique, strange, interesting and all-round thoroughly enjoyable episode.

Absolutely brilliant!

[j-panagidis · 10/10 · 18 April 2021]

Loved this different approach!

The whole episode for me was an inner battle in his head, fight or flight being and animus being the key words throughout. Most of the characters were projections of his subconscious and the many aspects of his life that need balance and the ones he has lost. Brilliant idea and great execution!

quite an odd episode.

[LW-08854 · 5/10 · 28 December 2023]

The Tony episode is so weird and different it's hard to review. You've just got to see it yourself. It all centres on an open day trip he makes to a university and certain things which may or may not have happened to him while he was there. By the end though he's regained a lot of his confidence and mojo, a lot of the regular gang obviously don't feature for a lot of the episode. We see what a good brother and friend he is at the end too, taking away Effy's cigarettes and vodka from her beside, while at the start we see how good she's been at nurturing him back through his recovery. All in all quite an odd episode.

Club - Tony and Cassie's Friendship - Beth vs. Michelle

[vivianla · 27 July 2020]

Tony walks past the huge line for the club until he reaches his friends. The club is packed with dancing and music. Inside the club Cassie + Tony watch Sid + Michelle. Their friendship grows and Tony suggests them dating. Cassie describes how their date would turn out and then they would have sex. Tony says he has problems in the downstairs department.

In the washroom there is a woman next door with panties on the floor. She opens Tony's stall and she is beautiful. A dark-haired beauty with red lips in a spaghetti-strap black dress. Her makeup is very 2020.

Tony goes off to a job interview and takes the train. He meets Beth again and she pushes him into the swimming pool. She helps him float.

Beth leads him to a dorm room where two males do drugs. Tony and her are naked in their underwear sitting together on the bed. One of the males takes off his top and he has much broader shoulders and more muscles than Tony. This lures Beth and she sees his tattoos and asks for them as well.

The camera is close to Beth as she is pleasured by the pain of the needle for the tattoo.

Beth starts sex with Tony and they have very, very hot sex. One of the hottest sex scenes I have ever seen in my life.

Tony opens the door to a washroom stall in the club to find Michelle and Sid having sex.