Skins Recap: Season 4, Episode 3 (Cook)

***WARNING: This post may contain spoilers.***

For those of you who don’t know Cook, you’re missing out.

Possibly the best character of the 2nd generation of Skins, and this episode was dedicated entirely to him.

At the start of the episode, we see him in a prison cell after attacking a randomer at the party from last week. After repeatedly being told to plead guilty, he does the complete opposite in true Cookie fashion and pleads not guilty. (Even though we all know, and the judge knows, that he did it.) As a result of his plea, he is fitted with an electronic tag, which means he has to stay home between 7pm and 7am.

Of course, Cook doesn’t have a house. So where will he stay? The policewoman says that he will be staying at his Mother’s house. After initially being annoyed by this – he and his Mother don’t have the best of relationships – he finds out that his Mother is in fact a successful artist and is pretty much minted. (This means ‘ridiculously rich’, if you’re not from the UK and were wondering.)

The next day, Cook takes his little brother Paddy to school. A private school, obviously. Paddy tells his big bro that some of the boys there are bullying him, and Cook scares them into not doing it again.

After safely seeing his brother off to school, Cook returns to Roundview, where we also see the rest of the gang. He asks all of them (except for Freddie and Effy, obviously) if they want to skip college and come out for a drink. JJ is still annoyed about the fact that Cook hit him and Pandora is on JJ’s side. Naomi and Emily obviously have troubles of their own to deal with, so they decline Cook’s offer too.

As if on cue, the poncy arsehole that is Professor Blood comes out of nowhere and explains to Cookie that he has been expelled. Spraying pepper spray in his eyes, Blood calls security to remove him from the building.

On his way out, Cook sees a small remembrance area for the dead girl, Sophia. Is that a hint of apology I see in Cook’s eyes?

Desperate to talk to someone, he visits Naomi’s house, where he meets her as she takes out her rubbish. Naomi tells Cook about the affair she had with Sophia and how shit she now feels. She also explains to Cook that they can talk about Sophia; that she killed herself and they didn’t kill her. Cook denies feeling guilty and staggers away, as Naomi shouts ‘DEAL WITH IT!’

Cook re-visits his lawyer, who basically tells him to grow up. Cook tells Duncan that he’s shit, and storms off like a child. Maybe he does need to grow up a bit…

Bored, Cook visits his Mother at her art gallery. After seeing Freddie’s name on his Mother’s artwork (which is titled: ‘ALL MY COCKS’) Cook asks her if it’s true. She replies ‘Jimmy, art is always true.’ Fair enough. On his way out, Cook trips on the cable for one of his Mum’s pieces, which destroys it and apparently loses her £90,000. She insists that he did it on purpose and Cook proceeds to leave the gallery, vomitting once he is outside. But did he vomit because of the artwork he just ruined? Or is Cookie facing the physical effects of guilt?

Panicking, Cook goes to Shanky’s house (the guy who he hit.) He tries to tell him that he is sorry for what he did, and if he could put in a good word for him in the court. Apparently this was the wrong this to say – Shanky is having none of it and tells him he hopes he gets ‘fucked up the arse in the shower’. Pleasant.

Returning home, Cook is surprised to see Freddie there. His Mother is obviously pissed, and she passes out on the floor.

The pair go upstairs, where Freddie admits that Cook’s Mum gave him a blow job on his 15th birthday. Cook admits in return that he let Freddie have the only girl he ever loved. He gets extremely angry, and Freddie can’t do anything but say sorry. Cook understands that sorry really is the hardest word sometimes. (Props to Elton John for that lyric!) Freddie tells Cook that he and JJ really do love him and all he needs to do is stop.

After Freddie leaves, Cook’s little brother returns home after being escorted by the police. Apparently, Paddy wanted nothing more than to be like his big brother and did a bunch of things that Cook would do. One of these things being that he stole bras from Marks and Spencers. Their Mother flips and Cook steals her Rolls Royce, taking his brother with him.

After teaching Paddy to drive recklessly, Cook smashes up the car and gives his brother a bit of weed. However, Cook sees that he has had an impact on his brother, which freaks him out a bit. So they head over to Naomi’s.

They let Little Cook sleep on the sofa and Cook and Naomi go outside to talk about things. After Naomi tells Cook about how much she admires him because he just lives in the moment, they kiss. Naomily fans need not panic – the kiss is short-lived. They stop kissing and Cook exclaims, cheekily “Jesus, I’m never gonna get to bone you, am I?” Naomi replies “Nope, I love someone.” At which Cook can only say “you and me both, girl.” Aww.

Cook goes back to his lawyer and begins to tell all. Duncan tells his to grow up. Again. And Cook realizes what he needs to do.

Turning over a new leaf, sort of, Cook lies to the police and tells them that he sold the MDMA to Sophia, sparing Naomi from getting the blame. Effy visits him in prison to explain that she loves Freddie. Cook takes it surprisingly well and she leaves.

The last time we see him, Cook has pleaded guilty in court. Effy, Freddie and JJ are there waiting for him. Effy catches Cook’s eye and she nods. I’m guessing this means she understands what’s been said.

Cook is in prison. Let’s hope not for long, because he’s turning out to be one of the most multi-dimensional characters out of the lot.

Next week: It’s Katie’s episode. Spoilers for next week suggest that some sexy times go down between her and Thomas and that she’s having a lot of trouble at home without Emily. Seems she gets into a couple of fights too, but how will she cope without her sister by her side?