
Show: Skins UK
TV: Cable / Network: BBC America
Character Status: Regular
Endgame: None
Orientation: Lesbian
Show Status: Over
Tropes: Dead Love Interest, Lesbian with a Man
Show: Skins UK
TV: Cable / Network: BBC America
Character Status: Regular
Endgame: None
Orientation: Lesbian
Show Status: Over
Tropes: Dead Love Interest, Lesbian with a Man
Emily was introduced in season 3 of the British teen drama. In the first assembly of the school year she exchanged glances with a disgruntled Naomi. Not much later it was revealed that the two had kissed at a party some time before. They kissed again at another party, and Naomi reciprocated using the excuse of drugs.
Eventually they escaped to the countryside and spent the night together, though the next morning Emily found Naomi trying to sneak out. That same evening Naomi came looking for Emily at her house and they talked through the door when Emily refused to open. Naomi told her she needed someone to love her, Emily reached through the catflap and they held hands.
In an episode that featured Emily meeting one of her friends at a clinic where she was seeing a counselor to be more honest about herself, she ended up sleeping with her male friend, JJ, because she felt bad for him. She also opened up to him about her homosexuality but he accidentally outed her to her sister.
When Emily later came out to her sister Katie, she responded with “No you’re not, you’re just stupid” and brushed it off. Katie confronted Naomi after Emily came out to her parents, and told her about Emily sleeping with JJ while she and Naomi were having problems; Emily found out, got into a fight with her sister at a school ball before she left with Naomi.
Season 4 opened with Naomi and Emily happy together at a party, until a girl, Sophia, ended up committing suicide shocking everyone. After the police turned up and interviewed them both, Emily became suspicious of Naomi and started to investigate. She realized that Naomi knew Sophia and suspected she cheated on her. Naomi admitted she met Sophia, who was infatuated with her, but maintained nothing happened between them.
Later, Emily, unable to understand why her mother couldn’t accept her homosexuality and her relationship with Naomi, decided to move out and move in with Naomi. When Naomi talked to other girls during a party, Emily became suspicious once again. At dawn, she met up with Sophia’s brother, and obtained Sophia’s sketchbook. Through Sophia’s drawings of her one-day affair with Naomi, Emily found out that she did cheat on her. A distraught Emily left Naomi crying and calling after her, returned home and tearfully told her father Naomi had cheated on her. After he comforted her, Emily went back to Naomi.
After her father had to declare bankruptcy and lost the house, Emily’s family moved in with them. Katie eventually made up with her twin. In the finale, Emily forgave Naomi after Naomi confessed she had been in love with her since 12 years old. Moved by the confession, they made amends and were given a happy ending as it was supposed to be the final season of Skins featuring that generation.
To conclude the series one final season was made featuring some of the characters from all generations. Emily and Naomi got two episodes depicting their lives in their early twenties.
Emily, on a lucrative internship in New York, did not appear in the first eipsode, but visited Naomi when she had time time off. Naomi was diagnosed with cancer but she didn’t want to inform Emily because she was afraid she would drop the internship, and the cancer was not yet serious. In the end, Naomi’s best friend Effy told Emily, after Naomi was rushed to the hospital when her cancer became terminal.
Emily immediately flew back but lingered outside the hospital room, unsure if she could forgive Naomi for not telling her sooner and robbing them of their time together. Effy comforted her, told her to be strong for Naomi, and Emily entered her girlfriend’s room and climbed into bed to hold her as she would inevitably pass away.
Relationship story arc with a woman: Yes
Relationship story arc with a man: Yes
Male love interest after being identified as a lesbian? Yes
Storyline during sweeps? No
[1] A relationship story arc is defined as explicit, developed on screen, and lasting more than 3 episodes. It is listed as questionable or subtext if romance is only implied, mentioned instead of shown on screen, part of a dream sequence, or otherwise not explicit for the viewer.
[2] Sweeps episodes air in February, May, July and November, the periods when advertising rates are set. A character is marked as "sweeps" when there is a very limited number of episodes that address their sexuality, all air during sweeps period, and the storyline is otherwise ignore/dropped.
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