Sid Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Sidney "Sid" Jenkins is a fictional character
in the television series Skins
portrayed by Mike Bailey
. In the first series, Sid is portrayed as a nice guy
stereotype, an unlucky virgin who is nervous around girls, and has low self-esteem
. Tony Stonem
(his best friend) is his role model
, whom he frequently looks up to. However, by the second series, Sid is more dependable and following Tony's accident, becomes more confident in his own skin, leading him to have sexual relationships
with both Cassie Ainsworth
and Michelle Richardson
, as well as standing up for himself more often.
's girlfriend, Michelle Richardson
, although he later realizes that his true feelings are for Cassie Ainsworth
. Manipulated by Tony, he is frequently unlucky; losing an expensive amount of weed
, getting beaten up by Jal Fazer
's brothers, getting urinated on by a dog and a homeless person. He is also at first oblivious to the machinations of his best friend who, aware of Sid's undying adoration of Michelle, exploits it for his amusement. Despite this, he seems, at least in earlier episodes, to idolise Tony, replying to the question 'Is that all you do Sid, hang around with Tony?' with 'pretty much'.
Sid's character is generally supposed to be the nice guy, in contrast to Tony's self-serving egotism. He is extremely loyal towards his friends, including Tony and Anwar Kharral
, who frequently abuse his loyalty and cause him a great deal of difficulty. Sid's nice guy attitude is quick to win the affections of Cassie, but Sid is oblivious, which leads to him hurting her feelings on numerous occasions. Sid is also very intelligent but underachieves in school because he is easily distracted. When faced with failing his coursework however, Sid is able to write an entire history dissertation in one night. His characterisation is often completed by his choice of clothes, including a bright yellow 'Mega Dog' T-shirt, which includes a button which when pressed produces a 'Mega Dog' catchphrase from a sewn on speaker.
Mike Bailey, the actor who portrays Sid, admits the character and the success of Skins has had a big effect on his life, particularly the nature of Sid, who is widely considered to be the audience's favourite character. In an interview with Sky
, Mike says:
It could be inferred from the meek manner in which Sid accepts the manipulation of Tony, and the anger of his Scottish father Mark, that Sid is weak, and his self-esteem is certainly low. But on the occasions when it is most needed, he shows remarkable strength of character, especially in the episode "Sid". When Sid's father fails to prevent his mother leaving, Sid explodes with anger, and although his mother never moves back in permanently, this demonstration of strength improves Sid's relationship with his father in the long run. Also, Sid goes on a 'mission of love' to profess his love to Cassie in the final episode of the first series, and later in the second series where he searches for her in New York
.
Graffiti by Sid is seen in a locker in the first episode of series three, as well as his trademark beanie and an issue of "Asian Fanny Fun".
In "Sid", Cassie asks him on a date, only for him to be grounded and cancel. When later he is offered by Tony a chance to see Michelle, he takes it. After being beaten up by chav
girls, he finds Cassie waiting at his house, upset he had stood her up. She tries to be positive, but is hurt and jealous that Michelle has his love without earning it. After Tony makes Sid believe he can have Michelle, he takes her back before his eyes, affirming his power over them both. Cassie, distraught by Sid's cancelling of their date takes an overdose
of pills combined with vodka, and ends up in hospital, accompanied by Jal Fazer, who places the blame squarely with Sid.
In "Maxxie and Anwar
", he helps Anwar liberate a girl from what they believe to be her abusive father, although he turns out to be her husband. He also sees a picture of Cassie drawn by Maxxie Oliver
, remarking on how beautiful he has made her look. "Michelle" is the episode where Sid realises he really wants Cassie. After a rebounding Michelle attempts to have sex with him, he realises that his love for her is at a level where she can only be his friend. They then both go to find Cassie at her rehab clinic, to tell her. After Sid confesses he likes her, she reveals her new boyfriend, also at the clinic.
In "Effy", Sid is dragged by Tony to help him find his missing sister, Effy Stonem
. Eventually, Sid and Tony come to blows, deriding each other's perceived character flaws: Tony sees Sid as wishing to emulate him, whereas Sid sees Tony as something he would never want to become. Later, Sid sees Cassie, agrees to meet with her, and the two finally kiss. Their reunion is cut short by a call from Michelle, which prompts him to try to find Tony and Effy who may be in danger. After he takes Tony and Effy to the hospital, he is the one to defend Tony, who he refers to as his best friend, against his parents' accusations.
Sid spends the beginning of the first series finale wondering about Cassie and attempts to write a letter explaining how much he loves her. Sid hurriedly dresses in mismatching clothes and rushes to Cassie's rehab clinic, just after she leaves in a taxi. In the clinic, the nurse locks Sid in a padded room, deducing that Sid needs their help. Tony comes to his aid and Sid is released from the clinic and the two then look for Cassie. At the end of the episode, it's revealed after Sid left Anwar's party he was meeting with Cassie, who is sitting on a bench overlooking Bristol
. He sits besides her, where they then hold hands.
Sid also struggles with not being able to see Cassie. Sid reveals that he lost his virginity to Cassie before she moved to Scotland, but there is a lack of contact between them which Sid resents.
In "Sid", he misinterprets Cassie's closeness with her gay Scottish friend and angrily accuses her of cheating on him, later destroying the laptop he used to communicate with her. In the same episode, a family visit proves too much for Sid's dad to take and he dies, his body discovered by Sid the next morning. Still in shock, Sid goes to school as usual, but finally breaks down in front of Tony while at a concert. The two end up going back to Sid's house together to deal with the situation, which seems to patch up their damaged friendship. At the end of the episode, Sid is seen on a train, presumably headed to Scotland to see Cassie. At the same time, Cassie is seen taking a train in the opposite direction, presumably to visit Sid in Bristol.
In "Michelle", a grieving Sid ends up having sex with his longstanding crush Michelle - who has also given up on Tony - while on a camping trip. Sid and Michelle are soon caught kissing in Sid's bedroom by Cassie, who had returned from Scotland to see Sid.
In "Chris", Cassie angrily confront Sid and Michelle in front of their friends after running into the couple at a club. This also exposes Sid and Michelle's new relationship to Tony, who seems hurt by it. Sid attempts to explain things, but Cassie slaps him, telling him that he can't do whatever he wants even though his father is dead.
In "Tony", Sid goes with Michelle to try to make amends with Tony, but it proves difficult as Tony is hiding under his bed. After coming back from the university interview, Tony finds Sid and Michelle having sex in the toilets of a club, where he tells them he loves them both, and even kisses Sid, saying he loves him even though he's a "useless fucker". Tony also tells Sid that he neither loves nor belongs with Michelle, he belongs with Cassie.
In "Effy", Sid has to do Effy's art coursework in exchange for her "Sorting Out his Fucking Soap Opera". When he finishes, after describing his emotion as "Hopeless" in her CW, sees pictures of Cassie kissing another boy, which Effy had taken and attached to him. Horrified, Sid goes to Cassie's house and finally confronts her. The two reconcile.
In the series two finale, Sid is told by Chris's dad that the gang can not attend the funeral so he and Tony steal Chris's coffin. They return it when Jal and Michelle demand that they do so. Sid is forgiven by Tony and given a ticket to New York to find Cassie. Tony hugs him and tells him to lose the hat as it "makes you look retarded" and that he always "loved him [Sid] best". He arrives in New York with a photograph of Cassie and eventually walks past the restaurant where she is working. He is turning his head to face the window where he will undoubtedly see her standing when the episode ends.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the television series Skins
Skins (TV series)
Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
portrayed by Mike Bailey
Mike Bailey (actor)
Michael James Bailey is an English actor and singer from Bristol, best known for playing the role of Sid Jenkins in the first two series of the British teen drama Skins.-Career:...
. In the first series, Sid is portrayed as a nice guy
Nice guy
Nice guy is a term in the general public discourse and in popular culture describing an adult or teenage male with friendly yet unassertive personality traits in the context of a relationship with a woman. A typical nice guy is perceived to put the needs of others before his own, avoids...
stereotype, an unlucky virgin who is nervous around girls, and has low self-esteem
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
. Tony Stonem
Tony Stonem
Anthony "Tony" Stonem is a fictional character from the British television series Skins. Portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, the character was created by Bryan Elsley; Tony was the series' central character in its first and second series, from 2007-2008...
(his best friend) is his role model
Role model
The term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...
, whom he frequently looks up to. However, by the second series, Sid is more dependable and following Tony's accident, becomes more confident in his own skin, leading him to have sexual relationships
Intimate relationship
An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy is characterized by romantic or passionate love and attachment, or sexual activity. The term is also sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual...
with both Cassie Ainsworth
Cassie Ainsworth
Cassandra "Cassie" Ainsworth is a fictional character in the television series Skins who is portrayed by Hannah Murray.-Characterization and creation:...
and Michelle Richardson
Michelle Richardson
Michelle 'Chelle' Richardson is a fictional character in the television series Skins played by April Pearson.-Characterisation:Michelle is portrayed initially as primarily interested in serving her boyfriend Tony Stonem's needs and in "looking shaggable" which she places as her primary function,...
, as well as standing up for himself more often.
Characterization
Sid is initially portrayed as a virgin who has a crush on his best friend Tony StonemTony Stonem
Anthony "Tony" Stonem is a fictional character from the British television series Skins. Portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, the character was created by Bryan Elsley; Tony was the series' central character in its first and second series, from 2007-2008...
's girlfriend, Michelle Richardson
Michelle Richardson
Michelle 'Chelle' Richardson is a fictional character in the television series Skins played by April Pearson.-Characterisation:Michelle is portrayed initially as primarily interested in serving her boyfriend Tony Stonem's needs and in "looking shaggable" which she places as her primary function,...
, although he later realizes that his true feelings are for Cassie Ainsworth
Cassie Ainsworth
Cassandra "Cassie" Ainsworth is a fictional character in the television series Skins who is portrayed by Hannah Murray.-Characterization and creation:...
. Manipulated by Tony, he is frequently unlucky; losing an expensive amount of weed
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
, getting beaten up by Jal Fazer
Jal Fazer
Jalander "Jal" Fazer is a fictional character in the television series Skins portrayed by Larissa Wilson.-Characterization:Jal is described by the official Skins website as "super bright and the most talented young clarinet player in the country"...
's brothers, getting urinated on by a dog and a homeless person. He is also at first oblivious to the machinations of his best friend who, aware of Sid's undying adoration of Michelle, exploits it for his amusement. Despite this, he seems, at least in earlier episodes, to idolise Tony, replying to the question 'Is that all you do Sid, hang around with Tony?' with 'pretty much'.
Sid's character is generally supposed to be the nice guy, in contrast to Tony's self-serving egotism. He is extremely loyal towards his friends, including Tony and Anwar Kharral
Anwar Kharral
Anwar Kharral is a fictional character in the television series Skins portrayed by Dev Patel.-Characterization:Anwar is portrayed as a young pick and choose Muslim, Pakistani boy, meaning he chooses which parts of his religion he will practice when convenient and which parts he will not when it is...
, who frequently abuse his loyalty and cause him a great deal of difficulty. Sid's nice guy attitude is quick to win the affections of Cassie, but Sid is oblivious, which leads to him hurting her feelings on numerous occasions. Sid is also very intelligent but underachieves in school because he is easily distracted. When faced with failing his coursework however, Sid is able to write an entire history dissertation in one night. His characterisation is often completed by his choice of clothes, including a bright yellow 'Mega Dog' T-shirt, which includes a button which when pressed produces a 'Mega Dog' catchphrase from a sewn on speaker.
Mike Bailey, the actor who portrays Sid, admits the character and the success of Skins has had a big effect on his life, particularly the nature of Sid, who is widely considered to be the audience's favourite character. In an interview with Sky
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
, Mike says:
It could be inferred from the meek manner in which Sid accepts the manipulation of Tony, and the anger of his Scottish father Mark, that Sid is weak, and his self-esteem is certainly low. But on the occasions when it is most needed, he shows remarkable strength of character, especially in the episode "Sid". When Sid's father fails to prevent his mother leaving, Sid explodes with anger, and although his mother never moves back in permanently, this demonstration of strength improves Sid's relationship with his father in the long run. Also, Sid goes on a 'mission of love' to profess his love to Cassie in the final episode of the first series, and later in the second series where he searches for her in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Graffiti by Sid is seen in a locker in the first episode of series three, as well as his trademark beanie and an issue of "Asian Fanny Fun".
Series 1
In "Tony" he is promised by Tony that he will lose his virginity to Cassie before he turns seventeen. He also loses the cannabis for Abigail Stock's party, putting drug dealer Madison Twatter out to find him. Sid pines for Michelle, unaware of Cassie's presence. In "Cassie", Cassie comes to think Sid loves her and is sending her messages saying to eat, but later realises it's all in her head. Madison Twatter becomes a substitute teacher at Sid's school. In "Jal", Madison corners Sid and Jal, about to beat up Sid, smashes Jal's clarinet as a warning. Jal's brothers, thinking he is the problem, beat up Sid before chasing after Madison and his associate.In "Sid", Cassie asks him on a date, only for him to be grounded and cancel. When later he is offered by Tony a chance to see Michelle, he takes it. After being beaten up by chav
Chav
A chav is a term that is used in the United Kingdom to describe a stereotype of teenagers and young adults from an underclass background.-Etymology:...
girls, he finds Cassie waiting at his house, upset he had stood her up. She tries to be positive, but is hurt and jealous that Michelle has his love without earning it. After Tony makes Sid believe he can have Michelle, he takes her back before his eyes, affirming his power over them both. Cassie, distraught by Sid's cancelling of their date takes an overdose
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
of pills combined with vodka, and ends up in hospital, accompanied by Jal Fazer, who places the blame squarely with Sid.
In "Maxxie and Anwar
Maxxie and Anwar
"Maxxie and Anwar" is the sixth episode of British television programme Skins. It was written by Simon Amstell and Ben Schiffer and was directed by Chris Clough. It aired on E4 on 1 March 2007...
", he helps Anwar liberate a girl from what they believe to be her abusive father, although he turns out to be her husband. He also sees a picture of Cassie drawn by Maxxie Oliver
Maxxie Oliver
Maxxie Oliver is a fictional character in the British television series Skins. He is portrayed by actor Mitch Hewer.-Characterisation:Maxxie is portrayed as proficient at several styles of dance, including tap dance. He is also shown as being a brilliant artist, seductive, well-liked and...
, remarking on how beautiful he has made her look. "Michelle" is the episode where Sid realises he really wants Cassie. After a rebounding Michelle attempts to have sex with him, he realises that his love for her is at a level where she can only be his friend. They then both go to find Cassie at her rehab clinic, to tell her. After Sid confesses he likes her, she reveals her new boyfriend, also at the clinic.
In "Effy", Sid is dragged by Tony to help him find his missing sister, Effy Stonem
Effy Stonem
Elizabeth "Effy" Stonem is a fictional character in the television series Skins, played by Kaya Scodelario. She is the only main character to appear in more than two series. She appears in all of the first four series...
. Eventually, Sid and Tony come to blows, deriding each other's perceived character flaws: Tony sees Sid as wishing to emulate him, whereas Sid sees Tony as something he would never want to become. Later, Sid sees Cassie, agrees to meet with her, and the two finally kiss. Their reunion is cut short by a call from Michelle, which prompts him to try to find Tony and Effy who may be in danger. After he takes Tony and Effy to the hospital, he is the one to defend Tony, who he refers to as his best friend, against his parents' accusations.
Sid spends the beginning of the first series finale wondering about Cassie and attempts to write a letter explaining how much he loves her. Sid hurriedly dresses in mismatching clothes and rushes to Cassie's rehab clinic, just after she leaves in a taxi. In the clinic, the nurse locks Sid in a padded room, deducing that Sid needs their help. Tony comes to his aid and Sid is released from the clinic and the two then look for Cassie. At the end of the episode, it's revealed after Sid left Anwar's party he was meeting with Cassie, who is sitting on a bench overlooking Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. He sits besides her, where they then hold hands.
Series 2
In the second series, Sid's relationship with Cassie deteriorates and he begins to distance himself from Tony, who has awakened from his coma and is slowly recovering from the brain damage inflicted by his accident. In "Tony and Maxxie", Sid refuses to visit Tony, who becomes frustrated by the lack of contact from his former best friend. In the "Lost Weeks", web episodes, it is revealed that Sid was the one who attended to Tony in hospital following the accident, reading entire novels out loud to a comatose Tony and even recording messages to help "wake" him up.Sid also struggles with not being able to see Cassie. Sid reveals that he lost his virginity to Cassie before she moved to Scotland, but there is a lack of contact between them which Sid resents.
In "Sid", he misinterprets Cassie's closeness with her gay Scottish friend and angrily accuses her of cheating on him, later destroying the laptop he used to communicate with her. In the same episode, a family visit proves too much for Sid's dad to take and he dies, his body discovered by Sid the next morning. Still in shock, Sid goes to school as usual, but finally breaks down in front of Tony while at a concert. The two end up going back to Sid's house together to deal with the situation, which seems to patch up their damaged friendship. At the end of the episode, Sid is seen on a train, presumably headed to Scotland to see Cassie. At the same time, Cassie is seen taking a train in the opposite direction, presumably to visit Sid in Bristol.
In "Michelle", a grieving Sid ends up having sex with his longstanding crush Michelle - who has also given up on Tony - while on a camping trip. Sid and Michelle are soon caught kissing in Sid's bedroom by Cassie, who had returned from Scotland to see Sid.
In "Chris", Cassie angrily confront Sid and Michelle in front of their friends after running into the couple at a club. This also exposes Sid and Michelle's new relationship to Tony, who seems hurt by it. Sid attempts to explain things, but Cassie slaps him, telling him that he can't do whatever he wants even though his father is dead.
In "Tony", Sid goes with Michelle to try to make amends with Tony, but it proves difficult as Tony is hiding under his bed. After coming back from the university interview, Tony finds Sid and Michelle having sex in the toilets of a club, where he tells them he loves them both, and even kisses Sid, saying he loves him even though he's a "useless fucker". Tony also tells Sid that he neither loves nor belongs with Michelle, he belongs with Cassie.
In "Effy", Sid has to do Effy's art coursework in exchange for her "Sorting Out his Fucking Soap Opera". When he finishes, after describing his emotion as "Hopeless" in her CW, sees pictures of Cassie kissing another boy, which Effy had taken and attached to him. Horrified, Sid goes to Cassie's house and finally confronts her. The two reconcile.
In the series two finale, Sid is told by Chris's dad that the gang can not attend the funeral so he and Tony steal Chris's coffin. They return it when Jal and Michelle demand that they do so. Sid is forgiven by Tony and given a ticket to New York to find Cassie. Tony hugs him and tells him to lose the hat as it "makes you look retarded" and that he always "loved him [Sid] best". He arrives in New York with a photograph of Cassie and eventually walks past the restaurant where she is working. He is turning his head to face the window where he will undoubtedly see her standing when the episode ends.
Series 3
In the first episode of series 3 JJ, Freddie and Cook opened Sid's locker, containing his beanie and the "Asian Fanny Fun" magazine as well as his name written inside, all of which are then set on fire by Cook as part of a dare concocted by Effy.External links
- Sid Jenkins on the official E4 Skins site
- Sid Jenkins on MyspaceMyspaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....