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Protagonists

Tony Stonem

Anthony "Tony" Stonem

Played By: Nicholas Hoult
Centric Episodes: "Tony" (series 1), "Tony and Maxxie", "Tony" (series 2)

The Ace: Tony is athletic, charming, brilliant, a great singer, and attractive to boot. Maxxie even lampshades it when they have their encounter while in Russia, and Tony is terrible at giving head:
"Wow, we've finally found something you're not good at."

Ambiguously Bi: It's never made clear whether his dalliance with Maxxie is just an experiment or if he's actually bisexual. Michelle's comment below only came after the fact.
The Atoner: In Season 2, he only has Maxxie and Effy on his side, as he's alienated all of his friends. He spends most of the season proving that he's changed.
Big Brother Instinct: He will be a dick to anybody else, but he will look after Effy.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Mainly to adults: he can charm his way with most of them. Only a few adults and his friends know that it's all just an act.
Break the Haughty: In late Season 1. First his friends become fed up with his behavior, then Josh hits him where it hurts literally and figuratively, and finally the bus finishes the job.

Character Development: His accident at the end of series 1 means Tony starts the next series in a more vulnerable place, showing some hidden depths to him.
Depraved Bisexual: He is at least bi-curious and definitely depraved. The problem with his encounter with Maxxie isn't seen as bad because the latter is a boy; it's bad because Tony has a girlfriend at the time and because he objectifies Maxxie into a to-go gay for experiments.
Did Not Get the Girl: It's heavily implied that Tony and Michelle's break up is permanent as they are going to different universities.
Experimented in College: During the trip to Russia, he has a liaison with Maxxie.
For the Evulz: Apparently Tony messes with others' lives and emotions because he can't think of a better entertainment.
Mr. Fanservice: The show definitely makes it known that Nick Hoult has a magnificent body.
Even the Guys Want Him: Subverted in that when Tony actually gets round to sleeping with Maxxie, it turns out that some guys don't want him after all.
The Friend Nobody Likes: In Season 1. When he alienates Sid and Michelle, turns out that nobody else was that big a fan of him.
Genius Book Club: The books he reads are often thematically related to what happens in the episode; for instance, he reads Nietzsche in Sid's series 1 episode, which features Tony at his most Übermenschian, and he's reading *Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit*, about a girl coming to terms with being a lesbian, in the episode where he experiments with Maxxie.
Heel–Face Turn: Almost resulted in Redemption Equals Death in the Season 1 finale, but he recovered.
Heel Realization: At the end of the first season, he realizes how much of a bastard he's been and tries to make up for it, only to get hit by a truck.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: Has this dynamic with Sid. Tony kisses Sid once on the lips and once on the forehead, they sleep naked or mostly naked in the same bed, and Tony cries when he's sending Sid off to New York to find Cassie.
Innocently Insensitive: In Season 1. He honestly believes that his messing with others' lives makes them interesting and is mildly surprised that his victims don't share this opinion.
Insufferable Genius: With one exception; see Small Name, Big Ego below.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Eventually, he becomes a sweetheart under a mask of dickishness, as opposed to just being a complete dick with no sweet side.
Lack of Empathy: A major part of his character in series 1; in the following series, his character development is about him breaking out of this.
Laser-Guided Karma: Josh orchestrates this for Tony. After Tony breaks up Josh and Michelle by stealing his phone and filling it with porn of his sister, then sending it to Chelle, Josh lures out Tony's sister, drugs her up, and refuses to call an ambulance unless Tony fucks her right there and then. After beating the hell out of Tony and making him beg, though, Josh ends the “lesson” and lets them go.
Look Both Ways: How he gets hit by a bus at the end of series 1, though he gets better.
Killed Mid-Sentence: He's almost killed by a bus in the finale of Season 1.
Manipulative Bastard: No matter what, he always, always maintains control of a situation. Except when he doesn't, which usually means something has gone terribly wrong.
The Masochism Tango: With Michelle. The two constantly hurt one another, but they always seem to gravitate towards one another time and again.
Morality Pet: Effy is his. She's more than once pondered to be the only person Tony truly cares about, and she in turn has Big Brother Worship for Tony. After Tony's actions endanger Effy, and Effy herself expresses disapproval with the way he treated Michelle, Tony beings taking steps to make things right.
Nietzsche Wannabe: Lampshaded in Sid's Season 1 episode, where Tony is actually seen reading Thus Spake Zarathustra.
Really Gets Around: Jal recites an impressive list of Tony's conquests at one point, and it probably isn't complete.
Small Name, Big Ego: Mostly averted, as Tony truly is an Insufferable Genius, but it is implied that his sexual prowess is not what he believes it to be. According to Maxxie, giving head is the "one thing [Tony's] not actually good at," and in Season 2 Michelle says that Sid is the first person to make her come, meaning that Tony never has. So while he may be good at getting people into his bed, he's apparently not so great at satisfying them once they're there.
Smug Snake: In the first season Tony seems to be convinced that his charm, intelligence and perceived superiority over his friends guarantee that he can get away with being an ass. They don't, and by the end of the season he manages to have alienated every single one of them - either personally or they choose to side with Sid and/or Michelle over him.

Tall, Dark, and Handsome: His looks definitely play to his advantage.
Took a Level in Kindness: From a borderline sociopath to a genuinely good person who actually cares about his friends beyond using them for amusement.
Toxic Friend Influence: Sid in particular does some stupid things because of Tony. Then again, Tony (at first) just doesn't care about others' well-being.

Villain Protagonist: Initially; Season 1 paints Tony as a complete and utter jackass who only treats other people like garbage for his own fun. Season 2 brings him down a peg.

Michelle Richardson

Played by: April Pearson
Centric episodes: "Michelle" (series 1), "Michelle" (series 2)

Better as Friends: While she and Sid do try to date, they realize they're not compatible romantically and end up as friends, and probably closer than they were before they got involved.
Beware the Nice Ones: She's generally rather gentle and nice to most everyone, but she has a pretty silver tongue that she's unafraid to unleash on those who get on her bad side.
- This is particularly true when Michelle beats up Tony for cheating on her with Maxxie and not telling her.
Did Not Get The Guy: By series 2 she concludes that she and Sid are Better as Friends and it's heavily implied that she won't get back together with Tony because they are going to different universities.
Ditzy Genius: Though she's easily dismissed by many of the characters - and even by herself - as a vapid pretty girl, Michelle is actually a pretty good student, especially when it comes to languages. In the generation finale, this is solidified by Michelle tieing with Tony for the best A-level grades in their group of friends, surpassing even Jal.
Embarrassing Nickname: "Nips," Tony's less-than-flattering nickname for her.
Heroic BSoD: When Tony gets hit by a bus at the end of Season 1.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Jal. They've been pals since 4th grade and are each other's support system.
Insecure Love Interest: Takes great pride in dating Tony, because "he could have anyone" but chooses to be with her; and that's validating in itself apparently.
Lovable Alpha Bitch: Michelle both Tony's girlfriend and female counterpart. Though she can be snippy and self-absorbed, she's very genuine and pleasant to people.
Nice Girl: Is generally pleasant to be around, and is even best friends with the Black and Nerdy Jal.
Parental Neglect: Her mom is constantly blowing her off and ignoring her problems because she's distracted by her boyfriends.
Romantic False Lead: Sid has a crush on Michelle and there's a lot of buildup to the idea that he would be a better boyfriend for her, culminating in their affair in series 2. But they turn out to be better with other people.
The Masochism Tango: With Tony, who invokes this trope deliberately because it amuses him.

Sid Jenkins

Sidney "Sid" Jenkins

Played by: Mike Bailey
Centric episodes: "Sid" (series 1), "Sid" (series 2)

Antihero: Of the Classical Anti-Hero variety.
Big Eater: More than one scene has Sid eating a huge plate of food. Tony even lampshades his lifestyle as consisting of "no exercise, too much caffeine, and shit food."
Butt-Monkey: The kid cannot just catch a break, whether it involves his love life, his family life, or his academic life.

Fun T-Shirt: He has one with a talking dog on it, that tends to go off at inappropriate times.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Tony. Tony kisses Sid once on the lips and once on the forehead, they sleep naked or mostly naked in the same bed, and Tony cries when he's sending Sid off to New York to find Cassie.
Love Hurts: Much of his relationship with Cassie is about this.
Modesty Bedsheet: Sleeps naked.
Nature Abhors a Virgin: He doesn't stay one.

Not a Morning Person: As demonstrated in the first episode, when Tony has to call Sid's father and lie about a non-existent exam to get Sid to get up.
"I'm shit in the mornings."

Romantic False Lead: Sid has a crush on Michelle and there's a lot of buildup to the idea that he would be a better boyfriend for her, culminating in their affair in series 2. But it mostly serves to remind Sid that the person he really loves is Cassie.

Theme Naming: Sid's father's side of the family are all variants of Alexander (Alex, Sandy, Lex and Ally). Sid spots that his he and his father (Mark) are the Odd Names Out, marking them for black sheep and outcast status.

The Un-Favourite: Despite the fact that he hasn't got any siblings Sid is constantly overshadowed by Tony. Mr. Jenkins' voice becomes completely different when he's talking to Tony, as opposed to yelling at Sid. And in his Season 2 episode, Sid and his dad are both unfavorites, to his uncle and cousins.
Virgin-Shaming: Plot of the very first episode.
Tony: It's embarrassing.
Sid: It's common and quite normal for someone of sixteen—
Tony: —No. It's embarrassing, Sid.
Sid: ...Shit.

Cassie Ainsworth

Cassandra "Cassie" Ainsworth

Played by: Hannah Murray
Centric episodes: "Cassie" (series 1), "Cassie" (series 2), "Pure" (series 7)

Ambiguously Bi: During her period of promiscuity after her split from Sid in Series 2, we see her sleep with a woman as well as a man. It's not clear if she's actually attracted to everyone she's sleeping with or if she's just trying to spite Sid, though.
Beneath the Mask: Her boundless energy and outward kindness is shown to hide a deeply flawed psyche, filled with self-loathing and anger.
Cassie: Do you know what hurts the most about a broken heart? Not being able to remember how you felt before. Try and keep that feeling. Because, it goes... you'll never get it back.
Chris: What happens then?
Cassie: Then you lay waste to the world. And everything in it.
Breakout Character: Cassie proved explosively popular with fans, especially on the then-emergent Tumblr. She was one of the few characters revisited in Redux.
Break the Cutie: Her arc in the first two seasons is one giant Trauma Conga Line.
Call-Back: In Cassie's final episode, she strikes up a fast friendship with another taxi driver, who idly emphasises how important it is that she eats. Unlike Alan, though, Frank is undoubtedly not a figment of her imagination.
Catchphrase: "Oh. Wow. Lovely."
Character Tic: Cassie has a habit of rewarding acts of kindness towards her with a spontaneous kiss on the cheek.
Cloud Cuckoolander: She acts positively spacey in the first season. She eventually gets more grounded in the second, and by the seventh, is able to hold down a job and an apartment (albeit a dead-end job and a crappy apartment).
Cool Shades: Quite fond of sunglasses, which play up her queer demeanour.
Despair Event Horizon: Frequently teeters back and forth over this, having low self-esteem, suicidal tendencies, a host of mental issues, and a social and romantic life that constantly tests her emotional fortitude. Chris dying in her arms, just as things were finally looking up, is enough to break her for the rest of the series.
Ditzy Genius: Mainly in Season 2. In her episode, she spends most of her philosophy exam chatting to her teacher and dancing to "Funkytown." She sits down to write for the last hour and seemingly aces the test. On top of that, Cassie is a genius at reading people (almost telepathic in her accuracy) as well as reading heavy books.
Driven to Suicide / Spurned into Suicide.
- Interrupted Suicide: Thanks to Jal.
Dull Surprise: Occasionally, such as when she catches Jal and Chris having sex.
The First Cut Is the Deepest: While she's not in a relationship with him, the death of Chris definitely affects her this way.
Genius Book Club: Like Tony, she's often seen reading big books that are thematically related to whatever is going on around her, like Margaret Atwood's The Edible Woman in her series 2 episode.
Genki Girl: Appears that way at first.
He's Dead, Jim: Has this reaction when Chris dies.
I Just Want to Be Beautiful: Too bad that her ideas about it are of a kind: "I haven't eaten for three days, so I could be lovely".
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: In the later episodes. She's a good person at heart but becomes openly callous and spiteful after learning about Sid and Michelle.
Love Hurts: With Sid, especially in season 1, when his ignoring her drove her to a suicide attempt.
Kick the Dog: In Chris' S2 episode, trying to hurt Jal and Chris (who's been letting her stay in his flat) - first telling Jal about Angie's return and then lying to Chris that Jal left him.
Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Of the "deconstructed" variety. She isn't just quirky, she has multiple legitimate psychological problems which are depicted with all the seriousness they require. Also, said problems are just as, if not more, integral to her storyline as her relationship with Sid.
- Further, for all her MPDG trappings, Sid is not particularly receptive to her plucky overtures and this apparent disinterest leads her to attempt suicide; his Love Epiphany only kicks in after the fact. Cassie ends up playing the role more conventionally to Jal, of all people, albeit in a non-romantic way.
Mistaken for Cheating: When Sid finds out that she's living with men in Scotland in his s2 episode. Turns out that the guys are gay, but only after Sid has turned off the video call and jumped to conclusions.

Obfuscating Insanity: Despite having real mental health issues, she does this at times, sometimes combined with Obfuscating Stupidity.
- In Cassie's season 2 episode, she admits that she stopped eating because then everyone had to do what she said.
Parental Substitute: For her brother, as of the ending of Skins:Pure.
Platonic Life-Partners: With Chris, which is why his death results in a rare platonic example of The First Cut Is the Deepest for her.
The Ophelia: Played with throughout the two series. It can whiplash between funny ("I'm thinking of leaving school, growing a beard, and joining the circus") to just plain disturbing (Effy's Season 2 episode.)

Really Gets Around: An Informed Attribute until Season 2.
The Runaway: When she returns from Scotland.
Self-Harm: Although never shown, it's mentioned in her season two episode.
Sex Goddess: She's mentioned to be really great in the sack due to sleeping around a lot, which is part of why Michelle picks her to be the girl to take Sid's virginity.

The Social Expert: Takes it to an almost telepathic level, especially in Season 2.

Stepford Smiler: She manages to be all three types at various points, with how fragile her mental state is.
Through the Eyes of Madness: In her Season 1 episode, she keeps getting texts telling her to EAT! on her phone, and seeing the word spelled out elsewhere. Nobody is texting her. They are all just hallucinations.
Took a Level in Jerkass: In season 2 when she becomes a Jerkass Woobie for a time.
Weight Woe: Cassie suffers from anorexia nervosa and starves herself in order to get thin. (Most of the time.)

Chris Miles

Played by: Joe Dempsie
Centric episodes: "Chris" (series 1), "Chris" (series 2)

Antihero: Specifically, the Classical Anti-Hero.
Blood from the Mouth: When he dies, he vomits and has blood come from both his mouth and nose.
Can't Get Away with Nuthin': Life just seems to keep throwing Chris more and more lemons.
Catchphrase: "Fuck it".
Died in Your Arms Tonight: In Cassie's arms, as she tries desperately to call for an ambulance.
Fun T-Shirt: Not as pronounced as Sid's, but he does enjoy them.
Life of the Party: Even among a cast full of partiers, Chris is particularly extreme.

New Job Episode: His season 2 episode is about him finding a job as a realtor.
Nice Guy: Chris is really a genuinely altruistic person. He does love partying, but unlike someone like Tony, he doesn't have an ulterior motive beyond partying, and is a sweetheart.

Opposites Attract: With Jal. Admittedly, though, it was only after each of them brought out a little of each other - Chris getting Jal to show her wilder side, and Jal getting Chris to make responsible decisions.
Parental Abandonment: He has to find a job just to be able to afford to live.
Platonic Life-Partners: With Cassie, which is why his death results in a rare platonic example of The First Cut Is the Deepest for her.
Second Love: When he chooses Jal over Angie.
The Stoner: Perhaps also the Erudite Stoner.
Teacher/Student Romance: With Angie, who he first hooks up with while in Russia and again once they return to Bristol.
Teeny Weenie: Implied twice in first two episodes. While the first mention could pass as a harsh joke, the second one contained Jal and Cassie taking pity on him because of that.
Too Good for This Sinful Earth: He's one of the gentlest people in his circle of friends, which makes his death all the more tragic.
Trauma Conga Line: His backstory, which involves losing a parent and a brother and the other parent's indifference.
The Unfavorite: How his parents treat him. His dad even goes so far as to only have photos of Peter.
Uptight Loves Wild: Gender Flipped with Jal, though notably they only get together after he tries to bring out her wild side and she gets him to be responsible.
Wrong Guy First: Angie is the Wrong Girl First.

Jal Fazer

Jalander "Jal" Fazer

Played by: Larissa Wilson
Centric episodes: "Jal" (series 1), "Jal" (series 2)

Black and Nerdy:
Chris: You don't have sex, do you? You have clarinet lessons.
Closer to Earth: Compared to the spacey Cassie, the sociopathic Tony, the moody Michelle, or the wild Chris, she's very much a logical force in their lives.
Elegant Classical Musician: She plays the clarinet, and is quite sophisticated.

Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Averted when Jal gets an abortion in Series 2, so she can continue on with her music studies at uni.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Michelle. They've been pals since 4th grade and are each other's support system.
Only Sane Woman: Tends to play the voice of reason among the characters.
Opposites Attract: With Chris. Admittedly, though, it was only after each of them brought out a little of each other - Chris getting Jal to show her wilder side, and Jal getting Chris to make responsible decisions.
The Smart Guy: She tends to play this role, even though Tony and Cassie are arguably smarter.
She Cleans Up Nicely: In her Season 1 episode. To the point, where...
- Stupid Sexy Flanders: ...even homosexual Maxxie starts drooling over her.
Team Mom: She's very tender with the group, which may be due to her comparatively privileged background.
Teen Pregnancy: With Chris's child, which she chooses to abort in order to focus on her studies.
Token Minority: Unless we count Posh Kenneth, she's the only black member of the group.
Uptight Loves Wild: Gender Flipped with Chris, though notably they only get together after he tries to bring out her wild side and she gets him to be responsible.
You Are a Credit to Your Race: Gets a speech like this from the school administration when she's being interviewed for being a BBC Young Musician Of The Year finalist. They go on and on about how Jal is from a "disadvantaged background" when, actually, her father is a famous musician and she's probably the most well-off of her friend group.

Maxxie Oliver

Played by: Mitch Hewer
Centric episodes: "Maxie and Anwar" (series 1), "Tony and Maxxie" (series 2)

All Gays Love Theater: Dancing is more his thing, but he does love the theater.
Camp Gay: Mostly averted: he loves dancing and theatre, but he's not flamboyant in any sense of the word, and would rather be "one of the lads."
Club Kid: Although he's one of the most balanced characters of the show and is one of the few characters who isn't seen using drugs.
Gayngst: Notably averted. Maxxie's open homosexuality isn't a problem for him, his family or friends. It's Anwar who has to get over the issue, not Maxxie.
"Gender-Normative Parent" Plot: Much of the story not having to do with Tony in their joint season 2 episode.
Even the Guys Want Him: At one point, when Chris needed clothes (long story), Maxxie managed to get pants for him by charming them off of a random guy. And of course there's his dalliance with Tony.
The Heart: He's (with possible exception of Chris) the nicest, most caring and (with no exceptions) emotionally stable member of the group. It's especially evident in the second season when he takes care of Tony.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Anwar, although obviously minus the "heterosexual" as far as Maxxie goes.
Mr. Fanservice: Ironically enough, he provides a fair amount of male fanservice for the ladies (not that the fellas don't like it, mind you).
Nice Guy: Maxxie is definitely on the nicer side of the spectrum within his circle of friends, and has no real dysfunctions to speak of.
Only Sane Man: He shares this role with Jal. He still has his issues, but he handles them a lot better than most of his friends.
Performance Artist: He's a fan of showmanship. He insists upon putting a tap-dancing number in Death of a Salesman.
Shirtless Scene: With nudity—one (in)famous example is when a stalker is hiding in his room and Maxxie arrives to go to sleep. His first act is to strip off the Superman costume he's wearing.
Sleeps in the Nude: Sleeps naked, much to Sketch's joy when she breaks into his room.
Straight Gay: As he himself puts it, he's "one of the lads."
Team Dad: Comes with the territory of being the Only Sane Man, he tends to look after the other members of the group, especially Tony after his accident.
Those Two Guys: With Anwar, particularly in the first series.

Anwar Kharral

Played by: Dev Patel
Centric episodes: "Maxxie and Anwar" (series 1)

All Asians Know Martial Arts: An extemely rare South Asian example. But he is of Pakistani descent, the only Asian of his generation and happens to be the only one to know how to fight off a bunch of thugs that gate crashed a party. He appears to be a Taekwondo fighter going off his kicks and his actor's martial arts background.
Asian Airhead: Downplayed, but he's South Asian and quite ditzy.
Big Guy: Downplayed. But he is the second-tallest of the generation one cast at 6'1"(Tony is 6'3") and is shown to be a skilled martial artist.
Butt-Monkey: Most of the humor surrounding him comes at his expense.
Heterosexual Life-Partners: He's always been Maxxie's Best Friend and they do everything together.
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Despite being the clown of the group. Anwar can beat up thugs using Taekwondo Kicks (thanks to Dev Patel being a Black Belt in real life)
Fake Nationality: Anwar is a British Pakistani Muslim played by Dev Patel who is a British Indian Hindu of Gujarati ethnicity.
Hidden Depths: Despite his Mr. Vice Guy tendencies and Manchild behaviour. He is still a devout Muslim when it comes to prayer and is also shown to be a skilled martial artist.
Likes Older Women: In one episode he vocally expresses his desire to have sex with an older woman.
Mr. Vice Guy: Despite his religion's restrictive teachings. Anwar loves to drink, smoke and fornicate as much as everyone else in the cast.
Plucky Comic Relief: Especially true in Season 2, where Anwar's storyline seemed to exist to provide a bit of a fun Mood Whiplash in the midst of the Darker and Edgier arcs surrounding the other characters.
Religious Bruiser: A hedonistic Muslim that keeps up with his Salat (5 daily Prayers) and can kick ass Taekwondo style.
Sleeps in the Nude: He's shown to sleep naked a few times. Played for Laughs when his family attempts to surprise him on the morning of his birthday leading to a Birthday Suit Surprise Party and him to have a Naked Freak-Out.
Straw Hypocrite: Anwar is perfectly fine breaking Islam's rules regarding drugs, drinking and premarital sex, but suddenly clings to his religion as an excuse for his homophobia. Maxxie calls him out on it in their episode.
Those Two Guys: With Maxxie, particularly in the first series.
Teeny Weenie: He's very under-endowed, to the point even his sisters and mother mock him for it. Possibly a subversion, as the Russian girl Anka, whom he has sex with, seems impressed by his hardness, which could mean that he's a grower and not a shower.
Took a Level in Jerkass: Towards the end of Season 1 regarding Maxxie's homosexuality. He gets better after his father talks some sense into him and repairs their friendship.
Twofer Token Minority: Anwar is both Muslim and Pakistani, and is the only one of both in the group.

Sketch

Lucy / "Sketch"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20200529_173129.png

Played by: Aimee-Ffion Edwards
Centric episodes: "Sketch" (series 2)

Abhorrent Admirer: Creepy, slightly unhinged and has no respect for Maxxie's sexuality.
Alas, Poor Villain: She is far more pathetic than she is malicious.
Creepy Crossdresser: Downplayed. She's trying to make herself look "as close to a boy as you can get" for Maxxie but no-one would be fooled.
Did Not Get The Guy: Twice, both when Maxxie rejects her because of their incompatible orientations and when Anwar leaves her to go to London with Maxxie.
I Just Want to Have Friends: She's a lonely girl and expresses an interest in becoming part of the group. Although she independently befriends Michelle and Anwar, after the truth of her stalking comes out she quickly loses any hope of joining the gang.
Incompatible Orientation: She's madly in love with Maxxie, who is gay. Bizarrely, Sketch knows this, but thinks she can get around it by dressing boyish.
Only Known by Their Nickname: Everyone except her mother refers to her as "Sketch" and her actual first name comes up only once. Her last name is never mentioned.
Plucky Girl: The list of the actions she was willing to undertake to get to Maxxie includes: stalking, breaking into his house and spending the entire night under his bed, an elaborate plan of hijacking a school play with poisoning an innocent and getting a teacher fired by falsely accusing him of sexual abuse on the way, more stalking and screwing Maxxie's best friend. And some tire slashing in the supplementary materials. She's a very dark example, but you have to give it to her, the girl has determination.
Stalker with a Crush: Towards Maxxie, to the point of breaking into his bedroom and hiding under his bed.
Yandere: She's not violent like this trope usually implies, but she's definitely unstable and doesn't really care who she has to hurt to get to Maxxie.

Family

Stonem Family

Effy Stonem

see the Generation Two page

Anthea Stonem

Played by: Morwenna Banks

Adults Are Useless: Useless. Ignores Tony and Effy.
Parental Favoritism: In Effy's favor.

Jim Stonem

Played by: Harry Enfield

Berserk Button: Calling thighs sexy.
Bumbling Dad: He tries his best, but when his children are Tony and Effy, he can't keep up.
Butt-Monkey: Especially Tony loves having jokes at his expense.

Sir Swears-a-Lot: His parenting life isn't too easy and he isn't taking it well.

Richardson Family

Anna Richardson

Played by: Arabella Weir

Parental Neglect: She's more concerned with her love life than with raising her daughter.

Scarlett

Played by: Sia Berkeley

Daddy's Girl: With a heavy dose of Incest Subtext, with taking naked baths together and kissing each other in the mouth.
Fiery Redhead: Is redheaded and is very energetic and full of life.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Subtly undermines Michelle in several occassions, but in the end encourages her to comfort Sid.
Life of the Party: To the point where all of Michelle's friends start paying more attention to her than to Michelle herself on the latter's birthday.

Jenkins Family

Mark Jenkins

Played by: Peter Capaldi

Calling the Old Man Out: Both the receiver and giver.
Character Death: Dies of an heart attack during Sid's centric episode in series 2.
Cluster F-Bomb: Often speaks in these. He's Malcolm Tucker, what do you expect?
Did Not Get the Girl: Was on his way, but his death prevented it.

Fridge Logic: His father is ill and can die any day, but Mark has no idea what that disease is. His own death is sudden. Is the unknown illness hereditary?
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Can be one of the most insufferable people in the series, but really loves his wife and son.
Men Can't Keep House: Can't assemble a vacuum cleaner without his wife.

Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: Lampshaded.
Sid: Why are you talking in very short sentences?
Mark: Emphasis! Drama! Fuck off!
Silver Fox: Peter Capaldi is only 48 years old, but can count as one because of his greyish curls.
Spoonerism: He swears a lot, uses the word "sodding" sometimes, and his son's name's Sid. Guess what happens.
The Un-Favourite: Every Male in his family, excluding himself and Sid, is named some variant of Alexander (Alex, Sandy, Lex and Ally), His father named him Mark.

Elizabeth Jenkins

Played by: Josie Lawrence

Good Parents: She tries to be one for Sid.
Reasonable Authority Figure: In contrast to her husband.

Ainsworth Family

Marcus & Margeritte Ainsworth

Marcus and Margeritte Ainsworth

Played by: Neil Morrissey and Naomi Allisstone

What Happened to the Mouse?: It's never explained what happened to them, although we assume they are still in Elgin.
- Skins Pure explains that Margeritte died and Marcus is in Wales, not coping very well with being a single dad to Reuben.

Reuben Ainsworth

Miles Family

Graham Miles

Played by: Mark Heap

Dramatic Irony: Graham's decision to un-invite Chris's friends to his funeral, because they were the ones who "screwed him up." The audience, however, knows the opposite is true: his friends were the ones who cared about and looked after Chris after his parents both abandoned him. If not for his friends, he probably would have died a lot sooner.
Jerkass: He refuses to allow Tony and the gang to attend Chris's funeral.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He does, however, comfort Jal as she grieves over his grave and acknowledges that he made a mistake in doing so.
Parental Abandonment: He makes it quite clear that he dislikes Chris.
I Have No Son!: Not quite, but he doesn't acknowledge Chris as his son, going to the extreme of only having baby pictures of Peter. That is, until Chris dies.

Chris' mother

''Chris' mother

Parental Abandonment: Leaves Chris to his own devices in his first centric episode.
The Unnamed: She's never given a name.

Peter Miles

Posthumous Character: Died before the series.

Fazer Family

Ronnie Fazer

Played by Mark Monero

Papa Wolf: While he may seem cold and standoff-ish his to his kids, don't be fooled. Mad certainly understood this by the end of Jal's centric episode.

Jal's mother

Played by Josette Simon

Parental Abandonment: It's implied she left her family long ago, making only one appearance in series 2.

Ace & Lyton Fazer

Ace and Lyton Fazer

Played by Troy Glasgow and Adrian Fergus Fuller

Those Two Guys: They're always seen together.

Kharral Family

Istiak Kharral

Played by Inder Manocha

Good Parents: One of the few fathers without any known dysfunctions in the series.
Happily Married: Lets his wife have her way in everything because of his love for her.
Reasonable Authority Figure: One of the few on the show.

Bibi Kharral

Played by Nina Wadia

Hidden Depths: Her masturbation joke in the generation finale suggests she's maybe a bit looser than she initially seems.

Uncle Muneer

Played by Nish Nathwani

Oliver Family

Walter Oliver

Played by: Bill Bailey

Good Parents: They are actively nice, supporting and concerned about well-being of their son, which really stands out in this series.
Papa Wolf: Supportive of his son's open homosexuality and ready to give the local bullies a run.

Jackie Oliver

Played by: Fiona Allen

Mistaken for Cheating: By Chris and Jal who probably remained convinced that she had given Tony a blow-job.
Parental Substitute: To a degree to Tony when he was a kid and after the accident.

Others

Roundview College

Posh Kenneth

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20200529_173216.png

Played by: Daniel Kaluuya

Jive Turkey: The joke being that his posh accent means he doesn't sound nearly as "ghetto" as he would like to.
Token Minority Couple: His moment with Jal in the Series 1 finale.
You Look Familiar: Daniel Kaluuya turned up playing a DJ in a series 3 episode.

Angie

Played by: Siwan Morris

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20200529_173233_8.png

Cool Teacher: She's a reasonable and young teacher who deals with her students and their problems without being condescending.
Reasonable Authority Figure: She's an approachable and understanding teacher. Considering the group and their multiple dysfunctions, that's a good thing.
Romantic False Lead: Despite frequently sleeping with girls, Angie is the only woman Chris actively pursues until Jal.
Teacher/Student Romance: Has an affair with Chris.
Took a Level in Jerkass: In Season 2. She goes from a Cool Teacher and a somewhat Reasonable Authority Figure to a destructive influence who happily helps Chris to cheat on Jal. Ultimately reversed, as she realises she was acting unfairly and leaves Bristol again, leaving behind her house to Chris.

Josie

Played by: Josie Long

Misplaced Kindergarten Teacher

Doug

Played by: Giles Thomas

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20200529_173250.png

Cool Teacher: At least, he tries:
"Oggie oggie oggie!"
''[blank stare]''

Acquaintances

Abigail Stock

Played by: Georgina Moffet

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20200529_173317.png

The Ditz: Although she doesn't seem to aware of that, considering herself to be "rather brainy".
Dumb Blonde: Doesn't seem to catch on the fact, that she is a toy/pawn to Tony and that most of the time he's using her to get to Michelle.
Jerkass: She has zero qualms about stealing Tony from Michelle, and has the nerve to gaslight her when confronted about it.
Hormone-Addled Teenager: She's so fixated on Tony that she doesn't notice he's using her, and wants him back even after he's taken her naked photos and sent them to all the contacts from her brother's phone.
Manipulative Bitch: She's an Unwitting Pawn to Tony in Season 1, but after he's left vulnerable by his accident, the power dynamic in their “relationship” switches around and Abi begins taking advantage of him.
Rich Bitch: With a huge superiority complex, to the point of considering Michelle and the rest of Tony's friends "chavs".
Sir Swears-a-Lot: Rivals Jim Stonem when it comes to dropping a Cluster F-Bomb.

Josh Stock

Played by: Ben Lloyd Hughes

Beware the Nice Ones: Though it's more that he turns out to not be so nice once Tony screws him over.
Big Bad / The Man Behind the Man: In Effy's Season 1 episode.
Dissonant Serenity: Has this going during the first stage of his confrontation with Tony, during which he casually enjoys a game of pool with his buddies. There's not a second pause between these two statements:
Josh: We'll call an ambulance as soon as you fuck your sister. Three from the top, please mate.
Foreshadowing: With a bit of Fridge Brilliance. Michelle learns that he's taking medication for an unspecified condition, and he warns her that she "wouldn't like him as much" without it. When Tony falsely paints him as an incestual nutcase, Michelle assumes this sort of behaviour was what Josh's comment was suggesting. Tony learns the hard way that Josh is capable of far, far worse.
Karma Houdini: He succeeds in his revenge plot on Tony and is never seen or even mentioned again. Somewhat justified, since Josh took care to give Effy clean, pure pharmaceuticals to make sure she was never in any real danger – also giving himself a leg to stand on if the Stonems went legal.
Romantic False Lead: For Michelle, though he got taken out through a foul play by Michelle's real love interest, rather than turning out to be "just not the right guy".
Took a Level in Jerkass: In Effy's episode. His revenge on Tony is utterly horrifying, although he gets satisfaction from scaring Tony shitless and making him beg, rather than really forcing him to rape his unconscious sister.
Wham Shot: Josh in the sports club Spencer lures Effy to.
What Happened to the Mouse?: His sister returns in the second season, but he's never so much as mentioned after his final scene in the first.

Mad Twatter

Madison "Mad" Twatter

Played by: Stephen Walters

Berserk Button: DON'T stare.
Dropped a Bridge on Him: He quickly bites off more than he can chew in his crusade against Sid by involving Jal, whose father disposes of him appropriately.
Evil Is Petty: Smashes Jal's clarinet to make a point to Sid. This act of spitefulness seals his fate: he was in his element when bullying the hapless Sid, but making an enemy of Jal's family (specifically her tough, famous, and well-connected father) speeds up his departure from the show.
Good Hair, Evil Hair: His handlebar mustache puts him in the latter category.
Hidden Depths: He shows a surprising amount of skill on the clarinet.
Villainous Friendship: His one scene with William establishes that they have this going on.

Alan the Taxi Driver

Played by: Alan George

A taxi driver whom Cassie meets when she runs away to New York City.

Cool Old Guy: He is the only person who pays any real attention to Cassie in S1 and eventually gets her to eat.
Imaginary Friend: Arguably, Alan. Alan is almost too good to be true; an idealised, dependable adult, unlike every other person of authority in Cassie's life. This being Cassie, whose unstable mental condition is a plot point of her focus episodes, she may well have delusionally imagined his perfect existence as well as her reminders to “eat”. After Cassie checks herself back into the clinic, Alan is never seen or mentioned again.

James

Played by: Sean Verey

A cyclist who Maxxie falls for in late S2

Remember the New Guy?: Nearly everyone in the languages class knows who he is. Anwar even pokes fun at it.
Anwar: It's James, man. Everyone knows James.

Pandora Moon