Teenage Kicks?

I have always been a fan of Skins. Well, having said that I'm not sure if I could be considered a fan. I think I might just watch it out of curiosity, or to sort of check that it's demonstrating an accurate illustration of teenage life. Though recently, I just cannot get over how increasingly ridiculous the Skins storylines are getting.
So yeah, lots of parties, drugs, romance and general fun is acceptable. But when a random guy from Congo turns up to have a chilli eating showdown with a local gangster (who incidentally sounds like a farmer), I am not convinced. I thought this programme was supposed to be realistic? And I was under the impression it was written, produced and cast by teenagers themselves.
Then again, I did think that the Skins writers were running out of ideas at the end of the first series. It's not every day a lad is knocked over by a bus, and then miraculously gets up, dusts himself off and starts singing Cat Stevens' "Wild World" with his friends. And when they went on a trip to Russia and narrowly escaped death from a psychotic lumberjack, I did begin to have my doubts.
At least that posh idiot Abigail isn't still in it. Are there really people out there that pronounce the word friends as though it has about six vowels? And I'm also quite glad Tony isn't in it anymore, solely down to the fact that every time I look at him I think of his once very chubby face following Hugh Grant around in About A Boy.
Then again, Effy's character is beginning to grate on me this series too. I just wish she was still beautifully mysterious like in the older episodes. Though I'm sorry to say, the ones where she didn't talk.
I know what you're thinking. Why don't I just shut up moaning about it and avert my eyes, ears and whatever other senses if I happen to walk past the TV when it's on? But no. Don't get me wrong, I genuinely loved some episodes. Such as the scenes where Cassie is running through the streets New York, or the death of Sid's dad. Those were truly moving. And I sort of like the thought that I might get so involved in a programme that I feel the urge to cry. It seems I liked Skins for toying with my emotions, rather than my patience.
The more I think about it, the more I realise that maybe I still watch Skins because I'm hoping we see some "lump in your throat" type storylines like before. Though I think these may be sadly exhausted. And with the new, irritating cast churning out these ludicrous plotlines, I remain unconvinced.
Though I will continue to spend an hour every Thursday waiting in hope. We'll see.