Skins was revolutionary in many ways, and much of that dynamic storytelling stemmed from its decision to give young writers a real chance to be a part of the writers’ room. At one point in the show’s seven-season run, the average age of the writers’ room was just 21-years-old, and that was more or less par for the course across the series. Daniel Kaluuya, of Get Out and Black Panther fame, was writing and acting on the show when he was just 18. The Cursed Child writer Jack Thorne, who has got to have at least one clone given the sheer number of projects he’s a part of (next up: the His Dark Materials TV show), also wrote for the show.

I made the Skins writers team watch Dawsons. They never forgave me. RT @benschiffer This one's for @jackthorne – http://t.co/yMMKneaBb0 … — Jack Thorne (@jackthorne) October 22, 2014

Hime penned two episodes of Skins. His first, “Emily” (Season 4, Episode 2), won him a BAFTA for Breakthrough Talent. As you might have guessed, it focuses on the character of Emily—specifically her romantic dynamic with girlfriend Naomi, her tense relationship with her mother, and her investigation into the suicide of a classmate.

Though not without its hiccups, Skins‘ Emily and Naomi represented one of the first central queer relationships on TV, and it’s encouraging to know that Hime was an enthusiastic part of telling their story. Speaking to AfterEllen in 2010 about writing their characters and love story, Hime said:

“I felt that my only real duty was to explore them as people and tell an emotionally honest story about them and not to think about what it was saying in a wider cultural context. I think you comment on it by not commenting on it, by just treating them like everyone else in the show and treating their story as equally valid.”

Skins was a show that led with its characters and its emotionally-driven storylines, which also seems to be what Chibnall is going for in Doctor Who Season 11. Hime seems to be on board with the plan, saying in the Season 11 writers announcement: “Writing for this series comes down to the adventure really, and telling emotionally-engaging stories to bring everyone along with you.”

Three words describing his Doctor Who story: “Really rather spooky…”

Vinay Patel