More 2004
Neighbours... Don't worry, this is nearly over now, folks!
I must admit, this is the point where things start to go downhill, because we hit Cop-Out Central. Sky finally kisses Lana, only to backtrack at about a million miles an hour, but not before her relationships with both Lana and Boyd are shattered. This sudden backtracking cop-out to an otherwise perfectly - and beautifully - executed build-up is still just as disappointing as it was then, even with the recent backtracking of the backtracking, and I'd argue that this sudden cowardice is just as much the start of the show's 2005 downfall as the Lassiter's Fire was.
On a purely narrative/character level, it still just about works from today's POV of knowing - rather than just suspecting - how full of s**t Sky is. I didn't remember, for instance, that Sky already knows that Lana is leaving in just over a month, so that certainly adds another layer - besides the obvious "just not ready" Fear Factor - to her backtracking. Lana notes that "it's all in here" (her head) for Sky, and that "she cares more about ideas than people." It's an assessment made in anger, of course, but it's one Boyd has made before, and it certainly fits with Sky's sudden 180 here, particularly her sudden decision that it's Boyd she wants (when she's been quite happy to all but ignore him since Lana arrived, and indeed will drop him quite easily not long after she leaves). My sympathy for Sky is fairly limited here, honestly. It's one thing to be Oblivious, it's one thing to be in Denial, but to be in Denial to the extent you've got your head up your backside and are hurting those around you....
Lana, on the other hand, continues to be heartbreaking. She clearly thinks all her Christmasses have come at once when Sky kisses her, and she's not just heartbroken but utterly furious when Sky performs her "it was a mistake" ritual, telling her she no longer wants to be friends with her, and that Sky needs to leave her alone now so she can get over her, at first in the heat of the moment and then the next day in a much more quiet and dejected manner. But she's Lana, so not only is she still clearly in love with her anyway, but she's also incredibly kind, so within two days she's seeking Sky out to forgive her anyway, apparently resignedly deciding that she'd rather be relegated to being the gay best friend than nothing. Boyd angrily accuses her of caving to whatever Sky wants, and while he's being kind of a jerk at the moment, he's not wrong. Poor Lana.
In fact, aside from Lana, the only other person actually being really sympathetic is actually Serena (of all people), who goes out of her way (before any of this happens) to finally apologise to Lana for what she did to her when she found out she was gay, make things right with her and renew their friendship, and then later tries pleading Sky's case with her and Boyd. She's gained some brownie points back, at least, even if no one else has...
