"Nick" (Episode 5.05)

"Nick" is the fifth episode of Series 5 and the 42nd episode overall.

This episode primarily focuses on Nick Levan his stress dealing with the amount of pressure his father and teammates put on him to be successful along with his crumbling relationship with Mini McGuinness after she found out he cheated on her with her best friend Liv Malone.

Plot
The episode opens with Nick getting ready for rugby practice. Out on the field, he scores a try. Inside, the team's South African coach, Mr. Pooter, gives them an inspirational speech about team brotherhood and Nick follows, telling them that they are a team of winners and that is all that matters; Coach Pooter is somewhat disturbed by this. When Nick gets home, his father Leon - a life coach - is on the phone to his client Warren, giving him some cruel "advice" after his wife left him. When he hangs up, he hands Matty a contract about staying in the house, including rules about having no girls in his bedroom, not using Nick's sporting equipment, and finishing his education. Matty admits that he wanted to get a job to pursue his music, but Leon tells him he can stay and follow the rules or leave. Nick tries to keep the situation upbeat and Leon tells Matty to be more like him. Matty responds sarcastically but Nick desperately insists that he is being sincere to pacify their dad. Matty signs the contract as Nick witnesses. Leon leaves to meet Warren for golf. Before he goes, he mimes hitting a hole in one with Nick as Matty looks on scornfully. Leon pulls Nick aside and reminds him that he is better than Matty.

Later, Nick goes to see Matty in his bedroom and tells him that he is looking forward to his rugby game. He adds that he has forgiven Matty for their fight and they shake hands. However, things become awkward when Matty suggests they talk about Liv. Nick insists that he was never into her and claims that his relationship with Mini is better than ever. Liv arrives at the house and Nick reluctantly lets Matty answer the door, despite their father's rules. Soon, Matty and Liv are having noisy sex. Nick lifts weights in an attempt to ignore them but gets an erection. He calls Mini, before heading over to her house with flowers, chocolates and massage oils. He gives her a massage, but Mini is unimpressed and appears to be in pain. Eventually she complains that he is jabbing her with his erection and reluctantly rolls over so they can have sex. However, it is extremely awkward and doesn't work out.

Nick and Mini arrive at college and find Matty and Liv sitting outside. Nick claims that it is great that they are all friends, but there is clear tension. Nick spots his rugby boys and mimes throwing a ball, before Rider mimes having sex with it. Nick and the other rugby boys find it hilarious, but Mini, Liv and Matty are unimpressed. Leon arrives and the boys leave with him. Mini sits next to Liv, but Liv tells her: "Don't" and walks off. Inside, Professor Blood is reluctant to allow Matty to re-enrol because of his record but their father points out that Nick chose Roundview College because he was promised certain privileges. Nick points out that he is winning rugby games and promises that Matty will behave himself. Blood agrees that Matty can re-enrol and Nick is thrilled. Afterwards, Leon warns Matty that he is watching him before leaving. Matty admits that he doesn't know how Nick can deal with college and especially with their father, but Nick says everything he wants is right there. He takes Matty to meet the others, who are playing cards. Matty reacts with notable intensity when he and Franky recognize each other, to Liv's irritation. Matty makes a joke that he survived on the streets by giving blowjobs and everyone laughs, but Nick quickly insists that it isn't true. He makes another comment and Rich is scornful, making Nick uncomfortable. He gets up to leave and Matty asks if he's coming out with them tonight. Nick sees Liv's face and claims that he can't come because of his rugby game. He leaves and the group laughs as he walks away.

Nick arrives for rugby practice and is annoyed when Rider starts insulting Matty and making sexist comments about Liv. Eventually, Nick pushes Rider up against the wall and threatens to smack him. He shouts at the others that they're supposed to be training and, when they go outside, slams his locker door in frustration. Outside, he runs straight into Rider and knocks him onto the ground, claiming that he got carried away. Later, the team's coach begins massaging Nick and claims that he can tell from his muscles that he is worried about a girl. He adds that he used to hate his brother but Nick insists he doesn't have a problem with Matty. Coach Pooter claims that he knows otherwise.

Nick goes to meet the others but stares at Liv and Matty through the window first. Mini arrives and realises that he is staring at them. Inside, some of the group are visibly annoyed when Nick appears. They explain that they are trying to find a girlfriend for Alo and Nick suggests Franky, because they are the only two single members of the group; Matty looks somewhat alarmed by this suggestion. Nick adds that they could all "swing and shit". There is an awkward silence and Liv, disgusted, gets up to go to the bar. Nick decides to give her a hand but Mini points out that he has a full pint. He downs it and joins Liv, but she doesn't want to talk to him. He claims that he just wants to check Matty is treating her well after he smashed up the house, but Liv is unconvinced. She points out that she and Nick only had sex twice and she was "f**king Mini", not him. She points out that Mini is still with him even though she knows he cheated, and that there is something wrong with that. Nick insists that his relationship with Mini is fine but Liv is annoyed and walks off. Nick orders sambuca shots and starts drinking with Matty. Mini is unimpressed and calls someone on her phone. Eventually, Nick has to run to the bathroom to be sick. When he returns, he sees Mini dancing with Rider. He storms over there to complain, but Matty warns him to back off. Rider tells Matty to get back to his "tart" and Nick punches him. He calls after Mini but she tells him not to pretend he cares, saying that if he did he wouldn't have cheated on her with Liv. She storms off and Nick ends up going too. He arrives at the rugby pitch but his kicks aren't going well. Matty arrives and offers to play with him, but the game ends with Matty wrestling Nick to the ground. Nick yells that everything is easy for Matty and now he's returned to mess up his life again. Matty points out that he is not the one messing up Nick's life.

Nick arrives home and discovers his father getting some things together. His dad explains that Warren killed himself and now the police want to question him, even though he was only trying to help. He bemoans the blame culture in the country as Nick asks to speak to him. However, his dad is unimpressed when he sees him and says it is Nick's fault he had a bad night. He leaves, telling Nick to grow up as he goes. Afterwards, Nick grabs a golf club and smashes up the kitchen, screaming. Matty arrives and watches on before telling Nick to go, intending to take responsibility for it. Nick runs off, crying. By early morning, he is drinking vodka by the shore. He goes to Liv's house and uses a wheelie bin to climb up to her balcony, but falls off and shouts in pain. Liv appears on the balcony and angrily tells him to leave. Nick walks down a street drinking more vodka and spots a woman exchanging money with a man at a doorway, which suggests that she is a prostitute. She comes over to him and asks if he is alright. Nick gives his name as Matty, and the pair end up at the woman's house, where they snort cocaine. Nick notices pictures of the woman's children, and she asks how old he is. He claims that he is "old enough" and the woman says that she wants to feel something, before they start kissing. They end up having sex in the woman's bedroom, but Nick soon becomes uncomfortable, especially when he starts noticing pictures of the woman's children.

Later, Nick goes to a playground and sits on a swing. Franky appears, explaining that she lives round the corner. Nick worries that he has messed everything up. He admits that people think he is a "d**k" and confesses that he does things he knows he shouldn't. He realises that he doesn't know why. Franky tells him that he's "not a complete d**k" before leaving. Nick staggers to the rugby changing room and goes to see the Coach. He announces that he is not going to play ever again, saying that if he doesn't sort things out he'll go crazy. He reveals that he hates rugby and adds that he hates Rider. He says he hates too much at the moment and needs to stop. The Coach asks what he's going to do and he says he will find Matty and leave, because they can't be with their dad anymore. The Coach tells him that he's running away and shows him a picture of Nelson Mandela. He says that although Mandela is happy and loved now, he used to be angry and a big fighter. He points out that Mandela never gave up and tells Nick to stand up for himself, saying he thought he was stronger than this. Nick reacts with the anger that Pooter hoped he would, and he storms out. As he leaves, Rider calls him a "f**king bottler". However, Nick simply turns to the team and wishes them luck.

Nick gets home and discovers that Matty has packed a bag. He rushes into the kitchen and tells his father that he is responsible for the mess. Leon claims that Matty has got to him and Nick wouldn't have done anything if it wasn't for him. However, Nick claims that he wouldn't have done anything if it wasn't for his dad. His father says that they are ganging up on him now, and Nick agrees. Outside, Matty and Nick gather their father's books and his motivational posters and put them in a pile with Matty's contract. They get some beers and their father watches from a window as Nick lights a match and sets the pile on fire.

Music Featured in "Nick"
Note: The music tracks listed below only refer to the music featured in the episode's initial airing. Many of the music tracks featured in this episode have been substituted for alternative tracks for both the UK home media release of Series 5.

Kylie Minouge - Cupid Boy

Take That - Pretty Things

Nedry - Squid Cat Battle

RMS - Cold feat. Soho

Crystal Castles - Doe Deer

The National - Sorrow

Segal - The Bo 7

Salem - Asia

White Ring - Roses

Melissa Auf Der Maur - This Would Be Paradise