Explainers, notes, walkthroughs, and quick guides to the stories and people you've had little time for...



Showboating is a bad look for anyone undergoing such activism
The Skinny | No 106 – Delia vs Muscat, Round Two
The Skinny | No 106 – Delia vs Muscat, Round Two

Ian Borg is the ultimate rebuttal to ‘okay boomer’
The Skinny | No 105 – Getting Things Done
The Skinny | No 105 – Getting Things Done

We’re all allowed to have a chuckle at Mark Camilleri being replaced by Mark Camilleri
No 104 – Invasion of the Body Snatchers at the Book Council
No 104 – Invasion of the Body Snatchers at the Book...

Malta’s ‘capital of culture’ track record was spotty at best. What happens when we’re left to our own devices?
The Skinny | No 103 – Marsa, Capital of Culture
The Skinny | No 103 – Marsa, Capital of Culture

Oh look: the victim of an evil PN local plan gets ready to steamroll over the rest of us
The Skinny | No 102 – The 2006 Local Plans
The Skinny | No 102 – The 2006 Local Plans

Tell me you didn’t just picture Muscat dancing to Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’
The Skinny | No 101 – Joseph Muscat Feels The People’s Love
The Skinny | No 101 – Joseph Muscat Feels The...

Rude words in public? Give me that over chatty WhatsApp exchanges with murder suspects any day
The Skinny | No 100 – Chairman of Dissent Takes a Bow
The Skinny | No 100 – Chairman of Dissent Takes a Bow

One wonders when Labour’s soul-searching on the Yorgen bromance will begin
No 99 – Ġaħan Laburist: Billboard Wars Edition
No 99 – Ġaħan Laburist: Billboard Wars Edition

Gaħan laburist? This is all just locker room talk, surely...
The Skinny | No 98 – Gaħan Goes Voting
The Skinny | No 98 – Gaħan Goes Voting

Science scepticism is boring ‘cos it only goes halfway
The Skinny | No 97 – Freedom Fetishists, Unite!
The Skinny | No 97 – Freedom Fetishists, Unite!

Whatever it takes to prevent Bernard Grech dancing on TikTok is a good thing
The Skinny | No 96 – Peregin’s PN Pilgrimage
The Skinny | No 96 – Peregin’s PN...

You either want a complete ‘warts and all’ portrait, or you don’t. Malta’s historical narrative has existed in hagiography mode for far too long
The Skinny | No 95 – Dear Dom
The Skinny | No 95 – Dear Dom


Ħamrun was a mistake, wasn’t it?
The Skinny | No 94 – Hardly Spartan Behaviour
The Skinny | No 94 – Hardly Spartan Behaviour

Dig a hole and stay cool. Pray too, if you want to
The Skinny | No 93 – Heatwave Over Grey
The Skinny | No 93 – Heatwave Over Grey

Oranges instead of lemons? Shame! Whatever happened to 40K lumi?
The Skinny | No. 92 – Oranges Are Not The Only Electoral Ploy
The Skinny | No. 92 – Oranges Are Not The Only...

It’s so exhausting for Malta being the best and waiting for the world to realise
The Skinny | No 91 – Best in the World
The Skinny | No 91 – Best in the World

Jason Micallef: a fascinating glimpse into the partisan brain in extremis
The Skinny | No 90 – Tried for Treachery
The Skinny | No 90 – Tried for Treachery

Tree murder? Ah well, ERA. Never mind. Thanks for trying, I guess
The Skinny | No 89 – Massacre for Modernity
The Skinny | No 89 – Massacre for Modernity