It's A Sin - Channel 4

[other things online]

I binged it over 2 nights last week. I don’t think I have ever cried over a series as much as I did it’s a sin. I’m still thinking about it now. I was born in 1987 and vaguely remember about the aids crisis. I am shocked gay people were treated this way - in hospital especially, I have been educating myself more over the last week, I am appalled over section 28 it’s just so sad I honestly had no idea.
I didn’t realise it was as big as it actually is, I only stumbled across it because I saw Olly Alexander was in it and I love him, years and years are my favourite band I’ve watched them live at a couple of festivals. I’ve told my brother to watch it , he’s living in Oz, he said everyone’s been talking about it. Best TV I’ve seen in a long time. Well done to all involved it is so important , as there is still a stigma out there

 

[Hodgies]

Did you watch 'This Life' back in the 90s? I absolutely loved it, especially Anna.

Oh yes....I adored This Life! I was totally smitten with Miles

absolutely fantastic show, really captured the zeitgeist... and how much we smoked Marlboro lights back then!

Marlboro lights....that's a blast from the past My lungs are thankful I haven't been near them for years!

 

[Lulu Goss]

This talks about what would have been included if there were more episodes...

It's A Sin creator reveals scrapped plots for Jill and Roscoe

Speaking a Damian Barr's Literary Salon event earlier this month, the writer, 57, shared how he planned to have a flashforward in one episode, which showed the two characters in their fifties.

www.google.co.uk

 

[Miss_noseyparker67]

It's past 1am and I just binge-watched the final 3 episodes and am in bits. My thoughts:

- The scene in the car where his old schoolfriend said how Ritchie could do anything he wanted and had his whole career ahead of him was very upsetting
- Jill and Roscoe being in the Isle of Wight whilst Ritchie was still alive and being robbed of their reunion whilst he died alone in his bed

I found both of these scenarios so sad. When his mum just matter of factly said he had died, I wanted to punch her. I binge watched it again last night & was full on sobbing.

 

[Shesaidwhat?]

Just popping back on this thread to say this program has really stayed with me since watching it. I watched it when it was first aired and ever since iv had even more respect for those touched by this awful disease, and even more horror at how society treated them if it wasn't for Its a Sin, il be honest, I don't think I would have thought about this as much.Just because its not really that openly talked about, even now. It's a Sin changed all that-If that's not powerful stuff then i don't know what is. It deserves every award going.

I agree it definitely is one of those programmes that will always stick with you. I remember gasping in the last episode due to a certain line said on the pier to another character, I won’t say just incase some people haven’t watched yet, I can’t ever remember a tv show having that affect on me.

 

[Pulltheotherone]

It’s utterly brilliant .... Heartbreaking.

 

[~vix~83~]

O

I think there are some differences. Like you say, now they can have contact with family because technology is so much more advanced and hopefully there is also more awareness of the importance of facilitating that - I saw footage from a busy London hospital ward where a member of staff was going around to patients' beds with an Ipad so they could speak to loved ones. Secondly, as shit as it is, with COVID it's based on the science of how the disease works. We know that close social interactions transmit the disease. With HIV it was based on fear and ignorance.

I do hope we have learnt some lessons about the importance of dignity and humanity from the Aids crisis.

As a 1983 baby I didn’t know anything about it,
It was just there. I’ve learnt so much from this show. I dont remember anything at school about it. It’s never come up in conversation as I don’t know many gay people, but my friends son who is gay was going out with someone who was hiv n when she told me I wasn’t shocked it seemed normal, not sure if that’s how I was meant to feel.

 

[Hodgies]

I watched QAF last week - I kind of enjoyed it but not as much as Cucumber or It's A Sin...I just found the majority of the characters really unlikeable? Like it was so hard to root for them at all. Not to mention the weird relationship with a schoolboy thing...I know it was a 'different time' but surely it wasn't that different!!

I was a teenager in the 90s and honestly it's like night and day to how things are for teenagers now. QAF was one of my favourite programmes back then but it's like a lot of 90s programmes (I include Friends and Sex and the City in my list) that haven't aged terribly well. Saying that, I watched Beautiful Thing the other night which I also loved and took me on a lovely nostalgic trip back to the 90s lol.

 

[TravellingPants]

I follow it too. It's brutal at times, just the sense of loss and the unfairness of it all but I feel it's important to read the stories and remember the life they lived.

Totally agree, you can feel the love and warmth in every single post for a real person and not a statistic. It’s a beautiful project.

 

[CosmicCreepers]

Yes, that was pretty clear. I meant the experience Colin had while living there in the flashbacks they showed... it wasn’t obvious to me that it was something he was willing to be part of. He obviously never discussed it with his friends afterwards which suggests some level of shame (which of course was a common theme throughout).

I love Colin, I feel like he’s the male version of me. Very shy, closeted at first and not very sexually experienced. I think that’s why his story broke my heart even more

 

[LittleMy]

She was so lovely and I think that’s what made Collin story even sadder.
Hearing who wants to live forever gets me! I went down a queen YouTube hole last night and seeing the difference in Freddie in the last few videos was very Richie

Even before It’s A Sin, I couldn’t listen to that song for welling up. I’m a big fan of Queen and Freddie, it always makes me sad to see how frail he had become towards the end.

 

[Woolmercardington]

This 100% Collin was the one everyone loved by the sound of. He was so young and you could tell how young he was when he was in hospital. All he wanted was to learn everything and be happy. His little brown coat

Oh no you're setting me off

He is, for sure, the character who is really resonating. I'm not a maternal person but just instinctively had this maternal/protective reaction to him.

Anyone who can rattle any maternal instincts in me is definitely a winner

 

[~vix~83~]

I've heard about cucumber but daren't ask what the vile scene is


Ollie Alexander said the actor had only just left school and this was his first acting job. Loved his character and was based on RTD's real life friends

*Colin was based on one of his RL friends.

I had a look on his Instagram last night. Think we will hear more of him Callum is his name. The fact we never saw who was with till the end. Think that made it worse cos you wasn’t expecting it.
No one I know has watched it so I can’t talk about it to anyone, husband isn’t interested in it.

 

[TeaNoSugar]

So happy there's a thread for this show! One of the best TV shows I've watched (would also recommend Pose which is similar from an American perspective). I really sobbed at the end. Actually felt cathartic after the shit 12 months we've all had although it pales in comparison to what those wonderful men went through.

Same here! Great writing, brilliant acting. Left me laughing and crying, and in desperate need for more!

 

[Maryberry]

I binge watched this on Tuesday and I’m still thinking about it now , was so good but so very very sad , those poor men dying alone , I think it’s a series that will stay with me for a long time .

 

[~vix~83~]

I’ve just finished watchin and wow !
I was born in 83 and love anything 80s. Found it educational, as was to young to understand and to see it unfold. But watchin that really bought it to life.

How we all reacted to covid at the start was very alike...the unknown.
Collin was my fave and was shocked

 

[~vix~83~]

I think I heard the writer say the cast was basically all lgbtq too somewhere? Which was a nice touch

Yeah that’s right, he didn’t want straight guys to play them.
It’s like when you see disabled characters played by abled body you can tell, my husband is disabled and you can spot it a mile off lol

Oh no you're setting me off

He is, for sure, the character who is really resonating. I'm not a maternal person but just instinctively had this maternal/protective reaction to him.

Anyone who can rattle any maternal instincts in me is definitely a winner

His little “short answers” I want a Collin in my life lol
He was only a baby really

 

[Platypusfattypus]

Kinda off topic but this show finally pushed me to tell my Dad that I'm lesbian after years of worrying how he would feel...turns out he is totally fine with it and not shocked...apparently he kinda knew anyway!! I just wanted to post this here as this show helped me get the courage to come out and be proud

Love this

 

[Bambix]

Also love to see a current day series. Where we see how things changed. Maybe one of the group did get HIV but a lot later and are living a good life with modern day treatments. And see how they coped with loosing so many friends .

 

[~vix~83~]

This fabulous drama was up for 11 BAFTA’s and didn’t win anything. How is that possible?!

I couldn’t believe it when I saw it on Twitter! Havnt watched the BAFTAs but read they muted the clips they showed!
On Lorraine today they were shocked they didn’t win!