It's A Sin - Channel 4

[Eirawen]

Such a beautiful series and wonderful acting of complex characters. I found it hard to warm to Ritchie and found him very self-centred but his friendship with Jill was everything.

Colin’s decline was distressing to watch. I thought it was powerful how his ‘relationship’ with the son of his landlady was portrayed, very ambiguous as to whether he was consenting. His friendship with Mr Coltrane and his partner was also so lovely, I wasn’t expecting NPH’s role to be so brief!

Keeley Hawes was incredible as Ritchie’s mum and also such a complicated mess of things... she loved her son but didn’t really know him, so what she thought was best for him wasn’t. She wanted to spite Jill for keeping the truth from her but couldn’t see that really she was spiting Ritchie. I so thought that his sister lurking in the background was going to find a way to get her mum away and Jill and Roscoe in!

The music... SO GOOD. I binged it all and now going back taking my time.

O a

Yea but did Mrs Thatcher drink any of Roscoe's special tea though, or did Stephen Fry get there in time to stop her

As well as the ambiguity over whether Colin consented to his encounters with the guy in the house he was lodging in (to me it looked like he maybe didn't fully consent, but was lost in the naivety of moving away from home etc to know what to do so he went along with it), I thought that moment with Stephen Fry saying he wasn't gay but every so often needed to be down in the dirt in order to lift his head up or however exactly he charmingly put it - was thought provoking as well.

The face on poor Jill when Ritchie's nasty mum said what she did by the sea front in episode 5 ... superb acting (by both of them) and also superb camera direction to refocus perfectly and catch it. There was the other moment when Ritchie's parents arrived at the hospital and first learned the truth of what he was suffering ... the camera very subtly refocussed from the mum to the dad indicating how they were both taking slightly different lengths of time to take things in and react. Again brilliant attention to detail and a pleasure to watch.

Also not sure if I missed something, after all every little tiny detail in this seemed to mean something, such as the tailor's shop boss being caught cottaging - but how/why did Colin's landlady turn up at the hospital?

I assumed that Colin,'s landlady turned up because her son was there he was probably the one who infected poor Colin.

 

[TravellingPants]

O a

I assumed that Colin,'s landlady turned up because her son was there he was probably the one who infected poor Colin.

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).

 

[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

 

[Bambix]

I find it so sad that Colin was the one who could have been more open, his mum didn’t care if he was gay or not. She was just so happy he had a nice group of friends.

 

[Pumpkinpie0991]

I find it so sad that Colin was the one who could have been more open, his mum didn’t care if he was gay or not. She was just so happy he had a nice group of friends.

It’s just the sad reality a lot of people go through, living with Shame.
It’s terrible and sad that people have to live in secrecy

 

[Twopenniesworth]

I find it so sad that Colin was the one who could have been more open, his mum didn’t care if he was gay or not. She was just so happy he had a nice group of friends.

I loved that about her. You could tell she idolised her boy regardless of anything
The part in the hospital bed when he was telling Ritchie he fancied him was awfully sad

 

[Woolmercardington]

I loved that about her. You could tell she idolised her boy regardless of anything
The part in the hospital bed when he was telling Ritchie he fancied him was awfully sad

Oh, that was the most distressing scene for me. To not only be gravely ill but to have his dignity ripped away from him like that. Such a lovely, young lad. It was brutal

 

[Eirawen]

I find it so sad that Colin was the one who could have been more open, his mum didn’t care if he was gay or not. She was just so happy he had a nice group of friends.

Maybe he had told Mum or she would have guessed. But he lived in a very tight knit narrow community which he would have wanted to be free of.

 

[Holidaybobs]

What an incredible series. I binged watched it with my mum (who only usually watches the soaps) in one day. Albeit we went for a walk after episode 3 to have a breather. It really hit home with my mum, she turned 18 in 1981 and remembers how awful people were. My auntie on my dad’s side came out in the 80s and she said all four brothers cried. Not that they were ashamed but, worried due to the stigma. She also said, she remembers how some people wouldn’t walk past Monsall hospital, which is mentioned by the lawyer, as they thought they’d catch it. It just sounded like such a confusing and misinformed time. Still thinking about poor Colin, we both thought he’d be the first due to his innocence. So sad to think of all them men dying alone or being taken home to live in hiding.

Although, for how sad it is. The whole crew did such an incredible job of portraying the beautiful friendship between them all. It made me want to live in the Pink Palace and live life to the full. For how much sadness there is in the show, it was also filled with so many beautiful moments of friendship. The scene with them all near the end in the park was so poignant.

Just need to find a friend like Jill now.

 

[StrattyNeet]

They were frightening times. A lot of misinformation fear and ignorance. The medical community didn’t understand the disease. So were unable to give advice.
An already stigmatised group were being judged and punished for having sex. Men were outed as they became ill. Families friends and lovers tried to navigate the loss of loved ones with little support. They were dark times. But it was the orgaanisation within the community , political agitation and ultimately medical breakthroughs that helped people to live with the disease and lift the stigma.
We have to know our history to understand our present

 

[Bambix]

What an incredible series. I binged watched it with my mum (who only usually watches the soaps) in one day. Albeit we went for a walk after episode 3 to have a breather. It really hit home with my mum, she turned 18 in 1981 and remembers how awful people were. My auntie on my dad’s side came out in the 80s and she said all four brothers cried. Not that they were ashamed but, worried due to the stigma. She also said, she remembers how some people wouldn’t walk past Monsall hospital, which is mentioned by the lawyer, as they thought they’d catch it. It just sounded like such a confusing and misinformed time. Still thinking about poor Colin, we both thought he’d be the first due to his innocence. So sad to think of all them men dying alone or being taken home to live in hiding.

Although, for how sad it is. The whole crew did such an incredible job of portraying the beautiful friendship between them all. It made me want to live in the Pink Palace and live life to the full. For how much sadness there is in the show, it was also filled with so many beautiful moments of friendship. The scene with them all near the end in the park was so poignant.

Just need to find a friend like Jill now.

I went to school behind monsall hospital. Early 90s and remember people calling it the aids place. Unfortunately we didn’t know any better because all the information given out was made to be scary

 

[Cocobaby09]

They were frightening times. A lot of misinformation fear and ignorance. The medical community didn’t understand the disease. So were unable to give advice.
An already stigmatised group were being judged and punished for having sex. Men were outed as they became ill. Families friends and lovers tried to navigate the loss of loved ones with little support. They were dark times. But it was the orgaanisation within the community , political agitation and ultimately medical breakthroughs that helped people to live with the disease and lift the stigma.
We have to know our history to understand our present

The scene when Jill was getting her contraceptive pill from the GP and she asked him for info on AIDS and he was sooooo dismissive and "It doesn't affect YOU" ugh.

 

[Mooordgirl]

The scene when Jill was getting her contraceptive pill from the GP and she asked him for info on AIDS and he was sooooo dismissive and "It doesn't affect YOU" ugh.

And so agressive that she'd suggest he'd know anything about it

 

[StrattyNeet]

I went to school behind monsall hospital. Early 90s and remember people calling it the aids place. Unfortunately we didn’t know any better because all the information given out was made to be scary

Kids don’t know any better and hindsight is 20/20

 

[Dwight]

Can someone explain why colins boss was trying to wash him in episode 1?

He was obviously an old perv hoping to get him undressed but I also think the continuing themes of hygiene with him was about him being closeted and the stigma of homosexuality being dirty

Such a beautiful series and wonderful acting of complex characters. I found it hard to warm to Ritchie and found him very self-centred but his friendship with Jill was everything.

Colin’s decline was distressing to watch. I thought it was powerful how his ‘relationship’ with the son of his landlady was portrayed, very ambiguous as to whether he was consenting. His friendship with Mr Coltrane and his partner was also so lovely, I wasn’t expecting NPH’s role to be so brief!

Keeley Hawes was incredible as Ritchie’s mum and also such a complicated mess of things... she loved her son but didn’t really know him, so what she thought was best for him wasn’t. She wanted to spite Jill for keeping the truth from her but couldn’t see that really she was spiting Ritchie. I so thought that his sister lurking in the background was going to find a way to get her mum away and Jill and Roscoe in!

The music... SO GOOD. I binged it all and now going back taking my time.

Colin's story was so distressing to watch. I finished watching the whole series a week ago and I still can't stop thinking about it, especially Colin. Powerful is the perfect way to describe the relationship with the landlord's son; I think it was written so ambiguously for viewers to make their own perception maybe. I personally didn't think of it as consensual, the son was very forceful and then although Colin may have seemed to hint at times he'd be home I thought that was more about his naivety and want to experience his sexuality. More than those scenes though the other scenes with his friends and his mother convinced me it wasn't something he really wanted. It may have been shame about his sexuality that lead to him never disclosing that information until he was going senile but I perceived it as sexual assault shame.

Also, the scene with Colin and his Mother and they say something about France - does anybody know what that was about? I was a little bit confused by that, was it simply to show early signs of the dementia or something else?

The whole series was so powerful and emotive. Me and my husband cried the whole way through, it was beautifully written and acted.

 

[StrattyNeet]

He was obviously an old perv hoping to get him undressed but I also think the continuing themes of hygiene with him was about him being closeted and the stigma of homosexuality being dirty


Colin's story was so distressing to watch. I finished watching the whole series a week ago and I still can't stop thinking about it, especially Colin. Powerful is the perfect way to describe the relationship with the landlord's son; I think it was written so ambiguously for viewers to make their own perception maybe. I personally didn't think of it as consensual, the son was very forceful and then although Colin may have seemed to hint at times he'd be home I thought that was more about his naivety and want to experience his sexuality. More than those scenes though the other scenes with his friends and his mother convinced me it wasn't something he really wanted. It may have been shame about his sexuality that lead to him never disclosing that information until he was going senile but I perceived it as sexual assault shame.

Also, the scene with Colin and his Mother and they say something about France - does anybody know what that was about? I was a little bit confused by that, was it simply to show early signs of the dementia or something else?

The whole series was so powerful and emotive. Me and my husband cried the whole way through, it was beautifully written and acted.

It was heart wrenching and empowering. Colin’s story was sad. As for the old greasy sweaty closeted boss....self hatred

 

[Mookiegoose]

He was obviously an old perv hoping to get him undressed but I also think the continuing themes of hygiene with him was about him being closeted and the stigma of homosexuality being dirty


Colin's story was so distressing to watch. I finished watching the whole series a week ago and I still can't stop thinking about it, especially Colin. Powerful is the perfect way to describe the relationship with the landlord's son; I think it was written so ambiguously for viewers to make their own perception maybe. I personally didn't think of it as consensual, the son was very forceful and then although Colin may have seemed to hint at times he'd be home I thought that was more about his naivety and want to experience his sexuality. More than those scenes though the other scenes with his friends and his mother convinced me it wasn't something he really wanted. It may have been shame about his sexuality that lead to him never disclosing that information until he was going senile but I perceived it as sexual assault shame.

Also, the scene with Colin and his Mother and they say something about France - does anybody know what that was about? I was a little bit confused by that, was it simply to show early signs of the dementia or something else?

The whole series was so powerful and emotive. Me and my husband cried the whole way through, it was beautifully written and acted.

The France thing was just before he had his second fit so I can only assume something sparked in his brain.

I completely saw the sex with 'football top' as consensual. Colin certainly seemed to enjoy it, and also seemed to invite it, when he told his landlady he was happy to stay home when they were out. 'Football top' obviously saw it as something to be ashamed of given his disgusting language during and his mother's attitude in the hospital. Given that Colin obviously caught HIV from him, he'd obviously been at it with other people but hated himself for it.

I think I might watch it again, because you always see things you missed the first time (especially as I was watching while working at the same time).

 

[Mooordgirl]

The France thing was just before he had his second fit so I can only assume something sparked in his brain.

I completely saw the sex with 'football top' as consensual. Colin certainly seemed to enjoy it, and also seemed to invite it, when he told his landlady he was happy to stay home when they were out. 'Football top' obviously saw it as something to be ashamed of given his disgusting language during and his mother's attitude in the hospital. Given that Colin obviously caught HIV from him, he'd obviously been at it with other people but hated himself for it.

I think I might watch it again, because you always see things you missed the first time (especially as I was watching while working at the same time).

I watched it for a second time and def picked up on stuff I'd missed - i'd recommend!

 

[Mookiegoose]

I watched it for a second time and def picked up on stuff I'd missed - i'd recommend!

It's a weird one though, because although it was amazing, it was also so horrible at the same time. Both me and my sister said we just felt sad after it ended. I've never re-watched Cucumber because that was also really sad and tragic (in a different way).

I might psych myself up to re-watch.

 

[~vix~83~]

I watched it for a second time and def picked up on stuff I'd missed - i'd recommend!

Yeah I’m watching again with different eyes. You always spot things and clues.
Still thinking about Collin. His background story of was a mixed one. I wasn’t sure if he had consented To football shirt guy, maybe he felt pressured by him.
Maybe on the after hours show they might break it down for us.