It's A Sin Channel 4

dvds2000 · 31-01-2021, 00:50

Anyone watched this?

Thought it was the best bit of British drama I've watched in a long time.

I was a teenager and early 20's though the 80's and knew gay lads, and from what I saw, that was pretty close to what they were going through back then.

Not going to put any spoilers in this first post in case anyone hasn't binged it yet.

What did others think about it?

driver8 · 31-01-2021, 07:55

This is absolutely bloody great! It's a bit like 'This Life' meets 'Trainspotting'.

Superb acting from the perfectly cast ensemble of friends, sucks you in (and sucks you off!) to the energetic pubs & parties.

Great soundtrack, fun dialogue, up-close camera work. The first 2 eps are a whirlwind, the second 2 slow down with LOLs and tears. Watching the final ep tonight.

Maybe a bit rushed, and would benefit from at least a full hour per ep. It's really about time we started getting longer 'directors cut' version on streaming services and blu.
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dvds2000 · 31-01-2021, 08:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by driver8

This is absolutely bloody great! It's a bit like 'This Life' meets 'Trainspotting'.

Superb acting from the perfectly cast ensemble of friends, sucks you in (and sucks you off!) to the energetic pubs & parties.

Great soundtrack, fun dialogue, frenetic camera work. The first 2 eps are a whirlwind, the second 2 slow down with LOLs and tears. Watching the final ep tonight.

Maybe a bit rushed, and would benefit from at least a full hour per ep. It's really about time we started getting longer 'directors cut' version on streaming services and blu.

I really wasn't expecting much with it being Russel T Davis, not a massive fan of his due to some of the things he did with Dr Who, but I was wrong. It was just pretty much perfect.

Jill's Mum is played by the actual Jill who he based her on!

aprout · 31-01-2021, 11:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by driver8

Maybe a bit rushed, and would benefit from at least a full hour per ep. It's really about time we started getting longer 'directors cut' version on streaming services and blu.

There was an interview with Davies in Empire magazine recently where he said if he had the budget he could have done a multi-season series with 10 episodes per season, each season covering one year of the eighties.

Alas, Channel 4 Productions generally only do 4-parters these days & he had to practically beg them to get a fifth episode.

jmdomain · 31-01-2021, 15:59

Watched this over the last couple of nights, it was very good. I enjoyed it.

driver8 · 02-02-2021, 07:59

The final ep was probably the best for us, with 2 absolutely superb scenes. We just sat and chatted for an hour afterwards.

Throughout, it managed to be moving and unflinchingly powerful, without being manipulative, exploitative or overly-sentimental.

Essential viewing, right up there with the very best. Only loses a point for being too short! 9/10

cliff homewood · 02-02-2021, 16:03

Can people plaes be careful discussing later episdoes as they have not aired yet?

AM enjoying it, been 2 on so far. First ep was better than second I thought. However its going to have to go some to beat RTDs previous two series years and years and Cucumber. The latter of which was also about gay life and was superb I thought.

Luckily I don't actually know anyone who died of AIDS but its playing out just as I heard it did.

AndyWilson · 02-02-2021, 16:42

Agreed - I'm watching it as broadcast because, yet again, neither the Sky boxset nor the All4 stream have subtitles.

driver8 · 03-02-2021, 06:54

Sure - we've been mindful to not post or even hint at any spoilers. There are several very clever decisions made by the film-makers that would be interesting to discuss, as they reveal extra info about the characters, and we get to know things in unusual ways (that feel natural and non-manipulative). But talking about these methods would mean spoilering an entire post.

Let us know when you've watched each ep.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliff homewood

its going to have to go some to beat RTDs previous two series years and years and Cucumber. The latter of which was also about gay life and was superb I thought.

I've not seen either of these, so will check them out (and I gave up on Queer As Folk after a couple of eps). I'd say it's usually best not to compare, as you're likely to be disappointed - the tendency being to favour the first (pioneering) show.

cliff homewood · 03-02-2021, 13:29

i never watched Queer of Folk so missed that RTD classic, I came onboard to him with the Second Coming. Generally a very good writer just cant do endings, second comnig being a case in point. Cucumber and Years and Years however had proper endings.

Years and Years I think was possibly the best drama of last year.

AdamBrunt · 11-02-2021, 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyWilson

Agreed - I'm watching it as broadcast because, yet again, neither the Sky boxset nor the All4 stream have subtitles.

I just binge watched the final 2 episodes on All4 on a Firestick and I had to turn off the subtitles which were on by default.

Very good series and Keeley Hawes is awesome throughout.

I spent far too long, though, on the final episode wondering where I had seen the nurse [ Mandy in This Country ] and mum in the visitors' coffee room [ a few Mike Leigh type films ]

belgarion_v · 11-02-2021, 23:39

Not a fan of RTD but enjoyed this.

I was 16 in 1980, my wife is 5 years younger than me, our recollections of the years this was set in differ widely, she doesn't remember as much as I did about some of the content.

Must say it was pretty spot on with the attitudes to gay people and some of the things that were "okay" to say back then. Just goes to show how far we've advanced.

Vince

driver8 · 12-02-2021, 07:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamBrunt

Very good series and Keeley Hawes is awesome throughout.

Yes, 2 standout scenes in particular - her (unexpected) behaviour at the hospital, and the 1-on-1 on the promenade ... amazing stuff.

RCW · 13-02-2021, 18:42

Watched most of this yesterday and final ep this morning, fantastic & hard to fault.

driver8 · 14-02-2021, 06:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliff homewood

RTDs previous two series years and years and Cucumber. The latter of which was also about gay life and was superb I thought.

Quote:

Originally Posted by driver8

I've not seen either of these, so will check them out (and I gave up on Queer As Folk after a couple of eps).

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliff homewood

Years and Years I think was possibly the best drama of last year.

After enjoying It's A Sin (9/10), I've gone back and just finished Cucumber (uneven, 7/10) ... didn't like it as much mainly cos I didn't like the lead guy (Henry) for some reason, just didn't find him or the main relationship believable, like they were often delivering lines unauthentically. It's a lot slower too, and despite LOLs some eps were too slow (sexual tension ... we get it!), whilst several scenes and a couple of full eps were superb TV (the pivotal ep in particular of course, of which I knew nothing about, absolutely blew me away).

So anyway, if you get half way through Cucumber, definitely stick with it till the end. And then watch companion piece Banana straight afterwards, which I actually enjoyed more! (8/10) Mainly cos we see very little of Henry, and also cos many of the Cucumber side characters were so interesting, and here we see them fleshed out properly. It's variable in quality (different characters & different writer each ep) but always very watchable, and the snappy 25 minute eps whizz by (like It's A Sin did).

cliff homewood · 15-02-2021, 13:48

Thanks Driver8 not rewatched Cucumber since it came out and not planning too, so interesting to see the two seris combined side by side. I really liked Henry, so we are different there. What you called the pivotal ep still sticks in my mind 5 years later, hence the recommendation, but didn't want to mention anything not to spoil it!