Tork wrote: » The character was fine. It was the casting of Stephen Fry that I found jarring.
prinzeugen wrote: » I believe it's a reference to scandals involving members of the UK government at the time. There were multiple rumours about multiple people at the time. I think Mellor was one.
Tork wrote: » The one actor I'd not have cast on it was Stephen Fry. I can't say that he was terrible or anything but he just seemed to be Stephen Fry doing Stephen Fry, parachuted into an intense drama.
spurious wrote: » I thought Keeley Hawes was outstanding in this.
Rothmans wrote: » I will add it to the list. But I think I'll need to give it a while before I can take on something so heavy again. Yeah, I held out reasonably well until the last scene, that's when I lost it
EltonJohn69 wrote: » Check out the French movie 120 bpm if you want something similar... good but heavy
Buddy Bubs wrote: » Just finished it, wow. Think it's the first gay piece of art, literature, TV, stage etc that I've ever consumed but what an eye opener. I have no gay friends or really know anyone openly gay but I have read plenty about AIDS over the years. Watched in 2 sittings, 3 last night and 2 this evening. Recommended to be by a work colleague that I thought had stitched me up by making me watch gay sex scenes in opening half episode or so but it turned into one of the most poignant, powerful pieces of entertainment I've ever watched. Characters so well developed in what is only a short miniseries, congrats to the writers and actors on that one. The Jill character was excellent, apparently very closely based on real person. Excellent soundtrack too, 80s music is the best. 18 stone shaved head, bearded, sometimes emotional rugby player here fighting back tears at final scene. Will probably rewatch it to be honest. It will stick with me for long time to come.
Rothmans wrote: » Every so often a film or mini-series comes along that has such an emotional impact on me that it has me reflecting for days after it. I think It's a Sin will play heavily on my mind for the next few weeks at least. Although I intended to watch it each week, I finished the series on All 4 two days ago, and I've been constantly thinking about it - in work, while out for a walk, while trying to watch other TV shows and so on. As other posters have mentioned, this topic has been well covered by other TV series and documentaries such as Angels in America, Tales of the City etc. But none have had anywhere near the profound emotional impact that this series has had (on me personally, at least). Maybe it's the fact that It's a Sin is much closer to home, or the turbulent Covid times we're currently going through, or just because it is a perfectly put together piece of work, but it is a truly heartbreaking watch. Or perhaps it's the fact that this miniseries is simply not just a piece of fiction, it is rooted in a cold, lonely and heartbreaking reality that we just can't leave behind. Desperately Desperately sad. I knew going into this, that this was a miniseries about gay men in 1980s London so I knew exactly what to expect. But this series still managed to take me completely off-guard. It was just so touching and gut-wrenching and unbelievably upsetting. Each death in the show I found to be upsetting, but none more so than the protagonist, Ritchie. I was always hopeful for him. He managed to survive for so long with HIV/AIDS, he was so determined that he was going to overcome it. This gave me hope for him, only for it to be snuffed out in the end. I think it was in the fourth episode that he went back to the Isle of Wight (I suspected to tell his family the bad news). He got cold feet though, leaving the house, telling his parents that he was going out to meet friends. Of course, he got to the pub, and this wasn't the case at all - there was no one there to greet him. I think this illustrated that there was nothing for him in his homeplace, and was possibly a foreshadow of what was to come in the future (i.e. as was mentioned many times in the show - when boys go home, never to be seen again). Ritchie did meet his secondary school crush in the bar, but this was sadly a dead end (although it was nice to see the genuine concern that he had for Ritchie). Then of course, the 5th episode comes. Ritchie sadly becomes one of those boys I alluded to above. And it's just something I can't fathom - why did he go home? He loved London, and all of his friends there. Anyhow, he was brought back home and the mother wouldn't allow any of his friends to see him in his dying weeks and days. As the 4th episode highlighted, there wasn't anything for him in the Isle of Wight. Certainly no friends to speak of. Hell, when he asked his mother if his aunts or cousins would be coming to see him, she replied that none of the extended family had been even been told he was sick (not to mind with AIDS), and that it was none of their business. And added to this, the mother wasn't able to relate one bit to poor Ritchie about all the joys he had in London. This all highlighted the poignancy of the situation and highlighted how alone he was in dying, and indeed the imposed shame around him dying in this way. It was just so sad that he had to die like that. So desperately sad. And it is sad because it was true. It was something which happened thousands of times over in that era. Towards the end of the episode we were given hope. When Ritchie's mother asked to meet Jill and told her that he had asked to see her. Only to dash her hopes, and mine, by following that up with 'but he died yesterday morning'. The cruelty of that. The cruelty of his death. I don't think I've articulated myself particularly well here, but it's difficult to put into words how this miniseries had made me feel and I hope ye understand my ramblings. I read elsewhere that somebody put it to Russell T Davies what was it that he wanted to achieve, how he wanted people to feel after watching this show. He replied that he wanted people to miss the characters. I think he has achieved that goal completely and flawlessly. I'm in bits.
Shelga wrote: » Like others, I binged it all at the weekend, after meaning to watch 1 episode. It was excellent. AIDS is a topic that I of course was aware of, and knew lots of gay men died horrible deaths in the 1980s, but It's A Sin gave me so much more understanding of what it must have been like back then- isn't that what great drama does.When Colin started having seizures, it was horrible, but I thought, oh phew, at least he doesn't have AIDS. Little did I know I thought it really portrayed the horror of it all, yet the pure carefree joy they also all experienced, really well. As Ritchie says in the final episode- "no one ever talks about how much fun we had", or words to that effect. Really heartbreaking, really funny. I've been thinking about it since Saturday so that says something, in an age where we all just mindlessly burn through "content".
JP Liz V1 wrote: » I didn't know he acted
iguana wrote: » Well now I'm embarrassed. I'd read that this starred Olly Alexander from Years and Years and assumed he was in Russell T Davies last series, Years and Years. I've been racking my brain for 3 episodes trying to work out which character he was in it.:o
