UK Series It's a Sin

[Biggie]

I've a strong feeling that I will be binging this in one sitting tomorrow. I've a bit of a love/hate relationship with Russell T Davies' dramas. Hate might be a bit of a strong word but I loved Queer As Folk (series one), The Second Coming and A Very English Scandal but I couldn't get into Cucumber and Years & Years. Even though the promo clip above features a variation of something that often puts me off his writing - the soapbox-ish monologue - I think It's A Sin will be a must watch.

I didn't know that Queer As Folk and It's A Sin came from the same pen. I absolutely enjoyed Queer As Folk. I am currently recording It's A Sin and planning to watch it all in one sitting, as I have done with Peaky Blinders et al. Now I am salivating at the prospect and hoping that the author exceeded the high water mark set by Queer.....

 

[Mustard]

Great performance by Keeley Hawes in the last episode, portraying Ritchie's mother, Valerie, who I think always knew deep down that her son was gay, but clung to the slightest hope that he was at least bisexual and would settle down with a girlfriend, so she never openly admitted the reality to herself, preferring delusion. When Valerie is forced to confront the reality of Ritchie's homosexuality, the fact he's got AIDS, and Sandra's mocking about her (Valerie) not knowing about Ritchie being gay, Valerie can't delude herself anymore and becomes nasty.

 

[Brian Kinney]

Ritchie's mother Valerie was nasty and ignorant from Episode 1 on, she didn't become nastier when Sandra mocked her. She only had more lines and bigger scenes. Honestly the Jill vs Valerie duels were the one fault of the series. Especially the dramatic one on the hospital floor had a soap divas fight quality - I would have cut the scene and added instead something with Ritchie's sister and father who seemed to be not as homophobic but it was very vague. What I really liked (aside of Colin's mom of course) was Roscoe's dad because it was surprising to see a change in parents.

 

[cobbles]

Great performance by Keeley Hawes in the last episode, portraying Ritchie's mother, Valerie, who I think always knew deep down that her son was gay, but clung to the slightest hope that he was at least bisexual and would settle down with a girlfriend, so she never openly admitted the reality to herself, preferring delusion. When Valerie is forced to confront the reality of Ritchie's homosexuality, the fact he's got AIDS, and Sandra's mocking about her (Valerie) not knowing about Ritchie being gay, Valerie can't delude herself anymore and becomes nasty.

I read an article which said one of the things cut due to the shorter run than intended was a storyline about sexual abuse in the Tozer household which might have went more of the way of explaining Valerie's blindness to Ritchie's sexuality. I think the comment about older men liking pretty boys might have been a nod to that. I think it might have been that she thought he might have been abused but didn't want to open those conversations as she didn't want to open up her own emotional baggage from her own abuse.

I don't really have much to add, an excellent drama. Certainly RTD's best work (and I'm a big Doctor Who fan so the bars high). He has a knack of inventing good characters and making you care about what happens to them that seems rare these days.

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

We finished the last two episodes last night. One of the best drama I've seen. Any drama that stays with me for days after, I find that I need to watch again just to get it out of my system, but I think I will wait before I do this one again.


To those who watched it all in one go, well done!! It whacked me out a few times over the past few nights. Such an emotional rush.



I've never heard of this one until recently, though I believe I might have seen the odd post from you somewhere on these forums

Russell T Davies also did Dark Season. With Jacqueline Pearce, who you had seen as Servalan in Blake’s 7. Kate Winslet was in it too. Although I’m struggling to recall what else I may have seen her in.

Dark Season & Century Falls: Looking Back at Russell T Davies' Children's Dramas

We revisit Dark Season and Century Falls, two children's dramas that established Russell T. Davies' early screenwriting career...

www.denofgeek.com

 

[Ome]

Great British Bake Off announces It's a Sin cast reunion for Christmas special​

In the wake of the brilliant It's a Sin's huge success, some of the show's cast members are set to reunite for a special edition of The Great British Bake Off.

Following in the footsteps of the show's excellent Derry Girls episode, the Channel 4 baking series will feature a special edition this Christmas with actors Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Nathaniel Curtis and Shaun Dooley.

The stars – who play Ritchie Tozer, Jill Baxter, Ash Mukherjee and Ritchie's dad Clive, respectively – will put their baking skills to the test in front of judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, while hosts Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas will also be on hand.

The Christmas episode, which has yet to confirm an air date, is one of two newly-announced specials, with The Great Festive Bake Off also returning in the New Year, with series nine bakers Kim-Joy and Jon and series 11's Hermine and Rowan returning.

It's a Sin, which was created by returning Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies, explores the impacts of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the LGBTQ+ community in the 1980s, centring on a group of friends in London.