It's A Sin

[pensnest]

To my surprise, my sister recommended to me the Channel 4 series It's A Sin. Yes, the one with an incredible number of cute boys having sex with one another.

We just finished watching it, and I still have tears. It's a heartrending show about young men in the '80s, gay and free and happy in London, and at first, taking no notice of this weird stuff about Americans dying of some disease that only affects Homosexuals. And maybe Haitians and Haemophiliacs.

My sis said it really reminded her of 'how it was' back then. I got married in 1983 and started to reproduce not very long afterwards, so it wasn't my world, but my sister didn't settle down until the 1990s. And her flatmate, while she lived in London in the '80s, was a nurse in an AIDS ward (a thing I had not known).

It's a short series, only five episodes, and yes, it's heartrending. Watch it, if you haven't. Still on Catch-up. Well, you probably have—I'm the one who's always late getting to this stuff.

Comments

[turps]

It's so fantastically good.

It broke my heart so many times, and many days later, I can still feel the shock of the announcement in the last episode.

I do wish they'd have been able to film the originally planned eight episodes because I could have watched so much more.

[pensnest]

Yes. Yes. So many sadnesses. And it felt so truthful.

So interesting that there were supposed to be eight episodes. Hmm. I wonder if there were more intermediate ones, because there did seem to be large jumps, particularly at the end of the series - three years! And some of the characters who had relationships with the core group just didn't seem to have built it up. Though I may not have recognised them, of course. I would have loved to see more, and more development along the way.

[turps]

I've been reading some interesting posts on another forum about Jill, how she could have been more rounded and not just there as the supportive caregiver with no life outside the boys and protesting.

I do wonder if some of that would have been addressed in the episodes that had to be cut, same for Ash who was an important part of the group but was sidelined a little in terms of character development.

I agree, there was a big jump in time toward the end and I would have loved to see those years filled in a bit.

And hopefully with some happy things, I don't think I could have spared more tears.

[word_geek]

I found the sidelining of Jill really frustrating. I wish they had been able to round out the character

[turps]

I agree.

I enjoyed her character but I wanted to know so much more about her. Even a nod to her own love life or interests outside of campaigning and the theatre would have been good.

[pensnest]

I could imagine that if Jill wanted a boyfriend, she'd find the straight blokes mighty hard work. Gotta fight off those octopus hands, put up with all the football talk, and they wouldn't be nearly as up on the personal grooming as the pretty gay boys.... hmm.

It would have been nice to see more of her, but I think it would have been ideal to see a bit more of all the characters - at least we got to see Jill's parents.

[sperrywink]

Thanks for the rec. The 80s were my decade, so it should be right up my alley. Hopefully, it comes across the ocean to us.

[pensnest]

I hope you get the chance to see it. It's very good.

[turps]

You may not have seen but last week I linked to the official spotify playlist from the show. I think you'd like it.

here