A couple of weeks back I did a post about my top 5 shows of 2015 (which you can read here) and afterwards I only realised that I had left out one of my favourite shows of last year, This is England '90. For those of you who don't know, This is England began back in 2006 when British director Shane Meadows gave us the film This is England. The coming of age film followed a troubled young boy called Shaun who gets involved with a group of skinheads, he soon begins to follow their racist leader Combo (Stephen Graham) in his English nationalist ways. The film was extremely powerful and quickly gained acclaim from critics worldwide, being labelled one of the greatest films of the year. In 2010, Meadows brought This is England to the small screen with the 4 episode miniseries This is England '86, followed by This is England '88 in 2011 and concluding with This is England '90 last year. Both the film and the television series have gained universal acclaim, but why is that?
First of all, there is Shane Meadows' writing and directorial skills. In both the film and the series, Meadows presents audiences with harrowing story lines from start to finish that really make This is England the emotional powerhouse that it is. There is one particular story line in '86 that involves the return of a characters abusive father (Johnny Harris) and how his actions are not only felt in '86 but are also echoed in later episodes. The characters of This is England are also very well written. Meadows creates these memorable characters, some lovable and others utterly vile, but they all have different impacts on us. Throughout the course of the film and series they develop in their own different ways and we really feel for them during their times of struggle and anguish. We care about these characters, and along with Meadows' incredible writing it is mainly due to the highly talented cast.
Although throughout the course of This is England we have seen characters come and go, there is that core group of characters who have been there from start to finish. From the humorous Woody (Joseph Gilgun) to the strong-willed Lol (Vicky McClure) there are various characters that we come to know and love over the course of the show, all portrayed by actors with immense talent. Thomas Turgoose who plays the central character of Shaun was only 13 when he first appeared in the film and his performance is just as captivating as his fellow castmembers. To see a boy so young get involved in such a serious conflict is harrowing to watch and Turgooses performance is fantastic. Two other stand out actors of the show are Vicky McClure and Stephen Graham who play Lol and Combo respectively. Both have been through their own struggles, Lol with her abusive father and Combos redemption from racist nationalist to a man at peace with himself. They become more central to the plot as the series goes on and we really feel for them. Joseph Gilgun as Woody and Andrew Shim as Milky were, for me, some of the highlights of This is England and I look forward to seeing the two appear in more in the future.
The talents of the cast are most evident, in my opinion, in a particular scene in This is England '90 when the majority of them gather around a dinner table as Lol informs her sister Kelly (Chanel Cresswell) of their fathers abuse. The conflict that ensues is extremely tense and knowing that the scene was ad-lib highlights the talents of the actors involved. A lot of the dialogue was ad-lib according to some of the actors, which explains how the dialogue and relationships between the characters appears so natural onscreen, they are a real pleasure to watch. However, one of the things that defines the show is its style, the clothes, the hair, the music, it all highlights the youth culture at the time. From the skinhead attire in the original This is England to the mod threads and finally the 90's rave gear, the characters styles reflect the evolution of youth culture and how time has passed since we first met them. Music is also parallel to the style, earlier installments including a lot of ska and reggae music while later episodes saw bands like The Stone Roses and The Happy Mondays included on the soundtrack. Both the film and the series represent the evolution of a generation and people growing up.
The show excels in its writing, its cast and its style and I believe it is a modern classic. Accompanied by a beautiful score by Ludovico Einaudi, the show is emotionally harrowing and can be quite upsetting at times but it is one of the most gripping dramas I have ever seen. It will have you hooked from start to finish and certain episodes may even have you on the edge of your seat (or hiding behind your hands). It is one of the most gripping and stylish dramas of the century and I encourage everyone to give it a look at some stage.
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