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This is England 88

234 replies

FloydieFestiveDoydie · 13/12/2011 19:19

Anyone else excited about TIE being back? I can't wait! My love for Woody (Joe Gilgun) can once again be sated Grin

OP posts:
stressheaderic · 16/12/2011 21:22

I read that the fight scene was filmed in one take, with much of it improvised. Takes tremendous talent to do that and yet it was superb.

Last night's episode was just brilliant, memorising, hauntingly good telly. Why isn't there more thought provoking drama like this around? Shane Meadows is beyond talented but there must be other just as creative writers - is it a funding issue?

I'm the only person on my work who watched it - I think folk think it's all skinheads and mindless racism, when it's actually the most intelligent, gentle programme I've seen. Meadows does not patronize the viewer like many writers do.

ILovePonyo · 16/12/2011 21:54

I've just been googling and apparently meadows films long takes and the actors rehearsing to see what comes out of it.

I bet it is down to funding stresshead, there is so much complete shite on the telly compared to amazing dramas like this.

I really liked Woody in this series - I did smile when he came out with "I'm a fucking wimp" or similar - so true Woody!

One thing that bothered me - where was Lisa when everyone was in the hospital?

AmberLeaf · 16/12/2011 22:01

I thought the prison visit scene was fantastic. Really powerful.

Lol is brilliant.

wintera · 16/12/2011 22:05

I work for a small company with 9 employees, and 4 of us have been watching it this week so that's not bad going. I actually thought this series was much better than 86 it was much more consistent and seemed to flow better. I was so glad when Vicky McClure won her bafta for 86, she bloody deserved it and hope she wins another for 88. Only wish the fella playing her dad had won one too, he lost out to Martin Freeman in Sherlock, and as much as I love Martin in Sherlock well his performance just doesn't come close does it? If I am being honest though, I am less and less interested in Shaun's storylines nowadays. All the other characters are much more enjoyable. Weird really as he was the star of the film after all. I think drugs will play a large part of the 90 series. They were doing drugs whilst watching the play and I thought lol looked unhappy when they passing it along, especially when her sister had some too. She didn't looked pleased about it. Anyway, I think it might go in that direction for 90. Just a gut feeling.

ILovePonyo · 16/12/2011 22:19

Now this may sound a bit weird but I find the whole 90s rave and drugs scene a bit depressing so not sure about the next TIE, also how could it better this series Wink

Think you're right wintera about lol and drugs especially re her little sister.

TwoIfBySea · 16/12/2011 23:55

I've ordered the film and '86 from Lovefilm, really annoyed I missed these in the first place as that was an outstanding show. Does anyone know if it is loosely scripted? Either most of that was ad-libbed or there is a clutch of top class actors going unrecognised. I still needed to figure out who was who exactly but jeez that ghost man was chilling.

Finally twigged that one of the girls was in Trollied!

My cousin was a skinhead so I'm looking forward to reminiscing, I was a little too late for that but I did become a Goth of sorts.

paulapantsdown · 17/12/2011 00:12

well wintera, apparently Shane Meadows has only scripted the first scene of 90 so far, and its of someone putting a pill on their tongue - so I think you could be right!

I only twigged it today - Sean's character is called Sean Fields by Shane Meadows! The Sean character IS Shane Meadows.

valiumredhead · 17/12/2011 09:57

I was wondering who was looking after baby Lisa too!!

I think I read that a lot of scenes are loosely scripted and ad libbed - which explains why it's so brilliant.

I found the whole rave scene depressing too - so it will be interesting to see where how next one pans out.

paula yes Grin

slartybartfast · 17/12/2011 10:25

another one who wondered whre lisa was? Grin

saw most of epsiode 2 and bits of episode 3, but went on to 4od to watch the bit i missed on episode 2, with the nruse Sad oh god i was sobbing. so well acted, the nurse was so brilliant and reserved.
talkign about referring somehwere else, this was over a period of 1 day for starters, plus it was 1988, so perhaps things were different.
poor lol, how on earth could she keep the secret inside her.

slartybartfast · 17/12/2011 10:26

just had to Share this on MN Grin

valiumredhead · 17/12/2011 11:29

Looking back slarty I thought that too - things were very different in 88 wrt MH.

I hadn't twigged that she hadn't told her mum SHE had killed Mick, I was surprised that her mum was being so reasonable about it as in the last one she was very loyal to him . Urghhhhhhhh juts had a flash back of Mick taking the Mum from behind

LEttletownofBOFlehem · 17/12/2011 11:32

Oh god yes

I've got DP into this now- we watched the first two of TIE86 late last night. I am going to make him watch at least two more tonight Xmas Grin. he's loving it though- it's very much our era and the kind of landscapes we grew up in.

valiumredhead · 17/12/2011 11:35

It all seemed very 'familiar' to me even though I wasn't brought up where it was filmed. It seemed so real and like 'going home.'

AnyFuckerForAMincePie · 17/12/2011 11:39

Yes, this was my upbringing too

Substitute Manchester for Sheffield, and there you have it

LEttletownofBOFlehem · 17/12/2011 11:43

It was kind of generic Northern, don't you think, regardless of the actual filming locations? The characters seem to have quite different accents, and I think we are supposed to see it as a kind of AnyShitNorthernTown, don't you think? Lots of Liverpool certainly looked like that, and Manchester, Leeds etc.

valiumredhead · 17/12/2011 11:43

Ds was brought up there and finds it all a bit too depressing, he doesn't 'get it.' Some bits he thought were amazing though, he watched the rape scene with me in the last series and we were literally on the edge of the sofa. He laughs at me as I get so engrossed in it and I DO NOT WANT TO BE ASKED IF I WANT A FRIGGING CUP OF TEA JUAT AS SOME THING GOOD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN!!!!!! Grin

AnyFuckerForAMincePie · 17/12/2011 11:45

Yes, any GrimNorthernTown is right

valiumredhead · 17/12/2011 11:46

It was very grey wasn't it? Grin

LEttletownofBOFlehem · 17/12/2011 11:52

Can you imagine our kids even entertaining the idea of moving into that shithole from TIE86 that Woody and Lol had? Gah, they don't know how easy they've got it...

valiumredhead · 17/12/2011 11:54

I thought that too, the flat was so grim but my first bedsit wasn't far off that tbh Grin

mrsjay · 17/12/2011 13:38

to th e poster who spoke about shauns story , hes based on shane meadows I was reading an article , anyhoo he said that shaun wasnt in it because he wanted to concentrate on LOL etc

bigfatgypsy · 17/12/2011 14:32

I'm so glad I've found this thread as I also don't really know anyone IRL who is watching it.

I've watched it in order, in fact it was only because I'd seen the film that I caught 86 - I probably would have missed it otherwise. I can honestly say they have been the best viewing I've seen for years and years. It's not often that I look forward to watching something as much.

Dh and I have been totally gripped and have nattered about it for days. Thank god we enjoy the same tv! I need to watch the film again because there are parts I've forgotten, but I think if anyone hasn't seen it they should because it really sets the scene and give you some background info, especially about Combo and Shaun.

I agree that they have moved away from the racism issues now but the main gang of (then kids) weren't really involved in that. It was only Shaun who got drawn into it, tempted by Combo who in turn had got involved via his prison cronies.

Having Milky as a friend made it all v complicated and Shaun had some difficult decisions to make. I can't remember how it ended so I need to go back and watch again.

I really wish there was more stuff like this on tv. I spend too much time watching crap reality programmes that go on for months but something like this comes along and all too soon it's over. I wish both series had been longer - when you look at something like the Sopranos that can go on for years it makes me sad that we can't make something so local that lasts longer. It was just as good to watch if not better IMO and just so real.

I'll look forward to 90 but it'll seem strange - the 80s were my childhood but I met my dh in 1990 and hit my late teens so it'll seem even more real no doubt.

A wonderful, thought-provoking, very upsetting yet amazing series. I'm sad it's over.

BelfastRingingOutForXmasBloke · 17/12/2011 14:53

Bit of trivia for you:

Remember the start of the film This is England, where the tiny Sean gets into a fight with some kids who are teasing him about his father's death? (It's his upset about this which causes Woody's gang to take him under their wing.)

Well the ringleader of the teasers is Harvey, who has become part of Woody's gang in TIE '86 and TIE '88. (The one who punches the leader of the scooter gang, and gets his teeth knocked out in a headbutt.)

This is Harvey

LEttletownofBOFlehem · 17/12/2011 15:12

I loved his character- so briefly sketched, yet so believable. Just the odd little thing like when someone asks him if he's got his own place, he replies "Nah- I'm not leaving them both with that dickhead" Sad. Yet he seems so jovial and lighthearted. We all knew kids like that, if we weren't that kid, I suppose. The class clown who is actually having a pretty shitty life.

BelfastRingingOutForXmasBloke · 17/12/2011 15:26

Right.