New (final) 'This Is England 90'. Who's watching?

[WestleyAndButtockUp]

I saw a massive poster for Sunday night's new season, just as the tube train arrived. I let my train home go so I could stare in detail at the characters' new looks. Who are the two blokes on the far left - have they been on before?

There is a This Is England characters catch-up documentary show on Channel4 tonight (Friday) after new Gogglebox, so prob 10pm.

I figure the white guys who took Combo would have been national front. He freaked at the sight of them. He renounced his former life when he came out of prison (and while in there too) and it would have been seen as a betrayal. You dont just get to leave a violent gang like that. My guess is Milky's friends/family or whoever they were made a deal to bring Combo in. Thats what I figure anyway.

Am bereft it's all over... I really hope there will be another as there is definitely unfinished business. Felt Kelly's story was wrapped up too quickly...was she telling Lol what she wanted to hear re not having done heroin for two weeks?
I fear that was definitely the end of Combo. Absolutely chilling and so ironic that he was handed over to the white guys to be finished off
Was really happy for Shaun though. Did anyone else think of Pulp's Common People when the new girlfriend said she wanted to go to St Martin's..?

Combo attacked one of the skinhead leaders in the film the same night he beat up Milky, think that's why they took him.
Great finale. My eyes are like pickled onions

I got the St Martin's reference as well!

Combo is definitely dead. He recognised the white guys as killers. And the speech playing over his screams was chilling - showed the NF as the corrosive violence-endorsing at all costs organisation it is, as the lie that that ideology contains.

Kelly was definitely lying - I think we were supposed to realise that. She doesn't just suddenly wake up in a smack house where she's being prostituted, having been clean for two weeks, and back into normal life.

Milky will never get over what he's done. Lol won't get over it either. Even Shaun's path isn't clear - see the bit with Smell trying to muscle in towards the end?

Right to the very end, there's no real happiness for any of them. They dance and sing and try to make the best of it, but really they're all fucked.

Absolutely amazing drama. I actually feel like I've been part of something important by watching it. I hope they all get shit-loads of awards.

It's been brilliant, so emotional.

It does feel important doesn't it.

Yes it feels like we've really been through something, from the comfort of our own sofas! Seriously though, it's so true to life. So many real troubled souls out there. It couldn't end too clean and easy. Wouldn't be Shane Meadows.

Powerful episode. Gutted its over. I agree they did wrap up Kelly's story too quickly. They could have showed us a bit more unravelling, like in the case of Chloe in My Mad Fat Diary (second series) when she fell in with the older guy and his crowd.

I really hope the actors/writers get awards. Such superb writing, production and acting. Haven't felt so affected by a programme since THAT episode of Cucumber..

Well. Absolutely emotionally exhausted watching that. Just brilliant, brilliant telly.

Oh god, I still feel tearful and emotional, DH hasn't got it at all and thought it was all a bit boring. Amazing acting, amazing storyline. There is so room for one more though, too many loose ends but maybe that's just life.
I sobbed at Milky when Combo went, begging him to change his mind. That decision will haunt him forever. As if he wasn't haunted enough after what Combo did to him. Heartbreaking.

It was amazing. I think it's likely that Kel was lying about being off the smack, but I like to hope that being reunited with her family will give her the impetus to make it true. Poor Combo . He was so dignified walking to meet his fate. I thought it was tragic that happy/go/lucky Milky, while physically surviving the assault, allowed it to rob him of his character and integrity. It will also mean that he loses his friends, and probably his daughter.

Nicknameidea is absolutely right: the whole theme was the importance of forgiveness.

Just watched the behind the scenes. Combo's back story is that his dad is actually black and that was one of the photos he had in the pile

Stephen graham is mixed race which is where the idea came from

Combo got out of prison quickly for a murderer, I think he did some snitching on some nf people to get out early, and he was handed over to them.
fantastic finale, loved it, lols dress was great, woody had shaved, everyone dancing at the end.I didn't realise lols real name is Frances though.

Lorraine, surely? It was said in the wedding planning scene.

I think her name must be Frances Lorraine. The vicar/priest? said Richard and Frances.

I wondered about combo's short sentence. I put it down to the circumstances - protecting his friend from what he thought was an attacker (which is what their story was) so it wasnt a planned murder. Perhaps it was manslaughter? Plus time off for good behaviour? Plus a plea deal? Plus ratting on a few baddies?

The scene between Lol and Kelly at the end was just so beautifully done.

I'm gutted it's over :(

Absolutely superb acting by all, really really enjoyed it and felt drained by the end.

Loved Jennifer and the wedding planning book, so glad they kept her in this series, she is comedy gold.
Love the relationship between Sean and his mum, and Sean's new hot girlfriend (who definitely wanted to live like Common People) bringing out the jealousy in Smell.
Loved Lol's Ben Sherman inspired wedding dress.
What a natural actor Stephen Graham is, so easy to watch and convincing. I wonder if there is any scope at all that he might not be dead?

Yes a mix of all those surly.Glad you heard Richard and Frances too,thought I had imagined it for a minute then.

Lol's dress was hideous! Sorry to anyone that had one like that!

I loved the stand off between smell and sean's new girlfriend. It was so real and funny. So many time ive seen that row amongst friends as a teen.

Smell is hilarious.

Wow! Amazing tv. Agree about the forgiveness theme - the only way to recover from horrific hurt. The long lasting effects of behaviour arising from damaged individuals is depicted brilliantly IMO. Amazing script and amzing acting.

My only gripe is that Sean's new gf seems out of his league - sorry Sean. I'd like to see more of his, Smell and Kelly's development. He isn't into photography really is he? And poor old Smell has a way to go.

Trev didn't play a big part.....

So grateful for this fab thread.

(My 19YO DD has just broken up with her serious, thoughtful (quirky)bf and is going through a manic, catch-up-on- lost- partying- time phase so 'character development' of young people and how to help/not being able to help is very much on my mind at the moment).

I agree Sean's gf seems out of his league - I found it a bit implausible TBH.

I didn't get that Kelly was being prostituted - is that right? I thought she realised she was in a flat with people injecting and got out. We never saw her injecting?( perhaps I want too much spelled out).

I didnt see it either that she was being prostituted, but i wonder if that is deliberate so that we are left wondering/thinking about it/trying to work out our own answers? Much like whether combo is dead or not.

Btw as much as i hate that there are so many loose ends i love it because its so perfect. Life doesnt usually mean all loose ends being tied up. People go on having a life despite not being happy with some or all aspects of it. Sean's new GF may just be using him til she gets to know the area more and makes other friends. Who knows? Thats why shane meadows is so awesome. He isnt afraid to make it that real and leave those storylines unfinished. Because life isnt finished. Even when we die it goes on for everyone else.

Agree completely about the loose ends. It wouldn't have done justice to a story that has been so complex and wide-ranging to have everything tied up neatly.

I do think that Kelly was being prostituted though - she was homeless, jobless and had a guy who came and picked her up off the bench and supplied her with heroin. He wouldn't be doing it for free or out of the goodness of his heart. Plus the other guys were talking about 'are we going to get her down here?' or whatever. She was in a really really bad place, and Lol knew that, and just chose to go with Kelly's version because there was no point in doing otherwise - her accepting what Kelly said got Kelly out of there, at least in the short term.