It's a Sin, 9 pm Channel 4, 22nd Jan CONTAINS SPOILERS **titled edited by MNHQ**

[notawittyname1954]

I keep seeing trailers for this. Anyone else looking forward to it?

I want to be friends with Colin :( x

@Mrsjayy

We just finished it last night oh my It was heartbreaking but possibly the best thing I've watched in a while, I couldn't stop thinking about poor Colin What was with Ritchies mum i didn't understand her attitude and not letting his friends see him what a hateful woman.

I know, as if Colin's death wasn't harrowing enough to see Ritchie's stupid mother selfishly prioritise her own needs above her son's and his best friends was just appalling.

The visitor in the hospital was brilliant when she said what had she been looking at the last 30years if she didn't see he was gay.

Such a brilliant series combining love, humour and tragedy. I want to watch it all again.

I finished watching this last night and wholeheartedly agree - it was a stunningly heartbreaking series. I can't stop thinking about it.

The scene towards the very end where Jill sits with the man (Marcus?) who didn't have any family or friends visiting him in hospital...it was when his eyes widened for a split second with sheer gratitude and appreciation for his hand being held. My heart aches with pain thinking about it.

Jill sitting with Marcus broke me, I remember at the reading about aids wards and how they often died alone, just horrific, my dd was watching with me and she was just stunned.

Like another poster, I couldn't buy the switch in the Valerie character and this meant that, for me, that last episode didn't have the impact it could have had. Was RTD trying to subvert the 'good mother supportive of her gay son' TV stereotype, I wonder, rather clumsily?

Otherwise I'm left feeling thoughtful and a bit ashamed for knowing next to nothing about HIV and AIDS and it was a decent series on the whole (but should have been a few episodes longer).

I bet it was a case of . We have keeley Hawes we better use her

Like another poster, I couldn't buy the switch in the Valerie character and this meant that, for me, that last episode didn't have the impact it could have had. Was RTD trying to subvert the 'good mother supportive of her gay son' TV stereotype, I wonder, rather clumsily?

I think Valerie's reaction was partly guilt. I don't know if she would have accepted Ritchie was gay if he'd come out years ago, but now they find out he's dying. He's hidden both the fact that he's gay and he has a terminal disease. So now, it doesn't matter so much that he's gay just that he's dying. We don't really know what her reaction to him just being gay would've been, but we saw in the conversation with Jill in the rec room that she was trying to explain the gay away (so to speak). Maybe in time, she would've understood but I think she blames herself and her husband even more for not seeing it but shifts the blame to Jill and the others because that's easier to deal with.

I thought Keeley Hawes was magnificent though. She's a really underrated actor.

@Coopz

Like another poster, I couldn't buy the switch in the Valerie character and this meant that, for me, that last episode didn't have the impact it could have had. Was RTD trying to subvert the 'good mother supportive of her gay son' TV stereotype, I wonder, rather clumsily?

I think Valerie's reaction was partly guilt. I don't know if she would have accepted Ritchie was gay if he'd come out years ago, but now they find out he's dying. He's hidden both the fact that he's gay and he has a terminal disease. So now, it doesn't matter so much that he's gay just that he's dying. We don't really know what her reaction to him just being gay would've been, but we saw in the conversation with Jill in the rec room that she was trying to explain the gay away (so to speak). Maybe in time, she would've understood but I think she blames herself and her husband even more for not seeing it but shifts the blame to Jill and the others because that's easier to deal with.

I thought Keeley Hawes was magnificent though. She's a really underrated actor.

I agree about the guilt. It seemed that his dad was the narrow minded controlling one but then she flipped. I think she was hurt. She definitely loved Ritchie. She always asked how he was and if anything was wrong. And when she kissed his face when he was in hospital. She was so wrong to keep his friends away from him and the fact he died alone was tragic.

She was incredible in this role.

In the late 80s I spent a lot of time in gay bars and clubs having the best time with the best bunch of friends. One of the club is featured in this drama so took me right back. I never knew anyone who got sick but I do remember the fear and I do remember clause 28 which featured more in conversations than AIDS.

And I remember the secrecy and not telling family and how much that pained people.

Might watch it all again....

I think it definitely deserves multiple watchings

These are good interviews.

www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/olly-alexander-its-a-sin-interview-2021

inews.co.uk/opinion/contracted-hiv-16-its-a-sin-nathaniel-hall-846165

Yes I could watch it again, Dd keeps talking about it she really enjoyed it but was a sobby mess by the end of it .

I wonder if the boy Colin had been with was any other scenes that we might have missed?

@mrsjayy Colin went with the landlady's son

[quote notawittyname1954]I was totally shocked by the facts in this article
thetab.com/uk/2021/01/25/32-million-died-in-the-aids-pandemic-but-our-remembrance-is-pitiful-191708[/quote]
See this is interesting to me, the AIDS pandemic has been marked every single year in our community. But it is completely ignored by wider society, the only time you really hear about is in reference to infected blood products.

Gay history is really hidden. Today is world holocaust day, when camps were finally liberated we were largely sent to prison in our home countries. It isn’t something you learn at school, it isn’t something you hear at mainstream memorial services.

I didn’t think Gills character was particularly well cast, believable or for a main part she had much about her. It almost felt like everything was too current, the mixed raced, supportive, campaigning family, the edgy dress sense and then a sharp contrast to her traditional personality always cooking and cleaning, maternal figures to the boys. She just didn’t quite fit for me.

I felt she was a good portrayal as she showed women having some freedoms, but still having ‘duties’ they must perform due to being women. Jill was approved by the actual Jill.

People who are mixed race were often allies, they knew how it felt to be marginalised by both society and their families. Mixed race families in urban areas were often politically aware and fighting for rights for themselves and others.

We have to remember a lot if it was based on real events, for example Ritchie in Dr Who, that was a recreated scene as a nod towards Dursley McLinden who died of AIDS in the 1990’s.

I watched this in one go and wow. I was born in 1971 so was a teenager through the 80's, I remember the John Hurt Advert, Princess Di's coverage of her breaking the mould to acknowledge these men. I had no idea though that so much was hidden. The cruelty to abandon so many young men and women who died alone and frightened! What a horrific world we live in!
I have also read many of the links that have been added to this thread and it shocks me to not know that since the outbreak of AIDS 37.2 million people have lost their lives! That's more than WW1. 600,000 people died from AIDS in 2019! Its utterly outrageous that its not being talked about in schools and equally that there will most probably be a memorial statue for COVID-19 far sooner than there is one to remember those poor, poor souls who have and continue to die from AIDS.
I loved Colin's character and his wonderful Mum. What a shout out to all those other parents who loved their children for why and who they were.

Absolutely heartbreaking and brilliant

@mrsjayy Colin went with the landlady's son

Yeah I was meaning I wonder if he was out in a pub or something as a clue iyswim.

I binged this today. I cried at every episode and was a hysterical mess by the end!

I was born in the early 90s so by the time I knew what it was, AIDS and HIV wasn't at the forefront of the media.

I watched Pose a while ago so I knew about some of the disgusting treatment of patients but this was horrific. I had to confirm with my mum that it actually happened. Those poor poor people being left to die alone in locked hospital wards

I know we still have a long way to go but I'm so pleased by how far we've come.

[quote Mrsjayy]**@mrsjayy Colin went with the landlady's son

Yeah I was meaning I wonder if he was out in a pub or something as a clue iyswim.[/quote]
The clue was there when colin first stepped foot in the house

Its incredible how thought provoking this drama is. This talk has expanded way beyond just talking about the programme. If it makes us think more can only be a good thing can't it.

I feel like I care personally about all the characters.

Loved this, incredibly thought provoking. The scene where Colin said 'Mammy' and hugged his mum nearly finished me.

I loved Queer as Folk and Cucumber too.

Trivially also liked seeing Liverpool and Manchester.

I did not know that about the pink triangle. This thread has taught me so much, above and beyond the series, thank you all.

I hope this starts a wider conversation about the suppression of gay history and the silence around AIDS by a lot of society. It's amazing how much stigma there was not that long ago, and the amount which still remains.

I am really shocked at the Thatcher education law as well. That seems so Nazi like, it just goes to show the amount of hate and prejudice and why it is so important we look at our history, the fairly recent as well as that which was a long time ago

I enjoyed this and found it evocative and moving having lived through this era. I disliked the portrayal of the women in the last episode though.
I felt RT Davies was saying that the only good women are asexual women who put men first.
Gill was portrayed as almost saintly. A flawless individual who lived for others and had no sex life.
Colin's mum was portrayed positively but she was a single parent and lived for Colin.
Keeley Hawes had a personality transplant and the controlling father got let off the hook. No-one asked him why he hadn't spotted his son was gay or gave him a lecture on his failings as a father on the sea front. Blame the mother. I think Keeley feeling his friends had seen loads of him and she wanted to look after her son now he was dying was understandable if wrong, although if she'd let Gill in the house she'd never have got her out again and she'd have been pushed out as perfect Gill became the ideal dying boy's companion

@2Rebecca really good post - I agree with this.