The film was brilliant, and I was praying that the television follow up would be as good, and thank goodness it was, from writer and creator Shane Meadows (Once Upon a Time in the Midlands, Dead Man's Shoes). Basically the story continues where the film left off, three years later, most of the friends still see each other, and are obviously brought together by the big events that take place throughout the series. Teenager Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) getting slightly bullied, missing exams and catching his mother Cynthia "Cynth" (Jo Hartley) having sex with his new employer Mr. Sandhu (Kriss Dosanjh). Lol (BAFTA winning Vicky McClure) has a relationship with boyfriend Woody (Joseph Gilgun), they fail to get married, move into a grotty house together, her abusive father Mick (BAFTA nominated Johnny Harris) returns, and she starts an affair with Milky (Andrew Shim). Gadget (Andrew Ellis) has feelings for Lol's sister Kelly (Chanel Cresswell), but seeing her kissing someone else he starts a fling with older single mother Trudy (Hannah Walters), and in the process changes his appearance and personality. The once violent supposedly changed Combo (Stephen Graham) returns because his mother is dying, Trev (Danielle Watson) is violently raped by Mick, and he is killed by Lol with a hammer to the head when he attempts to do the same to her. At the end of the series all characters reunited for the 1986 World Cup England v Argentina match, that saw the infamous "Hand of God" moment, Shaun has sex with older goth girlfriend Smell (Rosamund Hanson) in the toilets, Combo takes the blame for Mick's murder, and Lol keeps quiet to her sister Kelly. Also starring Perry Benson as Meggy, George Newton as Banjo, Michael Socha as Harvey, Perry Fitzpatrick as Flip and Coronation Street's Georgia May Foote as Gemma. The talented cast are all fantastic, the returning actors and the one or two editions, Turgoose, Hanson, McClure and Harris standing out best, the subject matters and situations are still as realistic and thought provoking for the time setting as the film was, it is a brilliant British television drama. It won the BAFTA for Best Make Up & Hair Design, and it was nominated for Best Costume Design, Best Director for Meadows and Best Editing. Very good!
Review of This Is England '86
