This is England '88 is the follow up to TIE '86 unsurprisingly and all of the drama that left us with. This included Lol splitting up with Woody, sleeping with his best friend Milky and getting impregnated by him and also gave us background into the abuse that she had suffered at the hands of her father.
She ended up killing her abusive father and Combo took the rap for it which resulted in him getting sent to prison for manslaughter.
Obviously this is meant to be set 2 years down the line. The first problem is that this just isn't portrayed. None of the characters really look like they are even living in the 80s and the late 80's at that. The main characters, Lol and Woody still dress like mods in the Northern Soul era. Combo and Shaun still dress like skinheads and the people that do seem to have moved with the times are hardly in it! There is also a MAJOR continuity error which I find very sloppy that it was left in. This occurs when Woody bumps into the old gang with his girlfriend and complains that he hasn't seen them all for "2 months"! Remember this is set 2 YEARS down the line. Lol has already had Milky's baby and is roughly 18 months old when we see them.
The actor who plays Milky actually tweeted just after the show aired and said that all of that dialogue and the fight was completely unscripted and improvised and shot in one continuous take.
It was an impressive piece of acting and drama. But why on earth would Woody get so moody if he had only not seen them all for 2 months? It is very obvious that he hadn't seen Milky for a long time, basically since he fell out with him in '86 which was 2 YEARS ago! This was a mistake by Joe Gilgun because the whole scene was improvised. However the director should have edited the dialogue before showing the film.
I am amazed that very few people picked up on this and the only reason I worked it out is because the actor who plays Milky tweeted that it was one continuous take.
There are prolonged scenes and an unnecessary voice over from a Catholic Nurse who Lol has confided in whilst we watch whether she has actually succeeded in suicide.
It is so drawn out but ultimately ends up being unrealistic because she has her stomach pumped and an hour or two later is well enough to go and have a cigarette.
The bottom line is that none of the characters are really likable, there is very little comic relief and it revolves way to much around 1 character only really - LOL.
It is too ambitious to even call this, "This is England" whatever year.
I give it a 6 but that is only really based on Joe Gilgun's performance which really is excellent acting and for the fact that the fight scene was shot in one take and completely improvised.
The story is incredibly bleak. Not in itself a bad thing. It just seemed to have no real merit and was all a bit repetitive and tedious.
More points have to be taken off for actually misleading the viewer into thinking that Woody had only not seen them all for 2 months instead of YEARS.
I'd watch it if you have seen the earlier film and series.
If you haven't then you won't know what the hell is going on and it definitely doesn't stand up as a one off drama without knowledge of the background.
I will never watch this again. Apparently another series TIE '90 has been commissioned. Unless it becomes a bit more relevant and the people actually do move with the times and embrace the music, fashion, haircuts, culture and mentality of 1990 then I won't be watching.
She ended up killing her abusive father and Combo took the rap for it which resulted in him getting sent to prison for manslaughter.
Obviously this is meant to be set 2 years down the line. The first problem is that this just isn't portrayed. None of the characters really look like they are even living in the 80s and the late 80's at that. The main characters, Lol and Woody still dress like mods in the Northern Soul era. Combo and Shaun still dress like skinheads and the people that do seem to have moved with the times are hardly in it! There is also a MAJOR continuity error which I find very sloppy that it was left in. This occurs when Woody bumps into the old gang with his girlfriend and complains that he hasn't seen them all for "2 months"! Remember this is set 2 YEARS down the line. Lol has already had Milky's baby and is roughly 18 months old when we see them.
The actor who plays Milky actually tweeted just after the show aired and said that all of that dialogue and the fight was completely unscripted and improvised and shot in one continuous take.
It was an impressive piece of acting and drama. But why on earth would Woody get so moody if he had only not seen them all for 2 months? It is very obvious that he hadn't seen Milky for a long time, basically since he fell out with him in '86 which was 2 YEARS ago! This was a mistake by Joe Gilgun because the whole scene was improvised. However the director should have edited the dialogue before showing the film.
I am amazed that very few people picked up on this and the only reason I worked it out is because the actor who plays Milky tweeted that it was one continuous take.
There are prolonged scenes and an unnecessary voice over from a Catholic Nurse who Lol has confided in whilst we watch whether she has actually succeeded in suicide.
It is so drawn out but ultimately ends up being unrealistic because she has her stomach pumped and an hour or two later is well enough to go and have a cigarette.
The bottom line is that none of the characters are really likable, there is very little comic relief and it revolves way to much around 1 character only really - LOL.
It is too ambitious to even call this, "This is England" whatever year.
I give it a 6 but that is only really based on Joe Gilgun's performance which really is excellent acting and for the fact that the fight scene was shot in one take and completely improvised.
The story is incredibly bleak. Not in itself a bad thing. It just seemed to have no real merit and was all a bit repetitive and tedious.
More points have to be taken off for actually misleading the viewer into thinking that Woody had only not seen them all for 2 months instead of YEARS.
I'd watch it if you have seen the earlier film and series.
If you haven't then you won't know what the hell is going on and it definitely doesn't stand up as a one off drama without knowledge of the background.
I will never watch this again. Apparently another series TIE '90 has been commissioned. Unless it becomes a bit more relevant and the people actually do move with the times and embrace the music, fashion, haircuts, culture and mentality of 1990 then I won't be watching.