This is England 90

It’s not often that a director combines the worlds of both film and television to create a franchise that never fails to deliver quality storytelling, captures the hearts of audiences around the globe and builds a fictional family that feels very much like the one we surround ourselves with everyday.

However, Shane Meadows has done all this and so much more. His third television series of the THIS IS ENGLAND franchise, THIS IS ENGLAND ’90, has come to an end after four spectacular episodes and with it a flame in our hearts softly burns out for the very last time. 

It’s winter and the year hasn’t been easy. Last week’s penultimate episode was spectacular as we saw Lol (Vicky McClure) come clean to Kelly (Chanel Cresswell) about murdering their father and the cast deliver an outstanding dinner table scene where emotions run dangerously high. With tonight’s episode being out last, there has been serious speculation as to just how the series might end and there’s no doubt that the tension for our TIE family’s outcome is at its highest. 

This is England Winter

Lol and Woody’s (Joe Gilgun) wedding looms with the cringing inclusion of his parents and overly involved ex-girlfriend. One feels desperate for their happy ending so when personalities clash in the planning of their wedding there’s an urge to wince in frightful anticipation.

Kelly’s low point has been reached as Harvey (Michael Socha) catches her smoking heroine in his home and he forces her to leave. Gadget’s (Andrew Ellis) reaction is disastrous as his natural feeling of protection towards Kelly leaves him reeling; blowing his glowing friendship with Harvey apart.  Gadget and Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) do all they can to find her and finally track her down to the place where her Father’s ashes were scattered. 

She appears numb, breathtakingly broken and utterly isolated. Chanel Cresswell proved her unbelievable talent in the last episode and she continues to give a tremendous performance as this desperately damaged young women and only continues to impress as Kelly’s turmoil deepens to a dangerous level. 

This is England Winter 1

Despite beginning as our villain, there’s so much crippling love there for Combo (Stephen Graham), as he’s had his most vulnerable moments played out for our pleasure and pain. Therefore, there’s a protective nature to our relationship with the newly reformed Combo and seeing his enjoyment in free life at the beginning of the episode brings great joy but comes with exceptional trepidation for what may lurk around the corner. 

The tension between Milky (Andrew Shim) and Combo is utterly horrendous as they meet while Combo begins his new job. Knowing what we do about the end of the last episode, a huge amount of fear pumps through the scene as Milky’s intentions are so far from innocent. Such emotion flows through their final conversation and it feels like redemption is achieved. Until it’s not and Meadows’ pulls the rug from underneath us and breaks our hearts all over again.

Both Andrew Shim and Stephen Graham give such exceptional performances it’s so delightfully easy to forget you’re watching a work of fiction. One feels such heightened pain for them both, for what they’ve done to one another and what they’ve done to themselves. There cannot be a happy ending for everyone, a fact that both we and Meadows’ knows.

Combo

Graham alone is an utter anomaly. His talent is so fiercely brilliant that Combo’s pain is practically unbearable and we’re transported back to the same desperate ache we felt for Milky all those years ago; creating an emotional juxtaposition between the two characters. Graham has given his everything to create a character that simply refuses to be put into a single category and it has paid off in the most devastatingly wonderful way.

The wedding itself holds such joy and Lol is an absolute vision. It feels exactly as it should do; natural, loving and completely besotting. This just makes the reconciliation between Kelly and Lol so tremendously heartwarming. Both Cresswell and McClure are such talented women and their natural chemistry is a gift for viewers. To have these women at the forefront of much of the drama has been wholly refreshing and there’s no doubt that it’s their hearts that keep the TIE family alive.

Milky’s hands are rotten with Combo’s blood and when Lol confronts him ones blood runs cold with uneasy nerves. His immediate reaction is defense and it’s so clear Lol has her suspicions. While it’s widely thought that this season will be the very last, Meadows does leave himself wriggle room for a comeback as we see the guilt that pours from Milky’s aura; leaving us with a hollow feeling of both anger and sadness for him.

Thomas Turgoose as Shaun and Jo Hartley as Cynth

Shawn’s maturity has grown so beautifully and seeing those images from his troubled youth at the beginning of the episode just showcase the level of character development that Meadows has so lovingly created; it’s with great pride that we get to see his strength and sensitivity from boy to man. Seeing him confront Smell again with wonderful innocence is hilarious as Smell’s jealousy is so painfully obvious. It’s brilliant to see Rosamund Hanson for one last time as her character has taken a backseat this series. 

So easily has this TV family slipped into the hearts of a generation of viewers. From the actors to the crew and their almighty director, there has been such a wealth of talent and effort poured into making a familiar and reassuring group of characters that feel so much like home. From 1983 to 1990, Meadows has crafted something so special that it’s difficult to imagine this family continuing without us, but this feels like the bittersweet ending it deserves. 

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