This Is England started as a brilliant film, '86 successfully continued the story on television, '88 was a fantastic Christmas themed follow-up, this was the final series from creator, writer and director Shane Meadows (Once Upon a Time in the Midlands, Dead Man's Shoes), I hoped it would go out with a bang. Basically the story takes place in the spring, summer, autumn and winter of the year 1990, catching up with the characters, following their lives during the time of rave culture and the FIFA World Cup. Lol (Vicky McClure) and Woody (Joseph Gilgun) are back together and have a baby, Jimmy, Lol works as a school dinner lady alongside her sister Kelly (BAFTA nominated Chanel Cresswell), her mother Chrissie (Katherine Dow Blyton) and friend Trev (Danielle Watson), Woody stays home to care for the children with Milky (Andrew Shim). Gadget (Andrew Ellis), Harvey (Michael Socha), Kelly, Trev and Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) are all following the Madchester rave scene, including doing drugs, Shaun tries to make it up to Smell (Rosamund Hanson), his former girlfriend who he cheated on, but she has already met someone else, Shaun later finds his own new girlfriend, Juliette (Poppy Corby- Tuech) and continues with his education and career. Lol gets a call from Combo (BAFTA nominated Stephen Graham) that he is to be released from prison, this prompts her and Woody to invite everyone round for Sunday dinner, following the meal Lol announces that she killed her abusive father Mick (Johnny Harris), following him raping Trev. Lol and Woody continue with the news that Combo will be staying with them, as he has nowhere else to go, Kelly is angry for the lies and refuses to believe that her father was a bad person, and Milky is angry that the couple will allow the man who almost beat him death to stay with them and his daughter (with Lol). Kelly and Lol eventually reconcile, Combo has a heart-to-heart conversation with Milky, admitting what he did was wrong and that he is not racist, but Milky had arranged for men to take him away and beat him death, the end sees Lol and Woody finally getting married with all family and friends, with Milky ridden with guilt for what he has done to Combo. Also starring Jo Hartley as Cynthia "Cynth", Lyra Mae Thomas as Lisa, Kriss Dosanjh as Sandhu, Perry Fitzpatrick as Flip, William Travis as Mr. Squires, Perry Benson as Meggy, George Newton as Banjo and EastEnders' Shaun Dooley as Mr. Lewis. The talented cast are all fantastic, with Turgoose, McClure, Shim and Graham standing out best, the subject matters and situations remain realistic and thought provoking, with authentic touches capturing the time period, this is indeed a great final series for what has been a terrific saga, a brilliant British television drama. It is nominated the BAFTA for Best Mini-Series. Very good!
Review of This Is England '90
