User reviews

I came out in 1982 and this bought all the memories flooding back , good and bad . From discovering my sexuality , discovering my parents were homophobes . Going out on the scene seemed like an adventure , alluring but underground , away from straight society . I visited San Francisco and the Castro in 1981 but was underage for the bars and unaware of the bath houses etc . I am glad of my naivety . I look back now almost 40 years and remember those who I have lost . 5 Episodes I wish it had been 12 .

This was an education. It's brilliant, it's fun, there's an outstanding cast and it is absolutely heart breaking. I hope everyone involved in this show is so so proud. Sorry this isn't much of a review, it's hard to put in words how I feel after watching this. Just give it a go, with an open heart and learn and respect. You will laugh and you will cry.

So... I am known for my stone cold heart and lack of emotion. I cried like I had been dumped by the love of my life. Loved this show. Its a must watch.

After binge-watching the entire series from start to finish, I can confidently conclude that this is one of the best (if not, THE best) show/s Russell T. Davies has ever created in his entire career; "It's A Sin" is both a powerfully joyous & appreciative celebration of the lives of the boys we lost to AIDS during the 80s / 90s (being thankful for the happy times people had with them, however fleeting) whilst also being a mournful, sombre remembrance - acknowledging the horrific implications of their premature losses, respecting their memories by immortalising them in stories (so they may be resurrected to live on through others) - that will outlast us all & possibly educate (or even inspire) future generations - whilst simultaneously contemplating the undiscovered potential of the crisis' victims & what they may have eventually become - if they'd had the opportunity (they so rightfully deserved) to live the lives they'd always intended to live... If each & every single one of them hadn't been so unjustly failed by the systems of power which were meant protect / ensure their safety. Hence, the series is unafraid to examine the brazen mistreatment of those within the LGBT community with a palpable sense of anger at the perpetrated injustices - that are rightfully depicted in a manner of utter condemnation - balancing that ominous portrayal of inhumanity against the hopefulness of other citizen's remarkable humanity - striking a complex & yet extremely effective tone, capturing the naive innocence, the wilful ignorance, the disinformation, the shame, the flawed coping mechanisms / inability to cope, the paranoia, the prejudice & the stigmas, the hopelessness & the endurance of the human spirit - in spite of overwhelming adversity... All culminating to form an overwhelmingly deep, morally ambiguous exploration in to the human condition, its flawed nature & how life / death situations bring out the best... But equally, the very worst too.

What I love most about Russell's new drama is it additionally reminds us these were genuine people; behind every death across the country was a story that deserves to be told - of an individual who existed with unique hopes, aspirations, families, friends, relationships, personalities & passions etc. There are many alive today (men & women) who grieved & are still scarred by the wounds inflicted by this forgotten pandemic... Hopefully "It's A Sin" can act as a memorial to heal - especially considering the timing; now more than ever - during another viral pandemic when some people have seemingly grown tired & become desensitised to an exponential growth in mortality rates - trivialising daily numbers of deceased as nothing more than random facts & figures - this bold drama has arrived at the perfect moment to directly challenge those sorts of harmful misconceptions; it places us in the centre of the hospital wards to reaffirm "never again: these are living, breathing civilians & their strife is worthy of our attention - do not look away; they are your loved ones".

Cast member Tracy-Ann Oberman described this mini-series as "Russell's Schindler's List" in an interview & she's right. Moreover, I'd compare it to HBO's Chernobyl & wish it the same levels of critical acclaim & success. After all, both analyse the human cost of deliberate negligence.

To conclude, I'd describe this project as bold, beautiful, engaging, agonisingly painful, intimate, heartfelt, humbling, grounded in authenticity, surprisingly personal, honest & incredibly uncomfortable... But worth every single minute of your investment; I cannot recommend it enough.

I haven't been able to switch it off, thank goodness for All4! Channel four and RTD, you have truly delivered here with this wonderful five part series. Sexy, funny, moving, sad, it has a bit of everything going on.

Despite all of the glitz and fun, there is a harshness that arrives like a knockout punch, how on Earth can something be so much fun, and then turn so bleak, what an astonishing mix.

I would highly recommend it, great characters, great stories, and the production values are off the scale, the really have managed to bring the 1980's back to life.

Russell T Davies, it breaks my heart that you aren't on hand to save Dr Who right now, but when you're making content like this, you keep at it.

I loved it! 10/10.

I came across this by mistake when I couldn't reach the remote while feeding my baby and I'm so glad I did. I ended up watching the whole lot!

It's brilliant. Nothing short of amazing.

I loved every single character and they are all superb actors but the girl who played Jill was out of this world.

I watched this and was shocked at how brothers, sons were treaded in the 80's and 90's for being ill.

The writing and screen play was brilliant. This can be a little graphic, but that paints a picture. Doesn't matter what you believe or think, everyone deserves love.

This is the type of thing we should have seen at school rather than Philadelphia. Time to accept and love one another.

I was a teenager in the late 80s/90s and was scared to death to be gay and to have anyone find out. There was/is so much hatred in the world and so many people died of AIDS for no reason other than the hate in people's hearts. I listened as my religious family cheered AIDS for "cleansing" the world. So much hatred. So much misinformation. A stigma that to this day still exists.

This show reminds us how strong the LGBTQ+ community has always been and will continue to be.

If you want to laugh, to cry, to remember, and to understand, watch this show. It is well written and well acted. I wish it was more than 5 episodes, but in a way, the shortness of the show is ironically symbolic of the speed at which so many lives ended.

Another masterpiece by Russell T Davies...in my opinion, probably his best yet!! Binge watched the whole lot in one session as i couldn't drag myself away. It's beautifully written, well acted and factually correct. It will make you laugh out loud and also make you cry...lots in my case. Sit back, relax and enjoy this true treasure of a drama...oh and keep the tissues handy.

Important mini series Told with beautiful heart and soul. Acted with immense force (Lydia west a clear standout)

Three things prevent it from a perfect 10

• it felt rushed. It needed to have a Few more episodes
• the lead isn't as sympathetic or likeable as the writers think he is. At times he's a spoilt brat and even his emotional scenes feel a bit forced
• so not a single of them had a hairstyle change or aged in many many many years? How hard was it for them to look different, they continued to look the same every few years...

It about my own life, like many other older gaymen These mini series brought me back to my memories which are hidden deep inside my brain Shocking and wonderfully made 10 stars

I just sobbed uncontrollably into my boyfriends chest after finishing the last episode of this. It was an emotional rollercoaster, I laughed, I cried, I got angry. Beautifully written, beautifully performed. Beautiful!

Amazing binged watched whole series last night just brilliant

Outstanding, but I'm biased. This story could be about me, my experiences as a young gay man in California. I was also 30 in 1991, and this show captures the myriad emotions, fears, hopes, that occupied my mind at the time. AIDS killed so many of my cohort or clique and while slaughtering them it really f#cked with the minds of those it didn't kill.

This series sorts all those conflicting memories feelings and emotions out. It reminded me how we sank into the realization of what AIDS was, how we tried to deny it, tried to deny the power it had over us, and how we coped once we overcame our initial dismay. The camaraderie of good friends who became warriors against the disease and ignorance and bias that it seemed to draw into focus. The caring, caregiving, and love we dredged out of ourselves as we all simultaneously redirected our lives in order to be present to the vast suffering.

Thank you to all involved in this production for making by far the hardest most soul-sucking, painful, and sad era of my stupid little life a little easier to remember and appreciate. I saw friends I have forgotten about in each character, a trait here and there, speaking out and forcing me back to those heartbreaking AND heartwarming experiences. Still a lot of pain, and perhaps compartmentalized into too small a space in my mind. But thank you for giving them a little bit of life again.

THE best show I've seen in years ! Loved everything about it despite crying into my gin for the past 5 hours .

It's A Sin had me bawling my eyes out. Such a moving , funny and compelling piece of work. So beautifully done and who wouldn't love a friend like Jill.

The characters, the story, the words: could not be more perfect or beautiful. This show will make you grin and cry at the same time.

Like some other reviewers I'm a little bemused at all the 10 stars. I guess this is because the outbreak of AIDs - and the dreadful ostracising of gay men dying from it - is being tackled for the first time in this way in this generation. Which is great. I just wish the execution had been a bit better.

The characters are too superficial to do this important topic justice and the story is rushed. Keeley Hawes is one of my favourite actresses but her character-arc as Ritchie's mother is just weird and unbelievable. Actually a lot of the characters are - they talk in ways that are just not realistic. Their dialogue is all telling and no showing, with much modern thinking that wouldn't have been expressed that way back then.

Jill annoyed me too. Lydia West is usually a compelling actress but Jill was a one-sided creature, all maternal and sacrificial with no life of her own. I longed for her to have more depth and ambiguity.

Olly Alexander has a spark, though. He is brilliant at portraying emotion. He's also very cute, and with a top script and a top director he could go on to great things. This wasn't quite it. Nathaniel Curtis as Ash also stood out for me. I wished that the author had chosen to make more of Ash and Ritchie's relationship - spent more time developing it, making us care about it. As such, it was all painted in way-too-broad strokes.

I'm glad this was made and that I watched it. And it will have been a success if it teaches younger generations even a little of the attitudes prevailing at that time, and just how horrific a disease it was before scientific research enabled people to take preventative drugs and live good lives while HIV positive.

Still, with a longer run of episodes and less "cartoonish" writing, perhaps this could have been the 10 some think it is.

A refreshing, eye opening drama, reflecting the 1980's, as it was. No frills, punch in the stomach pain, for those who were made feel less than human because, they didn't conform to the "ideal", straight, love.

40 years later, the haters are still with us however, thankfully their numbers are getting smaller. When this series is complete, I hope the numbers will be less.

Excellent script, wonderful cast, great crew and sets, make this THE drama of 2021, even with stiff competition from other series currently running. Because this is still relevant today as it was 40 years ago; it strikes bare knuckle home, to everyone.

Well balanced drama with wonderful characters. Sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious, always authentic. Must see.

I binge watched this series and it left me wanting more. I would highly recommend this series