The critical and popular success of Russell T Davies’ ‘It’s a Sin’ is a moment of triumph for its portrayal of queer lives on screen – with its kaleidoscopic dramatisation of a now distant world of taboos, liberation, injustice and solidarity.
But behind the hedonism and heartache lies a troubling subtext about the structural forces that re-shaped Britain in the 1980s – forces that have made the pursuit of youthful, radical, experimental lives, and grassroots direct action ever more elusive.
The show, which Channel 4 this month announced had been the “most binged” ever on the broadcaster’s streaming service, offers moments of brilliantly subversive spectacle. In one scene, its gang of loveable misfits engage in a pitched battle with that great symbol of 1980s Britain: the comically under-equipped but brutal cop. Helmets are knocked off and the show’s heroes are shoved in the back of a meat wagon. Just before the credits roll, protagonist Ritchie reveals his HIV-positive diagnosis – and his determination to live.
