Has anyone been watching this series by Shane Meadows? Tonight is the fourth and final episode of the series, and I'm really looking forward to it. I've really enjoyed the past three episodes, despite last week's having a really disturbing ending. Can't say I'm sure how they are going to wrap up the series in an hour tonight, but I'm sure it will be a good one. Seeing this series though makes me wonder if this is now going to be a regular occurance for Shane Meadows to continue the lives of this group of people. He introduced a lot more about the characters lives, and it would be interesting to see if he carries on and makes other future "This Is England" series. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that, but if he carried on and produced the same sort of storylines, I think it would be interesting. Do any of you think he should carry on with these characters? If you saw this series and also saw the movie, how do you think it compared?
It was a lot of years ago when I watched the movie, but I've been watching and enjoying this series. Before they are calling this 'series 1' on 4od, I'm guessing there must be more planned for the future. I can't see how Combo is going to make a return after last nights episode though...
Yeah, it's been quite awhile since I saw the movie as well. Not since it came out on DVD actually, as bought it the first week for a friend, watched it with them and not seen it since. I remember watching the film and actually expecting a lot more from it. If that makes sense. I'm not sure what I was expecting, and not saying it wasn't good; but just thinking there should be more. Because they'd done this set several years after the film, I'd only ever considered him doing another storyline set a few years after this. Not till I read your comment about this being "series 1" did it occur to me that he might carry on with more series actually set in 1986. Either way, it should be interesting. *spoiler alert - do not read more if you don't want to know details about the series* It will be interesting to see if Combo does reappear in some capacity. I did like how the ending saw him doing some sort of good retribution for the bad that he had done in the film. It shows that though he was a totally racist bastard, that maybe he has learned from his experiences and at the heart is really a decent bloke. But then again, maybe I'm just an eternal optimist, trying to see the good in people? The third episode's ending was so gritty and raw, if not tremendously disturbing. I felt violated myself after watching, and am not ashamed to admit that, as it struck a few chords in myself, I had a bit of a wee cry after watching it. This time, I knew the violation was coming (and not just because they warned us about it coming off of commercials). I knew he was going to attack her, and I felt the same violation and welling up I did in the third week. Honestly, it was brutal to watch. Had they not muted the sound so you couldn't actually hear her crying and his screaming, I think I would have had to leave the room and not been able to watch. Normally, I'm quite a pacifist; but I actually found myself cheering her on, when she was able to strike back. I couldn't help thinking she ought to kill the bastard. And I was quite shocked by the range of emotions I felt when watching the scene. I was really impressed that Shane Meadows did manage to wrap up the storylines (apart for the wedding really) in that one hour. I didn't think it was going to be possible, at least not in a manner where you finish watching and feel that you've got the whole story. If there is more, and I hope there is, I will be looking forward to it. I just hope that he carries on with the poignant storylines, and doesn't just write something just for the gritty shock value.
Let us hope. Wonder how everyone's lives would have changed. I still think one of my favourite characters is Smell. She has a funny outlook on life; but at times can be quite poignant, and wears some really fabulous clothes I'd probably never be brave enough to wear myself.
really liked TIE '86, particularly the develpoment of lol as a character. and the redemption of combo. most of all, i appreciated the fact that the casuals were portrayed as the violent, stupid arseholes they are and were lol
