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.
