What It Feels Like for a Girl

I can understand how parts of Byron's experience may feel foreign to some viewers, but for anyone who came of age gay, trans, or queer around the turn of the millennium, this is a profound and often heartbreaking ride through our collective memory.

I saw myself in the gifted young gay boy who learned to wield wit as both armor and weapon, keeping me safe, pushing others away, and occasionally landing me in trouble. I was lucky enough to be more of a nerd, excelling in school early on and spared some of Byron's pain. But later in life, I too discovered how seductive the gay party scene can become.

So many of us have lived those questionable love affairs, those dizzying moments of clarity ("this is definitely not the room I want to be in") and yet also the euphoria of finding your people. A place where your femininity can finally exhale. Where a sharp tongue and a willingness to say yes to chaos feels like a skeleton key to every door.

The acting here is sublime: heart-wrenching and exquisitely funny. The settings are often bleak, rundown, almost depressing, yet pulsing with life. The glamour exists only in their heads, their hearts, and the chemical-fueled escapes from reality. The director and creative team captured every nuance.

I created an account just to write this review. I was that moved.

The only bad thing is that it's over in eight episodes.

I loved it so much, it shows how hard it was for lgbtq+ people in the 2000s. The acting was also my biggest amazement from this show, the actors need a good applause for the amazing work in this series. In my modest opinion, this is a must watch for people. I'm literaly gonna tell everyone that sees this that if you haven't watched it, you should. Plus charecter development was so good for a short series like this, I'm very surprised that they pulled it off very well. In conclusion, this is a work of art, that really deserves lots of attention, and I recommend it to everyone cause it's queer and proud. Luv yall.

I watched all episodes in one sitting. It recreated the era particularly well. An outstanding cast with impeccable direction. Ellis (Byron) was in just about every scene and was perfect casting. I laughed, cried, laughed some more until I couldn't breathe. Emotional and outstanding drama. The music was also a great reminder of the nightlife scene 25 years ago, it had a way of transporting you back all those years ago without feeling that time had moved too much. A couple of familiar faces popped up that added to the enjoyment as they were unfamiliar roles for those actors. Well done to all for the journey.

Be aware , Review has no spoilers but does point out errors

--

Brilliantly written, thrilling and yet well-grounded. Showcasing the reality of a low-income upbringing in the Midlands with all the drama that comes with new experiences and relationships. It's painfully relatable whilst still leaving you on the edge of your seat. Uncomfortable at times but never enough to make you want to skip ahead, everything adds to the story in one way or another, never a second of waffle. Byron's character development is excellent and gripping, every small smirk, the long stares see his limits pushed that little bit further and opens the gates for more of these experiences that little bit more, especially with his homelife troubles giving a supporting arm to explain why he puts himself out there so boldly. The narration by Ellis Howard in the same vernacular, adding to the grit of the setting, ramps up the tension.

Small side note, I don't think it being the year 2000 is at all relevant to the story. The only signs you see of it being early noughties are that people use old phones, and some of the cars are old models, but it doesn't make much difference. I'm not detracting from the rating, as because it's mostly an irrelevant factor, it's still an excellent show, however it just sets the show up for mistakes and minus points, because theres also an occasional continuity error when you can see a brand new Stagecoach bus in the background at the bus station.

This series is fantastic. Every minute of it is enjoyable. And it gets even better.

It's sexy, though I would say it's a bit controversial considering the lead is only 15. The fact that it even got made is pretty amazing considering.

For me, it's a full 10 out of 10. I can't imagine how it could get any better. But as I'm writing this during episode 3, I may just be in for some surprises. Though I don't think there's a chance that I will be disappointed.

The music is wonderful, the cinematography fantastic. It's a feast for your eyes and for your ears. I hope there will be a second season, but as it clearly has a very specific audience, I don't know if it could have the kind of broad appeal that would be required.