# This Is England '86 (2010)

> In 1986 Nottingham, a lonely schoolboy is drawn into a close knit group of friends whose bonds are tested by a charismatic and dangerous figure.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/31232

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 4
- Episode runtime: 185 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama
- Created by: Shane Meadows
- Network: Channel 4
- Cast: Joseph Gilgun, Vicky McClure, Stephen Graham, Thomas Turgoose, Andrew Ellis, Andrew Shim, Chanel Cresswell, Danielle Watson
- TMDB rating: 8.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1685471/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: brutal
- Tone: gritty, melancholic, raw, warm, bleak

## What critics say

Critics and audiences broadly admire the raw, emotionally honest performances and the sharp, lived-in portrait of 1980s working-class England in this acclaimed four-part miniseries.

## Synopsis

This Is England '86 (2010) is a British four-part limited series created by Shane Meadows for Channel 4. Set in 1986 Nottingham, it follows Shaun, a lonely schoolboy about to leave school, as he is drawn into a tight group of friends led by the charismatic Woody (Joseph Gilgun), with Lol (Vicky McClure) and Combo (Stephen Graham) among the principal figures. The engine of the story is Shaun's search for belonging among peers whose loyalties shift under pressure from economic hardship, the grinding unemployment of the Thatcher years, and a rivalry that pulls the group apart. Each episode is a stretch of everyday life, built from friendships, street corners, music, and small betrayals rather than grand set pieces. Shape and scale are compact: a single four-episode run that plays as one continuing story. The tone is gritty, raw and melancholic, with flashes of humour and warmth that keep the mood human. Its textured social realism, working class grit and adolescent awkwardness will resonate with fans of This Is England, Shameless and Kidulthood, drawn to british coming of age dramas that refuse easy comfort.

## Shows like This Is England '86

- [Top Boy (2011)](https://ember.film/tv/38347)
- [The Dumping Ground (2013)](https://ember.film/tv/40705)
- [A Thousand Blows (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/130735)
- [Love/Hate (2010)](https://ember.film/tv/30612)
- [Misfits (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/28833)
- [The Inbetweeners (2008)](https://ember.film/tv/6814)
- [Glue (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/54727)
- [What it Feels Like For a Girl (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/192346)
- [Deliver Me (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/149413)
- [Brassic (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/78398)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt