# This Is England '90 (2015)

> In 1990, Shaun and his friends chase the rave and ecstasy scene while the cracks in their lives widen.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/40558

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 4
- Episode runtime: 76 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama
- Created by: Shane Meadows
- Network: Channel 4
- Cast: Vicky McClure, Joseph Gilgun, Stephen Graham, Thomas Turgoose, Andrew Shim, Chanel Cresswell, Jo Hartley, Andrew Ellis
- TMDB rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2528254/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: bruising, nostalgic, raw, bittersweet, gritty

## What critics say

Audiences acclaimed this four-part miniseries as a raw, emotionally powerful return to the characters of This Is England, with its 1990 rave-era setting and sharp performances.

## Synopsis

This Is England '90 (2015) is a British four-part miniseries created by Shane Meadows for Channel 4, a sequel-style continuation of the This Is England films and their television spin-offs. Set in 1990 in the northern English working class, it follows Shaun Fields (Thomas Turgoose) as he and his friends Woody (Joseph Gilgun), Lol (Vicky McClure), Gadget (Andrew Ellis) and Harvey (Michael Socha) move into the nightlife of raves and ecstasy. Meanwhile Combo (Stephen Graham) remains in prison, and the group's domestic lives strain as children arrive and new loyalties form. The engine of the series is the pull between the euphoric freedom of club culture and the slow erosion of the bonds that held the group together. Each episode of roughly seventy-six minutes unfolds with raw naturalism, handheld intimacy and bursts of music that capture the era. The mood is bruising, bittersweet and emotionally honest, with moments of tenderness amid violence and addiction. Its kitchen sink realism places it in the company of This Is England and the grit of Trainspotting, and fans of Shameless will recognise its portrait of working class lives under pressure. Viewers drawn to uncompromising british drama about youth and drugs will find this one resonant.

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