This Is England, 86 (Channel 4 2010, Thomas Turgoose)

A continuation of Shane Meadow’s film, hard hitting drama series This is England, 86 is naturally enough set in 1986 when Shaun (who in This Is England was 13) is now getting ready to leave school, the gang he had is no more but Shaun is still a trouble magnet. A chance meeting with former gang member Woody gets the group back together and all thoughts of the real world of looking for jobs and a future are pushed to one side.

Strong casting and a great sense of period, This Is England, 86 is a world of Thatcherite misery post miners strike, sporting misery with England knocked out of the world cup by the hand of Maradona and the sense of frustration and lack of opportunity faced by the working class youth of the time. Clearly influenced by writer-director Shane Meadow’s own teenage years it is sure to resonate strongly with anyone who was also a teenager in the mid eighties.

production details
UK / Channel 4 – Warp Films / 4×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 7 – 28 September 2010 Tuesdays @ 10.00pm

Writers: Jack Thorne, Shane Meadows / Production Design: Lisa Marie Hall / Producer: Mark Herbert / Directors: Shane Meadows, Tom Harper

cast
THOMAS TURGOOSE as Shaun
PERRY BENSON as Meggy
STEPHEN GRAHAM as Combo
JOE GILGUN as Woody
VICKY McCLURE as Lol
ROSAMUND HANSON as Smell
JO HARTLEY as Mum
PERRY FITZPATRICK as Flip
CHANEL CRESSWELL as Kelly
JOSEPH DEMPSIE as Higgy
KATHERINE DOW BLYTON as Chrissy
KRISS DOSANJH as Mr Sandhu
ANDREW ELLIS as Gadget
GEORGE NEWTON as Banjo
ANDREW SHIM as Milky
HANNAH WALTERS as Trudy
DANIELLE WATSON as Trev
MICHAEL SOCHA as Harvey

THE EPISODES
1. EPISODE ONE (7 September 2010)
2. EPISODE TWO (14 September 2010)
3. EPISODE THREE (21 September 2010)
4. EPISODE FOUR (28 September 2010)