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It's a Sin (TV series)

From Alfawiki
It's a Sin
Company typeTelevision series
IndustryTelevision drama
FoundedJanuary 22, 2021; 5 years ago (2021-01-22)
FounderRussell T Davies
Headquarters
London
,
United Kingdom
Key people
Russell T Davies (creator), Peter Hoar (director), Nicola Shindler (executive producer), Phil Collinson (producer)
ProductsTelevision drama series
ParentRed Production Company

It's a Sin is a British drama series created by Russell T Davies. Set in London between 1981 and 1991, the narrative centers on a circle of gay men and their acquaintances during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The principal cast features Olly Alexander, Omari Douglas, Callum Scott Howells, Lydia West, and Nathaniel Curtis, supported by performances from David Carlyle, Keeley Hawes, Shaun Dooley, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Neil Patrick Harris, and Stephen Fry. Directed by Peter Hoar and produced by Red Production Company, the show debuted on Channel 4 on 22 January 2021.

Initially, the series encountered reluctance from major broadcasters, with both BBC One and ITV declining to commission it. The project was eventually greenlit by Channel 4 after drama editor Lee Mason advocated for it, which led to a reduction from eight episodes to five. Production commenced on 7 October 2019, mainly filmed in Manchester alongside additional shoots in Liverpool, Bolton, Eccles, Bangor, and Rhos-on-Sea. Executive producers were Davies, Hoar, and Nicola Shindler, with production overseen by Phil Collinson.

Praised for its poignant storytelling, strong performances, and authentic representation of the HIV/AIDS crisis, It's a Sin became Channel 4’s most streamed drama series, amassing over 6.5 million full-series views on its platform. Its launch marked the broadcaster’s highest-rated drama premiere to date. Furthermore, the series prompted a notable rise in public interest in HIV testing following its airing. At the 2022 British Academy Television Awards, it led with twelve nominations including Best Mini-Series and secured the award for Best Director: Fiction awarded to Peter Hoar.

Premise

The storyline follows a group of gay men relocating to London in 1981 who forge strong bonds amid the unfolding HIV/AIDS crisis. Spanning five episodes, the series chronicles their experiences throughout the decade until 1991, emphasizing their resilience and zest for life despite facing the looming HIV threat.

Cast and characters

Development

Russell T Davies crafted the series drawing from his own and his friends' experiences amid the 1980s AIDS epidemic in the UK, aiming to honor those who succumbed to the disease. He revealed plans for the project in January 2015, labeling it "the most thoroughly researched work I will ever undertake." The script encountered early reluctance from broadcasters due to its difficult themes. Davies dismissed proposals to begin the narrative in the 1990s with retrospective scenes, calling such an approach "incredibly insensitive." After a year-long effort to find backing, two networks declined to commission the show, including Davies' initial preference, Channel 4, followed by BBC One and ITV.

Eventually, approval was granted at Channel 4 following a change in their commissioning team, specifically under Drama Commissioning Editor Lee Mason. Initially designed as an eight-episode series, Davies negotiated with Channel 4 to reduce the length to five episodes.

On 22 August 2018, Channel 4 confirmed its commission of Davies' script, then titled The Boys, with production set for 2019. Davies collaborated with Executive Producer Nicola Shindler and her Red Production Company during development. Phil Collinson took on producing duties, Peter Hoar directed, and Murray Gold composed the music. By early 2020, the title was shortened from The Boys to simply Boys to avoid confusion with Amazon's show of the same name.

Casting

The majority of casting announcements came in October 2019. Olly Alexander, lead singer of Years & Years, was cast as Ritchie Tozer, a gay teenager relocating to London in 1981 amidst the emerging AIDS crisis. Making his television debut, Omari Douglas portrays Roscoe Babatunde, a young man rejected by his Nigerian family over his sexuality. Welsh actor Callum Scott Howells plays Colin Morris-Jones, a gay man from Wales. Lydia West appears as Jill Baxter, who organizes 1980s-themed social events providing emotional support for the group. Nathaniel Curtis was cast as Ash Mukherjee after encountering the role while working in theatre and feeling an immediate connection to the material. David Carlyle fills the role of Gregory Finch, an energetic bus conductor.

American actor Neil Patrick Harris features as Henry Coltrane, a character who dies from AIDS in the first episode; Harris expressed pride in being part of the series. Keeley Hawes and Shaun Dooley portray Ritchie's parents, Valerie and Clive Tozer. Stephen Fry plays Arthur Garrison, a closeted Conservative MP; Fry accepted the role as a tribute to friends lost to HIV/AIDS. Nathaniel Hall, who is HIV-positive himself, was cast as Donald Bassett by producers. Additional cast members include Andria Doherty as Eileen Morris-Jones and Tracy-Ann Oberman as Carol Carter, an acting agent who signs Ritchie.

The ensemble includes numerous openly gay and queer actors—Alexander, Fry, Harris, Curtis, Howells, Hall, and Carlyle—reflecting Davies' intention to foster an inclusive environment for gay talent. Some characters draw inspiration from Davies' real-life acquaintances: Ritchie's character is modeled after actor Dursley McLinden, who died of AIDS in 1995; West’s Jill Baxter is loosely based on mutual friend Jill Nalder, who also appears portraying Baxter’s mother. In episode four, Ritchie participates in a fictional Doctor Who episode as homage to McLinden’s role in Remembrance of the Daleks (1988).

Filming

Principal photography commenced in Manchester on 7 October 2019. Red Production Company collaborated with Screen Manchester to streamline the filming process, working closely to secure necessary location permits. Set against the backdrop of 1980s England, the production incorporated authentic period props and obtained exclusive access to critical sites with assistance from Manchester's transport authorities. Key filming spots included Paton Street, Victoria Baths, The Embassy Club on Rochdale Road, The Star and Garter, the Thirsty Scholar on New Wakefield Street, and Manchester Crematorium located on Barlow Moor Road. Additional sequences were captured at a shopping centre in Eccles, a residential area in Heaton Moor, and Le Mans Crescent in Bolton.

In January 2020, the production shifted to Liverpool city centre, where Water Street was transformed into New York City, featuring street closures, vintage taxis, classic cars, and a hot dog stand to enhance realism. The Cunard Building on Brunswick Street was utilized as a London hotel setting, supplemented by 2D and computer-generated visual effects. Interior scenes were filmed at Old Wentworth High School in Eccles, including hospital interiors. Further locations included Rhos-on-Sea in Wales, doubling for the Isle of Wight, with beach and pier scenes shot in Bangor. Filming concluded on 31 January 2020, two months prior to the UK's COVID-19 lockdown.

Release

A first-look image debuted on 14 January 2020 during a Channel 4 press event. Originally slated for a 2020 release, the series was later confirmed for broadcast in 2021, accompanied by a teaser trailer unveiled on 2 October 2020 and an official full trailer released on 17 December 2020.

In the UK and Ireland, It's a Sin premiered on Channel 4 on 22 January 2021, with all episodes promptly made available for free streaming via All 4. To support promotion efforts, Alexander’s band Years & Years issued a cover of the Pet Shop Boys' track "It's a Sin," with proceeds benefiting the George House Trust, an organization aiding people living with HIV. The series became available on DVD and Blu-ray across the UK on 22 February 2021.

HBO Max joined as a production partner in December 2019 by acquiring US distribution rights and released the series as an HBO Max Original on 18 February 2021.

For international distribution, Red Production Company teamed up with All3Media. The show launched on Australia's Stan streaming platform on 23 January 2021 and aired on TVNZ in New Zealand. Amazon Prime Video secured Canadian streaming rights while Canal+ broadcasted it in France. Additional international platforms included South Korea's Watcha Play, Nederlandse Publieke Omroep in the Netherlands, RTBF and Canvas in Belgium, and Amedia in Russia. In Greece, it was shown on Cosmote TV and its streaming service; Germany’s ZDFneo aired the series alongside its own digital platform.

Ratings

The debut episode drew an audience of 1.6 million live viewers on Channel 4, equalling the drama launch figure set by Deadwater Fell one year prior. It ranked as Channel 4’s highest-rated drama among viewers aged 16–34 over three years. Within three days post-broadcast, catch-up viewing reached 2.5 million.

By 4 February, total views across All 4 had reached 6.5 million, marking the streaming service’s best-ever monthly performance for January and nearly doubling previous records. It became All 4’s third most-watched series overall and its "most binged new series ever," with the opening episode registering as the platform’s largest drama launch to date. By 1 March, cumulative views had climbed to 18.9 million.

Official ratings from BARB incorporate multi-screen viewing data from devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Pre-release viewing figures apply to all episodes except the premiere since the entire series was accessible via All 4 following Episode One's broadcast.

Impact

The series triggered a remarkable surge in HIV testing, with the Terrence Higgins Trust reporting an unprecedented 8,200 test kits ordered within a single day—more than tripling their former daily record of 2,800. A special "La" slogan t-shirt, created by Philip Normal and inspired by the show, successfully raised £100,000 for the charity. Lead actor Olly Alexander acknowledged the series' influence, remarking that it provided young gay viewers with an enlightening perspective.

David Opie from Digital Spy emphasized the show's contribution to mainstream television by normalizing gay sexual experiences. However, an article in The Sun incited controversy due to its sensational headline focusing on explicit gay sex scenes. The public criticized the tabloid for apparent partiality toward heterosexual content. In response, The Sun amended its reporting and issued a formal apology through the LGBT news platform PinkNews.

Critical reception

The series was widely recognized as a "genuine success" across the UK. According to Rotten Tomatoes, it garnered a 97% approval rating from 75 critics, with an average score of 9.30/10, receiving commendations for its ensemble cast, scriptwriting, and cinematography. On Metacritic, it achieved a weighted average of 91 out of 100, signaling "universal acclaim."

Performances by the cast were extensively lauded. Olly Alexander was described as the "emotional core" of the production by Glamour, while Financial Times praised his ability to infuse charm into a role that could have been stereotypical. Keeley Hawes earned accolades for her finale appearance, which critics called "exceptional" and a "masterclass," overcoming initial doubts about her casting with a commanding performance. Both Alexander and Hawes were widely regarded as strong candidates for BAFTA nominations.

In January 2021, The Times referred to it as "the most discussed show currently airing." The Guardian hailed it as a "moving masterpiece," highlighting its authentic character arcs and relevance to contemporary themes of anxiety and uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Big Issue underscored the series’ profound emotional narratives, particularly concerning HIV.

Initial reviews of early episodes were favorable; Radio Times commended its hopeful portrayal of London's 1980s gay community while foreshadowing the AIDS epidemic. Russell T Davies’ script was celebrated as a "soaring tribute" and considered his finest work yet by Den of Geek. Grazia described it as "exquisitely written and flawlessly performed," while NME noted its increasing emotional depth and layered characters. Though The Spectator expressed reservations about Davies’ casting decisions, it acknowledged the show's entertainment value. Esteemed personalities such as Elton John and Ian McKellen praised the series for its imaginative storytelling and humanity.

The Los Angeles Times offered a more mixed critique, questioning the claim that this was the first British AIDS drama and pointing out earlier Channel 4 productions that addressed AIDS, thereby recognizing a longer history of queer representation on UK television.

The soundtrack includes iconic artists from the 1980s like Pet Shop Boys, Kate Bush, Kelly Marie, Blondie, Erasure, and Culture Club. NME applauded its compilation of queer anthems and popular tracks that gain fresh significance through their use in the series, while The Independent highlighted how the music evokes deep emotional resonance beyond mere nostalgia.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee Outcome
2021 Banff Rockie Awards Program of the Year It's a Sin Template:Won
British LGBT Awards Media Moment Russell T Davies' It's a Sin Template:Won
British Society of Cinematographers Awards Best Cinematography in a Television Drama David Katznelson (for "Episode 1") Template:Nom
Monte-Carlo Television Festival Best Series It's a Sin Template:Won
Best Actress Lydia West Template:Won
TV Choice Awards Best New Drama It's a Sin Template:Nom
Best Actor Olly Alexander Template:Nom
National Television Awards New Drama It's a Sin Template:Won
Drama Performance Olly Alexander Template:Nom
RTS Craft & Design Awards Director - Drama Peter Hoar Template:Nom
Editing - Drama Sarah Brewerton Template:Won
Production Design Luana Hanson Template:Won
37th TCA Awards Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials It's a Sin Template:Nom
Venice TV Awards Best Series It's a Sin Template:Won
Seoul International Drama Awards Best Screenwriter Russell T Davies Template:Won
Edinburgh International Television Festival Best Drama It's a Sin Template:Won
Best TV Actor – Drama Keeley Hawes Template:Nom
BAFTA Cymru Writer Russell T Davies Template:Won
Actor Callum Scott Howells Template:Won
Actress Andria Doherty Template:Nom
Gotham Awards Breakthrough Series – Long Form It's a Sin Template:Nom
Rose d'Or Drama It's a Sin Template:Nom
Year Award Category Nominee Outcome
2022 Writers' Guild of Great Britain Best Long Form TV Drama It's a Sin
Critics' Choice Awards Best Limited Series It's a Sin
Best Actor in a Limited Series Olly Alexander
Independent Spirit Awards Best New Scripted Series It's a Sin
Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series Olly Alexander
BPG Awards Best Drama Series It's a Sin
Best Writer Russell T Davies
Best Actor (two nominees) Olly Alexander, Callum Scott Howells Both nominated
Best Actress Lydia West Nominated
Breakthrough Award Ensemble cast including Olly Alexander, Omari Douglas, Callum Scott Howells, Lydia West, Nathaniel Curtis Nominated
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