It's a Sin (TV series)

Davies' plans to write a series depicting gay life during the 1980s and the UK AIDS crisis were based on his own and his friends' experiences, and to commemorate the generation who lost their lives to the illness.[12] Davies first publicised his involvement with the series in January 2015.[12] In 2016, Davies told Ben Dowell from Radio Times that it was "the most research-based piece I will ever do".[13] Davies has claimed that the script was initially difficult to pitch to broadcasters due to the "tough" subject matter. Davies spent an entire year trying to secure a deal, with two broadcasters refusing to commission the show.[3] The show was originally pitched to Davies' first choice Channel 4, but they refused to commission it.[3] BBC One were then offered the series but they too refused and ITV decided that they were not ready to broadcast such a series.[3] Channel 4's commissioning editor of drama, Lee Mason had originally wanted his company to commission the show. He waited until a significant staff change had occurred at Channel 4 and successfully pitched the idea.[3] Davies originally pitched the show as an eight part drama. Channel 4 staff requested that it be limited to a five episode run.[3]

On 22 August 2018, Channel 4's commission of Davies' script was publicised. The show was still titled The Boys and it was confirmed that production would commence in 2019.[14] Davies developed with series with Nicola Shindler, who served as executive producer and had the assistance of her Red Production Company.[15] Phil Collinson was hired as the show's producer and Peter Hoar as a director.[16] In early 2020, it was revealed that the show was tentatively titled Boys instead of The Boys as previously reported.[17] The original working title was then changed because it was too similar to the Amazon series The Boys.[18] In the fourth episode, Ritchie Tozer appears in a fictional 1988 Doctor Who serial as a tribute to Dursley McLinden, a mutual friend of Nalder and Davies.[19]

The majority of the show's casting was announced in October 2019.[20] Olly Alexander, a vocalist from the band Years & Years was cast as Ritchie Tozer. His character is a gay teenager who moves to London in 1981 during the early days of the crisis.[21] In his television debut, Omari Douglas was hired to play Roscoe Babatunde, a man from a Nigerian family who disown him because of his sexuality.[22] Welsh actor Callum Scott Howells was cast in his first television role playing Colin Morris-Jones, a gay man from Wales.[23] Lydia West plays Jill Baxter in the series. She would regularly host 1980s themed gatherings to help the cast cope with the show's emotional subject.[24] Nathaniel Curtis successfully auditioned for the part of Ash Mukherjee. He was working in theatre when he first discovered the role and said he "instantly fell in love" with the script.[25] David Carlyle plays Gregory Finch, a "vibrant" and "naughty" character who works as a bus conductor.[26]

American actor Neil Patrick Harris plays Henry Coltrane, a character who dies from AIDS in the first episode. The actor said he was pleased with his casting and "incredibly proud" to appear in the series.[27][20] Keeley Hawes and Shaun Dooley signed up to play Ritchie's parents Valerie and Clive Tozer.[20] Stephen Fry was cast as Arthur Garrison, a conservative MP who refuses to acknowledge his homosexuality. Fry was keen to appear in the series because he believed it paid tribute to friends that died of HIV.[28] Producers cast Nathaniel Hall as Donald Bassett. Hall plays an HIV-positive character and is himself HIV-positive.[29] Other castings included Andria Doherty as Eileen Morris-Jones and Tracy Ann Oberman as Carol Carter, an acting agent who signs up Ritchie.[30][31]

It's a Sin's cast includes a number of openly gay performers including Alexander, Fry, Harris, Howells, Hall and Carlyle. The casting of gay actors was intentional and Davies stated "for my one programme, for these five hours, I wanted to create a safe space where gay actors could voluntarily come in and be themselves."[32][29][26] Certain characters were influenced by Davies' real-life friends. West's character, Jill Baxter, is "very loosely" based on Davies' friend Jill Nalder, who appears in the show as Baxter's mother.[19]

Principal photography began in Manchester on 7 October 2019.[33][34] Red Production Company went into partnership with Screen Manchester to accommodate filming. Bobby Cochrane, development manager at Screen Manchester told Adam Maidment from the Manchester Evening News that "we worked very closely with the production on their various filming applications across Manchester."[35] It's a Sin is set in 1980s England and to reflect the times a series of period props were introduced to outdoor filming locations. Manchester transport official's helped the production gain necessary control over specific areas.[35] Filming took place at Paton Street, Victoria Baths, The Embassy Club on Rochdale Road, the Star and Garter pub on Fairfield Street, the Thirsty Scholar on New Wakefield Street and Manchester Crematorium on Barlow Moor Road.[35] Additional filming then took place at a shopping centre in Eccles and Le Mans Crescent in Bolton.[35]

In January 2020, filming took place in the city centre of Liverpool. The location shoot commenced on Water Street for scenes which appeared as New York City in the show.[36] The street was closed to the public and rows of yellow taxis were parked in the street. In addition vintage cars and a New York-style hot dog cart were placed at the scene.[36] Filming at the Cunard Building on Brunswick Street doubled as a London hotel. A series of 2D and CG VFX techniques were used to add to the location's authenticity.[36] Additional interiors were filmed at the Old Wentworth High School in Eccles. Hospital scenes featured in the show were filmed at this location.[37] Filming also took place in Rhos-on-Sea, Wales, which doubled for the Isle of Wight.[38] Scenes featuring a beach and pier were filmed in the Welsh city of Bangor.[39][40] Filming concluded on 31 January 2020.[41]

The first episode was watched live by 1.6 million viewers on Channel 4, a benchmark for a drama launch previously hit a year earlier by Deadwater Fell. It was the network's best-performing drama among young viewers (16–34) in three years. Catch-up views hit 2.5 million within three days of the live broadcast.[53] According to the British Audience Research Board, the first episode was watched by 3.48 million under seven-day data.[7]

Channel 4 revealed on 4 February that the series had gained 6.5 million views on All 4 thus far, giving the streaming service its highest monthly figures to date for January, nearly doubling the previous figure. The series became the third biggest on the platform to date and its "most binged new series ever"; the first episode was the platform's biggest drama launch on record.[54][55]

The series has been described as a "bonafide hit" upon release in the UK.[53] Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 100% based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 9.45/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Propelled by an exquisite cast, empathetic writing, and a distinct visual style, It's a Sin is an incredible feat of small-screen magic."[56] In January 2021, Scarlett Russell from The Times branded it "the most talked-about show of the moment".[57]

A review in The Guardian highly praised the series, naming it a "poignant masterpiece". It said of the character development in the first episode "(Davies creates) real, flawed, entirely credible bundles of humanity and make it clear, without even momentary preachiness, how much they have to lose." The review also argues that the initial confusion in response to characters developing an unknown illness was particularly relatable in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding that: "We can empathise that bit more with the fear, uncertainty and responses rational and irrational to the emergence of a new disease." It concludes by stating that any suggestions the programme does not take its subject matter seriously enough are "nonsense", commenting: "Fleetness and funniness are the essence of life, and only by making them as central to characters as Davies does can you convey the depth of the tragedy about to unfold."[58]

A review of the first episode in the Radio Times was also broadly positive, summarising that "Russell T. Davies portrays London's early 1980s gay scene as giddily optimistic – but foreshadows the AIDS crisis to come."[59] Davies' writing received acclaim, with Den of Geek opining that the series was a "soaring tribute" and a "must-watch", declaring it "Davies’ best yet; a joyful tribute to lost lives that delivers a seething verdict on ignorance and cruelty".[60] Similarly, Guy Pewsy of Grazia described the show as "beautifully written and impeccably acted" and named it "one of the most beautiful explorations of gay life that I have ever seen".[61]

The performance of the cast received widespread acclaim. Olly Alexander's performance received a positive review from Josh Smith from Glamour, who branded him the "heart of the show".[62] In another review, Suzy Feay of the Financial Times explained how "frivolous, bitchy Ritchie could easily be played as caricature, but Olly Alexander gives him a magnetic charm".[63] Keeley Hawes' performance in the final episode received praise from critics and viewers. Lucy Devine from Tyla.com described her performance as "outstanding and magnificent".[64] Joel Leaver of the Daily Post branded her scenes as a "masterclass performance".[40] Some viewers expressed their desire for Hawes to win a BAFTA for her work.[64] Similarly, Flora Carr from Radio Times described her performance as "stunning" and "heartbreaking", noting that some critics originally expressed confusion over Hawes' casting in the small role of Valerie, "a dowdy, cardigan-wearing Isle of Wight resident". Carr added that Hawes' performance in episode five quashed any confusion as she "turned in an acting tour de force as a mother whose grief and denial turns her vicious".[65]