It's A Sin Review: HBO's Series On AIDS In London's LGBTQ Community Does Little For Its Fearless Characters
It's A Sin is a start, but it is not one of the best works by multi-BAFTA Award-winning writer Russell T Davies' (Queer As Folk, A Very English Scandal, Years and Years, Doctor Who).
Star
Cast:
Olly
Alexander,
Keeley
Hawes,
Stephen
Fry,
Neil
Patrick
Harris
Director:
Peter
Hoar
Available
On:
Lionsgate
Play
(India)
Duration:
5
Episodes
/
45
Minutes
Language:
English
Plot:
Set
in
the
1980s,
It's
A
Sin
explores
London's
fearless
LGBTQ
Community
with
a
mysterious
disease
looming
over
their
lives.
As
the
decade
passes,
and
they
grow
up
in
the
shadow
of
AIDS
still
they're
determined
to
live
and
love
more
fiercely
than
ever.
Review:
The
show
set
in
the
1980s
bravely
puts
AIDS
at
the
centre
while
following
members
of
the
LGBTQ
community
in
London.
However,
in
the
midst
of
the
heartache
and
the
death
looming
over,
the
makers
do
not
give
a
fair
shot
to
the
young
and
fearless
characters.
It's
A
Sin
begins
in
1981
with
Ritchie
(Olly
Alexander),
a
law
student
heading
out
to
the
heart
of
London.
At
college,
he
meets
a
sweet
confident
girl
Jill
(Lydia
West)
who
helps
him
find
the
courage
to
pursue
his
true
passion
for
theatre.
On
the
other
hand,
Roscoe
(Omari
Douglas)
runs
away
from
his
Nigerian
family
that
hoped
praying
will
turn
him
straight,
and
Colin
(Callum
Scott
Howells)
starts
his
new
job
at
a
tailor
shop.
After
months
of
spending
time
in
the
small
gay
community,
all
end
up
crossing
paths.
The
group
comes
up
with
an
easy
no
bounds
living
arrangement
for
themselves
by
renting
the
whole
unit
for
the
five
of
them,
including
friends
of
Jill
and
Ritchie.
The
first
two
episodes
of
the
five-part
series
gives
the
character
a
chance
to
take
chances,
live
wild
and
bold
after
years
of
having
to
hide
themselves.
For
the
first
time,
Ritchie
and
Roscoe
are
free
to
express
and
feel
with
passion,
which
they
do
fearlessly.
However,
the
bold
choices
are
grim
with
the
mysterious
illness
spreading
across
the
water
in
the
land
of
the
free
(US).
The
illness
is
spreading
with
a
new
name
-
as
the
disease
that
makes
the
queer
sick.
Meanwhile,
Collin
spends
his
time
trading
stories
with
work
friend
Henry
and
his
boyfriend
of
30
years,
Juan
Pablo.
Through
work,
he
gets
a
chance
to
visit
New
York
and
he
brings
back
magazines
and
helpful
information
about
the
illness
at
Jill's
request.
However,
it
is
not
enough
to
keep
her
friends
safe.
She
tries
her
best
to
warn
everyone
however,
most
look
at
it
as
the
government's
way
to
shame
the
queer
community
and
refuse
to
accept
it
until
they
are
forced
to
witness
it
themselves.
It's
A
Sin
means
well
by
giving
the
characters
a
chance
to
express
themselves
however,
the
choices
are
only
used
to
justify
the
consequences
later
in
the
series.
The
show
also
explores
the
impact
of
the
shaming
brought
to
the
queer
community,
and
the
fight
the
community
brings
against
the
authorities
but
by
then
it
is
too
late
to
highlight
the
struggle.
The
screenplay
treats
each
character
as
a
sub-plot
with
AIDS
at
the
centre
but
gives
the
central
plot
little
exposure
hiding
it
behind
closed
rooms,
much
like
the
patients
were
hidden
at
the
time.
With
a
topic
as
vast
and
unexplored
as
AIDS,
the
five-part
series
does
little
justice
to
its
characters.
Never
mind,
using
the
marginalised
characters
as
helpers
on
the
sidelines.
They
end
up
coming
to
the
aid
of
the
leading
white
characters
that
are
either
martyrs
or
triumphant
winners.
Overall,
It's
A
Sin
is
a
start,
but
it
is
not
one
of
the
best
works
by
multi-BAFTA
Award-winning
writer
Russell
T
Davies'
(Queer
As
Folk,
A
Very
English
Scandal,
Years
and
Years,
Doctor
Who).