This is England '86

[greyhound]

This is England '86 starts tonight on Channel 4 at 10pm.

Shane Meadows's 2006 Bafta-winning film about a gang of early 1980s northern skinheads and their half-orphaned new recruit, 12-year-old Shaun, picks up their story three years on, in 1986. Thankfully, all the major cast members signed on for this four-part TV drama, including a nearly grown-up Thomas Turgoose (Shaun). The film's fans won't feel let down. The new script has all the tenderness, depth and wry observations of the original. Woody (who appears to have pinched Paul Weller's hair and suit) and Lol are still together, Shaun has just left school, and most of the gang have graduated from crew cuts to bleached quiffs. The hairstyles may have evolved, but the group's composition is largely untouched. Shaun, however, stopped hanging out with them after that traumatising encounter with stormy king-thug Combo. Now, as when we first met him, Shaun's alone and might as well have "bully me" tattooed on his forehead.

Source
IMDB

 

[TrolleyDave]

I was just gonna create a thread for it! Thought it was a great first episode. Had a very different feel to it than the film but it didn't affect the quality at all. Looking forward to seeing the direction they go in with Combo. Whether the attack on Milky drove him away from the NF or caused him to become more involved.

 

[greyhound]

It was completely different to the film. I like the fact that the gang seem to have grown up and have stood by their beliefs regarding race and equality. One thing confused me though, have Meggy and Banjo been converted too as they were hardcore nationalists in the film? I guess we'll find that out when Combo returns.

Do you think Combo went down for three years for the assault on Milky?

 

[TrolleyDave]

To be honest that's one of the first things I thought when I was watching it. Like you say though, we'll probably find out when Combo comes back. Banjo was even one of the ones who was trying to convert people to the NF cause, so it's a total turnaround in character. That's why it's making me wonder what the direction is they're gonna go with Combo.

It's hard to tell whether he went down for it or not. When Shaun and Smell were talking in the hospital there was no mention. And as much as most went their separate ways from him Woody and Co. don't strike me as being grassers. It would be nice if he had gone down though. Three years would have been about the right sentence for back then as well. The beginning of the episode left it up in the air as well.

 

[Vidboy10]

Channel 4

No thanks.

 

[[M]artin]

Sorry to poke my head in...

I have absolutely NO CLUE what you guys are talking about, but I just wanna point out, every single character's name that you've mentioned is utterly ridiculous and hilarious, all at the same time.

I would have multiple children JUST to name each one Combo, Milky, Banjo, Woody, and Meggy...