This remarkable drama – its all of the characteristics listed in the title above and more - tells of, and pays tribute to, all those who were growing up and coming out in the 80’s just as AIDS began to be felt, focusing on a group of 5 young people who move to London and share a house.
The soundtrack was perfectly redolent of the times – Hooked on Classics playing in the pub. And the bars had a 100% authentic feel that I recall so well – all the details felt absolutely right down to the light and the beer being drunk. I also noticed some posters of shows that I recall attending like the NT Guys and Dolls
The sense of puzzlement and disbelief at the start of the epidemic was very powerfully caught in this sense of helplessness came across superbly well – and this contrasted very powerfully to the passionate sense of sexual liberation that the times gave voice and action to.
The most positive aspect of the series was the unalloyed joy in the excitement of the young people finally being themselves and out, to their families to varying degrees (and I loved the meta-nod to Doctor Who and the Daleks!) Ironically Ritchie, the most outwardly flamboyant, never really told his parents until the end. The variety of home backgrounds they came from was marvellously portrayed and those households and the people who made them up, were not shown in a cheap or judgemental way – the parents were who they were. Even the Nigerian family with a pastor at the head was shown in a reasonably fair way. But even so, some actions were almost too terrible to be viewed – particularly the end of episode three with the bonfire in the garden (I know this sounds rather vague but I am trying not to give too much away)
Once the epidemic really hit, the actions of those who began to understand its possible impact and who wanted to help was wonderfully shown with them getting involved in AIDS support groups/phone helplines. Actor Ritchie’s agent was particularly fine with her empathetic knowledge that when young people, actors etc left and ‘went home’ it was to die, in denial to and by their families.
The variety of deaths were horribly varied but every one was dealt with enormous sensitivity and power, notably one marked by premature senility – but the most powerful one was the climax of the series and Ritchie – after a (brief lifetime of taking passionate advantage of what was available and his friends all assuming that his many partners were just ‘ships that passed in the night’ and were forgotten, it the very end he revealed that he remembered every one of them and, as he said ‘it was wonderful’ This was undoubtedly the most heart-breaking scene of all as his optimism remained undimmed until the very end and even now, just writing about it, there’s a prickling in my eyes…and the end montage recalled that of Long-time Companion.
So, a wonderful experience and a tribute to all those who died and those who survived and tried to help. Compared with COVID…???