32 | New Scientist | 13 February 2021
TV
It’s a Sin
Russell T Davies
Channel 4AN UNKNOWN virus,
misinformation and uncertainty
about the future. No, we’re not
talking about coronavirus for
once. It’s a Sin, a new five-part
miniseries on Channel 4,
delicately tackles the HIV and
AIDS epidemic of the 1980s, with
the backdrop of queer London.
Created by Russell T Davies, who
was also behind the 1999 series
Queer as Folk, the show chronicles
the lives of three gay men who
set off from their home towns
to begin new lives at university.
A seemingly light set-up, the story
takes a turn for the worse as a
deadly new virus is on the rise.
It’s a Sin opens in September
1981, with an outwardly perfect
nuclear family sat around their
dimly lit dining table, surroundedThe shadow of AIDS
It’s a Sin is the perfect snapshot of London’s gay scene in the 1980s, while
exposing the harsh realities of the rising AIDS epidemic, says Karina Shahby retro lampshades and boldly
printed curtains. We are
introduced to 18-year-old Ritchie
(Olly Alexander), the show’s
protagonist, who is about to
move to the big city: London.
His story really begins when
he meets Roscoe (Omari Douglas)
and Colin (Callum Scott Howells).
As the three young men navigate
the capital’s gay scene and
university life in general, they are
introduced to a mysterious disease
that seems to disproportionately
affect gay men.
In the early 1980s, reports
of severe immune deficiency
began to rise around the world.
Scientists were dumbfounded by
this new disease, which worked
by attacking the body’s immune
system, weakening its ability to
fight infections.
Navigating an increasingly
homophobic society, Ritchie
initially responds to the disease
with denial. “I don’t believe it. I
don’t believe a word of it,” he says
in a monologue of denial, whileViews Culture
BE
N^ BLA
CK
AL
L/CHANNEL^4The series presents a candid
authenticity that could only be
achieved by someone who has
lived through and experienced the
events themselves, which Davies
did. The soundtrack especially
gets an honourable mention – it
features some of the biggest smash
hits of the decade, including tracks
by Blondie, Wham! and Queen.
Paired with the impeccable acting
of the young and upcoming actors,
many of whom weren’t even alive
in the 1980s, we are transported
back in time.
Davies preserves the joyous
scenes of 1980s London, all while
sensitively portraying the realities
of the disease’s devastating
progression. We see how HIV
and AIDS affected the individuals
themselves, their social circle and
even families who discover their
son’s sexuality through the most
haunting circumstances. No
spoilers, but keep your box of
tissues close to hand. HIV and
AIDS have claimed the lives of
millions of people across the
world – this fictional telling
doesn’t sugar-coat it.
The mortality rate from HIV is
now lower with the development
of preventative drugs, such as pre-
exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and
antiretroviral therapy. But living
with the devastating impacts of
HIV or AIDS is still the reality for
millions of people, especially
those in low-income countries
where therapies are hard to access.
It’s a Sin serves as a powerful
reminder of a chilling chapter that
burdened thousands of gay men.
It is a poignant love letter to all
those lost during the AIDS
epidemic of the 1980s, and to
those allies who unconditionally
supported them. ❚the camera pans to him on the
dance floor of Heaven, the iconic
gay club in London. As the shadow
of AIDS closes in, Ritchie and his
friends tackle misinformation
and stigma.
The miniseries scarily mirrors
our current reality. Much like
today’s coronavirus, there were
many rumours circulating about
HIV and AIDS, due to fear of theunknown. One of the most
common misconceptions
was that only gay people could
contract the virus – it was even
labelled the “gay plague”. This
stigma cast a large shadow on the
gay community, meaning that
many people suffered in silence
until their last days of life, as
shown in It’s a Sin.Ritchie (Olly Alexander)
and Jill (Lydia West) in
It’s a Sin“ HIV and AIDS have
claimed the lives of
millions of people –
this fictional telling
doesn’t sugar-coat it”