This Is England ’86, on the other hand, is most definitely hard to watch. At least, it has been of late. ’86 is a series that has clearly changed direction. Instead of the ensemble teen series prior episodes have lead us to expect, in this episode we’re faced with a heavy, high stakes drama, where life and death really feels like it’s hanging in the balance, particularly in the key scene that spans practically the entire episode. If this sounds like a description of gripping, dare we say, ‘worthy’ television, that’s because it is. This episode has the potential to make you leap from the sofa with nervous energy, weep bittersweet tears or curse the name of Shane Meadows for putting us through another hard-hitting scene (or the hat trick, in the case of this reviewer) and can therefore comfortably be called an example of great television by most people’s measure of these things. It would have been obtuse to continue with knockabout plot lines such as the mysterious parentage of Trudy’s son after last episode’s finale, but it’s difficult to feel that the last episode of this series concludes in any satisfying way anything except that one particular scene. The episode in isolation is TV drama at its finest. You may need to prepare yourself before viewing (both mentally, in anticipation of some unpleasant scenes, and physically, with a good stress ball to get you through them) but the reward is drama that is as noteworthy and high quality as any you’re likely to see on Channel 4 in the near future. Just remember, for future reference, the following advice: just because a series features the music, fashions and good old hi-jinks of your parents’ youths does not mean it will make a comfortable evening’s viewing when watched with your mother… Read our review of episode 3 here.
title: “This Is England 86 Episode 4 Review Series Finale” ShowToc: true date: “2025-08-16” author: “Thomas Drumgoole”
This Is England ’86, on the other hand, is most definitely hard to watch. At least, it has been of late. ’86 is a series that has clearly changed direction. Instead of the ensemble teen series prior episodes have lead us to expect, in this episode we’re faced with a heavy, high stakes drama, where life and death really feels like it’s hanging in the balance, particularly in the key scene that spans practically the entire episode. If this sounds like a description of gripping, dare we say, ‘worthy’ television, that’s because it is. This episode has the potential to make you leap from the sofa with nervous energy, weep bittersweet tears or curse the name of Shane Meadows for putting us through another hard-hitting scene (or the hat trick, in the case of this reviewer) and can therefore comfortably be called an example of great television by most people’s measure of these things. It would have been obtuse to continue with knockabout plot lines such as the mysterious parentage of Trudy’s son after last episode’s finale, but it’s difficult to feel that the last episode of this series concludes in any satisfying way anything except that one particular scene. The episode in isolation is TV drama at its finest. You may need to prepare yourself before viewing (both mentally, in anticipation of some unpleasant scenes, and physically, with a good stress ball to get you through them) but the reward is drama that is as noteworthy and high quality as any you’re likely to see on Channel 4 in the near future. Just remember, for future reference, the following advice: just because a series features the music, fashions and good old hi-jinks of your parents’ youths does not mean it will make a comfortable evening’s viewing when watched with your mother… Read our review of episode 3 here.
