This Is England '86

This Is England '86

Episode 1

-       How are the characters introduced?

In the first episode of This is England ’86, the characters are not reintroduced in any way, as the TV drama is a continuation of the 2006 film “This is England”, the viewers are expected to already know the characters and there role’s, but for first time viewers, names are frequently called for clarity. As a viewer who has watched the original film ‘This is England’ it was interesting to see how the characters aged individually, yet their persona’s and behaviour remained the same.

-       Detailed description of two characters

Lol- Lol is a main female character, the girlfriend of Woody and sister of Kelly. She is portrayed as a very serious person through her actions and behaviour. The other female characters costumes are feminine and revealing yet Lol is always dressed in more formal, masculine attire, this is also expressed through her body language and facial expressions. I believe that the character is dressed in this way as a result of her abused childhood she may feel vulnerable in feminine clothes and has adopted this style as a protective barrier.

Shaun- Shaun is the main character in ‘This is England’, and is introduced to viewers as an impressionable, mischievous 12 year old boy who seeks companionship after being constantly teased at school, I believe Shaun to be an emotionally complex character this may be due to his depression following his father’s death. Shaun is also quite secluded; in “This is England” and also in the beginning of “This is England 86” it is evident that the friends have drifted apart over the years from past events.

-       Key differences between film and drama series

“This is England” was more dramatic as opposed to the added elements of humour in the drama series (This is England ’86), almost making it a hybrid of genres. The film had clear objectives to raise awareness of rising gang cultures, the “skinhead” movement and the racial implications of the National front, thoroughly encompassing the lifestyle of the 1980’s, whereas the television drama series focuses on developing character lives and backgrounds.

-       What dramatic conflict is created? How? What is the impact?

In the first scene we are re-introduced to a teenaged Shaun, about to take his GCE examinations, Shaun is misbehaving in the exam hall, throwing paper around and from this we can infer he is a rebellious character, the following scene is an argument with his mother over what he plan’s to do with his future, This mild dramatic conflict emits anticipation within the audience as we believe he will rebel his mothers wishes and create more havoc during his summer holidays.

The wedding party scene, on board a bus, for Lol and Woody’s wedding also has some underlying dramatic conflict, as the camera moves to the groom (Woody’s) face, with a solemn facial expression this is unexpected for a man who is about to be married to his girlfriend of five years and we the audience expect a twist of events to bring to a halt to the upcoming nuptials.

-       How is music used as a signifier? Provide two or more examples.

At Lol and Woody’s wedding scene, as Lol is walking down the aisle, Johnny Nash’s “Guava Jelly” is playing, a mid-tempo r’n’b song this suggests a happy, celebration mood. Despite the song being released in 1972, the rhythm and genre is similar to Lol and Woody’s skinhead roots and love of Ska and reggae style music. Meanwhile, this contrast with Meggy’s heart attack in a bathroom cubicle, the music in this scene could signify a turn of events, the end of a celebration that will ruin the wedding ceremony.

Gagdet, Kel, Trev and Harvey’s wheelchair racing scene at a hospital is a comedic scene that portrays the group of friends as carefree, young and living in the moment, which is a change to the stressful personal lives they all enclose. “Happy Hour” by the Housemartins is playing, and the punk rock song suggests rebellion and high energy. The scene ends with Harvey accidently knocking over Lol’s mother with a wheelchair, which is an instantaneous climax of the comedy in the scene, as the music abruptly stops for dialogue.

(Left to Right; Woody, Meggy, Shaun, Smell, Banjo, Milky, Trev, Gagdet, Lol, Harvey and Kel)