Different pandemic! It’s a Sin chronicles the lives of a group of friends in London during the start of the AIDS pandemic in the ‘80s. Sound a bit depressing? Well, at times it is, but it is also incredibly entertaining and funny, filled with a host of charismatic characters coming into their own and finding community for the first time.
Among the leads is Olly Alexander (the lead singer of Years & Years, or as I know him…as “Jakob” in Skins: Pure), as well as guest stars Neil Patrick Harris and Stephen Fry. The real star for me, however, is Lydia West in her role as Jill, who is the heart-and-soul of the group and champions her friends as they start to be affected by the AIDS crisis.
The show is filled with a great ’80s soundtrack and plenty of fun and flair. But, it also does serve as a reminder – or perhaps an education – of how many were marginalized, and poorly treated, during the rise of this terrible pandemic.
While you should prepare yourself for some heartbreak, this show is some of the best TV I’ve watched in a while, and I encourage you to check out this 5-part series now on Amazon Prime or HBO Max.
