More news on This is England 90: The Story, the Themes, the Musical, the End?

Those lucky buggers over at Digital Spy have been chatting to Shane Meadows, no doubt doing the rounds in order to promote his Stone Roses documentary Made of Stone. But the wonderfully naughty folks at Digital Spy managed to sneak in plenty of questions and got some juicy bits of info about This is England 90, the follow up to the This is England and the two TV series TIE 86 and 88.

Meadows confirmed in the interview that TIE 90 will likely be the end for the troubled youths on screens with no more plans to continue their stories. Meadows wisely says "I don't want to end up ruining it, but I love the cast." Hopefully he is joking when he added "This Is England the musical? Who knows!"

However if that makes you feel ever so slightly sad or suicidal, do not despair just yet as Meadows is clearly going to have a hard time letting these characters go (as I'm sure all us fans are) "It's really hard to put down when you have so much fun doing something, so I hope I don't push it too far and I hope '90 is maybe a full stop, but I daren't say forever."

Digital Spy also asked Meadows about the themes and he gave a great little insight into what the characters will be up to when we see them again in 1990. "The younger members of the crew, it becomes their time. In This Is England '90 it becomes about Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) and Kelly (Chanel Cresswell) and Trev (Danielle Watson) and Gadget (Andrew Ellis) actually getting into the Roses and getting into that scene and going clubbing and going raving and all of that. They sort of go off on that journey. Combo comes out of prison, he's served his time for manslaughter, and actually starts working in the community and the rehabilitation of his character begins. Woody and Milky set up a scooter shop. Woody finally gets out of that awful Mr Squire's factory that he's been working at, and him and Milky become really strong again. Everyone starts to do slightly separate things, but it's still got that beautiful unity that the others have all had. So, I've got the stories all lined up in my head, but I just need to get them down on paper."

 

Anyone else notice the glaring exception here? What about Lol? Meadows either didn't mention her or Digital Spy are holding something back from us (I doubt it's the latter). Vicky McClure has become something of the star of TIE 86 and 88 with a heartbreaking, BAFTA winning and brilliant performance as Lol. Hopefully two years on from TIE 88, Lol and Woody have managed to stay together or is that too much to hope?

If the younger characters are going raving, will it be all smiles, pills and happiness or do any of the characters go too far and get deep into addiction and misery? Combo's arc continues to be the most potentially interesting. Going from racist, messed up thug to saviour of Lol and sympathetic prisoner, will he now become a real hero to the youth and maintain that bond with Shaun? It's certainly going to be a fantastic watch with astounding performances but will it really be the end?

 

All I know is I can't wait. Are you excited for TIE 90?

 

More on This is England:

This is England 90 Update from star Vicky McClure

This is England 88