Miniseries · Channel 4
This Is England '86
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Joseph Gilgun
Richard 'Woody' Woodford
4 eps
Vicky McClure
Lol
4 eps
Stephen Graham
Combo
4 eps
Thomas Turgoose
Shaun
4 eps
Andrew Ellis
Gadget
4 eps
Andrew Shim
Milky
4 eps
Chanel Cresswell
Kelly
4 eps
Danielle Watson
Trev
4 eps
George Newton
Banjo
4 eps
Hannah Walters
Trudy
4 eps
Jo Hartley
Cynth
4 eps
Johnny Harris
Mick
4 eps
Katherine Dow Blyton
Chrissy
4 eps
Michael Socha
Harvey
4 eps
Perry Benson
Meggy
4 eps
Rosamund Hanson
Smell
4 eps
Georgia May Foote
Gemma
4 eps
Kriss Dosanjh
Mr. Sandhu
4 eps
Joe Dempsie
Higgy
4 eps
Perry Fitzpatrick
Flip
4 eps
Adam Hunt
Winston
4 eps
William Travis
Mr. Squires
4 eps
Steve Brody
Richard Woodford
4 eps
Rebecca Manley
Barbara Woodford
4 eps
Tony Denham
Harvey's Dad
4 eps
Seamus O'Neill
Man at Window
4 eps
Ian Brown
Policeman
4 eps
Jean Fergusson
Daisy
1 eps
Jack Thorne
2 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How This Is England '86 actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
This Is England '86 reads strongest on Character Depth, Bingeability and Serialized.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
It's 1986 - the year Maradona ends England's World Cup dreams in Mexico; the year Top Gun is the highest grossing film; the year over 3.4 million Brits are unemployed and the year Shaun is leaving school.
The run
Seasons
1 season · 4 episodes.
- Poster unavailableSpecials
Season 0 · Complete
Specials
20066 episodes
Season 1 · Complete
Miniseries
20104 episodes
7.0IMDbOn his own again after the gang was broken up by Combo's terrifying acts of violence, hapless Shaun is a magnet for trouble. Then a chance encounter reunites him with Woody, Lol, Smell and the others and soon the past is forgotten. The gang are back together and they're all looking for love, a laugh, a job and something that resembles a future.
Best episode · S01E04 Episode 4
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E03
Episode 3
Shaun faces life on the streets after he rejects his mother, and Lol's troubles are compounded when her father Mick reveals his true colours. Meanwhile, a game of football at the park descends into chaos, Meggy comes close to meeting the son he never knew he had, and a familiar face returns to the fold.
S01E02
Episode 2
With Shaun firmly back with his old gang, life appears good, but trouble brews among his friends. With Milky and Woody competing for her affections, Lol returns home to find her father has resurfaced. Meanwhile, Gadget harbours an unrequited love for Kelly, and Cynth continues to pursue a relationship with Mr Sandhu, much to her son's distaste.
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S00E06
Menu Art
S00E02
Behind the Scenes
S00E03
Outtakes
S00E04
Deleted Scenes
S00E05
Photo Gallery
S01E04
Episode 4
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Derrin SchlesingerProducer
- Jack ThorneExecutive Producer
- Rebekah Wray-RogersProducer
- Libby DurdyProducer
- Mark HerbertProducer
Writing
- Jack ThorneWriter
- Shane MeadowsWriter
Direction
- Shane MeadowsDirector
- Tom HarperDirector
Cinematography
- Danny CohenDirector of Photography
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon Prime VideoStreaming
- Amazon Prime Video with AdsStreaming
- Shout! Factory Amazon ChannelStreaming
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Where to go from here
Watch Next
Our editors' suggestion for the show you should start tonight — and why.
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Never stop watching
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