It’s A Sin’s record-breaking success proves the hunger for LGBTQ+ dramas has been wrongfully neglected
metro.co.ukIt’s A Sin came out over a year ago. Few dramas have had quite the transformative impact as Russell T Davies’ drama celebrating and mourning those who lost their lives during the Aids pandemic, and quite so swiftly.
Now, the ground-breaking show has been nominated for 11 Baftas. Less than two weeks after its release, Channel 4 confirmed It’s A Sin is already its third most successful drama since records began and All 4’s ‘most binged new series’ ever.A remarkable accolade, which is indisputably deserved.‘The extraordinary performance of It’s A Sin is a reminder that powerful drama with something important to say about the world can also be commercially successful,’ said Channel 4’s Chief content officer, Ian Katz.Why then did it take so long for an LGBTQ+ drama to be given the platform of It’s A Sin and more importantly, why did Channel 4 initially turn it down?It’s A Sin follows a group of gay men who have flown the nest and landed right at the heart of London’s gay scene, packed with sweaty dancefloors, unapologetic sex and an entire community of beautiful LGBTQ+ people buoyant with love and freedom, unbeknown a deadly virus was silently killing them.Set in the 1980s – when Aids became a tool to further exploit prejudices against the LGBTQ+ community when they needed comfort, empathy, care and the same medical attention gifted to straight people – this dark chapter has been deprived from the generations that came after it, and lived on in the tortured memories of those who went through it.It’s was extraordinary moment, told with compassion, humour and sensitivity by Davies.
