Davies is on top form as he cleverly steers five very different characters into one house and a life together against the background of an emerging mystery illness.
It’s a first-rate acting company – Olly Alexander as the closeted Isle of Wighter who blossoms in the gay culture he plunges into; Omari Douglas as the outrageous drag-dressing builder Roscoe who has to run away from his religious family who try to pray the gayness out of him; Callum Scott Howells as dear sheltered Welsh Colin , befriended by the older gay tailoring assistant Henry, a beautifully observed performance by Neil Patrick Harris. Then there’s drama student Ash ( Nathaniel Curtis ) who survives casual racism and is Ritchie’s first sexual partner; and finally Lydia West as Jill, the heart-warming glue that binds all the friendships together.
But the background which permeates this series from the start is the sombre and harsh reality of a plague that in this context stalked the beds of gay men and Davies is brilliant at the slow unwinding of the theme – the isolation hospital scenes are truly cold and horrific – and for those who don’t know – entirely realistic.
I suspect my generation will find it harder and harder to watch, but it is a must-see.
Less interesting is the social media spin-off It’s A Sin Unpacked , which follows each episode. I’m not a fan of telly pundits and this 30-minute slot adds little more in my opinion, but hey you may differ.
It’s A Sin is on Channel 4 weekly on Fridays