TV drama doesn’t get much bolder or more moving than this.

Shane Meadows’ This Is England began as an autobiographical tale. The movie was set in 1983 and revolved around Shaun Field, played by Thomas Turgoose. Shaun, like Shane, grew up in the Midlands (Uttoxeter) and became involved with skinhead culture. The gang rivalry and racism made this a powerful, at times brutal, film that has a strong impact but I was not as bowled over by it as many critics were.

I have no such doubts about the Channel 4 TV spin-offs set in 1986 and 1988. These state of the nation dramas allow Meadows full scope to explore the characters more deeply – the result is funny, sexually frank and effortlessly switches between high farce one minute to heartfelt pain the next.

These are ensemble pieces but gradually the central focus moves in the  direction of Lol Jenkins, played brilliantly by Vicky McClure. She won the BAFTA for this role in the four-part ’86 series and, if there’s any justice, will do the same again for the three-part ’88 update.

Some of the scenes are so raw and realistic that they are hard to watch. The confrontation with her brutal father is one of the most amazing pieces of television I’ve ever seen and as she spirals into a dark depression, you feel her despair and torment.

By the end of the series, her role has become so dominant that Shaun’s bust-up with his girlfriend becomes peripheral. There’s lots more to enjoy in the series as a whole but it is her amazing performance which will linger longest  in the memory.