Set during Christmas 1988, Lol is haunted by the devastating events that took place two and a half years before. She and Woody both find themselves struggling to cope with their lives without each other after he leaves the gang. Lol is carrying the burden of her guilt, whilst Woody is trying to build a domestic life with a new girlfriend and a potential promotion at work. Shaun has started drama college and, although still in a relationship with Smell, he has grown close to a girl performing in his Christmas play.

Shaun, Harvey, Gadget, Trev and Kelly hit up the nightlife of raves and ecstasy. Woody and Lol are happy, living together with their kids and Combo is still in prison. But things slowly change. This is the year 1990 and This is England.

Joseph falls into despair when his nine-year-old son Shea leaves for Australia with his ex Debbie. Suffering the hangover from hell, he walks away from his present life and boards a boat bound for Ireland to confront memories from his childhood.

Sharon Pici, a Kansas City Police Detective, is locked in a room that she cannot escape.

Local police officer Sergeant PJ Collins is a gentle man who hides from people and fills his days with comfort food and half-hearted police work. He is one of life's outsiders, lovable, but lonely and a bit rubbish at his job. When the body of long-lost local legend Tommy Burke is discovered, PJ is called to solve a serious crime for the first time in his career. Unearthing long buried secrets, PJ finally connects with the village he has tried so hard to avoid.

An affluent couple living in a small seaside town are targeted by two local teenagers looking to make a quick buck. However, the break-in takes a dark turn when one of the youths winds up dead and an elaborate cover-up is staged to make the killing appear to be self-defence.