To a greater or lesser degree, the political conflict of the black community against white authority’s oppression is omnipresent in the series, but to the everlasting credit of McQueen and his superbly talented team of writers and actors, there is so much more depth here than a basic raging against the machine could’ve achieved.

This is because the aim of the show is not simply to depict injustice, or even just to relate the resistance to it. It is, rather, to ensure that the stories of a generation of people are told, and that those people are honoured for all their courage, complexity and resilience.

Whether bearing witness to landmark upheaval at one of history’s crucial junctures, or just revelling in the joys of a party full of dreaming lovers, Small Axe brings real people to life as it opens windows into worlds of heartbreak, violence, love and hope. It’s a vital contribution to the kaleidoscopic modern TV landscape.

Small Axe is on ABC, Sunday, 9.30pm and iview.