Simply put, Peaky Blinders is the best series on television. Period.
Now while it’s considered a bit more traditional to write a few expository sentences in prelude of expressing an opinion or making a statement one hopes to prove, I instead had to take an alternative approach because I must cynically presume that many of the individuals who stumble upon this article will more likely than not have had the opportunity to watch the show, or worse, have never heard the series and might be asking themselves, “that’s all very interesting but what the hell is Peaky Blinders?”
Hence the necessity of dedicating the first sentence of the essay to stating the hypothesis rather than offering the bloated introductions you, like myself, are not the biggest fan of.
Though it’s marketed here in the states as a “Netflix Original,”Peaky Blinders actually first aired on the BBC2 network in the UK in September of 2013. It was following its first six-episode season that the exclusive US distribution rights for the series were bought by Harvey Weinstein and then subsequently sold to Netflix, which made then made the series available for streaming in September 30, 2014.
Set during the turn of the twentieth century in Birmingham, England in 1919, the series follows it’s protagonist Thomas Shelby, a returning World War I veteran. Played by actor Cillian Murphy, the actor show’s why he’s one of Christopher Nolan’s favorites, giving what’s without question the best dramatic performance you will likely see on air. Haunted by memories of the war and plagued and returning home irrevocably a different man, changed, like many of the time by the unprecedented horror and brutality of their experience in the first mass scale war of the mechanized age. It’s a classic tale of rags to riches except for this one in particular doesn’t confide to the Horatio Alger archetype of success and morality going hand-in-hand, particularly at the outset of the Industrial Age, where morality was considered to be a bit of a luxury when one is trying to build a criminal empire.
Fast-forward to today, a few some odd days removed from the third season of the drama (which began airing on May 5 in the UK, and became fully available to stream through Netflix on May 31), it seems that the best show on television is either flying under the radar or in operating in a league of its own. With eighteen of the most addictive episodes of television you’ll find anywhere, and having been green lit for two more seasons, Peaky Blinders is on pace to become historically great, and at the moment tightly holds onto the mantel of must-see television that’s been glaringly open since the conclusions of Breaking Bad and Mad Men.
For Peaky Blinders to be appreciated, one must first understand that the structure of the show lends itself to only two types of consumption: either you will watch the entire series or you won’t see a single one. Structured in similar fashion to the early episodes of House of Cards in terms of pacing, Peaky Blinders takes masterful advantage of Netflix’s binge strategy with each anxiety-inducing cliffhanger ending flowing directly into the next episode. Created by Steven Knight, the show derives its title, Peaky Blinders, from the name of the gang led by Thomas Shelby and his family, but also a historically accurate term that was used for British gangsters of the time period who had a tendency, much the same as the Shelby family, of sporting razor blades under the brim of their caps.
The first season of the show sets into motion the family’s attempts to rise when Thomas sees an opportunity to expand the family’s power when he accidentally acquires a crate of machine guns, an incident that sparks a young Winston Churchill to dispatch the show’s primary antagonist and Tommy’s main foe, Chief Inspector Campbell, who is played with Old Testament furor by Sam Neill.
The machinations of the gangster world have always been interesting, and particularly this time period, territory that Boardwalk Empire tried similarly to conquer but failed to properly execute. Peaky has a layer of substance that allows it to steer away from gangster and plot cliches in a way that was absent from Boardwalk and emphasizes the psychological burdens and consequences of criminal life rather than attempting to glorify it, even if it is stylized.
The series production crew should be lauded as well given the setting for this period piece is masterfully crafted and brings to life the city in a way that makes the backdrop its own sinister character, a blend of grime and smoke that reflects a unique moment in the history of the world as it transformed in the midst of the industrial revolution and the early stages of urbanization. All three seasons of the show are so wonderfully specific and committed to stylishly representing its setting, giving the whole viewing experience a depth of realism that’s subtly executed, not to mention the show’s tendency to be utterly visually indulgent when it comes to the most violent of the gangster tropes. The show has a wonderful tendency to not waste an extraordinary amount of time relying on expository dialogue to explain its intricate plotting, instead relying on its dialogue, with each utterance well written and quotable, not to mention incredibly performed by the talented cast, and a deliberately restrained pacing of the plot and it’s looming visuals to tie the story together. These things represent what makes the series difficult for the casual viewer and an incredible experience for those who do invest in it.
While a series of these articles can be dedicated to how wonderful each and every performance is, instead, I’ll have to dedicate a few extra words to the performance of the show’s protagonist, Cillian Murphy. Though best known for his time in film, you may be familiar with him from his work with director Christopher Nolan, one of the few directors in the poorly awarded film industry, where box office receipts are more powerful than performances that understood how to utilize Murphy’s abilities. It’s refreshing to see an extremely talented Irish actor given the showcase on television to display his skill. It’s difficult to articulate how wonderfully subtle and nuanced his performance is, which oddly enough describes a must-watch phenomenon, which this is. The restraint in his body language, the menacing glare over cigarette smoke, the bursts of uncontrolled hyper violence (which often early on include the Peaky Blinders making good use of their namesake caps). It’s beautiful much in the way Jon Hamm’s performance as Don Draper. However, the added bursts of violence and the whiplash inducing plot turns add another layer of manic and menacing energy that has to be expressed, and balanced, and Murphy is able to express each and every emotion, as well as the weight of Tommy’s conscience without having to utter a word. As he says, what we do isn’t right. People get hurt. The anti-hero that television has so woefully missing has returned, and returned with a vengeance.
It is an incredible performance that is matched in full by award worthy performances from the entire cast, with particular note of Paul Anderson’s work as Arthur Shelby, the eldest Shelby brother. At once a violent and broken man, he indulges in a sadistic need for violence but slowly begins to break as he begins to understand the consequences of his decisions. Not to mention other main cast members, including Annabelle Wallace as Grace, the beautiful new barmaid of the gang’s pub and base, who is hiding an important secret, and Helen McCrory who plays Aunt Polly, the family matriarch who ran the business when the boys were at war and who now struggles with her own personal demons and dealing the new realities and aggressive personality of Thomas.
Given the show’s quality is self-evident, I guess the real curiosity becomes why such few people seem to know that. Maybe Netflix is to blame for it’s woefully inadequate and borderline non-existent attempts to promote the series, even though it is structured in a way that highlights the positives of Netflix’s binge model. Perhaps it has something to do with the show’s name, or perhaps the accents and intricate plotting of the story proves difficult for the casual viewer. Maybe multiple services have been able to offer more and more niche programming to satisfy your preferences rather than in discovering anew. In any case, with the end of Breaking Bad and Mad Men, television has been at a loss for a prominent prestige drama to take the reins and inspire some to compare it amongst the greats. Which is funny given that show currently exists.
Though it’s always tricky to claim a show should be objectively appreciated, make no mistake, Peaky Blinders is making a claim to be considered one of the greats, and as it stands, with three seasons in the books and two more on the way, the series is arguably halfway there.
It’s about time Peaky Blinders start receiving the critical acclaim and viewer appreciation it deserves.
The full series is available to stream on Netflix.