Peaky Blinders: Season 1, Episode 1

 Peaky Blinders: Season 1, Episode 1

September 30, 2014




Right away, I knew Peaky Blinders would be something special. It is a British gangster show that takes ideas from American westerns and gangster films (I see shades of The Godfather and that horse scene with Cillian Murphy), but the show quickly establishes its own identity with its unique visual style and soundtrack choices. You would think for a show set right after The Great War ended, that songs from bands like The White Stripes would not be prevalent here. But I digress. The show gets the costumes and the haircuts right. Those are some ugly haircuts but were the style of the time. The gang also wear razor blades in their hats as part of their outfits. Certainly helps instill fear in everyone! Otto Bathhurst did a solid job directing the pilot. He gave this episode cinematic scope, but also an intimate and personal feeling.

This show was created and written by Steven Knight. This first episode could have been confusing with many wheels in motion, but luckily that was not the case. The lead character is the highly intelligent Tommy Shelby, played brilliantly by Cillian Murphy, but Knight took care to properly flesh out the supporting cast. In other words, each character had their moments to shine. Sam Neill as the hardened Irish agent has a brilliant speech about thirty minutes in that show the type of man he is. Helen McCrory as Aunt Polly, the matriarch of the gang who has some sensibility but hardly a woman to cross. Paul Anderson as the eldest brother, Arthur whom people mistake for the gang leader. Also known for his extra-violent temper. Sophie Rundle as Ada Shelby, the fierce and independent younger Shelby sister. Iddo Goldberg as Freddie Thorne, Tommy’s childhood friend and boyfriend of Ada. He also happens to be a communist. There is Annabelle Wallis as Grace Burgess, an undercover agent at the main bar and who Tommy is very interested in. Knight did an incredible job introducing each character and the actors breathed fresh air into them. I really enjoyed the family dynamics within this Shelby gang.

The episode takes place in Birmingham just after the Great War ended. Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) is the leader of his gang known as the ‘Peaky Blinders.” They make their money from illegal racketeering and the black market. The gang accidentally got their hands on a shipment of machine guns and ammunition. Winston Churchill charges Inspector Chester Campbell (Sam Neill) to retrieve the guns. The sensible Polly (Helen McCrory) urges him to return the guns, but Tommy figures he can use them to his advantage. He fights with Arthur (Paul Anderson) about fixing horse races. His sister, Ada (Sophie Rundle) is in love with Freddie Thorne (Iddo Goldberg) who is a Marxist and wants to organize a strike because of the last pay cut. As Campbell looks for the missing guns, he also considers people like Freddie to be just as bad with the Russian Revolution right in the rearview mirror.

Overall, this premiere episode has me hooked on this series, which is a British gangster show with American influences. It has its own flavor in terms of visual style and music. Some choices that are made could seem odd at first, but everything works out for a reason. The performances are excellent. There could have been a danger of overacting, but those concerns are put to rest immediately. Cillian Murphy and Sam Neill are excellent, and I cannot wait to see more of their characters. This series begins as innovative, daring, and more importantly-lots of fun!

My Grade: A


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