Peaky Blinders | Consistently Cinematic - 17/365

?Plot****

Cinematography*****

Score/Soundtrack**

Character Development****

Timelessness****

Originality***

The Pitch

In England’s second largest city, 3 brothers join their family’s illegal book making business after coming home from the first World War. Over the stretch of a decade, the middle child, Tommy, takes the clan from being ghetto goons to one of England’s most powerful and influential families on both sides of the law.

The Gist

When most people think of England, they think of sharp suits and tea-time and although that portrayal is a truth, there’s a few more out there. Tommy Shelby(Cilian Murphy) and his brothers Authur(Paul Anderson) and John(Joe Cole) start off this show at the top of the uglier side of the coin. As WWI vets, they’re disenchanted by life and accepted that the prestige |they desire isn’t going to be gained through legitimacy…at least not immediately. Season by season this seemingly simple neighborhood gang elevates in the social ranks of England, eventually earning political positions at the highest level. Mysticism, unforgettable performances and semi true politics turned this show into one of long-format TV’s proudest products.?

The Breakdown

This show could hold a masterclass on pilot episodes and that’s a huge part of the success. Like Breaking Bad or Narcos, this show’s pilot confuses enough to throw you behind the plot but is simple enough to have you follow in a way that feels instinctual. The first time we see Tommy Shelby, he’s trotting through the ghettos on a black horse in search of a mystical child to put a spell on it so it must win. When the neighbor gawks at the display of black magic, he tells them to bet on the horse but keep it to themselves. Over the next hour, we learn that The Peaky Blinders lucked up in a way that put them on Winston’s Churchill’s shit-list…and that’s just fine by the Tommy.

The epitomes of the show are all there: gypsy practices, politically charged events and Tommy Shelby being 10 steps ahead of everyone. But unlike one-trick pony shows that stick to the same arc over and over *Law and Order noise*, Peaky Blinders constantly keeps viewers on their toes by twisting expectations over the stretch of 6 seasons. Now, I have to admit that down the line it did become a little soapy and cheesy, but the actors are so damn good that it’s ultimately forgivable. The rags to riches story could be deemed as played out but industrial period England and a shooting style that feels play-like kept this shit going. Definitely worth the binge, this show is one of Netflix’s crown jewels.?