I’m one episode in Peaky Blinders and I must admit, I’m impressed. I’m not overwhelmed with information, I’m not bored, but I’m not completely sucked in either. But there is a coolness to this show that has me wanting more after the first episode.
From just the first episode, and very little to no background knowledge or research into the series, I gathered that this is about some illegal activity that takes place in Birmingham, England in 1919. I got the impression very quickly that Tommy Shelby, played by the ever so damn cool, Cillian Murphy is the leader of the pack; the pack being the little family gang called the Peaky Blinders, a family of bookies fixing bets on horse races to name just one of the many underground activities the boys and their crew get themselves into. The same gang whose signature thing is the razor blade stitched into their flat caps. Tommy says to his older brother, Arthur (Paul Anderson), “I think, Arthur. That’s what I do. I think so that you don’t have to.” This cements how the second eldest Shelby sibling will be the one that makes the biggest impact in this series.
After the disappearance of a crate holding tones of ammunition and firearms, Inspector Campbell (Sam Neill) is called in from Ireland to play bad cop and find who took them. Among this one particular storyline, there’s also the few bits and pieces that ties it all in. It’s very easy to follow. No piece of new information is too hard to comprehend.
I’d expect that in the first episode alone we have now met all the characters that are important to the series. I’m sure many are to come (and I know Tom Hardy is on his way somewhere), and more background information is yet to be shared. I also have a feeling that the Shelby gang has a lot more to prove and is bound to make more gains, ensuring their position in the community.
Peaky Blinders doesn’t feel overwhelming to watch. It’s an easing in of a first episode and I do feel like I’d really like to know more. At this stage, it doesn’t feel like I must watch the next episode. It feels like I can take my time with it and still feel like I can finish it. I guess we will see if those feelings will change. It should be easy to finish however, with only 5 seasons and 6 episodes in each to catch up on until season 6 makes its way onto our screens. I’ll try catch up.