Peaky Blinders

The fourth season truly blew me away. After the less impressive third season, the latest installment has become easily the best series I've seen in a while. The cast was not only excellent but truly otherworldly. Cillian Murphy once again ruled the show, this time alongside Tom Hardy and Adrien Brody. Brody, in the role of an Italian mobster from New York, was an incredible surprise. At first, his accent seemed forced rather than naturally adopted, but I gradually realized that such a gravelly voice really suits that type of character. Whenever he appeared on screen, entertainment was guaranteed. This time, the show also featured finely crafted action scenes that were a pleasure to watch, as well as the usual atmosphere (which is somewhat of a habit now) and, of course, well-crafted dialogues that occasionally gave me goosebumps. Hardy once again had a small amount of screen time, but he made excellent use of it. The final episode was flawless, with the scene of Hardy and Murphy on the beach meticulously detailed to the last aspect. It will be a long time before I find a series that sets and mostly maintains such a high standard. The fourth season gets 95%. (03/08/2019)

I wanted to start a new saga after a long time, and it had to be a gangster series. Deciding wasn’t easy, but in the end, I chose Peaky Blinders. Without knowing much about the show, I dove in and definitely didn’t make a mistake. Cillian Murphy is a sure bet, and unquestionably one of the most talented English actors; he doesn’t say much, but he has that spark and charisma, making words less important. The post-World War I atmosphere captivated me from the first episode; it was clear that everyone put effort into the sets to ensure the result wouldn’t disappoint the viewer. The series doesn’t offer much action but meticulously portrays each character, shows the workings of a crime family, and, most importantly, delivers a few intense moments that always give you goosebumps. Among the supporting characters, Arthur stands out, with his perfect English accent always amusing me. The season finale was perfect. It’s not worth a full five stars, as there are a few gaps here and there, but nothing serious. The series hooked me, which I consider a success. We’ll see what the second season with Tom Hardy brings, in whom I place great hopes. I give it 85%. (25/01/2018)

The second season exceeded all my expectations, and Tom Hardy once again showed that despite minimal screen time, his performance can steal the show, and I would call his casting a genius and thoughtful move. The second season follows a similar spirit as the first, but it boasts a faster pace, with the story almost never stalling. The new characters don't feel flat at all; on the contrary, they help the series achieve even greater success (I've already mentioned Tom Hardy's character, but Noah Taylor's portrayal of the Italian mafioso, with his bad English soaked in an Italian accent, truly floored me. I would call his conversation with Hardy one of the best moments, if not the very best, in the season). Murphy once again demonstrated his top-tier talent, and the return of the familiar Sam Neill, this time with a wolf-headed cane and much harsher methods, surprised me, as I certainly didn't expect to see him again after the end of the first season. As I've already mentioned, the story grabbed me right from the start, everything moved along more quickly towards the grand finale, which certainly wasn't just any spectacle but a truly nerve-wracking conclusion. I'm leaving a small margin because I secretly think the third season will be even better. I give it 89%. (26/01/2018)

They say that the third time’s a charm, but honestly, I found the third season to be the weakest so far. That’s not to say it was bad at all, but compared to the previous ones, it was a noticeable drop in quality. I liked that the creators accelerated the progression of the storyline, but overall, the theme of the revolution didn’t captivate me. For six episodes, I couldn’t build a strong connection with the plot, which affected my rating and prevented it from climbing a few percentage points higher. The cast was still top-notch, and I was always impressed with the choice of antagonist (Considine shone in his role as the priest, though it’s a pity he didn’t get more screen time). The series is still driven by Cillian Murphy, whose performance continues to improve, though I feel he might have reached his limit. The atmosphere was as overwhelming as ever; the show creates such a realistic portrayal of Birmingham that you feel that the characters' problems are your own. The ending didn’t leave me as stunned as previous seasons. All in all, it's a drop in the story’s quality; let’s hope the fourth season doesn’t continue this downward trend because the series deserves better. I give the third season 74%. (04/02/2018)

The fourth season truly took my breath away. After a less remarkable third season, I can easily consider this new addition the best TV show I’ve seen in recent times. The cast was not only excellent but truly out of this world. Murphy once again led the show, joined by Hardy and Brody. Brody’s role as an Italian gangster from New York was incredibly surprising. Initially, his accent seemed somewhat forced, but I gradually realized that such a gruff voice suited the character perfectly. Whenever he appeared on screen, entertainment was guaranteed. This season, Peaky Blinders boasted finely crafted action scenes that were genuinely enjoyable, as well as the usual atmospheric touch and, of course, well-developed dialogues that sometimes sent shivers down your spine. Hardy had only a small amount of screen time but made excellent use of it. The final episode was flawless, with the scene between Hardy and Murphy on the beach meticulously crafted down to the last detail. I think it will be a long time before I find a series that sets and largely maintains such a high standard. The fourth season earns 95%. (09/02/2018)

So, after a two-year hiatus, we finally got a new season of Peaky Blinders, and I must say, the wait was absolutely worth it. Just from this show, I’ve developed an incredible love for the gritty streets of Birmingham in the 1920s. Add to that a more than decent budget, fantastic performances (Arthur FTW), and a cleverly innovative plot with Sam Claflin delivering a standout performance as the main villain. I still believe that the best season in every aspect was the previous one with the Italian mafia, but this new addition is dangerously close to matching it. There isn’t much action here, but the show never relied on that. Instead, every viewer enjoys the sharp dialogues, which are faultless from a screenplay perspective. The new characters were a delight, and I was really impressed by the main storyline involving the fascist party. And that final cliffhanger? Why do the creators do this to us? Another 2 years to hide in my basement and wait. Oh well. I give it 90%. (21/02/2020)

The farewell to this British gem was, fortunately, successful. While it slightly falls short compared to the best seasons, it still stands out as a creation that leaves most of the competition far behind. It’s great that season six directly follows season five, so if you’ve forgotten, it’s worth revisiting the previous season. I liked that the creators focused on multiple storylines simultaneously. Of course, the central figure is still Tommy Shelby, played excellently by Cillian Murphy, but other characters also get their due. Whether it’s the slimy Moseley portrayed flawlessly by Sam Claflin or the new character, Bostonian Jack Nelson, season six offers an incredible amount of action, emotion, and stunning audiovisual imagery (the work with the camera is truly remarkable for a TV series). The result is very close to perfect; it just stumbles occasionally (for example, the third and fifth episodes, which I consider story padding). At least the final episode paid the best tribute to this saga. Such a perfect epilogue is what all series would wish for. We’ll see what the promised film brings when it eventually hits our screens. Expectations are, in a word, high. For me, it’s 8.5/10. (13/04/2022)