PEAKY BLINDERS Series 2, Episode 1 Review

Will this second series be as good as the first? Read on to find out.

The official description from BBC:

As the 1920s begin to roar, business is booming for the Peaky Blinders gang. Tommy Shelby starts to expand his legal and illegal operations, with an eye on the racetracks of the south. Meanwhile, an enemy from Tommy’s past returns to Birmingham.

Peaky Blinders returns for a second series, and though a couple of years have passed storywise, the atmosphere throughout the episode gives the feeling that it’s never been away. Wasting no time in grabbing my attention the episode quickly gets the ball rolling, with the explosion of the Shelby’s pub midway through the catchy Red Right Hand opening theme being a shocker of a start. Just prior to this the episode also resolves the cliffhanger from last series, though given the following shift in time this felt less thrilling than anticipated.

Cillian Murphy once again plays Thomas Shelby, with his performance as the leader of the Peaky Blinders being one of his best ever. Showing the leadership qualities of Tommy brilliantly, Murphy gives a very strong and stern performance, also showing a vulnerable side to Tommy. Murphy wasn’t the only standout performance, as Helen McCrory once again shows the burden that Polly places on herself, with Sam Neill also reprising his role as Major Campbell. Having enjoyed the back and forth interactions between Campbell and Tommy in the first series I was interested to see him in a different light, with the clanking of his cane reflecting the opening scene brilliantly.

Following on from a successful series is never an easy feat, and considering how good Peaky Blinders was I was curious to see how creator Steven Knight would improve on this. Not disappointing Knight gives an utterly compelling script, with the dramatic flow, and character development being gripping as ever. Where I feel Knight’s script excels the most is the way it embraces change, with it quickly showing a rise in stakes. The use of modern music was something that I really enjoyed about the first series, and though this isn’t as prominent in this episode, it does add tone and energy to the events at hand. The episode leaves the best for last, with the violent closing scene leaving me in anticipation for the next episode, with the realisation that Tommy may not be the big fish in this game.

Peaky Blinders makes a triumphant return, with the event of this episode being as exciting as ever. Delivering a thoroughly compelling script creator Steven Knight gives some wonderful developments for the characters within, with the modern music once again adding that extra layer of energy. Due to all this and the gripping climax this episode comes highly recommended.