Peaky Blinders: Season 1 (DVD) – Series Review
When I first found out about the series “Peaky Blinders” I had no idea what to expect. In this state, I started episode one and I must say, I felt impressed. I’ve seen a lot of series already but this one has something unique. Sit down, take a glass of whiskey and a cigar and meet the Shelby family, but watch out for their caps.
This series is all about the hard life back in 1919 in Birmingham and the war between rival gangs. The series follows the Shelby family which is in charge in town. People let them pass, don’t look them in the eyes too much and give them free drinks in the local bar. The Shelbys are known for sewing razor blades in the peaks of their caps so if it’s needed, they can hurt you pretty bad with one swift move. Throughout the series, you’ll mostly follow the leader of this gang, Thomas (Tommy) Shelby. Thomas is struggling with his memories from World War I and this influences greatly the way he acts and thinks. Occasionally, the series treats its viewers to some flashbacks from that horrible time which is certainly interesting to experience. Meanwhile, Thomas’ sister, Ada, is in love with Freddie Thorne, a pure blood communist who frequently stirs up the folks of town to strike. Freddie and Thomas aren’t really best buddies so this relationship brings about a lot of tension.
Story wise, there’s enough going on to keep the viewers from getting bored. All things that happen are also connected to one another so one event can trigger a chain of other reactions which is great to see. Knowing how one person is seriously stabbing another character in the back creates a certain tension and makes you want to watch at least until the cat is out the bag. When the conclusion of the season arrives, things get really interesting so you better stay around and see what’s going on. It’ll be worth your time, trust me.
Peaky Blinders is a not a real action packed kind of series. The approach is a lot more psychological and political which is a good thing for the tv show watchers among us who like to see a less bloody series once in a while. This doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s no violence present because believe me, people get punched until they bleed and ears get sliced off. The big difference here is that violence is of minor importance than the political game between gangs or the conspiracies being planned.
The environments look very authentic and thoroughly thought through. We all know that attention to the details is nothing to be laughed at in series, especially historical ones. Here, everything looks very good, going from the clothing and buildings to the amount of liquor and cigarettes. Audio wise, Peaky Blinders isn’t afraid to make use of great songs at frequent times. Although the music is surely enjoyable to listen to, the amount of songs in one episode might become a bit excessive at times. There’s absolutely nothing wrong to create a moment of silence between scenes so sometimes, the audio feels a bit misplaced.
Cillian Murphy (Thomas Shelby) has always been a great actor and you can clearly see how serious he takes his job in Peaky Blinders. The way he expresses Tommy’s mental issues and flair as the leader of the clan is really praiseworthy. It’s not a self-evident role but Murphy succeeds in treating the viewers with total professionalism. A big thumbs up is certainly earned here! The same can be said for the majority of the cast to be honest. Helen McCrory (Aunt Polly), Paul Anderson (Arthur Shelby), Iddo Goldberg (Freddie Thorne) and a lot more cast members are doing their absolute best in their performances. There’s only one person that comes to mind where some acting choices weren’t really the best ones. Sam Neill (Inspector Chester Campbell) tends to exaggerate his speech at certain moments which could give the viewers a frown on the face once in a while. Besides this little remark, there’s nothing wrong with Neill’s performance.
On the discs, you’ll find a making of video which is always a plus when it’s included in a DVD box so be sure to check it out and see how Peaky Blinders turned out as it is today.
Conclusion
If you’re in search of a new series that isn’t all about pure violence but has a lot more to do about political games and family troubles, then Peaky Blinders is definitely a series you should try out. The cast does a great job of representing a British family from 1919 and the set looks very authentic as well. One small remark is that the use music is sometimes a bit excessive but this can be purely subjective. All in all, Peaky Blinders season 1 sets the tone for a lot more seasons to come and it’s certainly a tv show worthy of your precious tv time.
Peaky Blinders: Season 1 (DVD) - Series Review,
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