The Success of Peaky Blinders Through 6 Seasons

“Peaky Blinders” is a critically acclaimed British crime drama series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, England, in the aftermath of World War I, the show follows the Shelby crime family, led by the charismatic and cunning Tommy Shelby (portrayed by Cillian Murphy).

The series explores the Shelby family’s rise to power as they navigate the dangerous criminal underworld, facing rival gangs, political intrigues, and personal conflicts. The title “Peaky Blinders” refers to the gang’s signature practice of sewing razor blades into the peaks of their flat caps.

The show has garnered widespread acclaim for its writing, acting, and production values. It has received numerous awards and nominations, and its popularity has grown steadily since its premiere in 2013. “Peaky Blinders” has captivated audiences with its gritty depiction of gangster life, complex characters, and a dark and atmospheric tone.

Go through 6 seasons, let’s explore with Ink In Action what makes Peaky Blinders successful!

Compelling Storyline

To create the world in the film, director Steven Knight shared that it was based on memories of his parents’ childhood days in the town of Small Heath, Birmingham, from which a city was wet and filled with industrial smog,  Where gangs of that time profited from illegal activities were gradually formed and brought to the screen. It was the thoughtfulness in building that movie world that made the criminal life of that time, even though far from the present time, still authentic and attractive in its own way.

Few people know that, in the late nineteenth century, Small Heath was famous for the image of delinquents, hair shaved white on both sides and wearing expensive outfits. The costumes in the film are not only used for aesthetic purposes, this element can also tell the personality of each character, most importantly, adorn the audience’s image of the overall context of the whole movie.

Tight And Fractured Script 

The success of a series lies much in the stability of the script throughout the seasons. To achieve that, it requires the director to have a tight script but still ensure creative elements to be able to exploit more aspects of the story later. Fortunately, Peaky Blinders is a rare series that enhances the quality in future seasons and receives more attention from the audience.

The reason for the above success comes from the fact that the script of the film is built scientifically and rigorously, each direction of the story and characters are calculated reasonably even though there are times when the film crew is troubled by unfortunate events that occur outside the preparation. 

The adaptation to all situations not only comes from the character but also exists in the creators of the work, including letting the character Poly Gray escape completely from the storyline in a reasonable way after the sudden death of actress Helen McCrory.

Imprint From The Character Line 

In addition to the impressive story and background, the character line that Peaky Blinders possesses is also a contributing factor to the resounding success of the film. Cillian Murphy’s Thomas Shelby appears with the inherent coldness and wisdom to lead his empire, and behind that thorniness is a man who values family above all frivolity.

What makes Cillian Murphy’s character special is that Thomas Shelby is not perfect, he is still just an ordinary person and mistakes are inevitable. Sometimes even a few small variables beyond the leader’s calculations can affect the destiny of the whole family. Imprisoned, bankrupt, or even killed, all of these things invisibly put Tommy right on the line between a respectable human being and a reprehensible criminal. 

Having built such an impressive cast of protagonists, the creation of Peaky Blinders requires a villain sufficiently intriguing, powerful, and stubborn to counterbalance the Shelby family in general and Thomas Shelby in particular. Sam Neill’s Campbell, Adrien Brody’s Luca Changretta, Sam Claflin’s Oswald Mosley and Tom Hardy’s Alfie Solomons all delivered outstanding performances as they repeatedly brought the extended family to the edge of internal division and danger.

The Value Of Family

Not stopping at portraying a visual perspective on the life of the criminal world, Peaky Blinders is also a story about the value of family bonding. Although there are times when each member’s mindset is opposite, ultimately the decision they make, despite causing disagreements, is always about the safety of the remaining members. Each member of the family is the brain, soul and muscle of that Shelby empire when they stand together, no matter who the opponent is, they will always win them all.

In the end, the way these people treat and overcome difficulties together in the context of a dysfunctional society helps the film convey messages about the importance of family. What helps Thomas Shelby triumph over the villains comes not from luck, but instead from the unity of his family members, a belief that even in the toughest of hours, he will not have to fight alone.

The ‘Top Of The Top’ Cast Featured In Peaky Blinders Season 6

In addition to the main cast that made up the success of previous seasons such as Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Harry Kirkton, Sophie Rundle, Natasha O’Keeffe, Kate Phillips, Anya Taylor-Joy. The film also welcomes new roles such as Jack Nelson (James Frecheville), Hayden Stagg (Stephen Graham) and Erasmus (Conrad Khan).

Along with the villain from season 5, Blackshirt mogul Oswald Mosley will also return for the new season and continue to make life difficult for the Shelby family. This role was played by Sam Claflin, based on the real character, who became the leader of the British Nazi League in the 1930s. In season 6, he paired up with actress Amber Anderson, who also took on the historical real-life character Diana Mitford, Oswald Mosley’s mistress and wife.

The British Phantom season 6 special will feature the return of Esme Shelby (Aimee-Ffion Edwards), wife of John Shelby (Joe Cole), who broke up the series from season 4. It is also the first film not to feature actress Helen Elizabeth McCrory OBE as Polly Gray, who died at the age of 52 in April 2021 after a long battle with cancer.

Does The Ending Leave Audiences Disappointed?

Peaky Blinders is one of the most anticipated series of 2022 because it is introduced as the final season. Most fans of Peaky Blinders worldwide longed for an epic ending. Instead, the film team chose to give this series an open ending, to let the audience feel freely about the film. Overall, this is a fairly safe calculation but does not avoid the disappointment of the few fans who have watched this British series since the first seasons.

Season 6 of Peaky Blinders is also the final season of the hit TV series, marking the end of one of the world’s most popular series since it first debuted in 2013. However, this is not the end of the Shelbys’ journey as Steven Knight decided to start filming a Peaky Blinders movie in 2023. This information has been confirmed by Steven Knight and is an official statement from BBC Studio.