Goosebumps start emerging, the heartbeat bumps faster, and you lean from the sofa toward the TV completely ignorant of what is about to happen. You don’t know which side to choose… This is Peaky Blinders.

A Netflix show that involves violence, history, politics, and family, has made drama fans crazy in the past few years. 

Peaky Blinders is a Netflix Original show that aired in 2013. Great Britain lives post-WWI. Soldiers return from France, revolutions are formed, and new criminal bands bloom. In Birmingham, a squad of street gangsters climbs to become the kings of the working class.

A dark, foggy, and somber ambiance composes this series’ plot. Everything illustrated in the show is based on a troubled nation where people fight from the bottom to rise with revenge and competence. The entire show centers on the Shelby family’s ascent obtained by speaking up for Birmingham and ending other mafia clans from around the world, yet family losses can melt the steel.  

Peaky Blinders is exciting to watch. There are many heart-pounding moments, and historic references such as famous people, events, and places that make this show something interesting and factual, even for the pickiest watchers.

According to Rotten Tomatoes reviews, Peaky Blinders shines because it’s complex, thoughtful to watch, and “forces us to think about morals and the grayness between right and wrong.” Despite the show being gory and sometimes stressful for the watcher, it climbs to be a satisfaction for those who love plot twists and hate the typical Hollywood happy endings.

The protagonist, Thomas Shelby, is played by the actor Cillian Murphy. He is absorbed by his role and the rest of the series cast does a perfect job impersonating feelings such as guilt, hate, and most importantly shell shock. Thomas is a cold and calculating man. He strives to live through the death of family members and a war that left scars on his mind. There is an episode in which Thomas’s wife was killed at a ball. It was very hard for him to assimilate that she was killed in his own house, and spent years seeking her vengeance. He became more serious and bitter, to the point where he almost commits suicide.   

Originally, Cillian Murphy was not going to be the protagonist in Peaky Blinders, as its director thought that the character of Thomas Shelby was the complete opposite of Murphy. The director was eventually convinced by a text message from Murphy in which he wrote: “Remember, I’m an actor.” Travis Fimmel playing Ragnar in Vikings Valhalla is a lookalike to Thomas Shelby, they both share that cold stare and flaming eyes that make them dominant in every environment.

Thomas has also been compared to Vito Corleone from The Godfather now that his leadership and appreciation for “Family First” is alike. The traits of the other characters, specifically Polly’s are reflected in the ways of the family. She lives through times when women were not acknowledged, which caused her personality to be strong and active.  

Besides, the show’s historical references help the watcher to understand where Thomas is standing. He ran for senate, separating from his criminal past of dealing with arms and alcohol during the American “Dry law.” He meets known people like Winston Churchill, who endorsed his political party. This simply demonstrates how a show fictionalized for dramatic purposes transcends into something the watcher has references about.

Although everything seems impeccable for the Shelby family the show illustrates how people battled mental illness. Thomas and his brothers went through a tough depression, at the time there was no cure for this, therefore “Snow” became the “cure” for this depression. This can be compared to Tony Montana from Scarface, now that both characters are powerful and fearsome but dependent on dopamine hits.

Throughout the series, we can see how the Shelbys evolve from being unprivileged gypsies, calmly rising to a wealthy and recognized family all over Great Britain. Despite being rich and spending time with distinguished characters, the Shelbys never lost their gypsy and humble essence. This was possible due to Thomas’s aunt Polly, who had an unbreakable temperament and care. They never alternated, and how their spirit is immune to objectivity and materialism.  

In conclusion, it is clear why this show has received so much attention and positive comments. Peaky Blinders illustrates a time and a situation; it exposes the post-war and a nation broke apart. The plot concludes with “Kill or be killed” and the importance of knowing who is by your side. Considering all that has been said, Great Britain seems to enjoy this show, now that it has well over six National Television Awards nominations as the “Most popular drama show.” Pure gold.