Tonight is the first episode of series two of Peaky Blinders, and the Killer Reads team are pretty excited for it. Great characters, a bit of violence, a bit of hopeless love, a few explosions, a lot of shady operations – what’s not to like? But we’re not the only ones… Here’s Luke Delaney, author of The Toy Taker, on why he’s looking forward to tonight’s premiere…
Without doubt Peaky Blinders is one of the best shows that’s been on the TV for years. The cast is great (Cillian Murphy and Sam Neill were excellent in the first series), the production quality is first class and looks like a big budget Hollywood production, the music’s good, it’s mean, moody and whips along at a cracking pace with much intrigue and action – each episode developing the story nicely and never treading water.
And if that wasn’t enough it has the key elements to any good show, film or book – it’s a great story, based on a true criminal gang and their real-life exploits. True life is often so much more interesting than fiction and that’s certainly the case here. The other essential ingredient is of course the characters – all of whom are excellent in Blinders – layered and believable. You care about them!
Lastly, I love the fact it’s about Birmingham, albeit the Brum of the post WWI era – that gives it such a great look. I’ve always felt Birmingham was a much under-used location from a film/book p.o.v. It can be quite an intimidating city – huge and sprawling, with little of the large soft underbelly that somewhere like London has to gentrify it. Finally someone’s realized its potential as a film location and has reaped the benefits with the Blinders!
Will you be watching tonight?
