Written by: Kevin Berge
The brothers are back, and still none of them are more BA than Polly. (Image Courtesy of: tvwise.co.uk)
Quick Take: Peaky Blinders Season 2 has a dark tale to tell that takes its characters to lower places than they have ever been, showcasing its two lead characters and actors in intensely emotional scenes. A step up that proves the series' potential, it is an impressive and powerful six-episode ride.
Peaky Blinders Reviews: Season 1 | 3 | 4
***This is a review of the second season of Peaky Blinders, focused on the events of the second season including heavy spoilers. Do not read ahead until you have seen the second season if you plan to do so.***
Ambition is a cruel mistress, always pushing one toward inevitable failure. This is the defining principle of the second season of Peaky Blinders and perhaps the entire show. Tommy Shelby can be as good a businessman as he wants, but he'll always be the leader of a gangster family attempting to push everyone else out of his way.
Two years after Tommy's takeover of Billy Kimber's racetrack, the Peaky Blinders are ridiculously successful; however, they want more. Tommy has devised a plan to take the business into London only to meet resistance from more brutal gangsters including Derby Sabini (Noah Taylor) as well as the growing resentment of Major Chester Campbell.
The first season of Peaky Blinders was graceful and dignified, in a grimy way but ultimately a story of a family becoming great. The second season is down and dirty from the start, defined by bloody encounters and threats that seem ready to ruin them by any means necessary.
The story has evolved to make the Peaky Blinders more the heroes of this story than before. While they are still morally deplorable in many respects, the threats they now face are clearly corrupt. Even the returning Campbell has clearly gone off the deep end, working as much for revenge as justice.
Tommy and Polly struggle throughout to fight a war they cannot seem to win. Just in episode one, Tommy is nearly killed only to be saved by Campbell who then forces him to work for the crown. In the fifth episode, this only intensifies as the London gangsters and police steal his family from him.
The Shelby family is pushed and pushed, and so many die with their families blaming the Peaky Blinders. The two years of joy are passed over to focus on the gore and corruption that now befalls a family far beyond their bounds. Even when Polly finds her long lost son Michael (Finn Cole), the joy is turned sour when she is forced to perform sexual favors for Campbell to get her son out of jail.
The intensity pushes both Cillian Murphy and Helen McCrory to emotional performances that are top notch. Episode five is the best episode of the series to date, and it is thanks to an electric performance from McCrory and a contemplative one from Murphy.
***This is a review of the second season of Peaky Blinders, focused on the events of the second season including heavy spoilers. Do not read ahead until you have seen the second season if you plan to do so.***
Ambition is a cruel mistress, always pushing one toward inevitable failure. This is the defining principle of the second season of Peaky Blinders and perhaps the entire show. Tommy Shelby can be as good a businessman as he wants, but he'll always be the leader of a gangster family attempting to push everyone else out of his way.
Two years after Tommy's takeover of Billy Kimber's racetrack, the Peaky Blinders are ridiculously successful; however, they want more. Tommy has devised a plan to take the business into London only to meet resistance from more brutal gangsters including Derby Sabini (Noah Taylor) as well as the growing resentment of Major Chester Campbell.
The first season of Peaky Blinders was graceful and dignified, in a grimy way but ultimately a story of a family becoming great. The second season is down and dirty from the start, defined by bloody encounters and threats that seem ready to ruin them by any means necessary.
The story has evolved to make the Peaky Blinders more the heroes of this story than before. While they are still morally deplorable in many respects, the threats they now face are clearly corrupt. Even the returning Campbell has clearly gone off the deep end, working as much for revenge as justice.
Tommy and Polly struggle throughout to fight a war they cannot seem to win. Just in episode one, Tommy is nearly killed only to be saved by Campbell who then forces him to work for the crown. In the fifth episode, this only intensifies as the London gangsters and police steal his family from him.
The Shelby family is pushed and pushed, and so many die with their families blaming the Peaky Blinders. The two years of joy are passed over to focus on the gore and corruption that now befalls a family far beyond their bounds. Even when Polly finds her long lost son Michael (Finn Cole), the joy is turned sour when she is forced to perform sexual favors for Campbell to get her son out of jail.
The intensity pushes both Cillian Murphy and Helen McCrory to emotional performances that are top notch. Episode five is the best episode of the series to date, and it is thanks to an electric performance from McCrory and a contemplative one from Murphy.
Lesson #1 of this season: Never mess with a Jewish man with a grudge. (Image Courtesy of: denofgeek.com)
Once again, the direction of this series is constantly cinematic if a bit more noticeably hazy. Colm McCarthy (The Girl With All the Gifts) has control on every episode, and the consistent style is noticeable, making the whole series a seamless ride.
What stands out more strongly this season is the writing. Steven Knight's dramatic flair and quietly building tension makes it hard to not keep watching. The dialogue is strong, but it's the still moments that resonate. The characters change gradually in the silence, the reactions to the violence.
My primary issue with the first season was simply a story that was not as interesting as its characters. This time, the threat is genuinely felt throughout and morphs the season. Sam Neill is more menacing and memorable even as he becomes more obsessed with sexual control, and Noah Taylor (Game of Thrones) dominates the scenes he is in.
Perhaps most interesting though is Tom Hardy's (Inception) character Alfie Solomons, a violent and quick tempered Jewish gang leader. The way he speaks sells a man who can do anything at any time which is exactly how he acts. He works with Tommy then turns on him, after both working well with him and glaring him down at every turn.
Ultimately, the season comes down to the same story as the last just in more large scale fashion. A raid is successful on the major threat, and the Shelbys win, taking more control of the racing and gambling than ever before. It is a fun finish but ultimately not quite the high to balance out the lows earlier in the season even with Polly's satisfying kill of Campbell.
The one main issue I had with this season was its attempts to balance out Tommy's romantic affairs. The show takes a half-hearted shot at the times and roles of women, but ultimately every woman outside of the family becomes a love interest in love with Tommy. Grace returns long enough to complicate the better romance between Tommy and May Carleton (Charlotte Riley).
It's not a big issue though in a strong season that feels much more like it has a story to tell that changes its characters for better and worse. Everyone is more interesting, but it is Tommy and Polly that make this a story that flies by over its six intense and engaging episodes.
What stands out more strongly this season is the writing. Steven Knight's dramatic flair and quietly building tension makes it hard to not keep watching. The dialogue is strong, but it's the still moments that resonate. The characters change gradually in the silence, the reactions to the violence.
My primary issue with the first season was simply a story that was not as interesting as its characters. This time, the threat is genuinely felt throughout and morphs the season. Sam Neill is more menacing and memorable even as he becomes more obsessed with sexual control, and Noah Taylor (Game of Thrones) dominates the scenes he is in.
Perhaps most interesting though is Tom Hardy's (Inception) character Alfie Solomons, a violent and quick tempered Jewish gang leader. The way he speaks sells a man who can do anything at any time which is exactly how he acts. He works with Tommy then turns on him, after both working well with him and glaring him down at every turn.
Ultimately, the season comes down to the same story as the last just in more large scale fashion. A raid is successful on the major threat, and the Shelbys win, taking more control of the racing and gambling than ever before. It is a fun finish but ultimately not quite the high to balance out the lows earlier in the season even with Polly's satisfying kill of Campbell.
The one main issue I had with this season was its attempts to balance out Tommy's romantic affairs. The show takes a half-hearted shot at the times and roles of women, but ultimately every woman outside of the family becomes a love interest in love with Tommy. Grace returns long enough to complicate the better romance between Tommy and May Carleton (Charlotte Riley).
It's not a big issue though in a strong season that feels much more like it has a story to tell that changes its characters for better and worse. Everyone is more interesting, but it is Tommy and Polly that make this a story that flies by over its six intense and engaging episodes.