Peaky Blinders, Series Four

He has that haircut we were making fun of in another thread.

That’s the gang signature style R1. The ones with it are meant to be vicious street kings of mythic proportion so naturally the style has caught public imagination. The eldest brother figure of the gang (Arthur) does not sport it in this season opener, which is some interesting foreshadowing..

Back to episode one. That brutal swerve so early on had me shooketh. Polly is gonna fuck up the Don up royally with some Romani juju when she gets ahold of him.

I am so into the Polly/Tommy tension and I want that to underpin the season. I’m also looking forward to Ava evolving into a Boss-bitch, embracing her true nature.

Adrian Brody is sinister & menacing and is a good foil for Tommy, but also seems to be overdoing the accent a little....just me? I like his general look & manner for a Mobster, though. I buy it.

Grr, I didn’t want May back on the scene when it comes to Tommy (Pol is the only woman in Tommy’s life, even if he doesn’t realise it yet) but I do want her in the series as an agent in her own mini-plot. I would actually love May to explore some latent lesbianism, she’s got the horse-dyke thing going for her.

That “I need you back, Pol...”/“Paying for sex, sleeping with whores” exchange between Tommy & Polly in Charlie’s Yard felt like bitterly estranged lovers or spouses tentatively reconnecting. The sexual tension is off-the-charts; Polly feels jealous of his wandering attentions as much betrayed by his machinations, and Tommy can’t stand losing his other half to drugs & Michael.

The bravest move the show could make this season is a canon exploration of that relationship turning somewhat physical, or at least an explicit acknowledgement of their emotions & desires laying dormant.

Bring on episode 3....

The handsome Paul Anderson (aka Arthur Shelby) is doing an interview on BBC Radio 2 this afternoon. He’s a very down-to-earth, witty bloke. He should get more credit for his work on PB than he does.

Aiden Gillen (best known as gay lothario Stuart, Brian’s counterpart, in the UK ‘Queer As Folk’) is a newcomer this series, playing the Romani mercenary & rival ally to Tommy, Aberama Gold.

Bump. Anyone waiting for this week’s ep?

“I want to get FUCKED.” Polly is a DL ICON.

Is Ada the only current living Peaky Blinder who hasn’t yet shot someone dead?

Tommy giving her handgun in Episode 1 felt significant, somehow. But who will she use it on....

Finn hasn’t, as we just found out R9. He’s a sweet boy and doesn’t seem to want to kill or maim or.assault as is the Shelby wont.

This episode was beautiful look at, Steven Knight really knows what he’s doing cinematographically. The long still shots are particularly gorgeous to linger on.

Am I the only one who doesn’t like Alfie in this? It’s like I can see Tom Hardy trying to remember his lines through the crutches.

[quote]Aiden Gillen (best known as gay lothario Stuart, Brian’s counterpart, in the UK ‘Queer As Folk’

Yes definitely best known as Stuart, not best known as Littlefinger on the world's most popular show.

We have exquisite taste here, R11.

[quote] Am I the only one who doesn’t like Alfie in this? It’s like I can see Tom Hardy trying to remember his lines through the crutches.

I don’t like the scenes between Alfie & Tommy, either. It was a fun little dynamic in Season One, but it’s tired at this point and lacks purpose. What’s so weird is how Cillian & Tom have chemistry in everything else and work together so well, but in ‘Peaky Blinders’ just act all over each other and create a mess.

Polly & Aberrama fucking in the woods! Not a swerve but still a shock.

Aiden Gillen is still really sexy even in the dirty Traveler get-up. He has real mystique as an actor.

The Cole brothers (who play John & Michael) have appealing looks. At least they scrub up.

Finn gives Jon Rhys-Meyers vibes. He’s getting good roles for a 22 year old.

Wow, I never realized the young guy in Animal Kingdom is a Brit.

The brothers are Londoners, R16. They put on Brummie accents for ‘Peaky Blinders’.

How is his American accent?

So excited about this show.

R17, sounds believable enough since I had no idea he's British. TBH he doesn't talk too much in the show.

R18 share thoughts! how have you enjoyed the season this year compared with the last? Did it live up to the hype for you?

Cillian Murphy looks gorgeous in this.

I can't tell if I think he's not attractive or if it's just the haircut that's doing it. I have the same problem with the former model who plays the starring role in Vikings - the haircut is just too off-putting.

I must be the only person who doesn't find this series great. It's slick rubbish...and cillian Murphy is too strange looking for me

It's the first bbc (ok, bbc2) series that I've found to have laughably bad plots, dialogue, accents and acting. ITV really has taken over with costume dramas. This show would be nothing without cigarettes, slo-mo, Nick Cave songs and welding/foundry shots.

But finn and cillian are easy to look at.

R24 is SUCH an auteur, but can't be bothered to use correct English. She's a stupid cunt and a dullard, but she's an auteur.

Notice that like most know-nothing twats she blames the thing she doesn't get. Rather millennial in spirit, if not in dog years.

Yeah r25 because PB is soooo well made. It's high art. Unbelievably profound.

Sorry I hurt your little feelings about your special little show. You're a joke and as was pointed out upthread, PB IS slick rubbish.

R24 I think you give Auntie Beeb far too much credit, honey. The majority of their programming is nigh unwatchable, and they ask the taxpayer to foot the bill for it.

Omfg at Arthur almost dying??? This show is trying to kill me.

So next season will be the Lizzie/Tommy/Jessie love triangle....ugh, dnw. Tommy is Polly’s man, end of.

Tommy’s PTSD-breakdown to ‘Pyramid Song’ has forced me to reconsider my opinion of Radiohead. I admit it’s a beautiful song ,and in this scene it chilled me.

‘Black-eyed Angels swam with me...there was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt’..

Would a labor mp openly have a child out of wedlock, the mother still living? Assuming he didn't marry Lizzie because he still has to deal with Jessie.

Hope the actor playing jessie doesn't get a nosejob on break like the blonde one did.

Just finished the season on Netflix in the US

Excellent as always. Agree that Hardie/Alfie was a little forced, like "we should put Tom Hardy in a few scenes since everyone seemed to like him."

Brody's accent was laughable, like he was doing a parody of a comedian doing a gangster voice.

Plot twists were great-- next season with politician Tommy should be very interesting.

Need to read up on history of communism/socialism in 1920s UK.

R31 I think Brody was having a lot of fun with his accent. It sounded like it

I'm sure he was R32. But it just seemed out of place, given the show.

I would rather have seen more from the Lee boys & Aberama than the Sicilian feud, but it’s easy to see why Brody & cronies were written in now that PB is on Netflix internationally, with an American fanbase.

The first two seasons in particular have more of an exclusively British/BBC feel.

Is Peaky Blinders eligible for Emmy noms now it’s available globally?

[quote] Brody's accent was laughable, like he was doing a parody of a comedian doing a gangster voice.

Adrian Brody was doing a straight up Marlon Brando in the Godfather. But exactly.

Director to Adrian Brody: "Yeah just do an impression of Marlon Brando in The Godfather, yep that's great, and just throw in an Italian hand for good measure" #PeakyBlinders

I didn't realize that was Aiden Gillan.

Also, isn't Polly Tommy's biological aunt?

[quote] I didn't realize that was Aiden Gillan.

Viewers on Twitter were saying the same thing, he just disappeared into character. He’s an excellent tv actor, and did a fine job on Peakys. I’m hoping &praying writers bring Aberama back for the next series.

[quote] Also, isn't Polly Tommy's biological aunt?

Unclutch. Daenerys/Jon has been excellent for ratings.