The TV Series of the Month: PeakyBlinders

The sixth and final season of PeakyBlinders, a costume TV series, noir, historical, gangster and drama created by Steven Knight, is available on Netflix from 10 June 2022. Season 5 has set the stage for the family conflict that will arise in the sixth, Michael (Finn Cole), the young son of Aunt Polly, wants to oust his cousin Thomas (Cillian Murphy) from the command of the Shelby family, to take control of illegal betting. , on smuggling and organized crime. It is fitting to mention the prophetic words of Aunt Polly, the beating heart of the family, wise counselor and seer, played by the late Helen McCrory, addressed respectively to her son Michael and his nephew Thomas: “There will be a war and one of you will die, by who it is I can’t say…. ”This season faces the inner demons of the Shelbys, there are fewer fights and shootings but all this is compensated for with real spiritual struggles, real unfinished business that the characters have with the their own soul that causes them to remember both the horrors of World War I and the various murders committed by members of the PeakyBlinders that they will never forget. The story is well structured and contrived, despite the absence of one of the key characters, whose lack has still left a heavy void in the story, I am referring to the late Helen McCrory alias Polly Grace, better known as Aunt Polly. The death of the actress did not lead the management to replace her, but rather to think of being able to give a decisive role to the death of her character in the course and in the evolution of the story, I cannot add many details but I can tell you that the series continues to revolving around her, the first installment is magnificent and is a splendid tribute to both the actress and the character.

Returning to the story, the last chapter of the series begins with the death of Aunt Polly at the hands of the IRA or Irish people opposed to the labor movement supported by Tommy and willing to have control of his affairs. After her funeral, Michael blames his mother’s death on Thomas, who in her opinion died of her cousin’s thirst for ambition. This further conviction leads Michael even further on the path of vengeance, vowing that he will do anything to kill the Shelby family patriarch. After four years Tommy is a new person, in fact after Polly’s death he becomes completely teetotal always staying one step ahead of everyone and with a ploy, he will trick Michael, making him end up in jail. The young man will have to enlist the help of the bloodthirsty mobster Jack Nelson (James Frecheville), uncle of his wife Gina (Anya Taylor-Joy). In reality, Michael’s incarceration was a ploy to meet Nelson, offering him the opium market as a bargain and introducing him to Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin), his fellow fascist and non-Labor politician like Tommy. Since Nelson shares Mosley’s ideals, Thomas will decide to become a bridge between fascism and socialism, placing himself at the center. Even if Arthur (Paul Anderson), Tommy’s elder brother will prove to be more and more distraught after the abandonment of his wife, sinking into melancholy, drugs and alcohol will always be next to him, getting back on his feet will be his shoulder again and the brute warrior he needs. To give a hand will also be Ada (Sophie Rundle), the sister of the boys who thanks to her wit, leadership and intelligence will also prove to be an excellent replacement for Aunt Polly, in fact Tommy more than once will turn to her as in the past he did with his aunt and Ada will not disappoint him. There would be much more to tell but I prefer to focus on what has just been said, so as not to take away the right curiosity and the surprise effect. A special commendation goes to the impeccable period costumes, the superb scenography, the philosophical and intriguing screenplay, finally to the whole cast, with a particular appreciation to a fantastic actor like Cillian Murphy whose interpretation of Thomas Shelby is mammoth and irreproachable. A legendary series comes to an end, which has become a cult, a must see while waiting for the film that will definitively close the story.

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