British gangsters, strong and well-developed female characters, Victorian England and Cillian Murphy—What’s not to love? Even though ‘Peaky Blinders’ became available on Netflix in 2013, it’s still one of the hottest and most binge-watchable shows on Netflix, with its whiplash-inducing plot twists, sultry actors and just enough gang rivalries to keep things interesting.
Following the end of World War I, a family of English gangsters known as the Peaky Blinders, armed with razor blades and newsboy caps, rule the town of Birmingham, England. ‘Peaky Blinders’ stars Cillian Murphy (‘Inception’) as Thomas—or Tommy—Shelby: brilliant businessman, decorated war hero and one not to be messed with. Tommy manages the Blinders’ underground, illegal gambling business with the help of his family—Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson), John Shelby (Joe Cole) and his Aunt Polly, played by Helen McCrory (‘Harry Potter’). Tommy is perfectly content with the current business, until a prime, irresistible opportunity to gain more capital falls into his lap.
Things appear to be going well for Tommy and the Peaky Blinders, making large profits and expanding their influence throughout the UK, until an inspector with a hunger for justice comes to Birmingham to clean the Peaky Blinders off the street, once and for all. Inspector Chester Campbell, played by Sam Neill (‘Jurassic Park’), has been sent to Birmingham on direct orders from Winston Churchill to recover a large crate of stolen artillery, which the Peaky Blinders are suspected of stealing.
‘Peaky Blinders’ is a show that has a compelling plot and addresses some serious social and political issues, including PTSD in soldiers, sexual assault, drug abuse, racism and classism, prejudice, different systems of political thought—specifically Communism—and the violent struggle between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the British Empire. It is an intense series of events that keeps watchers on the edge of their seats.
The great thing about ‘Peaky Blinders’ is that not only is it one of the most binge-worthy shows on Netflix, but it also features a group of strong female characters, from business-savvy, street-smart Aunt Polly to sweet and fearless Grace Burgess (Annabelle Wallis). Where in other shows women are used as an addition to the male cast, the women in ‘Peaky Blinders’ are just as front-and-center as the men. They play a huge role in the plot progression of the series. The resilient women are almost reason alone to watch the show.
There are two seasons on Netflix now, 12 episodes total, each lasting an hour—meaning, you can totally binge watch it in one weekend. It is a perfect way to spend the weekend if you get snowed in again. (Look out for Tom Hardy in season two.)
For fans of: ‘The Fall,’ ‘House of Cards’ and ‘Sherlock’
‘Peaky Blinders,’ created by Steven Knight, is a BBC show that you can stream through the US Netflix. Season three will be available on Netflix in April 2016.
*Trigger warning: Sexual assault, suicide, language