Family Members Become Collateral as Hardy’s Epic Crime Series Unfolds Over 6 Seasons on Netflix—a Near-Perfect Binge
The Shelbys Take Shape
Set in Small Heath, Birmingham, in 1919, Peaky Blinders centers on the Shelby family and their rise, peak and eventual downfall. Cillian Murphy plays Thomas “Tommy” Shelby, the family’s calculating leader.
The series draws inspiration from a real-life street gang. Tommy returns from World War I with a plan to transform the family’s small horse-betting operation into a legitimate business.
A Stolen Weapons Cache
Tommy’s opportunity arrives when his men come across a crate of stolen military weapons. The discovery sets larger plans for the Peaky Blinders in motion. The family’s expansion involves blackmailing police authorities, taking territory from rival gangs and moving into bigger cities. Each season charts another step toward building Shelby Company Limited.
Crime And Family Collide
Peaky Blinders pairs expected violence and bloodshed with the conflicts of a family drama. Tommy puts business ahead of family, even as his relatives remain close to the center of the story.
As his ambitions increase, so do the dangers. Tommy pushes his luck and makes more questionable decisions to grow his empire, at times using family members as collateral.
Key points
- Peaky Blinders stars Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby.
- The story begins in Small Heath, Birmingham, in 1919.
- Tommy aims to turn the family’s horse-betting operation into a legitimate business.
- Across six seasons, expanding ambitions bring greater risks and family conflict.