I think my affection for British dramas are well known by now so it should come as no surprise that I am head over heels for Peaky Blinders. I’ll admit, it took me some time to come to it but now that I am in, I am all in. My son has been a raving fan for years and after settling into season one I can totally understand why.

This period drama is loosely based on a gang established in 1890s in Birmingham, England. The show picks up following the First World War when the Shelby crime family has caught the attention of a police detective who moved to Birmingham freshly off a victory against the Irish republican Army. The Shelbys being of Iris-Romani descent she this new dectective’s interference as a personal affront.

Through five seasons we see the Peaky Blinders react and survive through major historic events, some of their own making, in their hometown. The family’s influence grows and shifts through the seasons as new members join the organization and the control of long-standing members is challenged. In the midst of the power struggle, the police continue to apply pressure from outside the organization.

There are so many unique and unexpected elements that makes this drama so compelling. The first thing that is evident is the cast is ridiculously talented. Traditionally, this would be described as an ensemble cast but I feel like this particular group of artists should be known as a constellation cast because these is a collection of stars working together to create a bit of magic. Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Sam Neill, Adrian Brody, Anya-Taylor Joy and Tom Hardy are just a handful of the heavy hitters who fill out this cast.

The cast is reason enough to check Peaky Blinders out but as soon as you tune in you will see another huge contributing factor to the success of this series. It is visually stunning. The sets, the lighting, the camera work and the costumes all conspire to transport the viewer into the world of the Blinders. There is not a detail left to chance as the show runners have worked tirelessly to build in an authenticity to the elements that build the world of 1920s Birmingham.

Peaky Blinders debuted to wide spread critical success. The writing has been sharp from the start and the characters are fleshed out with believable relationships and back stories. There is a sense of authenticity in the world series creator, Steven Knight, has constructed and that authenticity has remained constant through all five seasons.

On February 20, 2022, Netflix confirmed there will be a 6th season of the popular series but it will be the final season. Show runners have not ruled out the possibility of a spin-off film to carry on the story of the Shelby family.

Check out the first five seasons on Netflix now.