Peaky Blinders (Season 2)

[number8]

So I burned through the entire first season on Netflix today and immediately checked out the season premiere. Gotta say, I'm mixed on it.

The energy of the show seems to have slowed down considerably to reflect the status of the Blinders, with the punk rock young blue collar rebel gangsters vibe being replaced by a more ominous power players atmosphere. I loved the gorgeous cinematography of the first season, with all the golden sunlight and pops of color among the grey steelmills, but this episode is all night time and gaslights and shadows. It looks like any other dark British period drama now. Even the music reflects this: the Jack White guitar riffs replaced by somber old Johnny Cash.

That's my problem with the narrative, too. The show has always run the risk of being yet another Scorsese-esque gangster show, but the first managed to put in a more immediate sense of urgency with the running thread of Winston Churchill trying to find the machine guns before it falls into the hands of the IRA, to speed up the familiar rise-to-power gangland story. This second season premiere doesn't have that, so far, so it just seems like it's treading familiar waters. Yet another story of greed.

It just feels like a different show. Next episode is the introduction of Tom Hardy's character. Maybe it'll pick up then.

[Mara]

I also rewatched the entire first season this weekend. That wasn't the plan, but I watched the first episode with my roommate last night and she got so hooked that we ended up pretty much mainlining it. I'm glad I did; there were a few call-backs that I wouldn't have placed otherwise.

I thought this premiere was pretty good. Yet again, Tommy's hubris has him "punching above his weight" as they put it last year, and they've raised the stakes enough that I genuinely think he might fail at it. The most interesting part is figuring out why he is working with the Irish (and, it is heavily implied, Campbell.) He's obviously not happy about it. I suspect that Grace is involved in that somehow and I'm waiting to see how it shakes out.

When I finished the season last year I hoped Grace had been shot, as I was kind of tired of her. After the rewatch, though, I actually hope she shows up again, as her love/hate dynamic with Tommy is interesting.

[Mara]

RE: Johnny Cash. That scene almost but didn't quite work for me musically. I liked the song and the almost hymnal tone, but it was too overbearing. I think it might have worked if they had kept the sounds of the blacksmith over it.

[Mara]

I wasn't sure how I was feeling about this season but this last episode really pumped me up. I'm feeling clearer about where the season is going and found myself excited to see how it plays out.

The music last episode was kind of bad. It was better this week.

[Mara]

And really enjoyed this as well. The show is good at having scenes where the text and the subtext are very different, and there were some great examples this week: Alfie and Italian mob boss' negotiation, Tom's subtle-not-subtle seduction of May, Tom and Ada vs. the freeloading writer, etc.

My favorite was when Henry and the preacher's son, fresh from the fight, somewhat innocently inform Alfred, Johnny and Finn, who stand up, and then the older boys push Finn right down. It's a great character payoff moment, where we know exactly what they are thinking, what they are going to do, and why they don't want Finn along, all without saying a word.

Alfred, by the way. I've thought for awhile he wasn't going to survive this season, but I honestly expected him to kick it this episode. He was in two viciously brutal fights (broken bottle to the face, NO THANK YOU) and two explicit sex scenes. He has also-- surprise, surprise-- taken to cocaine. They're telegraphing something.

[Mara]

Oh, and Grace, blah. I wanted to see her early this season to stir things up a bit but now that the plot is cooking I didn't find myself caring too much.

I bet you five internet dollars that she had Tom's baby while she was gone.

[number8]

Finally finished it. There's so much more going on this season that it felt a bit diffused compared to last season's very clear Tommy vs Campbell story, so I really wasn't very enthused halfway through, but the last two episodes really brought it home. I wasn't even sure what Tom Hardy's purpose was until those episodes.

It's kinda hilarious that the season is bookended by Sam Neill getting shot by a woman he professed love to. Is he going to survive this one too?.

[Mara]

Yeah, overall I'd say this season was ambitious and uneven, but the last couple of episodes really brought it home. Campbell was a much less compelling villain this season so I'm not sorry to see him go.

[Morris Schæffer]

Well, I'm fully on board with this after the good first season. Season 2, which I just finished, just feels more fleshed out, better villains, better directing. It's yet another phenomenal TV series. Will they never end?