Due to the anticipation that surrounds them, drama finales have the potential to be very divisive. In this instance I am fully convinced that the vast majority of people will think that the Peaky Blinders finale is a brilliant way to cap off what has been a great series for the BBC. As with the whole series, the ending is driven entirely by character and their motivations. The bittersweet ending stays true to the characters built over the course of the series. On top of that, everything was pulled off with a great sense of panache and style. The best way to begin this review is to look at the ending. The final few minutes were superbly executed. The drama was gripping to the final moment, as Campbell catches up with Grace at the train station, pointing his gun at her, with Tommy back at home reflecting on his feelings for her. The ending sequence was beautifully shot, and acted with real conviction. Tommy Shelby has been an endlessly compelling and complex protagonist. As the story has unfurled, the extent to which the war damaged him was revealed. His character evolved from a caricature gangster to a fully formed anti-hero. This could only have been handled so well with a capable actor. Cillian Murphy has been superb throughout, and is the stand-out performer in a very strong cast. Annabelle Wallis invested Grace with a mix of guile and delicacy, while Helen McCrory is majestic as Aunt Polly. Like Tommy, she is a very damaged character maintaining a stiff upper lip, and she is all the more interesting for it. The finale had plenty of visual style too. There was imagery reminiscent of Westerns, with the long, narrow street outside the Garrison acting as the battleground for the two warring factions. There was also a sprinkling of Tarantino too, with a definite nod to Reservoir Dogs thrown in for good measure. The music added to this style, bringing atmosphere without being overbearing. The BBC must be congratulated on commissioning Peaky Blinders. Both dramatically and stylistically, the series is an absolute triumph. It may not be absolutely perfect, but it has been an engrossing and entertaining journey. According to writer Steven Knight, a second series is definitely on the cards. It can not come soon enough. Read Tom’s review of the previous episode, here. Peaky Blinders is available to order on DVD from the BBC Shop here, and Blu-ray here Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
