Peaky Blinders (BBC) season 4

The Shelby family is splintered. Tommy’s grand plans brought Arthur, John, Michael and Polly to the brink of death and the women of the family, particularly, cannot forgive. The past always comes back to haunt and an external threat brings the family back together, at least temporarily, with all their lives at risk. It is 1925 and Britain is riven with industrial unrest as revolution looms. Necessity creates some strange bedfellows and Tommy is torn between his business concerns and his working class roots. Glimpses of a softer kinder, more idealistic Tommy from before the war reinforce the irreparable damage ‘the war to end all wars’ had on individuals and on society. Ada is back from Boston to play peacemaker but her Communist past puts her at risk in these volatile times. But Polly is the key to pulling everything back together for the Shelbys or finally blowing up the empire Tommy has so painstakingly built at such great cost to them all. This season turns things on their head; while Tommy and the Shelbys are under threat it’s not so hard to be on their side, but the triumphant finish, with Tommy achieving his designs to go legit by finally selling out the working class, leaves a nasty taste. A fifth season has been announced and promises an intriguing new direction for the Shelbys, but is probably some way off as shooting has not yet started. This is just as well, despite the appeal of Cillian Murphy’s to-die-for cheekbones, a break from this violent crime family could be welcome.