If you’ve followed Peaky Blinders over its six seasons, the last act of the acclaimed BBC series seems fitting, given how it all began. The Shelby family has gone through several phases over the years, from starting as a street gang in Birmingham to usurping the top spot among Britain’s most influential people because of the ambition of one man, Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy). Although it is not power or money that motivates Tommy, it is his way of dealing with his inner demons, the haunting memories of the war that he chooses to conceal via ambition and the development of a corporation.
Even though his mental health has been an issue since we first met him, Tommy (Murphy) is at his most vulnerable and shattered in the final season. We see him avoid death on several occasions during the seasons, and it nearly makes us forget that he is, in the end, a mortal man, which the final season serves as a reminder of as he battles his emotional and physical strength in the last act. While one may expect the programme’s last season to be melancholy as it draws to a close, it turned out to be much sadder than we expected, given actress Helen McCrory’s death last year, which caused the show’s cancellation.
The programme’s sixth season began in 1933, four years after the fifth season finished with a botched murder attempt on fascist leader Oswald Mosely (Sam Claflin). In 1933, we encounter a different Tommy (Cillian Murphy), who has given up booze to rid his mind of the gloomy thoughts that have plagued him since Polly’s death (McCrory). This time, he’s launching an opium import/export business out of Canada, and he’s enlisting the help of his uncle Jack (James Frecheville). The niece of the latter, Gina (Anya Taylor-Joy), is married to Michael Grey (Finn Cole). Tommy is fighting with opponents from the outside and within the family, as Michael seeks vengeance and blames him.
Due to his severe drug addiction, Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson) cannot exercise any authority or accept any responsibility at Shelby Company. This season, it’s the women who are the sanest, whether it’s Ada (Sophie Rundle), who appears to be the ideal candidate to take over the Shelby firm after Tommy, or Lizzie (Natasha O’Keeffe), who tries to be Tommy’s compass whenever he gets lost. Lady Diana Mitford (Amber Anderson), Mosely’s (Sam Claflin) lover and a creepier version of him, is a new addition to the series.
With the show’s sixth and final season, creator Steven Knight creates a plot that ties historical themes into the show’s traditional gangster drama mood. With or without Whiskey, Thomas Shelby’s character continues to sway over the season as he becomes embroiled with fascist leaders during an extremely draining period for him. The small details in this season have a significant impact, like Arthur’s inability to be Tommy’s shoulder of support once again. There’s also a lovely scene between the brothers in a wine cellar, where they reminisce about Tommy’s early rise to power in the Shelby household. This season is driven by prophecies, deaths, and emotional upheaval, and while it isn’t the best of the bunch, it is a convincing send-off.
