Reinventing the Anti-Hero

Cillian Murphy makes Peaky Blinders a Must-Watch Netflix Drama

If you haven't hopped aboard the Peaky Blinders bandwagon yet, don't worry, there's still plenty of time before Season 3 drops on Netflix in the next couple months.

Now normally, I'm not one that will binge watch shows, but Peaky Blinders was certainly an exception. With only six episodes to a season, and only two seasons currently on Netflix, it only took a weekend to complete, and I'm sure glad I did.

Simply put, this is one of the best Netflix originals on the site. It follows the recent trend of the antihero who has become increasingly popular among viewers, and there really is no better actor to play that role than Cillian Murphy. His ability to appear both serene and agitated at the same time is truly a marvel.

Now you may know Murphy as "Scarecrow" in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, or from his role in Inception. In Peaky Blinders, we follow him as the cerebral Thomas Shelby, the middle child and leader of the Peaky Blinders, a gang that specializes in underground gambling in early 20th century Birmingham, England.

In an effort to become a legitimate gambling establishment, Tommy and his brothers, Arthur and John, set out for London in order to  become legal. All of this while being tracked down by Inspector Chester Campbell, played by Sam Neill. Campbell is sent on a special assignment from Dublin by Winston Churchill himself, and Campbell plays the perfect foil to Tommy and the Peaky Blinders.

The lone matriarch of the Shelby family is Aunt Polly (Helen McCrory). While the Shelby brothers often slide off the rails in search of their desires, Polly is always there to lend a calm, assuring hand. Every scene she's is in demands attention, and McCrory really brings her to life as the woman who, in essence, controls everything.

But let's not kid ourselves here. Peaky Blinders lives and dies with Murphy's portrayal of Tommy. While Arthur is awfully volatile, and John, being the youngest, is often conflicted, Tommy runs the family, as every decision he makes is decisive and shrewd. He rarely uses violence, as that is normally left to his older brother. But when he does, it's a shock because he's so often composed. Tommy is an incredibly easy character to relate to. The flaws are there. They are obvious. But his charisma and likability jump off the screen. At times though, it's evident that he still has difficulty dealing with what humans are capable of doing to one another. It's a new norm for him. Nothing phases Tommy, and there is a good reason why.

Tommy and his brother Arthur fought in World War 1. They were tunnelers. In case that's a job you're not familiar with, they had to dig tunnels underneath "No Man's Land" to set charges or mines to destroy the trenches above them. The problem was that they often faced the danger of running into the opposition, in which case, they would have to fight them, in the dark, in an enclosed space.

Sounds like a blast (get it? because of the landmines?) Well, that's not all. Not only did they have to worry about running into the enemy, but they also had to worry about being drowned, suffocated, or even buried alive. It makes running a gang seem like insurance sales.

This harrowing and dreadful experience the Shelbys face plays a crucial role in their characters, especially for Tommy. He drinks and indulges in drug use just to sleep at night. He takes what he wants with no regard for unintentional consequences. He's become disillusioned by war.

Once a man who always laughed and loved working with horses, Tommy seemed to have lost all faith in the world after going through hell in back in World War 1. Now, in seasons 1 and 2, it's always a bit surprising when he does let loose a grin or smirk. But he will never let anything get between his family. Everything he does is for them, and maybe that's the reason why he's such easy character to become invested in.

Watching Peaky Blinders just for Murphy's portrayal of Thomas Shelby is worth your weekend.