The sensational historical drama ‘even better than Peaky Blinders’ streaming this week
This enthralling new series pulls no punches.
Living up to the renowned Peaky Blinders is no mean feat.
Hailed as one of the greatest TV shows of all time, the Cillian Murphy-led gangster drama was set following the First World War in the city of Birmingham.
Travel 119 miles down the country, and go back in time by around 40 years, and you’ll find yourself in the thick of writer Steven Knight’s latest historical six-parter A Thousand Blows, which is set in the smoky backstreets of Victorian era London.
They might be completely different stories, but the comparisons between them came thick and fast as soon as the trailer for the gritty new Stephen Graham series on Disney Plus was released… and we can already safely say that it’s one of the best shows of the year.
It could even end up being placed on a higher pedestal than Peaky Blinders – a bold claim, I know, but one I feel confident making considering how absolutely phenomenal it is from start to finish.
At the very beginning of A Thousand Blows, viewers are transported to 19th century-London through the eyes of Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) and his best friend Alec Munroe (Francis Lovehall), who have travelled to England from Jamaica.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Up Next
Previous Page Next Page Comparisons were immediately made between A Thousand Blows and Peaky Blinders (Picture: BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd./Robert Viglasky)Hezekiah’s bright-eyed ambition to become a lion tamer is what brings him to the English capital, but he quickly finds out that the city’s East End will chew him up and spit him out if he doesn’t adapt to survive in his new environment.
Shortly after their arrival, the best friends inadvertently cross paths with the Forty Elephants, an all-female gang led by their Queen Mary Carr (Erin Doherty) who specialise in pick-pocketing and fooling members of the public with their wily ways.
And then there’s Mary’s close confidante Sugar Goodson (Stephen), a fearsome veteran fighter who competes in illegal bare-knuckle boxing matches and soon singles out Hezekiah as his nemesis, putting the newcomer’s life on the line.
All of the main characters in the series are based on real people, which makes the story even more fascinating and likely to send you down an never-ending internet rabbit hole.
There might not be evidence that the real historical figures actually interacted, but Hezekiah, Sugar, Mary and the Forty Elephants all existed in the same period in London, so there is a chance that they did brush shoulders in the Big Smoke.
Each of the main actors in the series – as well as the supporting cast – deliver knockout performances (pun absolutely intended).
Mary Carr (Erin) and Sugar Goodson (Stephen) have a connection that goes years back in the series (Picture: Robert Viglasky/Disney Plus) Alec Munroe (Francis Lovehall) and Hezekiah Moscoe (Malachi Kirby) arrive in London with barely any money… and no idea what lies ahead of them (Picture: Robert Viglasky/Disney Plus) Hezekiah ends up becoming tangled in the Forty Elephants’ plots (Picture: Robert Viglasky/Disney Plus)Fans might have been left in awe by Stephen’s transformation into a bulked-up boxer – which took him six months of gruelling training – but Sugar is just as lethal outside of the ring, with his unnervingly quiet demeanour and ruthlessly calculating frame of mind.
As an executive producer on A Thousand Blows, the 51-year-old actor played a pivotal role both in front of and behind the camera, and his portrayal of Sugar sets a menacing tone for Hezekiah and Alec’s arrival in London, providing a constant reminder that they need to be on guard.
While A Thousand Blows is based in a cut-throat setting, there is also plenty of heart at the centre of the story, and much of that comes down to Malachi’s Hezekiah.
The 35-year-old, who previously starred in Small Axe: Mangrove, Black Mirror and Roots, has a captivating presence, as his character manages to appear both innocently hopeful for the future and grounded in the harsh reality he finds himself in.
No one could have played the Queen of the Forty Elephants better than Erin, whose breakout role came in 2019 when she starred as the young Princess Anne in The Crown.
The 32-year-old’s character Mary commands every room that she walks into, and even when it seems as though she might have lost the upper hand, she always has a manipulative plan up her sleeve, even if she only has moments to pull one together.
The violence in A Thousand Blows feels almost palpable through the screen (Picture: Robert Viglasky/Disney Plus) The Forty Elephants gang were adept at covering their tracks when carrying out their thievery (Picture: Robert Viglasky/Disney Plus) Sugar Goodson is not someone to be trifled with in or out of the boxing ring (Picture: Robert Viglasky/Disney Plus)Violence is almost a separate character in itself in A Thousand Blows.
Whether it’s in the boxing ring, in dark alleyways or in private rendezvous, physical altercations could not be avoided in the dog-eat-dog world of this particular corner of London.
Every powerful punch and crunch of bones feels palpable through the screen… and there are some particularly gruesome scenes that’ll definitely have you wincing from the comfort of your sofa.
Aside from the performances and the plot – which will have you gripped from start to finish, as Hezekiah joins forces with the Forty Elephants and Sugar vows to achieve violent victory in the ring – the production value on the programme will leave you utterly amazed.
An abandoned brewery in west London served as the location for the show’s set, complete with its winding cobbled streets, eroding shop fronts and boarded-up windows.
Just as much care to detail has been given to the costumes, including the many petticoats of the Forty Elephants gang… perfect for them to conceal stolen items that they’d swiped from unfortunate, undiscerning civilians.
Fortunately for us, it’s been confirmed that A Thousand Blows has been renewed for season two, in news that was announced ahead of its premiere on Disney Plus.
The first six episodes sucked us into this engrossing world – and we already can’t wait to return.
A Thousand Blows will premiere on Friday February 21 on Disney Plus.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
