Former TV Student's Analysis of "Episode 1.1" (Peaky Blinders)
Peaky Blinders Season 1, Episode 1 Breakdown
Length: 58min
MPA Rating: TV-MA
Episode Pungency: Level 6 (Upper Medium)
Director: Otto Bathurst
Writer: Steven Knight
Analysis (in a nutshell)
Writing
+Great balance with introducing the show
+There’s quite a lot to keep up with and it could get overwhelming VERY easily, but the writing ensures everything is showcased properly
Story Concept
=There are LOTS of intriguing storylines and story directions this season could go, but it’s a tad much to keep up with
>>>>>>>>(the writing does a great job of ensuring that it doesn’t become aggregately too much)
Aesthetic Vision
+Super duper conceptually lush with the shot compositions and the soundtrack
+The period drama has incredible sets and props
+The combo of early 20th century Birmingham, the lush alternative (rock) soundtrack, and the eye candy shot compositions is impeccable
Technicals
+Epic soundtrack
+Great cast and acting
+Smooth and crisp cinematography
*SPOILERS WARNING*
Observations (from a TV student)
=Urgency is established with the baby wailing sfx and a man rushing
==They use a shaky cam for the shots
=A cut to black and then a fade up with a suspenseful soundtrack and a suspenseful mix of shots on a guy riding a horse
==The preceding scene was the people fearing their life
===They bring forth a fortune-telling girl who blows powder on the horse
====They use bystander kids to explain that this is to make the horse win the race with a magic spell
———Idk how necessary it was to have that tbh
=The guy on the horse says the name of the horse and the time of the race
=The opening credits have the luscious Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds as the soundtrack with a mix of tracking shots on the guy with the horse and establishing shots of Birmingham in the early 1900s
=The text used is very western-is
=The shots emphasize the guy and he appears to be operating a betting company or something
=The guy (Tommy) was brought in by another [leader?] of the company
==Apparently Tommy wasn’t supposed to do what he did the first scene
===Arthur seems to take issue with Tommy using [the Chinese people from the first scene] since fixing races ALSO goes against Billy Kimber
=Arthur calls a family meeting
++Cool way to establish our first storyline
=The next scene is of a train with some sort of general looking at some kind of files—first of Freddie Thorne—a communist—and then of Tommy (Shelby)—a Peaky Blinder.
++Cool way to introduce us to Freddie Thorne since the subsequent scene is of a communist meeting Freddie leads
+++Awesome job having “I Think I Smell a Rat” as the instrumental soundtrack as we transition to the next scene
=Tommy goes into a bar—Freddie’s present
==Freddie approaches Tommy
===Freddie speaks of a massive robbery and that both he and Tommy were listed as suspects
====There’s history with Tommy and Freddie
=Here we go, a diversion of someone (Danny) letting his PTSD get the better of him
=The Peaky Blinders are a big deal in the town (a BIG deal)
=Cinematically and soundtrack-wise, this film is incredibly lush
=We’re introduced to Aunt Poll who points a gun at someone since he left a gun out in the open and one of his kids played with it
==Seems like all characters are being established
=The general-type we saw earlier seems to be a cop (a Chief Inspector, rather)
==The family discusses this Inspector—Tommy seems to know the most about things
=The storyline that could be Peaky Blinders vs Coppers is set, but the Coppers are after Communists
+There are some excellent shots shown in the streets of Birmingham whenever important characters walk through it
=Aunt Poll seems to be the wisest and tougher than she lets on
==At the church, Aunt Poll gets Tommy to spill about the big robbery and, indeed, he was involved and it turns out it was a job gone wrong
+++The use of b-roll was brilliant
=Turns out the Coppers are most likely in to figure out who stole the guns
=Freddie Thorne and the Shelby Sister (Ada)?????
==Super secret
+The use of dust for some of these street shots is super breathtaking
==The subject was of someone Irish who is trying to get a job as a barmaid at the bar
=To the initial reluctance of the barman, there’s a new barmaid in town
=The Chief Inspector CERTAINLY has gravity lol
>>>>>>>Peaky Blinders is an EXCELLENT name btw lmao
==The Chief Inspector speeches of the tyranny that goes on in Birmingham
===(We even saw some of this tyranny in an earlier shot of the Inspector being taken into the city)
=There’s a new cop regime courtesy of the Inspector
+Great way of showing the new regime with what happens to Arthur in the next scene and an AWESOME song to pair with this scene
>>>>>>>>I can already tell that this season will get a high grade for Aesthetic Vision lmao
=Indeed, the Inspector is trying to get info on the big robbery
>>>>>>>>Good thing Tommy was hush about the robbery lmao
=>=>=>=>=>=>NOTE TO SELF: Look up St. Andrew’s ground
=The war in France keeps getting referenced
=Winston Churchill is who sent the Inspector
==Arthur made some kind of deal with the Inspector
===(Uh oh, Thomas…)
=The new barmaid certainly has a voice
==The guys began to sing, then stopped the moment the Peaky Blinders came in
===(Singing hadn’t occurred in the bar since the war)
>>>>>>>>They’re moving very swiftly from scene to scene, but it doesn’t feel forced or disjointed
+I like how they’re showing us who this characters are—these are excellent forms of exposition
==Also, Freddie and Tommy haven’t been on the same side since the war, it seems
+Excellently edited flashbacks of Tommy, Freddie, and Danny in the war—the feeling of intensity it is for Thomas to revisit…holy fuck
=Uh oh…legit blood is on Danny’s hands now
+This episode is everything—such fluid ways of introducing all characters and storylines
=Chief Inspector (Campbell) has a pretty scrupulous and stiff boss in Winston Churchill
++I must also note that the performances are pretty damn good too
=Next scene is of the guns about to be sent in the open, BUT…Tommy switches the plans
==Tommy decides to play with fire, though…he comes across as incredibly wise
===This could go very well if executed properly
=THE BARMAID WORKS FOR THE INSPECTOR HOLY FUCK
++The info-spilling remains fluid and not forced
===The barmaid things the IRA stole the guns
++++Good story intrigue of giving the barmaid dimension with that chip on her shoulder
=Danny’s been dealt with for killing the Italian guy earlier
=The horse from the beginning won the race, as “expected”
++The interweaving of storylines is impeccable
=The plot thickens regarding the Danny arc
==Danny gets brought into the Peaky Blinders, but sent to London
=You can tell Aunt Poll’s senses are razor sharp
+The lush compositions make the sensational storytelling THAT much better
Summary (in summation)
This episode gives us multiple storylines in one—as expected for nearly 57 minutes of runtime—and…my word, is it still fluid. The way the characters are introduced and the way the storylines are revealed make for an unpredictable feel to the direction. Not to mention the luscious shot compositions that are paired with great actors and a sensational soundtrack—there’s already an excellent precedent set with episode 1.
Rating: Legendary
Grade: 9/10
