All six seasons of Peaky Blinders are packed with captivating storylines, but some are simply better than others. Find out how the seasons rank.
SUMMARY
- Peaky Blinders season 6 was a mixed bag and fell short of the show's standards due to personal problems plaguing Tommy and lack of major adversaries.
- Season 5 focused on business, politics, and gang hostility, but lacked the excitement of previous seasons, resulting in more dull moments.
- Season 4 was the best, with a compelling villain, a simple yet effective storyline, and impressive action sequences, making it the standout season.
Now that the show is done, fans can look back on the Peaky Blinders seasons ranked. Peaky Blinders began in 2013, telling the tale of Tommy Shelby and his family as they run an organization of the titular gangsters in 1900s England. The violent and grim crime show thrilled audiences with its strong characters, unpredictable storylines, and a central protagonist who was one of the most complex anti-heroes on television. The show's sixth and final season wrapped up on BBC in 2022, giving fans a chance to look back at Peaky Blinders as a whole.
Though the show has culminated, the story of Tommy Shelby continues in the Peaky Blinders movie that has been promised. However, the six seasons still offer a complete tale filled with ups and downs. Many of the series' fans will admit to being captivated by Peaky Blinders from beginning to end, but even they would admit that some seasons are better than others. Taking into account the overall storyline of the season, the journey of Tommy and his family, and the threats they face, those avid viewers can consider the Peaky Blinders seasons ranked from worst to best.
Season 6
There was understandably a lot of anticipation leading into season 6 and seeing where the story would go. Unfortunately, those looking for a perfect conclusion were left disappointed, as Peaky Blinders' final season was a mixed bag. Of course, even the worst season of Peaky Blinders has some great stuff to offer. One of the highlights of the season was the heartbreaking opening scene as Tommy learns of the heavy price paid for his attempted assassination of Oswald Mosley, including the death of Aunt Polly.
However, it falls short of the show’s standards and there are a couple of reasons why. The season’s major flaw is that Tommy is plagued by personal problems rather than those brought out by foes. Compared to other seasons, the Birmingham gangster also has no major adversary to face off against. Mosley is used sparingly, while the feud between Tommy and Michael is set up to be the major conflict of the season, only to be pushed to the side without Michael ever appearing as a real threat. While the final moments could have been a poetic end for Tommy, they feel more like an open-ended pause before the movie.
Season 5
Season 5 of Peaky Blinders takes a shift in focus as Tommy Shelby continues to climb the social ladder. The stock market crash in the U.S. causes the Peaky Blinders’ businesses in the country to suffer, and it’s all Michael’s fault. This results in bad blood between him and Tommy. The protagonist is also introduced to Oswald Mosley, resulting in an uneasy alliance. A newly formed friendship between Tommy and Winston Churchill, later on, influences him to attempt to assassinate Mosley, only for the plan to fail.
Season 5 takes on a lot as it blends business, politics, and gang hostility. Tommy’s dilemma, as he tries to avoid being roped into the British Union of Fascists, is entertaining to watch. Additionally, it's refreshing to see a villain get the better of Tommy without using violence. However, seeing the show move into the world of politics is just not as exciting as the more cutthroat world of gangsters that was featured in most seasons. That results in more dull moments than most of Peaky Blinders' other seasons.
Season 1
Grace at the museum with Inspector Campbell as she informs him about her plan to go undercover at the bar in Peaky Blinders The series gets off to an exciting start as the Peaky Blinders appropriate a cache of weapons from an arms factory, only for it to emerge that they belong to the government and that they were meant for export to Libya.
Peaky Blinders' version of Winston Churchill thus sends the Royal Irish Constabulary’s Inspector Campbell to retrieve them, leading to a cat-and-mouse game between him and Tommy. Elsewhere, Tommy falls in love with Campbell’s undercover agent, Grace. Meanwhile, Tommy finds a war brewing with rival gangster Billy Kimber.
The show was certainly finding its footing in this early season, sometimes feeling unsure of where to put its focus. While the later seasons knew to fix Tommy at the center of it all, there are many different storylines here that aren't all continued into the next season. However, the show quickly draws audiences in with its bleak and tense tone. Tommy is made an incredibly captivating hero, while those around him are fascinating in their own way, especially Aunt Polly, the heart of the Peaky Blinders.
Season 3
Father Hughes taunts and confronts Tommy at the opening of the Grace Shelby Foundation in Peaky Blinders The show is never willing to let the audience sit in a happy moment for long and this was certainly proven by the death of Grace in the first episode. But this is only the beginning of Tommy's troubles, as the evil priest, Father Hughes, puts pressure on the Peaky Blinders to do his bidding. To add to the bad news, Alfie returns and proves that his apparent alliance with Tommy is far from secure. This all makes for an explosive season and one of the story arcs that really put Tommy and his family to the test with no easy way out.
Grace's death at the beginning of season 3 sets Tommy down a dark path from which he never really recovers. It makes for a fascinating journey for him over the course of the season, as even those closest to him are wary of how far he will go. Also, few would have thought that a priest would turn out to be one of the deadliest Peaky Blinders villains, but Father Hughes is a truly despicable antagonist thanks to a brilliant performance from Paddy Considine. The destructive nature of the season leads to the shocking finale that finds Tommy's closest allies arrested and facing execution due to his own actions.
Season 2
Part of the reason season 4 of Peaky Blinders stands out is thanks to the key new characters added to the series. Polly’s son, Michael, also reunites with her, while May emerges as a new love interest for Tommy in Grace’s absence. However, the best addition to Peaky Blinders is Alfie Solomons (Tom Hardy), a Jewish gangster who forms a partnership with Tommy, but also anyone else who will offer him something worthwhile. Alfie boosts the series greatly, as he not only helped draw in new viewers thanks to Hardy’s star power, but he also added plenty of gems to the dialogue. Most of Alfie’s quotes are golden, and after his introduction, many other characters try to keep up, too.
The ongoing storyline and exciting characters make for a lot of terrific moments, as well. Campbell emerges as a much more intimidating and vicious villain, leading to a final showdown with the family. There is also the final scene in the finale in which Tommy faces execution, which displays Cillian Murphy's best performance as Tommy Shelby in the entire series.
Season 4
A big reason for season 4 being the best of Peaky Blinders is the emergence of a villain who truly puts Tommy and the others on the ropes when Mobster Luca Changretta (Adrien Brody) shows up in Birmingham to get revenge for the murder of his father at the hands of Blinders. After Changretta’s men kill John, it is clear that this is a man who can get to the family where so many other enemies have failed. However, Tommy still has tricks up his sleeve, including some key connections in America.
Plot-wise, season 4 is the simplest storytelling, yet it’s the most effective. Though nothing much happens outside the hunter versus hunted plot, Brody's performance as Luca Changretta really helps to sell the overall threat and he seems like a shark circling the waters for his next meal. Furthermore, the season’s action sequences are far better than what’s on offer in the rest of the series. Of course, the return of Alfie is another high point, especially with the fun play between Hardy and Brody in some key scenes.
The Future Of Peaky Blinders
The series may be over but there is more to come from the world of the Peaky Blinders. The upcoming movie will continue the story though where it stands among the Peaky Blinders seasons ranked will be interesting to see. It could feel like a more fitting conclusion than season 6 and wrap things up in a more decisive and definitive way. There is currently no release date set but creator Steven Knight even said it might not be the official end.
"What is coming next? It’s to be announced. But it’s not the end."
That means that while the Peaky Blinders seasons ranked might not change, the movie and any future film sequels could end up as the best, worst, or somewhere in the middle of the franchise. One interesting aspect of the film, and any beyond the confirmed one, is that the scale can be bigger. While a lot was accomplished in big ways during Peaky Blinders on the small screen, taking it to movie format will only expand on the already impressive cinematic nature of the story.
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