Soon to enter its sixth season, Peaky Blinders remains one of the most highly anticipated imports from BBC television every year. The gripping series, which follows the trials and tribulations of rival crime families in Birmingham and London after WWI, is historical fiction at its most rip-roaring, combining highly detailed sets, gripping drama, and searing action to create a powder keg of excitement.
The first season kicked off its infectious mayhem by introducing viewers to the Shelby family, the rise and fall of which would proved so engrossing that they'd find themselves empathizing with its bookmakers, hitmen, and goons. It also brought in Inspector Campbell, the fiendish agent of the Crown who would stop at nothing to bring them to justice. Lets take a look back at key moments from the season that started it all.
THE PEAKY BLINDER ORIGINS WERE EXPLAINED
The first season of the series provides not only an origin story for the Shelby family but also for the term "peaky blinder", which refers to the act of sewing razor blades into the "peak" of caps so that when used to strike at assailants, they're "blinded".
Viewers got to see the Peaky Blinders in action with their caps on more than one occasion. The deadly weaponized hats left their victims incredibly bloody, if not completely blind.
TOMMY RODE EVERYWHERE ON A HORSE
Horses have been a salient component of the series since its inception when fans watched Tommy Shelby ride into view on a horse, sauntering through the streets of Birmingham. Being half gypsy, the Shelby family's vocation of bookmakers and horse racers seemed destined.
It's intriguing to remember that almost the entire first season involved Tommy and other Peaky Blinders traveling by horseback instead of the beautiful cars that dominated the later seasons.
DANNY WHIZZBANG WAS KILLED (TWICE)
Deeply affected by the war in France, Tommy's old friend and fellow Peaky Danny "Whizzbang" was prone to reliving his time in the battle field again and again in the streets of Birmingham. On more than one occasion he caused disruptions at the pub, but only one altercation led to him stabbing an Italian druggist.
In order to enact satisfaction on behalf of the Sabinis, Tommy had to put a bullet through Danny's skull. He only made it appear that way, while Danny was smuggled out of the city by boat. He would later die for "real" during the Shelby/Kimber gang rumble.
JOHN MARRIED FOR POLITICAL GAIN
Middle Shelby brother John was a single father with hungry mouths to feed and no one to help him raise his children. The Lees were an old ally of the Shelby's turned sour over a horse and some poorly worded interactions.
In order to forge a strong alliance with the Lees and let bygones be bygones, the Shelby's committed John to marry one of them (without his consent). Once he got a look at his bride to be (just before the kiss, no less!) all of his doubts vanished.
ARTHUR SHELBY SENIOR BETRAYED HIS FAMILY
It came as quite a shock to viewers when Arthur Shelby Senior, the patriarch of the Shelby clan returned to Birmingham. He didn't receive the warm welcome he expected except from Arthur, who seemed to be the only one of his sons who actually wanted to see him.
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Arthur Sr. promised his eldest that they would sail to New York and open a hotel and gambling hall together, and managed to manipulate Arthur into stealing five hundred pounds out of the Shelby safe to fund the venture. When Arthur arrived at the station ready to leave England behind, his father simply took the money and walked out on him all over again.
INSPECTOR CAMPBELL PROPOSED TO GRACE
In the early part of the season, viewers might have gotten the notion that Inspector Campbell was very protective of his operative, Grace. But what was an avuncular attitude towards the daughter of his old friend soon turned into something more amorous.
After Grace resigned from her duties under him in service of the Crown, he decided it was the perfect time to propose to her. She recoiled from the offer, shocked that he would take advantage of their relationship in such a manner, and refused him.
ARTHUR TRIED TO HANG HIMSELF
After WWI, many veterans returned home with symptoms of what modern psychologists would classify as PTSD. Arthur Shelby was one of them, and he dealt with the demons he'd acquired in France by taking his aggression out on his environment (and the people in it).
After a particularly traumatic encounter with his father, his mental health took a heavy blow. He decided to end his life using the jumping rope he used to train for his boxing matches. It made a poor noose however, and fate intervened, sending him tumbling down to the ground with a lasting scar to remind him of the ordeal.
BILLY KIMBER WAS KILLED
The Peaky Blinders knew that the only thing preventing them from being in the same league as the Sabinis and the Solomons was taking out their direct opposition, Billy Kimber and his gang.
Despite orchestrating an alliance, Billy decided that the Peakies had gotten too ambitious, and he sent them a message they would understand - he sent his goons to blow up the Garrison. They retaliated by taking him on in a rumble, one which Billy did not walk away from.
ADA BECAME PREGNANT
In a tale as old as time and mirroring Romeo & Juliet, Ada Shelby and Freddie Thorne marry despite the disapproval of both of their respective cohorts. The marriage is somewhat forced through impending complications.
Ada discovers she's pregnant while Freddie is in hiding, and the Shelby's will only accept Freddie as the father if he does right by Ada and marries her. She delivers a bouncing baby boy named Karl, so named after one of Freddie's personal heroes, Karl Marx.
GRACE SHOT INSPECTOR CAMPBELL
Having found herself the object of affection for two of the most dangerous men in Birmingham, Grace found her only option was to flee the city and take a steamer to New York. She pleaded with Tommy to join her on her voyage, but he needed more time to consider such a big step.
Grace was met at the train station by someone - Inspector Campbell who, angered at her rejection of him, had determined that if he couldn't have her for his own, no one could. He drew his pistol unknowingly at the same moment she drew her purse gun and fired, wounding him in the leg.