Season 3 of Peaky Blinders picks up two years after the end of season 2 with Tommy (Cillian Murphy) and Grace’s (Annabelle Wallis) wedding. With the legtimate side of the Shelby business booming, Grace achieving her philanthropic goals and their young son thriving it seems Tommy will finally have what he has always wanted. Unfortunately things are never as simple as they seem.
Tommy’s past actions have put him on the radar of not only a shady organisation with very powerful connections that go all the way to the top, but also some Russian royals who are looking for a way to wipe out the Bolsheviks.
Tommy’s attempts to stand his ground lead to a devastating loss and the realisation that he may have come across a foe that even he can’t outsmart. In the meantime Arthur (Paul Anderson) is torn between the respectability his new wife has brought him and the call of his old life and loyalties, while John (Joe Cole) struggles to play the game without Tommy’s close supervision and Polly (Helen McCrory) has the potential to find love.
I have to admit that I didn’t have the same love for Season 3 of Peaky Blinders that I did for the first two seasons. Don’t get me wrong… it was still better than 90% of everything else that is on TV but the introduction of the Russians and the shady government powers trying to control Tommy seemed a bit over the top. It was kind of like the show runners got over excited and shouted we need… Russians… and some priests… and throw in an explosion… and some orgies… and a gypsy curse. It was all just a bit too much and it was distracting from what makes Peaky Blinders great… incredible performances and deep moral conflicts.
The performances are as always exceptional. Cillian Murphy continues to deliver with Tommy torn apart by grief and driven by rage and a desire for revenge. Helen McCrory’s conflicted but hopeful Polly is wonderful to watch and Paddy Considine, playing the almost impossibly sinister Father John Hughes will put a chill up your spine.
From what I hear season 4 is a return to form so I am looking forward to getting stuck into that when it appears on Netflix in the meantime Mr O and I are strongly considering checking this out.
3.5/5
abbiosbiston 
I agree that the ‘Russian expansion’ took the series away from what its roots, even though it was still outstanding. However, you can rest assured that it all gets back to ‘normal’ later, Abbi, and does what it does best.
Best wishes, Pete.
I am so looking forward to season 4!
Sorry, my comment was typed wrongly. It should have just read ‘its roots’. I don’t know where the ‘what’ came from.
I knew what you were getting at 🙂
I am in the middle of season 2 because you and Pete recommended it so highly. I LOVE it.
I really liked Grace. What a shame she left the show and keep wishing she’d come back. Thomas Hardy as the Jewish leader in Camden Yards was amazing, as usual.
I am so glad you’re enjoying it, Cindy. It’s such a great show.
Ahh, guess who came back to the foreground, right after Tommy poked the horse trainer…..
I didn’t want to spoil for you 😉 Did you know that the horse trainer is Tom Hardy’s wife in real life?
Really! Wow! I like her a lot. That’s a nice element, bringing in the ultra-wealthy into the show. Sam Neill’s character bothers me. It makes no sense that he’s still there and why either one hasn’t just killed the other off.
I agree that season three was the weakest – have you done a season four review? I thought season four was amazing!
I didn’t like this series anywhere near as much. I did like the priest though.