"Peaky Blinders" has enjoyed overwhelming acclaim since its 2013 premiere on BBC One and Two. Even after the show wrapped up its sixth and seemingly final season in 2022, its popularity persisted, shaping cultural discourse surrounding stories of a similar tint. Although "Peaky Blinders" shares tonal similarities with other works, its approach to real-world inspirations feels distinct enough to warrant the reputation that it enjoys. 

Series creator Steven Knight understands the complicated appeal of the gangster epic, where even the most morally vacuous characters are afforded nuance. Knight has also made excellent use of a stacked ensemble cast, whose characters navigate circumstances that highlight the human condition within a hyperspecific socio-cultural time period. There's a grittiness to the lives that the Shelbys live, along with the wider societal fabric of Birmingham that is inseparable from its criminal underbelly. 

Knight is no stranger to these kinds of stories, as his directorial debut is...