Peaky Blinders returned to our screens last night with an evocative and typically stylish start after a two-year .
After failing to murder Oswald Moseley in the previous episode, Tommy holds a pistol to his own head in the premiere. Tommy returns to the home after the gunfire misses, only to be given another fatal blow.
Helen McCrory's sudden death during the season's production put the program in a terrible circumstance, but it was one that it handled gracefully. Polly, the family matriarch, played by McCrory, was killed off-screen in a flashback, and the show's characters were given a chance to say their goodbyes. It was a heartfelt homage to the actor, and the program handled it well. The lingering picture of McCrory's eyes over the burial underscored the imprint that both the actress and the character had made on the program and its characters.
This incident appears to be a catalyst for Tommy to straighten out his act, as the show leaps forward four years and we learn that he has been sober. Tommy then walks inside a tavern on Miquelon Island, a French colony off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Tommy sits in the bar, largely influenced by the Western genre, and is challenged by the locals. We all know how the strange man strolling into a pub and getting harassed by local thugs ends up, but the sequence was executed in the style that has helped the show become such a smash hit.
Tommy Shelby was written for Cillian Murphy, and he was at his captivating best here. On the surface, the character looked to be in better shape than he had been in a few seasons, with a clear mind and a thorough understanding of his adversaries.
In this episode, it's those opponents who are taking up positions. Michael, Polly's son, is now hell-bent on avenging his mother's death by killing Tommy. Tommy, on the other hand, isn't going to make it easy for him, having set him up and sent him to prison for the foreseeable future in the season's first episode. Later on, the two will unavoidably collide, and there are plenty of signs that Michael may be Tommy's last reckoning.
Tommy's main interest at the time is Michael's wife's uncle, the enigmatic Uncle Jack. Tommy's method of entry into the American opium market looks to be through a Boston-based mobster, but he has backup plans as well. As the show teases a conflict between many American gangs, the Solomon family, notably led by Tom Hardy's Alfie Solomon, is mentioned.
Tommy has his own troubles to contend with back at home. Tommy has reason to be concerned when his daughter is taken to the hospital while they converse in Romany at the end of the episode. Meanwhile, Arthur has reverted to his former habits and looks to be addicted to opiates, which will most certainly give Tommy a headache in the coming weeks.
Oswald Moseley was hardly mentioned in the first episode, but Sam Claflin has been confirmed to reprise the role. Shelby's most formidable opponent to date was Moseley, and Claflin stole the show every time he took the stage. His homecoming will be a major event, and it has the potential to shape the course of the season as we approach the outbreak of World War II.
Anya Taylor-Joy, speaking of scene stealers, reminded us why she is one of the hottest actors out there right now. Her portrayal of Michael Gray's wife, Gina Gray, was charmingly over-the-top and twisted. She'll make a move to get to the top of the food chain, and seeing her struggle with Tommy will provide an exciting new dimension for both characters.
The tough challenge of dealing with the loss of McCrory in the season 6 opener was handled with respect. The episode gave a proper send-off to one of the show's most adored characters while effectively setting the stage for the upcoming season. Tommy Shelby has returned, and he appears to be better than ever.