I'll admit to only checking this series out because Hardy's name is attached, but sadly he makes no entry until seasons 3 apparently. Still, I thought this was an enjoyable first outing. The episode takes a lot of time setting things up and seems to be more interested in the long game than delivering immediate thrills, but that is not a bad thing necessarily.
The pilot centers most around Thomas Shelby, a gangster figure at the head of a Birmingham crime organisation. Cillian Murphy has a rich history of representing psychopaths in films, and the trait doesn't fully escape his character here. Thomas plays out as a man equally affected by greed as past war horrors, with his true motivations remaining quite shady. Murphy does great work with the role, injecting the role with a high dose of intensity.
When not focusing on Thomas the episode stumbles a bit. The scenes with Inspector Campbell are all very one-note. He alternates between big speeches and harsh words, making him feel more like a bully than someone looking for justice. The subplot with the crazy PTSD ex marine is very crudely done and is almost comical. Other characters appearing are still too undefined to be really cared for.
Overall I feel this show has a lot of potential. It is a bit melodramatic at times with some clunky one-liners but Thomas is an interesting character and the fight between the inspector and Thomas could prove to be a compelling one. It's hard to say what direction the show will favor but based on the pilot I would say this might definitely be worth looking out for.
The pilot centers most around Thomas Shelby, a gangster figure at the head of a Birmingham crime organisation. Cillian Murphy has a rich history of representing psychopaths in films, and the trait doesn't fully escape his character here. Thomas plays out as a man equally affected by greed as past war horrors, with his true motivations remaining quite shady. Murphy does great work with the role, injecting the role with a high dose of intensity.
When not focusing on Thomas the episode stumbles a bit. The scenes with Inspector Campbell are all very one-note. He alternates between big speeches and harsh words, making him feel more like a bully than someone looking for justice. The subplot with the crazy PTSD ex marine is very crudely done and is almost comical. Other characters appearing are still too undefined to be really cared for.
Overall I feel this show has a lot of potential. It is a bit melodramatic at times with some clunky one-liners but Thomas is an interesting character and the fight between the inspector and Thomas could prove to be a compelling one. It's hard to say what direction the show will favor but based on the pilot I would say this might definitely be worth looking out for.