Peaky Blinders - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Your Peaky Blinders Topic!

[Eriu]

As derby day arrives, Tommy is faced with impossible decisions as he plans to strike back at his enemies and take the family business to another level. Meanwhile, Major Campbell has one final card to play - one that he is certain will bring about Tommy's demise

 

I just watched this lastnight , so I figured I should post on it while it was still fresh in my brain.

 

I didn't think that they would kill off Tommy (especially as the third season as been announced) but I wasn't 100% sure and I really had no idea how he was going to get out of been killed. Thank you, Future Prime Minister Churchill.

 

I was cheering when Polly killed Campbell. He most certainly deserved that well placed shot and trying to use a "we have a connection" line on a woman he raped is beyond gross.

 

I'm glad that Michael will be sticking around. He's an interesting character; clean and upstanding but still definitly has a Shelby side to him. Could be good person to have around if Tommy is serious about going legit.

 

I spent the whole season afraid that Arthur was getting bumped off at some point, either by getting killed during one of his rages or havig a heart attack from all of the coke he's snorting. He may be a pyschotic fuck up, but he's OUR psychotic fuck up. I do hope he finally starts to move past all of his issues next season though, cause it's getting a bit tired.

 

May also seems to have finally become interesting in this episode. While Grace still seems to want  the fairytail with Tommy (even though she's already married), May knows what's what and is able to go with it. She knows that Tommy is a criminal and that he doesn't love her but she manages to take this all in stride and blunty states to Grace how valuable she is to Tommy's business. Those two are definitly going to be a good source of tension in the future.

 

 

[MathBroccoli]

So Freddie has died of "pestilence"? Does that mean he died of influenza?

Also, what was Tommy's London plan really? He was going to be killed by the Italians. It was just blind luck that he was saved by Sam Neill. Did Tommy think he would visit the Jews before the Italians could kill him?

[Guest Accused Dingo]

Despite unfortunate music choices i teally enjoyed season 1 of the show. It was a fun and entertaining period peice.

[Litnit]

I just discovered this show!  I guess not many others have or it's not worth snarking on.  I've enjoyed the first two episodes.

[Eriu]

I gotta agree with Aunt Polly here, those guns may be a fortuitous find, but there's no way bunch of street thugs and bookies can handle that much power without getting in seriously over their heads.

I'm glad that we didn't drag out the "mystery" of Grace for more than one episode, because they were seriously telegraphing "something" with her. She was far too upper class to just be needing a job in that bar, hell even Tommy picks up on it. I liked that they made her smart enough to suss out that Tommy is the one in charge, not Arthur, but not so savvy that she's not letting her feelings about the IRA cloud her judgement.

I see that Mr Law and Order Inspector Campbell has no problem dragging in Arthur and having his guys beat the shit out of him, while interrogating him over the guns.

Poor Danny Wiz-Bang. You send the boys off to a horrific war and have absolutely no idea how to help them when they inevitably come back fucked up. And as quickly as his friends helped him get control, you know his freak-outs are a common occurrence. At least Tommy did what he could for him, that was one impressive faked death, I gotta say.

[CherryMalotte]

I'd been hearing about this a while now and finally on this week of staycation I'm two episodes in and loving it.  Set design is wonderful, and I'm enjoying Helen McCrory's performance so much.  Everybody is pretty spot on so far but she's great.

[Eriu]

I love how swapping a horse for a car is ridiculous, but tossing a coin for both makes perfect sense.

Glad to see that "your mom" insults are a time honored tradition. Gives us a good demonstration of just how the razors in the caps work too.

I find it really interesting how much respect was still paid (or at least expected to be paid) to a king who was just as much a figurehead then as the queen is now. And while they may not have had Facebook to get their story out, Tommy was still very good at using the media to get people on their side.

I really liked the irony of having the dirty business talk between Campbell and Tommy in the very high class and beautiful tea room.

At least Campbell had the good grace (heh) to look like he feels bad about asking Grace to "do whatever necessary to get close to Tommy". Doesn't stop him from pretty much asking her to whore herself out, though.

Pity about the horse, it was gorgeous.

Dammit, just when you think something's going right for poor Ada, Freddie refuses to leave town. I'm assuming that he doesn't understand that it's not just Tommy that he has to worry about.

Took me a while to realize that Billy Kimber was little David from Fifth Element. He's certainly a lot more intimidating these days.

[Eriu]

There's a lot of good lines in this show, I'll start with a few from the early episodes:

"This whole bloody enterprise was womens business while you boys were away at war"- aunt Polly explaining exactly why her advice should be listened to.

"1 week. 5 weeks. 7 if you count weekends." -Ada, trying to suss out exactly how late her period is.

"Fast women and slow horses will ruin your life" That could very possibly be a theme of the show.

[Eriu]

Episode description:

Thomas Shelby plans to go to Cheltenham races in order to get closer to Billy Kimber. Knowing the gangster's appetite for beautiful women, Thomas invites Grace to accompany him. Meanwhile some IRA sympathisers approach Thomas with an offer to buy the stolen guns.

Arthur is not taking his new role as the Fredo of the family very well. Then again it was a bit of a dick move for Tommy to leave him out of the loop. Getting Arthur the bar was a nice move, however.

Jesus, those war flashbacks are hideous. No wonder they all came back so screwed up.

So in the first episode, Aunt Polly smacks John around for leaving his gun where Finn can play with it, but in this one everyone is totally cool with him tagging along on the raid to go after the Lees. Even giving him a big ass cleaver.

What is Kimber's obsession with making people pick things up? I realize that it's some kind of power-play, but still, its pretty specific.

I'm glad Tommy didn't leave Grace to be raped, but geez, could he have come up with a more insulting reason?

[Eriu]

"Everyone's a whore Grace, we just sell different parts of ourselves" -Tommy, demonstrating a rather equalitarian view of things.

[panthergirl13]

Just started watching this show last night and I'm really surprised more people haven't watched it/talked about it. It's really excellent.

 

Well maybe more folks will, like me, be looking for something to watch during the next month where everything is on hiatus or over. (and while we wait for Justified and The Americans).

 

Anyway I think Cillian Murphy and Sam Neill are excellent here. And I had to look up the actress who plays Grace...she was Jane Seymour in The Tudors. And Ada was on Happy Valley (another REALLY GOOD Netflix/BBC show).

[panthergirl13]

I just finished S1 and literally said HOLY SHIT at the end. I actually love the music... reminds me of the way they use music in The Knick. I think this is the show that Boardwalk Empire wanted to be.

 

Can't wait to watch S2.

[Auntie Anxiety]

Done binge-watching Season 1 and it was really very good.  I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.  Sometimes the BBC gets it perfectly right.  The acting was superb and very nuanced, the set design and production values were incredible.  So many viewers love Downton Abbey which pales in comparison to this gem.  I hear there is going to be a Season 3 which is fantastic news; one of my New Year's resolutions is to waste more of my time watching television, since I only watch about 5 hours a day (it's a joke, folks!).

[khyber]

Mr. Khyber still wonders if Campbell is really dead. I can't see how he would survive a shot to the heart.

[Auntie Anxiety]

Just watched this episode and it seemed pretty clear to me that Campbell is dead, but anything is possible. I love that this show makes you root for the bad guys (the Shelby's), except just about everyone is a bad guy.

Michael will end up being a great asset. He has that look in his eye, the one that John is missing. Seems like he's steady and calm, just like Tommy.

Love this show. Can't wait for Season 3.

[Arynm]

I found this show while sick and thought I would give it a try. I mainlined both seasons. Love it! It's what Boardwalk Empire wants to be.Tommy Shelby is so bad he's good.

I can't wait for the next season. I hope Campbell is dead, I love Sam Neill but his accent really took me out of the show, and I saw he was born in Ireland so I don't know what the issue was.

[roomtorome]

Loved this series - binge watched; so many clever twists and turns and I love when a show doesn't write "down" to its audience by making things obvious.  

 

Loved that that dick was shot - both times - by a woman.  Such an odious man.  That scene between he and Polly was dynamite - both actors were so good in it - him still believing himself the smartest, cleverest person in the room (in this case, tiny space) and getting shot in the heart - underestimating people until the very end.  Hubris on steroids. 

 

I like May - Grace is a dullard for me but - love is love.  My guess (and, only a guess, obviously) is that he may end up marrying Grace if she ditches the sweet hubby, only to find he too finds her boring, or falls out of love with her, whatever and ultimately ends up with the more interesting May.  Or, not.  This show has proven it can surprise.  How refreshing.

 

CM is just excellent in role - he keeps such a steady demeanor and maintains eye contact while lying through his teeth.  The other one that blew me away was Tom Hardy - man, he is good in that role - and that scene where Tommy cons him into thinking the place will blow up if they don't agree on the percentage was so well done - cool and smooth throughout.  

 

The only time I think (if I remember correctly) seeing Tommy visibly emotional was when walking away after not being shot - Maybe suddenly realizes he actually does care if he lives or dies - especially if there is a child on the way - who knows.  But, even as I knew they wouldn't kill him off, the way that scene unfolded was also a surprise.

 

I like when characters are written (and performed) with all the grey areas that humans have - most "bad" guys/gals, except the  most psychopathic amongst humans, have some decency and humanity in them and I appreciate when written as such and written well so it is believable when they are "good" 

 

So few such well done shows anymore and when there are, they usually have so few episodes in each series - which is, I imaging, why they can maintain the high quality - they don't need to dilute stuff to drag it out over 22 episodes like we do here in the states.

[tardistravler]

I have to stop thinking of this as the British Boardwalk Empire. 

[Eriu]

It's kinda hard not too, isn't it? Same era, same issues (mostly), though the Shelby's are definitly starting a lot lower than Nucky and his crew.

[SoWindsor]

Great chemistry between Tommy and Grace. Why did he change his mind?

I'm really enjoying this show and I'm not normally a Cillian Murphy fan. The music is outstanding.

[SoWindsor]

A friend recommended this and I'm so happy she did. It's amazing. I love the music.

I'm confused though....how did Tommy find out who Grace was? Did she tell the police the peaky blinders were going after the other guy at the racetrack?

I feel like I missed something.

[SoWindsor]

It was nice to see Tommy and Grace together again.

[blixie]

 

like May - Grace is a dullard for me but - love is love.

 

Uh yeah I bought the reason Tommy fell for her, in spite of her being an UTTER zero, because Tommy has largely been dead inside since the war, I think that gave him his edge, but since she seemed mutually dead in side he felt understood, so I can't really get excited about that as anything good for Tommy. 

 

I did think it was telling when May pointed out he didn't tell Grace about May, but he told May about Grace, and also that he told her he'd find her, he seemed like he realized he had real feeling for her and was certain about it, yet even when Grace showed up he was uncertain and had to delay deciding.

 

I liked S1 well enough, but I loved S2 mostly due to the lack of Grace, and the focus on introducing Michael as Tommy's most likely heir to the Shelby family. I like that it's Polly's child who is the most natural heir to the business, and I also loved the meta of that heir who wants to make the business legal is named Michael, and that he will most likely never achieve that than Michael Corleone ever did.

 

I'm anxious for S3 but I wonder if Hardy will be part of it, I'd hate to see them hold up production just to keep Solomon around. I hope he and May become a scandalous power couple in both London and Birmingham.

[ZulaMay]

For the life of me I cannot figure out whom Tommy plans to marry.  At first I thought surely Grace, because of the baby.  Before he was about to be shot he raged about the woman he wanted who loved him and how he "almost had it all."  I assumed ALL meant Grace, the baby, the business....everything.  Especially since he had mentioned a couple of times leading up to it that he had no kids.

 

But then there was the Churchill thing.  Now he has that hanging over his head, he might need more help from connected people....and May is connected.  And he ended the episode by saying he had big plans for the business ("big money" as Michael said).  Then he said he's getting married.  So it seemed as though the business and marriage thing went hand in hand.  Which points to May as well, because when Grace said "there's business and then there's love" May was like "Is there?  With Thomas Shelby?"  She knows the deal and is OK with it.

 

I admit I much prefer May.  Grace was OK in S1 when she was a spy and all that, but now?  What's interesting about her?  To me it's like the show is crackling with energy and when she appears it all dissipates.  Especially when she arrived and dropped the pregnancy bomb in her pinky-fluffy perfect little angel outfit.

 

I guess it will be a love triangle inevitably, but I hope we don't see Tommy just marry Mary and then pine after Grace because.....why?!  I could live with it if it's mainly because of the kid, but not if he just remains hung up on her.  He seems to think she represents this pure ideal, but she's no angel.  She cheated on her husband.  

 

He asked May when she first came to The Garrison if he "represented something" to her.   Maybe he does, but I think Grace represents something to him too.  She's not just a woman, she's redemption or something.  

 

Anyway, I absolutely love this show.  Pretty much everything about it, there is too much to say in one post.  The music, acting, production.  All phenomenal.

[blixie]

Ultimately Grace isn't interested in being married to a gangster, her sell to Tommy was to run away and leave his family, leave his business, and again the fact that he wasn't SURE about either of those things to me says whatever feelings he has for Grace aren't real enough to commit to, even with a child. If the love was so great, he'd choose that, but I don't think he's going to, I think he's going to choose May, and that he has real feeling for her, though not yet love. She just understands him better, and fits into the life he's been building for himself since the war.

[queenanne]

Agreed, I don't understand why we've got Grace now that she's a civvie, I think they made a mistake not making her a female agent (or whatever women could be officially in those days, which wouldn't be much, but still).  "Domesticity As Opposition" isn't doing much for me as a plot point, in fact at this point Tommy's obsession almost ruined the season.

[millennium]

 

I can't wait for the next season. I hope Campbell is dead, I love Sam Neill but his accent really took me out of the show, and I saw he was born in Ireland so I don't know what the issue was.

 

I was bothered by Neill's Irish accent too.   It reminded me of when American actors try to do a Boston or Maine accent -- it always sounds absurd.  

Edited July 7, 2015 by millennium

[ganesh]

I just found this show in an article by EW. They were talking about little known good shows to watch this summer. They actually called it "British Boardwalk Empire."

[shandy]

I'm currently discovering Peaky Blinders and it does have an early Boardwalk vibe, that's for sure - but it's also more variable in terms of pace, from breakneck speed to almost a languid stroll. The cinematography is gorgeous, and the exterior shots are amazing. Aunt Polly is a great character. 

[WatchrTina]

Just finished binge-watching season 1 and season 2.  I'm delighted to that someone above says there will be a season 3.  The show really is amazing.  You can follow the plot (unlike season 2 of True Detective) but you can never predict the plot (that last gunshot at the end of season 1 -- I did NOT see that coming).  It's visually stunning and the music, though anachronistic, works for me. It's interesting to watch the show with closed captions on because the captions describe the music so I know that yes, that WAS Johnny Cash I heard.  This show is better than so much of the network TV that I'm watching.  

 

Okay I just looked this up and discovered that this is not a Netflix original series, as I had through, it's a BBC series that I (thankfully) get to watch via Netflix.  What a wonderful time we live in, that I can watch gems like this on-demand.  That makes me feel more confident about its future.  The lack of commentary on these boards made me worried that no one was watching.

 

ETA:  I was SO happy when Tommy Flanagan showed up as Arthur senior.  I loved him as Chibbs on Sons of Anarchy.  Didn't like him so much here, of course.  What a dick.  It explains so much about why Arthur junior is so screwed up.  As the eldest, he was likely the one that felt the most betrayed by his father abandoning the family.  And of course Tommy Flanagan has real facial scars of the type created when the Peaky Blinders use their scary, razor-laden caps to "cut someone a smile."  That note of reality is really quite chilling.

Edited August 23, 2015 by WatchrTina

[WatchrTina]

 

I admit I much prefer May.  Grace was OK in S1 when she was a spy and all that, but now?  What's interesting about her?  To me it's like the show is crackling with energy and when she appears it all dissipates.  Especially when she arrived and dropped the pregnancy bomb in her pinky-fluffy perfect little angel outfit.

This comment is so spot-on.  When Grace turned up at the track I was practically screaming at the TV "Oh for f**k sake, not NOW!"  But of course, it just added to the tension and it led to that wonderful scene of Grace and May meeting, both wondering where the hell Tommy was.  That was marvelous.  The contrast between the blond "pinky-fluffy" Grace and the brunette, red-lace-wearing May was wonderful.  The visuals in this show are so good.

 

I just binge-watched both seasons and I'm delighted to learn there will be a 3rd.  I did not know that as I watched the last episode and since I could not think of a way for Tommy to get out of that mess -- and since his death had been foreshadowed more than once -- I actually thought this might be the end for him.  I love, love, LOVE that the way he got out of it both surprised me AND was plausible. I had actually wondered why the camera lingered on the biggest of the "Red Right Hand" men at the end of meeting with Campbell.  Very subtle hint from the director that there was something special about him.

 

I loved this show but now I do have to bring up one tiny nit.  The whole plot at the race (and I meant the WHOLE thing) hinged on the ex-hooker (Lizzy) being successful in getting the Field-Marshall alone in the toilet while everyone else was watching the beginning of the race, and she wasn't even brought into the plot until the last second.  What if she had refused?  More likely -- what if the Field Marshall simply hadn't been interested?  What then?  I guess plan B was for Tommy to just shoot him at close range in the presence of witnesses and either be arrested or die in a hail of bullets.  It would have caused the same end result for the Peaky Blinders (all the cops rush to protect the King, the PBs grab the cash and burn all the licenses) but to have so much left to chance surprised me.  I suppose I can fan-wank that Tommy had done his home-work and knew that the Field-Marshall was a big fan of high-class-looking hookers.  And from a writer's point of view I understand that it was important for us (the viewers) to see the Field-Marshall brutalize Lizzy so that we don't mind our "hero" Tommy carrying out a cold-blooded assassination of a fellow soldier.

 

So . . . what do you suppose happened at the race course after the race?  The PBs robbed all those licensed bookies.  What about the punters who won?  How could they collect on their bets?  If they couldn't, it seems to me that there would have been a big hue and cry.  Seems like there ought to be a lot of very angry working class people milling about demanding their winnings.  Instead we see the Peaky Blinders sitting around celebrating their victory over the Italian gang.  That part I did NOT get.

 

Add me to the list of people who have no idea WHO Tommy is planning on marrying.  Marriage between the classes did occur in this time (see Downton Abby and the romance between Lady Sybil and the chauffeur) but it was a scandal. So marrying May seems unlikely.  It would ruin her horse-training business and those are the connections that make her valuable to him.  And where would they live? Could he really continue to run his Birmingham gang while living on a great estate far far away?  On the other hand, divorce is also a scandal.  Grace can't a divorce unless her husband accuses her of infidelity.  What if he won't?  What if he wants the baby, no matter what? Under British law at that time a child born to a married couple was the legal offspring of that couple.  He's going to be the father in the eyes of the law no matter what Grace says.  And if he's the father and he divorces Grace then rest assured he'll be taking his child back to America.  That's not the fairy-tale ending Grace seems to think she can have with Tommy.  I have no idea how this can be resolved.  Love that.

Edited August 23, 2015 by WatchrTina

[turbogirlnyc]

I adore this show and was shocked there wasn't more PTV activity in this thread!

I'm not a huge fan of Grace but I think it has a lot to do with the actress, Annabelle Wallis. Didn't like her as the 2nd cast Jane Seymour in The Tudors either. There's something off about her acting.

I also wasn't impressed with May but I do prefer her to Grace. And I have a feeling Tommy will pick May over Grace in the end based on a few articles I read about season 3. That and May's comment to Tommy that she will win him in the end.

Tom Hardy (Solomons) is set to return next season. He's phenomenal in anything he does so I'm stoked. I'm assuming his real life wife, Charlotte Riley, who plays May, will be back as well.

Edited September 2, 2015 by turbogirlnyc

[turbogirlnyc]

Does anyone know what drug Tommy is taking to deal with his PSTD. It didn't look like pot. Heroin? I saw the first season months ago so I could be remembering wrong.

[turbogirlnyc]

A friend recommended this and I'm so happy she did. It's amazing. I love the music.

I'm confused though....how did Tommy find out who Grace was? Did she tell the police the peaky blinders were going after the other guy at the racetrack?

I feel like I missed something.

I don't think you missed anything. If you did, I missed it as well. My take was Tommy figured it out somehow. I'm not sure how since Arthur spilled the beans that Danny Wizz Bang wasn't actually dead.

[JustaPerson]

Opium, I think.

[CofCinci]

I adore this show and was shocked there wasn't more PTV activity in this thread!

I just discovered the show yesterday and I was so disappointed to come here and see so little activity.

 

So they leave us with the Grace vs. May cliffhanger...  I think the series will throw us a curveball. The new Mrs. Thomas Shelby will be Lizzy, who through the course of the second season has show herself to be willing to do nearly anything for Thomas.  What do thugs call that?  A ride or die bitch?  Even after the near-rape (or was it a rape) she is shown commiserating with Arthur and John, stating that she works for Tommy.  Tommy heads to the office after his brush with death to find Lizzie, I believe (but runs into Micheal).  It will be interesting to see Lizzie married to Tommy through the eyes of John, who still has feelings for Lizzie -- especially as John's wife is throwing herself at everyone (John's final shot of the season was watching his wife flirt).  Of course, just because Tommy is married doesn't mean he will be faithful.  This is a paper marriage.  He'll still pine for Grace (who I hope we never see again as the satin fluffy version of S2 seems so different than the woman Tommy let his guard down for in S1) but will sleep with May.

Edited September 7, 2015 by CofCinci

[turbogirlnyc]

I just discovered the show yesterday and I was so disappointed to come here and see so little activity.

 

So they leave us with the Grace vs. May cliffhanger...  I think the series will throw us a curveball. The new Mrs. Thomas Shelby will be Lizzy, who through the course of the second season has show herself to be willing to do nearly anything for Thomas.  What do thugs call that?  A ride or die bitch?  Even after the near-rape (or was it a rape) she is shown commiserating with Arthur and John, stating that she works for Tommy.  Tommy heads to the office after his brush with death to find Lizzie, I believe (but runs into Micheal).  It will be interesting to see Lizzie married to Tommy through the eyes of John, who still has feelings for Lizzie -- especially as John's wife is throwing herself at everyone (John's final shot of the season was watching his wife flirt).  Of course, just because Tommy is married doesn't mean he will be faithful.  This is a paper marriage.  He'll still pine for Grace (who I hope we never see again as the satin fluffy version of S2 seems so different than the woman Tommy let his guard down for in S1) but will sleep with May.

 

That's am interesting idea! I hadn't even considered Lizzie. I do agree that we'll be thrown for a loop, though. I re-watched season 2 and man do I dislike Grace. Again, I think it has something to do with the actress but certainly not everything.

[Yokosmom]

Just started watching the show. Re the horse--Soooo, they didn't have veterinarians back in 1919 Birmingham? He just took the word of some babbling stable man that the horse was permanently lame?

[turbogirlnyc]

Just started watching the show. Re the horse--Soooo, they didn't have veterinarians back in 1919 Birmingham? He just took the word of some babbling stable man that the horse was permanently lame?

 

I'm not sure because it's been a while. The "babbling stable man" Charlie is allegedly one of the best horse handlers around. Thomas is gypsy (Romany) and IIRC, they believed the horse was cursed. The black gypsies (the Lee's) put a bad seed in one of the horses hoofs so it wouldn't win the race. Supposedly, it would spread to the other hoofs and eventually to the heart. I know there's a lot of superstition involved. It was awful but showed Tommy's softer side since he apologized and felt bad for what he thought he had to do.

Edited September 18, 2015 by turbogirlnyc

[Vicky8675309]

I just finished binge watching both season and absolutely love the show. I'm a fan of most dramas that have "grey" characters (morally ambiguous) and really enjoyed the writing, story, acting, cinematography and historical setting/time period.

I just hope they don't focus to much on the "romance" aspect of the story. I don't mind some of the story going toward it but I hope it isn't the major focus of season 3.

Michael is an interesting character. Most of the time he seems like a total sociopath imo but then shows signs of innocence (not realizing his cousins would burn down the bar in an earlier episode and "breaking" at the jail [per report]) and emotion. Definitely in the grey zone like the others.

Just imagine having to live/work with all the factory smoke and soot everywhere in the city. Thank god they didn't show the sewage. The countryside was gorgeous. They all drink so much hard booze--I guess they have a tolerance.

I hope season 3 starts soon!

Edited September 27, 2015 by Vicky8675309

[Tia]

My prediction as regards Grace and May is..Tommy will marry May as a way to enter into high society. As he said to Michael in the last ep. of Series 2 ...he has a lot of plans for the company.

Marrying Grace would just be too much of a neat tie up. The writers have to string out the baby story for a while ....and a domesticated Grace just doesn't cut it, because this is the ultimate star crossed lovers scenario.Maybe if the series continues there will be 2 of Tommy's sons/daughters fighting over the emire. Who knows

Speaking of Grace. I just wonder if they have miscast the actress..too bland. Looks like she's had a bit of nose work since series 1 ..Gone is the bump..it actually gave her more character.

Loving the series so far..

[AnnaMayWong]

From the song... Great title!

[AnnaMayWong]

Tommy realized that Grace was the snitch because earlier he clearly stated that Grace was the only person other than himself who knew the date of The Black Star(?) event. So, yes, Grace told her law enforcement handler/supervisor.

[ZootSuitWyatt]

I was bothered by Neill's Irish accent too.   It reminded me of when American actors try to do a Boston or Maine accent -- it always sounds absurd.  

I laughed when they said his character was supposed to be from Belfast or associated with Belfast or something, because it reminded me of Scott Aukerman's (deliberately) terrible Belfast accent in the Patrick McMahon episode of the Andy Daly Podcast Pilot Project.

[JustaPerson]

I just looked him up and he apparently grew up not far from Belfast. Has he just spent too much time away from Ireland? I'm not British so I wouldn't know.

[Specsy]

Just finished the show for the first time, this last episode was insane!! Like a lot of other people, I was genuinely concerned for Tommy and just could not see how he was going to get out alive. His screaming that he almost had it all and how he walks away from it all crying was so gut wrenching. I am 100% on Tommy's side and I'm okay with that. I actually really despised Campbell in the second season, he had absolutely no redeeming qualities and the way he didn't even pretend to be a good guy anymore made me hate him so much. He didn't even have a dog in the fight like the other gangsters, he was there just to ruin any and all of Tommy's plans. 

 

As for the whole Grace vs May thing, it is unfortunately a bit one sided. I loved Grace in S1 because she gave lip to Tommy and wouldn't be pushed around by him. and I spent the first two or three episodes of S2 dying for her to come back. But when she finally did, she seemed so blah. Where was her charisma and word play and self control? She changed so much while she was gone and I can't tell if they wrote her that way or just messed up. Maybe now that she has nothing to hide, she's an open book, but she's no match for Tommy like she used to be. May on the other hand is certainly shaping up to be and when directly comparing the two it is hard to imagine why Tommy would choose Grace except for the history they share. 

 

I think Tommy's brush with death made him realize how stupid all the barriers he puts up really are. How he was so close to being with a women he loved and the only reason they weren't together was because he thought it wouldn't work or they were from different walks of life. So surviving after all makes him decide, f**k it, I'm getting married. I guess it could be either woman but with the baby it's gotta be Grace plus I don't think he loves May.

[whiskeyandfeet]

Campbell, you're a jerk!

[venezia54]

I know I'm late to the party--having just recently binge-watched this fabulous show. But my mind was officially blown today when I started reading on the internet that people thought that Tommy was planning to marry May--not Grace, as I automatically assumed. It never really occurred to me that it would be anyone BUT Grace for him, so my heart soared that it might be May. I don't want Tommy to be  soft and stupid over shallow, manipulative Grace.   May is SO much more interesting and his intellectual match (and Charlotte Riley is a much better actress). But I don't know. Charlotte gave birth to a child with Tom Hardy around the beginning of filming--so I'm not sure she'll be back for a big role.

 

Tommy, who says that "the past is past" and he only lives for the "soldier's minute" may realize that Grace is the past, but May is the future. (I mean, really--Grace is soooo 1919.) I think at the "darby", he realized that the Grace ship had sailed, literally, and was heartfelt and emotional when he told May he'd come back and find her. Then Grace had to pop up annoyingly and pull him back in. When Grace told him she slept with him to prove she wasn't infertile-why in the world wasn't he furious? Why didn't he kick her manipulative ass to the curb? I would have expected him to go into a cold fury for her using him--but instead, he was sympathetic. Is Tommy that blind in love? Or is it more that he knows exactly who she is and is beyond caring?  After their lovemaking, they seemed like two people who have been holding an idealized torch for each other and now realize they have to deal with reality. Yes, she is all he has thought about, and yes, she has been his great love--but they have both changed.  And he clearly doesn't trust her--twice making jokes about how she is working undercover, and she slaps him ) bitch!) and says has never lied to her husband. He challenges her to tell her husband the truth about him. But later at the Derby, when she tells him she didn't lie and tell her husband the baby was his, Tommy doesn't seem all that thrilled.  I also though it was telling that he didn't tell Grace about May. When she needily asked if he had someone, he said he had a racehorse, either because that's all May means to him, OR because he wants to keep May his little secret. He is a man who hedges his bets, after all. 

 

The writing is SO good in this show, so Tommy marrying Grace seems too obvious and soap operatic. This isn't "Dynasty" for godssakes. And if he does, I don't see them living happily ever after. Most likely, his lifestyle will endanger Grace and the baby, or she may be killed.  Or, once he realizes how shallow and boring she really is, he'll look for love elsewhere, possibly with May. If he marries May, well--then he'll probably still be pining over Grace--and I REALLY don't want to see that either. 

 

Why would Tommy have made that pointed speech at the "darby" about how he will come back for May?  He said win or lose (meaning live or die), he'd come back for her, and to remember that. It's true--he HAD thought Grace was sailing away--so he could change his mind. But still--that scene was so pointed. Other hints about May: they hold hands when they're walking together--very husband/wife. When he is in the car driving to May's, the song on the soundtrack is about "coming back home" as he pulls up to the mansion. During the goldfish scene when he dumps her, he seems genuinely in awe that May doesn't rumble into a quivering heap. She's strong and unpredictable. She is the one person who throws him off his game and is a challenge. If you watch that scene again, Cillian plays it as if he's truly seeing her for the first time.

 

After he dumps her, she tells him he's free to go. She lets him off the hook.  He starts to go, but then thinks better of it, and he slowly circles back to her--literally doing a 180. Why? If he's so in love with Grace, why come back to make inane comments about how "happy" the goldfish are? (Rather obviously in the symbolism department, there were THREE goldfish). Is he just hedging his bets, because he thinks Grace is leaving and he wants to leave things open with May? Then why break it off with her in the first place? She then says that she will win him, and cooly walks away--leaving his jaw on the floor. I think that scene was the moment when he realized his feelings for her are more complicated than he thought. 

 

It's also interesting that in her scene with Grace, she is wearing the vintage red dress that her mother wore when presented to Queen Victoria, reminding us that she is part of an outdated aristocracy, a woman who, like her dress, is a bit tattered and torn but a survivor.  May has just gotten down in the mud with the horses, and is wearing red, the color of passion. Conversely,  Grace is dressed in girly pink and comes across as wanting Tommy to rescue her. That she thinks she can just waltz back into Tommy's life and win him--I honestly hope he's not that dumb. She seems to be an annoyance, an interruption to Tommy. Granted, he's in the middle of his mission, but he wasn't that way with May.  The first thing he wants is for Grace to pass the baby off as her husband's. When she tells him that the thing is she loves him--he softens and says "That is the thing". But he doesn't tell her he loves her. And he doesn't say "I'll come back for you" like he did May. He says he'll make a decision after the race, but gotta go--time to whack the Field Marshall!

 

I think he loves Grace as an ideal from his past. But I don't think he trusts her.  Remember all the cracks he made to her about being "unarmed" and "working undercover"? And is the baby even his? How long after they slept together did she realize she was pregnant? Days? A few weeks?  That's awfully fast to know that you're pregnant. Either it's lazy writing to create a deus ex machina, or the baby isn't Tommy's. If she and her husband were "trying" to have a baby---they were probably having sex. They didn't have surrogates or IVF back then. 

 

So then we have the scene were Tommy is telling Campbell at the bar that Grace loves him. At first, you think it's because he's happy about it.  But it could just be that he is just bragging about Grace to taunt Campbell. He doesn't say "She loves me and I love her--nyah nyah nyah!" But only that she loves him. He has used Grace to taunt Campbell before--when he called Campbell to say he was about to sleep with her. Would you do that to a woman you truly love? Maybe if you're Tommy Shelby. But May is absolutely right--business (or revenge) will always trump love with him. 

 

The most ambiguous piece of the puzzle is his  declaration at his grave about how there's a woman that he loves. We are meant to believe that's Grace--which seems most plausible. We are meant to think that his being close to having "fucking all" means Grace and the baby. But what if it means May--and her influence? What if near death--he has an epiphany about what he really wants--not the woman of his past, bu the woman of his future? Remember May is the one he promised to come back to, not Grace. 

 

If he does marry Grace, I don't look forward to scenes with a baby and domestic bliss. And you know it will be short-lived. She and the baby will be endangered by his lifestyle. The old Grace I could see as a "mob wife", but the new Grace,  who has had a taste of wealth and respectability with her NY husband? Not sure. I could totally see May packing a gun and being tough and Tommy's equal, though. 

 

So bottom line--I'm not sure whom he will marry. Maybe neither of them. As you can see, I've thought about it WAY TOO MUCH. I'm obsessed with this show! The only thing  I AM sure of is that Cillian is an AMAZING actor and the most beautiful man I have ever seen. 

Edited February 25, 2016 by venezia54

[turbogirlnyc]

What did Tommy change his mind about? Grace? 

Anyone seen season 3 episode 1? Can't wait to discuss it here. I found the episode good but so much time went by off screen, it took a while to get back into the groove. Won't post spoilers but I'm so happy PB is back.