Our take
Created by Peaky Blinders showrunner Steven Knight, A Thousand Blows zooms in on the London Victorian underworld and follows three outsiders trying to uplift themselves in different, often illegal ways. There’s Mary Carr (Erin Rachael Doherty), an ambitious pickpocket who heads an all-female crime syndicate; Sugar Goodson (Stephen Graham), a merchant by day and bare-knuckle boxing champion by night; and London newcomer Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby), a Jamaican lion tamer who gets roped into Mary and Sugar’s complicated world. The conflicts the show takes onshow’s conflicts are as old as time: wealth inequality, gender divide, and racial discrimination. But Knight gives them a modern refresh so, coupled with razor-sharp dialogue, impressive choreography, gorgeous 1880s details, and stellar performances (particularly from Kirby), the show is invigorating to watch. Peaky Blinders fans who are missing the show will especially appreciate its grit and dark humor.
Streaming arrival
The story
Hezekiah and Alec, two friends from Jamaica, finds themselves thrust into the criminal underbelly of London's East End. Here they meet Mary Carr, Queen of an all-female criminal gang known as the Forty Elephants, and run afoul of Sugar Goodson, criminal kingpin and notorious boxer.
Elsewhere
"With each episode, it becomes clear that you’re watching something special, the show fantastically blending a sharpness and earnestness throughout its six-episode run."
— Kaiya Shunyata
"A Thousand Blows is masterful, delving into the fabric and texture of the late 1800s. In just six hourlong episodes, Knight’s tale contends with racism, sexism, greed and revenge, which sizzle and pulse throughout this underworld."
— Aramide Tinubu
Inspired by true events, A Thousand Blows follows a trio of outsiders navigating 19th-century London’s seedy East End.
History buffs will get a kick out of watching the history of boxing unfold, especially as it is paired with this rich a drama.
It’s gritty, relevant, and packed with historical nuances, what’s not to love?
The details
Who picked it
Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.
