Hulu Streams the Perfect Peaky Blinders Fan Show You’ve Never Seen

Give Steven Knight just as much credit: he knows exactly what he likes and he sticks to it. The famous screenwriter and director (of “Locke” and “Spencer” fame, not to mention the next James Bond film) is best known for his work on “Peaky Blinders,” the gangster series set in the muddy cobbles of early 1900s Birmingham. Well, did you know that he has quietly created a brand new show cut from almost identical cloth, set nearby in London’s East End and only a few decades removed from the time when Tommy Shelby’s empire rose to prominence? (Also, while both are loosely based on the real story, it’s worth noting that neither show is actually connected to the other.)

“A Thousand Blows” premiered on Hulu last year and follows two intertwined storylines: one involving steely Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), the leader of an all-female crime group known as the Forty Elephants, and another focusing on the rivalry between Steven Graham’s local heavyweight Sugar Goodson and Jamaican newcomer Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) circling each other in a heated bare-knuckle boxing tournament. But, perhaps due to its fairly unknown (though no less talented) cast and meager six-episode run, the series hasn’t left much of an impact outside of its core audience – certainly nothing on the level of “Peaky Blinders.”

The recent premiere of the series’ excellent second season seems to have given way to similar results… but, for those in the know, “A Thousand Blows” has quietly morphed into a sleeper pick for one of the best series currently streaming. Whether you’re a fan of “Peaky Blinders” or just someone who craves a well-executed drama with an ensemble at the top of their game, there’s something for everyone here. Get on board while you can, friends.

Spoilers for the first season of “A Thousand Blows” to follow.

Much like “Peaky Blinders,” “A Thousand Blows” features many fascinating characters that keep our attention. Of all the different factions fighting for the spotlight in the first season, perhaps none made as much of an impression as Mary Carr and her cohort of pickpocketing, bank-robbing, and con-artists. Creator Steven Knight has crafted a thrilling drama set in the bustling heart of London, bringing the so-called Forty Elephants gang and Sugar Goodson’s illegal boxing empire into direct conflict – a perfect crucible for all of the city’s most desperate rejects to collide with each other. It’s not long before immigrant Hezekiah Moscow and his best friend Alec Munroe (Francis Lovehall) find themselves in Sugar’s crosshairs, both for daring to outdo him at his own game. And for Hezekiah attracting the attention of Mary herself.

This bubbling storyline, like the rest of the season’s lingering concerns, doesn’t exactly end well at the end of Season 1… but that’s exactly what gives Season 2 so much energy and momentum from the start. Picking up about a year later, “A Thousand Blows” takes the bittersweet (but satisfying) conclusion of the first six episodes and adds a new arc that feels like a natural next step for all of these characters. Sugar, once the kingmaker at the top of this town, has succumbed to his vices of alcohol and violence. Hezekiah, once quite eager to flee to New York with Mary, can now barely stand the sight of her after an unforgivable betrayal of his trust. And Mary, who is always hatching a new plan, might have found the pay of a lifetime.

If Season 1 of “A Thousand Blows” slowly brought its disparate protagonists together into a single cohesive narrative, Season 2 largely separates them as they continue to explore this world (and themselves) in a way that takes them in all sorts of intriguing directions – almost until the explosive finale. Torn between his desire for revenge for a fallen friend and his passionate hatred for the man responsible for a childhood tragedy in his country, Hezekiah finds himself at a crossroads with the most unexpected choice of all: teaching a royal prince how to box and reclaim an entire plot of Jamaican land for himself. Meanwhile, Sugar struggles to stay sober enough to patch things up with her ex-brother Treacle (James Nelson-Joyce), fend off a rival gang led by Indigo Jeremy (Robert Glenister), and protect Mary in his dangerous exploits. As for Mary, well, the opportunity to acquire a long-lost work of art and quickly snatch it away from the city’s most powerful patrons proves too tempting to resist.

This time around, the real fun of “A Thousand Blows” comes from seeing these seemingly disconnected subplots twist and blend into each other at the most unexpected times. Although they focus primarily on our three main characters, Knight and his team of writers and directors all find ways to elevate even the most minor of supporting characters into individuals in their own right. This world has never been more dynamic and expansive, with viewers almost able to touch and feel (and, ugh, smell) the action taking place in these back alleys of London.

For those who are late one of the best TV shows of 2025don’t make the same mistake again.