Fantastical Musings

I think Tommy gets the award for quote of the episode. I love it when he was like "I had a more elaborate plan to deal with Mosley, but then he spoke badly to my wife." Come on, you can't tell me that wasn't awesome. Tommy is such a G I can't even stand it! That smooth way he announced that he was going to kill Mosley was just so SMOOTH. This is why Cillian Murphy deserves all the acting awards. I certainly hope that the assassination plan goes off without a hitch. No one deserves to be killed more than Mosley. Did you hear that disgusting speech he made at Tommy's party? Did you see the way everyone reacted? Honestly, someone needs to put a bullet in his head. That character enrages me. I mean, I assume someone will deal with him because the PBs always defeat their enemies before the end of the season, and Mosley is not nearly as wiley as he thinks he is. All the same, I do have to agree with Lizzie: Tommy needs to stop getting into these "way o...

Can someone just please kill Mosley already????? Like, I DESPISE that guy. My hatred for him burns with the heat of 1000 suns. When he came up to Lizzie and was like "ha, ha, I slept with you when you were a whore," I wanted to punch him in the face! Honestly, I don't know how Tommy resisted the urge! Like, at every turn, this Mosley guy just thinks of more and more disgusting and insensitive things to say. Not to mention that he's sleeping with his own family members. Again, why has no one killed him yet??? I am truly baffled. Anyway, we have to move past Mosley because he wasn't even the most dramatic part of this episode. Like, I need to know, IS LINDA DEAD???? I've never been super invested in her as a character, but I want her to live! Honestly, I feel bad for Linda because she's in a really tough situation. She can't leave Arthur and she obviously isn't happy with him. What is she supposed to do? Of course, I didn't wan...

So, I'm just going to come out and say it. Everyone on this show is psychotic! Tommy, Arthur, the Billy Boys, everyone! As I watching this episode, I was just like "I can't believe they're doing these things. Why are they doing these things????" Oh, the DRAMA! First of all, Arthur is on the verge of having a full-blown meltdown, a la season 2. The way he killed that guy who was just talking to Linda was absolutely brutal! And to be quite frank, I totally understand why Linda wants to get away from him. I don't think we've ever seen Arthur be violent towards Linda, but being married to him certainly qualifies as an abusive relationship. On the same hand, we all know that Arthur genuinely has a heart of gold. He just happens to be severely messed up in the head. So, I don't really know who we're supposed to sympathize with as an audience. Speaking of abusive relationships, I don't like Tommy telling Lizzie that he owns her. Obviously, tha...

Ay yai yai, the DRAMA. Where do I even begin with all this DRAMA ? First of all, can I say that I don't think criminal gangs should sing? Like, the fact that the Billy Boys crucified  Bonnie Gold was bad enough, but did they have to introduce themselves by singing? I mean, there's psycho, and then there's psycho . And these guys make the Mafia last season look like boy scouts. Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt that Tommy will be able to deal with them, but I shudder to think of what's going to happen along the way. That explosive device at the beginning of the episode gave me some serious anxiety for starters. Also, I gotta say that I really felt for Lizzie in this episode. I mean, I think her personality is a good match for him, and she clearly loves him, but being Tommy's wife must be simply hellish .  Who can blame her if she finds the drugs, drinking, violence, paranoia, and emotional inaccessibility too much to bear? Plus, Tommy was actually kind...

If there's one thing we learned in this episode, it's that no one listens to Tommy. I can't say I know why that's the case. He's clearly the man with all the answers and a plan for everything. Plus, he's far and away the most attractive person on the show. Although, Arthur is giving him a run for his money with his new haircut. That is a lewk . I am a tad bit concerned about Tommy's suicidal tendencies and the fact the fact that he's hallucinating about his dead wife, but it wouldn't be Peaky Blinders if someone wasn't on the brink of a complete psychological breakdown, and it might as well be Tommy. Although, I have to say that he's almost disturbingly calm about losing all his money. He might be crazy, but he's got nerves of steel. Speaking of people with psychological problems, I'm concerned about Finn. He's obviously trying to live up to his older brothers, but a) he's not cut out for that lifestyle and b) the She...

Thank GOODNESS Arthur isn't actually dead! When he walked back on the screen, I was so, so relieved. Don't get me wrong, I totally believed that he was dead when Tommy said he was; that scene was masterful. But, no offense to Tommy and the rest of the gang, the show just would not be the same without Arthur. Like, when I thought he had really died, I was like "oh, crap, what are they going to do in season 5???" But, fortunately, we do not have that problem. Anyway, on the whole, this was a very interesting finale. Quite honestly, it didn't feel like any PB finale that I've seen before. It was slower and more contemplative. I know that there's at least one more season, but this episode almost felt like it could have been the conclusion of the whole show. I mean, the Shelbys have more power than ever and no enemies? What could be a more perfect way to end the show? I am, however, very glad it's not the end of the show because, as we all know, I...

Where to begin?! I feel like a ton of stuff happened in this episode. I mean, a ton of stuff happens in every episode, but this one was really jam packed. Even so, I still feel like this episode was mostly set up. Everything is building up to the season four finale, which must be really incredible because I can't imagine how they're going to resolve all these plots in just one hour! First of all, I cannot tell you how glad I am that Polly didn't betray Tommy. That's a huge weight off my mind. That does not, however, negate the fact that Michael kind of betrayed Tommy, but I imagine that will be addressed later. Right now, I want to focus on how cool Tommy looked with that machine gun. That's an OG move for sure. On the other hand, I'm beginning to think that Luca is not a very good gangster. Like, he's had a million chances to kill Tommy at this point. Why is he still alive? How have they botched all of these assassination attempts so badly?? Like, the m...

First Polly and now Michael! Why is everyone betraying Tommy???? I am genuinely really distressed by all of this. I mean, I get that Michael doesn't want to throw his mother under the bus, but this is all really, really bad. The only way the PBs are going to get through this alive is by sticking together. Internal conflict will destroy them! Surely, anyone with any degree of common sense will realize this. Also, as I've said before, the Mafia will obviously kill them all just as soon as Tommy is dead, deal or no deal. Like, Luca is not going to leave them alive. That would not be good for his street cred. Turning them against each other is just another way for him to inflict pain on Tommy. I hope that Polly understands this. It is very possible that Tommy and Polly planned together that Polly should betray him (kind of like a Snape/Dumbledore deal). I noticed that Polly marked Tommy's diary with a black star, which is what he used to indicate death in season 1. Is t...

POLLY! Polly!!!! I am so frustrated with her in this moment. Like, I get that she hates Tommy and for good reason (although, I gotta remind her that she took the King's shilling), but she's going to BETRAY HIM TO THE MAFIA!!! Come on now, that's a bit much. I really hope that Polly and Tommy are actually in cahoots together and this is all a way for Tommy to set a trap for Luca. I really, really hope that that's the case because a) I don't want to hate Polly and b) she's smarter than this. Like, if Polly is earnestly trying to betray Tommy, does she honestly think the Mafia is going to spare Michael??? Like, they're the MAFIA. I don't think that's how that works. Luca will say "thank you very much for helping me kill Tommy, the person who was protecting you, now let me put a bullet in your son's head and then one in yours." Like, seriously, Polly and Michael have a MUCH better chance of surviving with Tommy on their side, wor...

And, just like that, the Shelbys are back! I really did enjoy this episode. It felt like a homecoming to me. It seemed that everyone (minus John, more about that later) is more or less back where they're supposed to be. We're back in Small Heath and back on Watery Lane, breathing in the smells of Birmingham. Tommy is organizing boxing matches on his factory floor and Arthur is taking bets. Good times, good times. Of course, it's not that simple. The Mafia is after the Shelbys now (although, they're going to be honorable about killing them, whatever that means). I think Curly summarized the situation best when he said to May, "Yeah, there's 15 of them. Yeah, they want to kill us all. But we've got guns and grenades and Aunt Polly's back, so it's going to be OK. Yeah." I couldn't have said it better myself Curly. Plus, the expression on May's face was priceless. Speaking of which, May is back! Hip hip hooray! I love her character. I...

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you might know that I tend not to love Peaky Blinders season premieres, and this episode was no exception. Don't get me wrong, it was engaging and beautifully shot, and the acting is phenomenal. However, to me, it almost didn't feel like the same show. Seasons 1 and 2, while very dramatic, had a certain lightness about them. In contrast, season three was almost uniformly bleak and joyless. It gave us some great and dramatic moments, but it also robbed us of some of the more touching moments that made seasons 1 and 2 so enjoyable. So far, season 4 seems to be following in the vein of season 3. First of all, it's absolutely heartbreaking to see the Shelbys at odds, each isolated in their own mansion, battling his or her own demons. They're not even really Peaky Blinders anymore. None of them wear the signature PB hat, which seems to have major symbolic importance. Now, if I were Polly, John, and Arthur, I probably wo...

THIS SHOW! Just when you think they couldn't possibly make Peaky Blinders any more dramatic, they go and drop an episode like THAT on you. Like, I don't even know how to begin processing what I've just seen. First of all, I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to feel about what happened. This episode was such an emotional rollercoaster, my brain feels like a scrambled egg. Secondly, what even happened? Like, I'm literally not even sure what was going on from a plot perspective. So many people double and triple crossed each other and there were so many plots inside of plots, that I lost the thread a long time ago. Which, honestly, is my main criticism of this season. While this episode was immensely dramatic, it wasn't nearly as satisfying as previous PB season finales. They pushed all of the characters to the brink in this season with a horrifically complicated story line that most people would need several flow charts to understand. And, if I'm being...

Well, that was dark and twisted. As much as I enjoy the DRAMA of this show, I'm going to need it to regain some cheerfulness at some point. A little joie de vivre, if you will. However, I have a feeling that tunnels under the Thames, Faberge eggs, and bullets in the heads of certain priests is going to put me in a good mood in the next episode. But, before we get there, let's just take a minute to talk about how utterly INSANE the Russians are in this show. Like, I'm with Alfie, none of the Blinders should ever have gotten involved with that at all. Granted, Tommy didn't have much of a choice, but I think his beautiful eyes were bigger than his stomach in this situation. Anyway, I genuinely do not think I can watch any more horrifyingly graphic orgy scenes, tattoo inspections, or whatever Fifty Shades of Grey with an extra smattering of psychological torment stuff went on between Tatiana and Tommy. Seriously though, that was a pretty disturbing sex scene if you...

That episode was so DRAMATIC that I am now shaking. Literally shaking!!! Like, I can't. I just can't. I know I've said this before, but I do not know how I'm supposed to deal with this show on an emotional level. It's too stressful! Everyone in this show is just insane! IN-SANE! The craziness is next level. I cannot deal with it. It's too much! Okay. Okay. Let me calm down. First of all, Tommy had better be okay. If that creepy, evil priest and his creepy, evil friends permanently damaged one hair on Tommy's head, I am going to have some THINGS to say. I assume he's going to be okay because a) Tommy has some REVENGE to take and b) there are at least two more seasons of this show, and Tommy needs to be in them. (On a more cheerful note, Cillian Murphy did an excellent job of acting like he was in extreme pain and mental anguish; it was very convincing.) Second of all, Tommy had better know what he's doing. I get the sense that the PBs...

Okay, so I'm going to need Cillian Murphy and Paul Anderson  (Arthur) to stop with the acting because their collective talent is going 👏 to 👏melt 👏 my 👏brain! I'm serious! They took the dial of acting and they cranked it up to 5000. What an episode! Like, this episode had all the cinematic beauty and emotional resonance of like ten thousand movies rolled together, and wasn't anywhere near the best episode in the history of the show. That being said, it was a thing of great and terrible beauty (to misquote that wand seller guy from Harry Potter). First of all, that beginning scene with the creepier version of "Red Right Hand" and Tommy watching the fire was HAUNTING. I shall be haunted by it, just you wait and see! And then we had some of the best family scenes that we've had on this show in a while. I enjoyed seeing them all arguing in the kitchen together, especially with Polly telling John and Arthur not to swear in front of the kids. Like, has ...

Why is Tommy never allowed to be happy, hm? Throughout this show, he gets like two smiles per season, and then the rest of the time something horrible happens to put him back in a dark, dark place. WHY? WHY? WHY? Why isn't Tommy allowed to be happy????? I mean, I assume Grace is dead this time. For real. Like, I don't think she's coming back from that huge bullet wound. Ugh, this frustrates me so much! They were going to have a lovely life together, and now Tommy is going to be completely destroyed by this. Even for me, this is too much of a plot twist. Like, how am I supposed to deal with this on a mental and emotional level??? Okay, okay, maybe I am too invested in this show. Let me take a moment to calm down. Anyway, this episode largely focuses on Tommy's dealings with the Russians. As I noted in the first episode, I am really not into this story line, which might mean that I'm really not into season three. As I've said before, I feel that ...

Well, this was an interesting episode. On one hand, I really enjoyed the wedding aspect of the episode. I am SUPREMELY glad that Tommy and Grace are together; I like that they kind of made us wait to figure out who Tommy was marrying. It could have been Grace or I suppose it could have been May (speaking of which, I wish we could have gotten some sort of final scene between them. I liked her character). Anyway, I'm glad Tommy's marrying Grace; they're meant to be together. I also found the wedding scenes in general to be vastly entertaining. More about that in a minute. On the other hand, I am annoyed by the time jump in this episode. Once again. To me it feels disorienting, especially given the fact that there was plenty of interesting material to make a season three that could have directly followed season two. And now, I'm left with a lot of unanswered questions: why did it take Grace and Tommy so long to get married? How did Arthur meet his weird wife (serious...

Oh my goodness, THE DRAMA! THE D-R-A-M-A. As I was watching this episode, I actually had to pause a couple of times to let the sheer dramatic-ness of the situations wash over me. It was just all so DRAMATIC. Okay, let me take a deep breath, and then we can actually talk about the episode. First things first, Tommy and Grace are getting married! What gift should I send to the wedding, I am so unbelievably happy for them. Well, I think I'm mostly happy for Tommy, but Grace can get a share of that too. At least, I assume they're getting married. Tommy said it out loud, which means it will eventually come true. Although, I'm not sure if Grace knows they're getting married yet. And what are they going to do about that nice man from Poughkeepsie??????? The other problem with this situation is Grace only seemed interested in getting back with Tommy after she knew she was pregnant with his baby. Like, did she not love him before she knew that?? Or, maybe the pregn...

STOP EVERYTHING! Grace is back! Oh my goodness, I am over the MOON that Grace and Tommy are an item once again. And, before you tell me that this episode could have been a one night stand, let me tell you that I have seen enough TV shows to know that they did not reintroduce her character just for that. GRACE! I'm so excited. No doubt, their relationship is going to be extremely messy and complicated (because of May and her husband, etc. etc.), but I don't care. First of all, I have to comment on the fact that Tommy has some CONFIDENCE, or, maybe he just knows Grace really well. Like, his whole opening gambit with Grace to skip talking about the past was a bold move, considering she could have walked out at any moment. But, of course, he really just wants to take her out to meet movie stars. It's an interesting reunion, but also kind of sweet? I don't know. I did, however, LOVE that Tommy called Campbell to tell him that he was about to sleep with Grace. Was...

I 👏have 👏so 👏many 👏 things 👏to 👏say 👏 about 👏this 👏episode! First of all, Grace is back! Be still my beating heart, the next episode is going to be DRAMATIC. I mean, I figured we'd see her again, but I'm really not sure how this is going to go. Plus, she's in London with her husband, who probably is not going to enjoy meeting Tommy. This is a perfect recipe for disaster if you ask me. In other news, Michael is working for Shelby Ltd now. I guess that means he's sticking around! I still don't know how I feel about his character; he's kind of tough to read. But, hey, if it makes Polly happy, it's good enough for me. Speaking of Michael, he got a real taste of what the PBs do in this episode when they burned down the bar. Although, as I've said before, Michael doesn't seem repealed by the violence so much as attracted to it. For the record, I also want to give the Blinders credit for being the most inclusive organized crime organization a...