Peaky Blinders: Series Two

The second season of this British gangster drama, set in the North England industrial city of Birmingham after World War I, jumps ahead a couple of years. The Shelby crime family and their gang the Peaky Blinders (so named for their practice of keeping a razor in the brim of their caps) are trying to expand their power and influence. To that end, Thomas (Cillian Murphy), a war veteran who applies the lessons he learned in battle to street warfare, picks sides in a clash between the London-based Italian mob (led by Noah Taylor) and the Jewish gang (led by Oscar nominee Tom Hardy). Meanwhile, Inspector Chester Campbell (Sam Neill), who has a personal vendetta and is looking for payback against Thomas, is back to blackmail the latter into becoming an assassin for the government. Created and written by Steven Knight, the show boasts rich characters and features a vivid recreation of the era, while well-plotted scripts deliver some terrific gang war conflicts and robberies. It also has the brutal edge of an American cable drama (it's been called Britain's answer to Boardwalk Empire), which may bother fans of more genteel British dramas but will appeal to aficionados of American crime shows. Interestingly, the soundtrack is filled with hard-edged rock songs from the White Stripes, Nick Cave, and others (including a raw yet tender version of "Danny Boy" by Johnny Cash), which is unusually effective in setting the tone of the show. Because this series is a Netflix exclusive, many fans of British imports may not have access to the series outside of this home video release. Compiling all six episodes from the 2014 second season, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)