The second series of "Peaky Blinders" has also attracted attention and approbation, but there's been little fuss about the most obviously controversial aspect of the show, its characterisation of Winston Churchill. The future hero of 1940 is shown as a ruthless conniver who does not hesitate to plot the murder of a British subject or to use a gangster to do the deed, the subsequent betrayal of the latter being taken for granted. It seems quite astounding that the entire Tory Party has not been up in arms at this outrageous suggestion, not to mention the many other Churchill admirers to be found outside its ranks. Taking "Peaky Blinders" simply as a fiction, it's certainly been gripping in Season Two, the influences of Leone, Coppola and Scorsese remaining strong. Cunningly, Steven Knight has given us a second Michael Corleone figure to make Tommy Shelby seem less derivative of the Pacino prototype - Polly's son (actually called Michael) has joined the family business and, at season's end, seems set to grow in importance. But Season Two has been unsatisfactory, with Grace Burgess returning in mid-series as a barely recognisable travesty of the strong character seen in Season One and the ferocious puritan Campbell becoming a kind of demon-figure with several of the attributes of a Victorian melodrama baddie. The actors do their very best (Sam Neill is again riveting), but the characters have become - handily - a lot less complex. It's indicative of a decline that there have been references to movies a lot less distinguished than the Coppola and Leone epics - "Scarface", "Villain", "Marathon Man" and even - with Arthur's cry of "We're the kings of the world!" - "Titanic". A falling-off, indeed.
