Have nothing to watch while you are home for the summer? Want to tap into history that is entertaining? Well, you are in luck, Peaky Blinders is a Netflix original TV show based on a real gang in Birmingham, England after the first world war. The show stars Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Joe Cole, and Helen McCrory while featuring Tom Hardy. Netflix really stepped up their game with this series.

Netflix is home to many movies, TV shows, and their own originals that never fail to entertain. What sets Peaky Blinders apart from other originals is the hooking and suspenseful plot twists along with the added historical elements. However, one of the coolest aspects is that this show is loosely based on a real gang not many people know about.

The real Peaky Blinders were founded in Birmingham, England in the late 19th century. The group consisted of many poor young men with no hope of employment, most notably; Kevin Mooney (Thomas Gilbert), Henry Lightfoot, Earnest Haynes, Stephen McNickle, and Billy Kimber. The real Peaky Blinders only lasted about 20 years and were multiple and composed of gangs. Their crimes were less notable, but they managed to still make a name for themselves that carried to a TV series.

Although the show is based on a real group, there are multiple notable differences. One of the most misunderstood differences is that the real Peaky Blinders weren’t a family-based dynasty as it is portrayed in the TV show. The group had no ties to each other other than unemployment and poverty. 

Additionally, the time frames are completely different from each other. The original gang ruled for two decades before the first world war, whereas the TV gang rose after the war. In the show, Thomas Shelby and his brother, Arthur Shelby, are having to figure out how to live with their undiagnosed PTSD from the war while expanding the operations of the Peaky Blinders. No matter the difference, both are interesting storylines to learn about.

Peaky Blinders has all the qualities that make a TV show great; suspense, twists, romance, and more. It does not matter what genre you enjoy, this show has it all and can be easily deemed binge-worthy. The show also displays some of the strongest and most respectable women you can find in a TV series. The show allows the Shelby boy’s aunt Polly to be the backbone of the gang and she is definitely a key character.

The series is made up of 5 seasons with six  45-minute episodes per season. Season six is confirmed to be the last of the series, however, it is also confirmed there will be a movie spinoff following the finale. Peaky Blinders is a perfect series for those lazy summer days when there’s nothing to do. Consider yourself fair warned because once you start it, you won’t be able to stop.