At the start of the episode, Arthur (Paul Anderson) and the others rush Linda (Kate Phillips) into the kitchen. She is laid on the table. Thomas (Cillian Murphy) manages to get the bullet out of her arm. Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin) enters before being forced to leave by Arthur. During the chaos, Polly (Helen McCrory) lets Thomas know that Aberama Gold (Aidan Gillen) proposed to her. Linda is given drugs before she drifts to sleep. Arthur tries to comfort her while crying himself. Arthur says that they should have let Linda shoot him before Thomas tries to talk some sense into him. Arthur learns that Aberama wants Arthur to be his best man. Back outside, Oswald Mosley makes his move.

He gives a speech to the audience about Jews and other fascists views. The group seems to like what he is saying. Thomas listens and doesn’t. Gold isn’t too happy with the speech either. When it ends, Oswald lets Thomas and Lizzie (Natasha O’Keeffe) know that he is going to be sleeping with the swan (Brenda Lee Grech). He wants her invited to his room and he is confident that she will say yes. In private, Oswald speaks with Thomas and gives him some advice. He wants him to stop drinking so much. He also reveals that Jimmy (Brian Gleeson) is going to get control over some of the racecourses north of Wincanton. Tommy learns that he isn’t going to get anything in return.

Jimmy will control the north, Tommy will run his neighborhoods, and someone else will be in charge of the south. Oswald isn’t sure who that will be yet. Thomas doesn’t take the advice. He begins chugging alcohol right away. Oswald has fun with the swan. He makes her put on the uniform midway through. He steps into the hallway and finds Lizzie there. Oswald invites her to join them but she refuses and claims Tommy would kill him if he knew. Oswald doubts it. He believes that Tommy is being seduced as well. Lizzie consults with Thomas about his relationship with Oswald. He tells her that he is only working with Oswald so he can bring him down.

Linda comes through and Arthur tells her that they should pack up and leave together. Linda has other ideas. She is glad she didn’t kill Arthur because that would have done him a favor. She wants him to stay behind without her. Linda leaves in the morning. Oswald follows behind her after cursing about the gypsies he just sent the night with. Later, Ben Younger (Kingsley Ben-Adir) visits Thomas. He receives the paper signed by Oswald. Ben explains that the higher ups are not interested. Ben is on the verge of being moved and demoted. He also suspects that people are out to get him. He takes the paperwork and heads back to his vehicle.

A young boy outside kicks the ball around while Ben checks the paper. When Ben turns on the car, it explodes and the boys nearby go flying. Thomas runs to the streets and checks on the boys. Two survive but one of the boys dies. Next, Thomas goes to Ada (Sophie Rundle) and tells her what happened. She admits that she did not love Ben and didn’t expect him to do anything for the child. Still, she suspects that everyone they touch dies. Thomas blames himself for Ben’s death and he tells Ada about the boy who died. The explosion will be blamed on the IRA. She tries to convince him not to use that as an excuse to give up. Thomas leaves, gets into his car, and sees Grace (Annabelle Wallis). She tells him to turn on the engine and join her. He turns it on but his car doesn’t explode.

Meanwhile, Arthur, Curly (Ian Peck), and Charlie (Ned Dennehy) prepare to meet with Chang. They find Chang (Andrew Koji) but end up being ambushed by another gang. Arthur goes nuts and grabs the machine gun. He points, shoots, and scares the others away. Then, they check on the opium. Arthur tells Isaiah (Daryl McCormack) to burn the bodies in the kiln. Isaiah is worried that the workers will see so Arthur tells him to use his gun. Arthur is ready to get back to Birmingham. Arthur tells Gold that many gangs will be coming for them and he is ready to welcome them. A funeral is held for the boy killed in the explosion. After that, Thomas goes to the asylum and meets with Barney (Cosmo Jarvis). Barney was in the war with Thomas and the others.

They speak about the letters they’ve been sending back and forth. Then, Thomas offers him a way out. He tries to give him a dose of cyanide and opium. Barney won’t take it so Thomas asks why not. He believes it has something to do with the French waitress. Barney begins to sob. Barney admits he slept with her before Tommy so he might’ve given Tommy the clap. Barney asks why he brought the capsule. Barney explains that things might change one day. Thomas motions him over and talks about breaking him out of there. He tells Barney that he has a job for him. After all, Barney was the best sniper in the country. Tommy tells him that he’ll come for him after midnight on Wednesday.

After Thomas leaves, things continue on as normal. Barney hears the bang and gets really excited. Jimmy meets up with Tommy down by the docks. Thomas tells him that they called from the Black Boy in Knowle. They will be there any minute. They speak about who is going to run the south. Thomas says that the most competent man in the south would be Alfie Solomons. Jimmy laughs and says he is dead and Jewish. Jimmy believes Oswald will give London to the Italians since he likes Italians. Arthur and the others get closer on the boat. Jimmy lets Thomas know that Arthur would be the first would he’d go after should the truce end. Arthur gets feisty with Jimmy. They argue about Gold wanting to kill Jimmy.

Curly is told to put the flour onto the boat. Thomas gets the check from Jimmy before Jimmy threatens Arthur. When Jimmy leaves, Arthur asks Thomas about Barney Thomason. He says that Barney is going to kill Oswald while he is on stage while Thomas is next to him. Thomas will take over the party before Aberama and Arthur take care of Jimmy McCavern. Thomas admits he had more complicated strategies in mind until Oswald spoke badly to his wife.

 

Peaky Blinders Review

This episode of Peaky Blinders was okay thanks to the last 10 minutes or so. The opening scene with Linda was downright laughable. It didn’t feel realistic in the least. Kate Phillips did well but the others felt off. It might have been the erratic camera though. Either way, I didn’t like that part at all. I found that Ben’s death was too easy and too predictable. As soon as he jumped in the car, I knew for certain that the car was going to explode. I couldn’t have been the only one.

Again, the writers are picking off minor characters that matter very little. This season hasn’t been very good. Oswald Mosley isn’t even a good villain. None of the Peaky Blinders have been put in real danger. We still don’t know what is going on with Michael. I have a feeling that the season is going to end with some loose ends. If Barney picks off Oswald with the sniper rifle, it’ll be too easy. However, it’ll matter very little.

I’d say Jimmy and Oswald have been the weakest villains on Peaky Blinders to date. They lack the danger factor that many of the others had and that has really killed the season for me. On top of that, very little has happened. There have been two terrible seasons of Peaky Blinders and both have come after the show got renewed for several seasons. Finally, I think Linda should’ve killed Arthur. I liked the character early on.

Not any more. He is stuck on a hamster wheel at this point. He goes from being sad to angry every other episode. When he isn’t sobbing wanting to kill himself, he is doing something foolish in a rage. The writers really need to think outside of the box and find a new angle for him or kill the character completely. The gimmick has become dull. I cringed when Arthur was out there shooting like a manic and shouting about the Peaky Blinders. Doesn’t he always go off the deep end near the end of the season?

I just hope the next season is better. I’ve already given up on this one. The episode scores a 6 out of 10. Oh, and please do not bring back Alfie. That was undoubtedly the worst character ever on Peaky Blinders. A mumbling fool. Catch up with previous recaps of Peaky Blinders before you go!