Peaky blinders script analysis done!
- 1. Peaky Blinders- TV series: Aboveis the firsthalf of the script for scene 3 of “Blue Amends”, the firstever episode of the BBC’s acclaimed gangster drama Peaky Blinders.
- 2. Style: The media is TV and the institution is the BBC. Although the script follows the general style of TV scripts in that there is a description of the location and what is happening before the dialogue starts, this description is noticeably lengthier and more vivid than most TV scripts; infact, the wholefirst page (and therefore the firstminute of the scene) is pure description, of location, context and character, due to the fact that the firstminute is key for visually establishing how the very presenceof Tommy Shelby strikes fear into the residents of Small Heath, clearly conveying to the audience the power the Shelby clan wields over the area. This is quite unusualfor a BBC script, which usually have about2 or 3 paragraphs of description beforethe dialogue starts, whereas this script has a page and a half’s worth of description before any dialogue. In terms of the actual dialogue in this scene, there isn’tmuch; it consists of shortbut important lines which convey key points about the story, such as “They’re doing a magic spell to makeit win the race”, which give an early indication about the nature of the Shelby business of fixing races. Content: Peaky Blinders is a BBC drama that aired on BBC2 in 2013 and ran for six episodes, beforea second, third, fourth and fifth series all aired in later years on BBC one and BBC2. The show is set in post-WW1 Birmingham, and follows the rise of feared local gang the Peaky Blinders, headed by the notorious Thomas Shelby, as they makeattempt to moveup in the world, facing business opportunities and deadly enemies in equal measure. Narrativestructure: Peaky Blinders has a typical 3 act structure within each episode (unless the episode ends on a cliff-hanger, which happens occasionally), fitting with Todorous (1969) theory of equilibrium and disequilibrium. In the firstepisode, the equilibrium is that the Peaky Blinders havea small illegal business fixing horseraces, the disruption being that Tommy steals a crate containing dozens of machine guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition, leading Inspector Campbell to come and investigate. Tommy and his family recognise this disruption, and then talk about whatthey aregoing to do about it in an attempt to repair the damage, drawing the episode to a close withoutquite solving the problem. In leaving it open though, a new equilibrium of sorts has
- 3. been created- there is a threat posed to the Peaky Blinders, which they must overcomethroughoutthe restof the series. There is also some evidence of Levi-Straus’s theory thatthere is always conflict between good or bad, however it is a twisted version of his theory becausegood characters (i.e. the protagonists who the audience are rooting for) are actually cold-blooded criminals, meaning the police inspector (who is typically the good character in media) is unusually the antagonist, meaning that although there is most definitely conflict, there are some grey areas concerning who is good and who is bad. Genre: The genre of Peaky Blinders is drama, morespecifically a crime drama or gangster drama. Itis a strangehybrid of old and new, set in the aftermath of WW1 and yet featuring a modern rock soundtrack, overwhelming British (set in Birmingham and therefore featuring strong brummie accents) but clearly inspired by American westerns and Mafia movies. This refreshing mix of established codes and conventions and new, daring choices support Buckingham’s (1993) theory that genreis progressiveand is in a “constant state of negotiation and change”. Target audience: The main target audience for Peaky Blinders is lower to middle class people (D- B on the NRS social demographic scale) as many of the characters areworking class people, making the show relatable for many of its viewers, who would see aspects of their own lives reflected in the Shelby’s, such as Tommy and Arthur’s love-haterelationship and the way Aunt Polly tries to keep tabs on them all. On Young and Rubicam’s 4C’s scalethe Peaky Blinders audience would be (when it firstaired) The Explorer (now it’s an established programme) The Mainstreamand, through it all, The Struggler, as whatPeaky has always offered is without a doubt escapism, butwith a certain relatability which both the working and middle class can relate to.