A Thousand Blows

Actors, storyline, sets, just riveting! Every character drags you into their baggage and you don't want to leave. The parallel stories of the East and West Ends of London - a stark contrast that is jarring. I really hope the series will continue. Its characters and the story are among the best I've seen this year. Don't miss it! If you love the grit and grime of rough characters in London - it's brutal and gory but you'll be unable to stop watching despite the difficulty of the story. I can't wait for the next set of stories - please bring it back!! It's one of those stories that you hate to see the last episode because you don't want to let go of the characters.

I ended up enjoying A Thousand Blows much more than I expected to. I've been looking forward to it ever since I first saw the trailers. I'm a fan of this genre so I was going to give it a chance no matter what. It ended up not only meeting my expectations but exceed them. This series is created by Stephen Knight, the same guy who created great shows like Peaky Blinders, See, Rogue Heroes, All the Light We Cannot See, etc. The writing is very good but what makes this series work so well is the acting. The three leads, Malachi Kirby, Erin Doherty and especially the ridiculously underrated Stephen Graham are what makes this series a must watch. Graham is such a good actor, you might know him from Boardwalk Empire, Peaky Blinders, Gangs of New York, The Irishman, Band of Brothers, Taboo, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bodies, Venom and so many other great movies/shows. He was great in all of those. I can't say enough about what an underrated actor Graham is. If you're a fan Stephen Knight's other work then give this a chance... I promise you won't be disappointed.

We yearn for a shot that can captivate an audience. A show that is riveting and knows how to build characters. Ever since Peaky Blinders I've missed just that. This show, although I've only seen the first and second episode have shown all the above. It has everything I need in a show and more. The backdrop is beautiful, the acting stellar, characters on point. I love the direction it's going and I think this show shows great potential as the subject is one of masculinity and possibly femininity ;). Deep dark gritty and violent, perfect score to suit home and watch all day. Accents are a bit rough for some, be ready for subtitles lol.

Set in London in the 1880's it is apt that this Historical drama that includes Jamaican immigrants, one of which is fluent in Chinese, who become boxers, both bare knuckle and the gloved noble art variety, the forty elephant all female gang of robbers, they really existed too, and small time hoodlums, one played superbly as always, by Stephen Graham, as it is without any doubt on a par totally with Taylor Sheridan's 1883. Stephen Knight's story and characters are also on a par with his characters in SAS Rogue. But whether they will become as iconic as his Peaky Blinders characters, only time will tell.

I started watching A Thousand Blows yesterday afternoon on a whim. Not knowing anything about it, unsure if I'd even like it because I'm not a huge fan of boxing, I'm glad I gave it a chance. I was hooked from the first scene. The acting and storytelling is thoroughly and thoughtfully executed, moving seamlessly among story lines and character arcs. It all weaves together into a beautiful narrative tapestry.

Every character plays their part with complexity and warmth. Given the setting and subject matter, the writing could easily rely on well-worn tropes, as it does in so many potentially great series. Thankfully none of that is happening in A Thousand Blows, as each character and plot is written in a way that gives people fully formed personalities and motivations.

Each character's actions and motivations are relevant and important to the story. The dialogue is realistic and continually supports and builds the narrative. The effect provides the viewer with a sense of being carried by the writing so that you can easily get fully absorbed in the narrative. Solid narrative structure is such a rare quality in television these days, so it was refreshing to say the least.

The series is perfectly paced, wasting no moment and never dragging or lagging in story progression. By the end I found myself satisfied with what had transpired and excited to see what happens next.

9/10 completely binge-worthy and satisfying.