Peaky Blinders tends to be praised the most for its acting, especially by the inimitable Cillian Murphy. It's understandable given the caliber of the performances by the main cast. However, most of the show's success is really the result of its stellar writing. Without it, the actors would have a hard time, no matter their talents. Writers Steven Knight, Toby Finlay, and Stephen Russell pull off a delicate balancing act between stories and dialogue that are compelling and action-packed while also feeling realistic and grounded. That they succeeded in doing so across a full six seasons is an impressive feat.
The writers are particularly good at coming up with memorable lines, ranging from the comedic to the bone-chilling. Indeed, the show is jam-packed with great quotes that reveal something about a character, neatly express a thought, or emphasize the themes. Tommy, especially, is given many pithy phrases practically dripping with menace. Here are the best lines in Peaky Blinders, ranked.
Peaky Blinders
TV-MA
Crime
Drama
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
- Release Date
- September 30, 2014
- Cast
- Cillian Murphy , Sam Claflin , Helen McCrory , Sophie Rundle
- Main Genre
- Crime
- Seasons
- 6
10 "Nevertheless, I say no."
Tommy Shelby, Season 2, Episode 4
In this season, the IRA manipulates Tommy into carrying out assassinations for them, which they can more easily cover up. During a meeting with his Irish handlers, Tommy is blindsided by the revelation that they have the support of Inspector Campbell (Sam Neill) and the Crown. In other words, Tommy's toughest opponents have joined forces, backing him into a terrible corner.
Campbell and the IRA know this. One of the IRA members taunts him, saying that Tommy has no option but to give in to their demands. However, Tommy is still a Peaky Blinder: he doesn't cave so easily, even when his enemies hold all the cards. He refuses their request, even though, at the moment, he doesn't know how he will get himself out of this bind. The line is thus a great demonstration of Tommy's steel nerves and his confidence in his own ability to think up a solution to even the trickiest situations.
9 "All religion is a foolish answer to a foolish question."
Tommy Shelby, Season 3, Episode 3
Religion features heavily in Peaky Blinders, with most of the major characters being either Irish Catholic or subscribing to Gypsy beliefs. Several of them wrestle with questions of meaning and morality. Tommy, too, holds some superstitious beliefs but never counts upon the help of a higher power. Ever the realist, he has neither the time nor inclination for existential musing. He's a dynamic person who bends reality to his will, rather than hoping for peace in the hereafter.
With this line, he makes clear that he thinks that searching for answers to life's big questions is a waste of time. This view was forged in the mud and misery of the Great War, where he saw power and violence trumping honor and goodness at every turn. Nevertheless, during moments of weakness like his daughter's illness, Tommy does act as if he believes in the Gypsy ways. In this regard, he's a contradictory character when it comes to the supernatural.
8 "When you’re dead already, you’re free."
Polly Gray, Season 4, Episode 2
The first episode of Season 4 concluded with a shocking cliffhanger, with Michael (Finn Cole) and John (Joe Cole) shot by the mafia. Episode 2 reveals that while Michael survives, John does not, marking the most heartbreaking loss of a main character since Grace's death in Season 3. The writing and performances are exceptional, showcasing the family's varied responses to this tragedy. Polly's (Helen McCrory) grief, in particular, turns to bitterness.
With this line, Polly is referring to her near-death several episodes before, where several family members were saved from hanging for their crimes at the very last moment. This traumatic brush with death has changed Polly, and actually made her more powerful, if perhaps emotionally numb. "Everything from now on is extra," she says, implying that she intends to act as if she really did die at the gallows. She means that she's willing to take more risks and fight harder. In other words, she's become a more fearsome adversary than ever.
7 "Sometimes the women have to take over. Like in the war."
Polly Gray, Season 1, Episode 4
Part of what makes Peaky Blinders great is the way it weaves crime drama with history. Much of the action plays out against the backdrop of real events, like the Great Depression, the rise of fascism, and the turbulence of British politics. Most of all, the shadow of World War I hangs over the entire show. Most of the older male characters fought in that conflict, being irrevocably changed by the experience.
Likewise, the women were forced to run things and hold the country together while the young men were off fighting. The increasing social prominence of women is a recurring theme over the following seasons. With this quote, Polly is talking about defying Tommy's orders and doing what she believes best to resolve various situations, chiefly those concernin the relationship between Ada (Sophie Rundle) and the communist Freddie (Iddo Goldberg). She already has experience being in charge and does not so easily yield to Tommy's wishes anymore.
6 "Good taste is for people who can't afford sapphires."
Tommy Shelby, Season 3, Episode 1
Tommy receives a huge sapphire from the Russians as payment for his services, which he fashions into a necklace for Grace (Annabelle Wallis). It's an ostentatious and ludicrously expensive piece of jewelry and Grace worries that it might not be appropriate to wear it at their charity event. Tommy playfully dismisses her concerns. He doesn't care what people think and only wants to spoil Grace with whatever she desires.
However, the line also has a darker significance. Grace is shot soon after while wearing the sapphire and dies. Tommy is told that the stone was cursed, tugging at his deep-down Gypsy beliefs. Regardless of whether or not there truly was a hex on the sapphire, the object is still a symbol of Tommy's criminal lifestyle and the dangers it entails. Tommy's bad taste is his desire for power to the exclusion of almost everything else. He may be wealthy enough to afford such lavish items, but this comes with costs of its own.
5 "No Fighting. No F----- Fighting. No Fighting. NO F----- FIGHTING!"
Tommy Shelby, Season 3, Episode 1
On the lighter end of the spectrum is this famous line from the day of Tommy's wedding. He confronts his notoriously rowdy family members and instructs them in no uncertain terms to refrain from all violence, at least until the festivities are over. "Now for Grace’s sake, nothing will go wrong," he warns them. Other prohibited activities include sport, racing, fortune-telling, the ingestion of cocaine, and the theft of petrol out of the guests' cars.
To top it all off, a waiter accidentally bumps into Tommy at the end of his monologue, to which the crime boss violently overreacts. He can't even obey his own orders, it seems. The silliness is further bolstered by Arthur, who is munching on a carrot that he ultimately hurls at the poor waiter's head. The result is one of the series' funniest scenes; a rare oasis of jolliness in an infamously bleak show. It ranks among Peaky Blinders's most quoted moments and is a clear fan favorite.
4 "Already broken."
Tommy Shelby, Season 1, Episode 2
With this devastating line, Tommy tells Grace that he doesn't worry too much about his heart because it's already shattered. The quote is punchy and to the point - Tommy is great at using words economically. Here, he's referring to the litany of losses over the course of his life. Chief among them is the death of his love Greta of consumption before he shipped off to France. This was followed by the horrors of war and the deaths of friends and comrades. Tommy returns from the continent utterly transformed - cold and calculating where he was once sensitive and open.
He's indicating to Grace that he's already suffered so much that one more heartache is unlikely to tip the scales one way or another. The quote is also prophetic, however, as Grace will be killed and Tommy will be proven wrong: his heart could be broken further. The death of his wife is a devastating blow that sends him reeling, and one that he arguably never recovers from.
3 "I will wear high heels so that you will hear my approach on the cobblestones, and you will have time to repent."
Polly Gray, Season 5, Episode 3
Although Tommy is capable of ice-cold ruthlessness, Polly may have him beat when it comes to sangfroid and pure thirst for revenge. She proves this with her brazen murder of Inspector Campbell in broad daylight, for example. The viewer witnesses this again during the opening scene of Episode 3, where Polly confronts the corrupt authorities running a church orphanage.
She breaks the head nun's glasses and issues this venomous warning. It's an intense bit of dialogue, like something one would expect a vampire or demon to say. The reference to high heels is such a fantastic detail. Polly is certainly the kind of character who would dress sharp for vengeance. During this same exchange, Tommy also has some great lines. For instance, he tells the nun "There is God, and there are the Peaky Blinders [...] We're much, much closer at hand than God." In Birmingham, it's their judgment that matters most, and they are more than willing to follow through on their word.
2 "I have no limitations."
Tommy Shelby, Season 6, Episode 6
The show's final episode is one of revelations and confrontations. Tommy kills Michael and then disappears into the hills, believing he is close to death. However, a visit from Ruby's spirit reveals a shocking truth: a photo of Tommy's doctor with Mosley (Sam Claflin) and Diana (Amber Anderson) on their wedding day exposes the doctor's false diagnosis. Infuriated, Tommy sets out to confront the doctor but ultimately chooses peace over revenge. He returns to see his remaining possessions burn before riding away, leaving the saga behind.
After surviving a car bomb and shooting Michael dead, Tommy says simply "I have no limitations", a line he had uttered several times earlier in the show. He's not boasting, just simply recognizing that he's exceptionally good at being a criminal. His emotional life may be a wreck and there might be shadows on his conscience, but no one can deny his talent for playing the game of thrones.
1 "Don’t f--- with the Peaky Blinders."
Multiple characters, multiple episodes
"Don't f--- with the Peaky Blinders" is the closest the Shelbys have to a catchphrase. They repeat this warning many times, usually after punishing someone harshly for transgressing against them. Their line of work is a bloody business and their security depends upon people fearing them. This is why they repay every eye for an eye and every tooth for a tooth, even when they would sometimes prefer not to. If their enemies sensed weakness or a reluctance to use force, the Blinders' position would be challenged from all sides.
In fact, most of the show's drama stems from the fact that certain characters don't take heed of these words. They might wound the Peaky Blinders grievously, but the Shelbys almost always strike back even harder. Countless antagonists learn this to their horror, from Inspector Campbell to Luca Changretta (Adrien Body). Don't say the Peaky Blinders didn't warn you.
Peaky Blinders can be streamed on Netflix in the U.S.
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