We spoke with Peaky Blinders writer-creator Steven Knight ahead of the shows series four return…
Contains spoilers for Peaky Blinders series three.
Lets dolegends, says Steven Knight.
Its fantastic, its glamorous, its terrible and good the same as it is for everybody.
Knight didnt createPeaky Blindersto inspire pity; he created it to inspire awe.
Because to the people involved, he tells me, thats exactly what it is.
Things theyve done in the past bring them back.
Its Tommys job to get the family off the hook.
Thats what he has been trying to do from the first episode of series one.
Which is what led to that surprise ending to series three.
Tommy told Arthur Trust me, brother in that scene.
Are any of the family likely to trust Tommy ever again after that stunt?
Its difficult not to give too many things away, but as he said, theres a plan.
He did what he did for a reason.
He had already made a deal which I cant really go into.
In that scene, Tommy gave a great speech where he reasserted who he was.
Is that the Tommy we meet in series four?
Hes back to knowing who he is?
For Tommy, its look at the bank balance and thats how respectable I am.
Absolutely, because hes not distracted.
Hes not going to do that!
With Tommy, its always been about whether or not he has something to lose.
And hes still got his son so he does have that to lose.
In series four he gets confronted with a threat that is greater than any threat hes faced so far.
Theres your poster quote!
What kind of men does Arthur think they are?
Its the Joseph Kennedy route, if you like.
Was that part of the idea in bringing them out of Small Heath?
Theyre actually built on blood.
Tommy does exactly that.
The chaos is… you never felt Tommy was at peace in that house.
Is there more to say about that?
Polly realises that, shes not stupid.
The circumstances of series four explore an even deeper level.
Thats music to my ears.
[Laughs] We should have done that, that would have been great.
The things that are considered to be respectable have their roots in unrespectable things.
He represents the church, which is what Polly, until then, had always depended upon.
Yeah, and the father and the saviour and sacrifice.
Its as close as Christianity gets to animal sacrifice, that whole idea of the stag.
But its another level on which you’re able to watch this show, isnt it?
Your approach then is to create stories out of real events but to give them that mythological sheen?
Im sure its from the same place.
I dont know if that makes sense!
It makes perfect sense.
Ive never thought of writing like that but its an attractive idea.
The terribly poor things you know, whereas fromwithin, its nothing like that.
Youve got a real knack for surprise on this show.
The problem I have with that is that youre going into various familiar territories going West.
I was more interested in that and in four we will see another change of direction.
Mad exiled Russians with a sense of entitlement, definitely!
And much madder than anything one would dare put into fiction [laughs].
There was genuinely a princess living at… whats the name of that house?
The one by the Thames?
Id have to look it up [Wilderness House next to Hampton Court Palace]
That was all real.
[Laughs] Thats his first encounter with it and he learns its actually a curse.
The series three sequence using David BowiesLazaruswas my TV moment of the year.
Like a lot of people, Im a huge Bowie fan…
Oh, so am I.
It just felt like the perfect connection between a song and a storytelling moment.
You know, youre spoiled for choice.
The scene had already been written and so it was a natural fit.
I didnt have any idea.
Im amassiveBowie fan, always have been.
There was just such a synchronicity.
and he says somebodys going to die that day.
[Sigh]
I know!
I just cant believe… that there would beanyconnection between him and us.
Which year does series four start in?
We left them in 1924.
Were in 1926 in series four, so obviously the General Strike is an issue.
Im planning to jump ahead next series.
It depends if next series is the last one.
Series five could be the end of the story but it could go on?
It could go on, yeah.
Can we talk about the character of Ada?
Like Arthur, the redeemed Christian Arthur, shes another contradiction being a Marxist living in bourgeois comfort.
It feels like she could have a bit more to do in series four and five?
I was about to say, that sounds surprisingly hopeful for Peakies!
[Laughs] Youll see!
It is about the consequences of that intensity of feeling and how it can be creative and destructive.
Lastly on series four Adrian Brody and Aiden Gillan have joined the cast.
What would you say they bring to series four?
We try and pick great actors.
Both of those people are fantastic.
And Charlie Murphy as well, is brilliant.
Yes, and [joking] he stars in series four… No he doesnt!
[Laughs] Hes the new lead.
I dont see the connection but…
How do you approach pacing on the show?
Especially in series one and two, its incredible the trajectory of how quickly everything progresses.
Do you ever have discussions about burning through too much plot?
If there is an error in pacing, itscompletelymy fault.
What I try and do is to do it in an unconventional way.
Normally you tease something, set it up and pay it off.
Running instead of walking is the way to say it, probably.
I know withTaboo, you described it as impressionistic rather than figurative in terms of narrative.
In a way I didnt think they would, to be honest!
And its not just an intellectual audience, its all sorts of people who really like it.
Do you know what I mean?
Its just trying to make use of that, if possible.
Whats the earliest we can expect to see series two ofTaboo?
Im just doing it now.
Im trying to write it as quick as I can.
[Laughs]
You dont see that as limiting now then?
What I meant is that youcanwrite about that, but you might also write about other things.
Steven Knight, thank you very much!
Peaky Blinders series four starts on Wednesday the 15thof November at 9pm on BBC Two.
