Peaky Blinders

What's it about?

Set in 1922, this British drama follows a powerful gang from Birmingham headed by the Shelby family. After building up a betting shop and expanding their criminal empire to London, family boss Tommy Shelby faces a new challenge when he finds himself being controlled by a secretive branch of the British Government.

The facts

• Directed by Tim Mielants
• Stars Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Tom Hardy, Sophie Rundle and Joe Cole
• English language
• Runtime: ~60 minutes

Why did it get this rating?

This series was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office. You can find out more about the classification process and ratings here.

Sex scenes and nudity

Characters attend an orgy, with breast and buttock nudity, and visible sexual activity in the background, including implied oral sex. A couple engages in dangerous choking while moving with their partner, shown up to the moment they finish.

Other sex scenes include two clothed characters moving on a desk, and two characters in bed before being interrupted. There are also crude sexual references to “being sucked dry”, a remark regarding someone’s “cock”, and someone talks about a character who placed a “large sapphire into her body for pleasure”.

Violence

Characters are punched, kicked and thrown, leaving them bloodied and hurt. Gun violence is accompanied by blood sprays and splatter, with squelchy sound effects implying serious injury, though the worst moments are typically obscured or just off screen.

A character's head is slammed into a church pew, bloodying their face. The other character slashes their face with a knife and cuts their throat, with visible blood and a red wound on their neck.

A character beats a rival and their bodyguard, including a prolonged attack with a weighted baton, before slashing another character's face with razor blades hidden in his hat.

A man is threatened with torture then executed with a bullet to the head. This is sudden and bloody.

A frightened character is briefly held by gangsters who tie a noose around their neck and hold their nose shut, though the scene cuts away quickly.

Drug Use

Drug use is shown in some detail. A pregnant woman snorts cocaine from her hand and is later told off by her husband. An injured character turns to snorting cocaine and smoking hashish to deal with pain. A character snorts cocaine through a rolled note. A subplot follows a character struggling with alcoholism and drug abuse.

Offensive language

‘F**k’ used to intimidate and threaten.

When content stays with you:

• We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.
• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?