Peaky Blinders: Every Season Ranked Worst To Best (According To IMDb)

The tale of Tommy Shelby and his notorious Birmingham gang might have come to an end, but fans can get to enjoy series creator Steven Knight’s new work. Knight is now steering the new BBC drama, SAS: Rogue Heroes, which he, himself, has admitted is quite similar to Peaky Blinders (via Radio Times).

Whether Knight’s new series will live up to the glory of his former one remains to be seen. Overall, Peaky Blinders is close to perfect, something that’s reflected in the IMDb episode ratings, which are all above 8.0. But per IMDb average, some seasons had more high-stake crimes, dangerous opponents, and tense Shelby drama than others.

6/6 Season 6 – 8.5

The season sees Captain Swing emerge and take credit for one of the most heartbreaking Peaky Blinders deaths, that of Polly Gray. Tommy’s daughter, Ruby, also dies while his relationship with Michael worsens, leading to the latter getting killed. In the end, Tommy tries to kill himself after being told he has inoperable tuberculoma only to discover it was all a lie.

With an 8.5 rating, Season 6 is still better than what most shows have to offer. However, it falls short of the show’s standards and there are a couple of reasons why. The season’s major flaw is that Tommy is plagued by personal problems rather than those brought out by foes. Compared to other seasons, the Birmingham gangster also has no major adversary to face off against. Mosley is used sparingly while Captain Swing doesn’t live up to the reputation that had been set for her. Nothing major happens in the finale either, hence eliminating the possibility of it being discussed for years like that of The Sopranos, for example.

5/6 Season 1 – 8.5

The Peaky Blinders appropriate a cache of weapons from an arms factory only for it to emerge that they belong to the government and that they were meant for export to Libya. Winston Churchill thus sends the Royal Irish Constabulary’s Inspector Campbell to retrieve them, leading to a cat-and-mouse game between him and Tommy. Elsewhere, Tommy falls in love with Campbell’s undercover agent, Grace.

The season also ranks lower because the show is still finding its footing while laying a foundation. The traits and views of the main characters aren’t clear from the start. Viewers have to dive into a couple of episodes to understand why Arthur can’t control his temper or why Ada Thorne keeps disagreeing with the family. And even though Campbell is no weak villain, Tommy easily runs circles around him, compared to how he fares against his other foes. The alternative antagonist, Billy Kimber, is all talk and no action either. On a positive note, one of the best Peaky Blinders couples is born in the season.

4/6 Season 2 – 8.6

A new adversary emerges in the form of the Italian mobster, Darby Sabini, whose men beat up Tommy, resulting in his hospitalization. Polly’s son, Michael, also reunites with her while May emerges as a new love interest for Tommy in Grace’s absence. Polly also manages to kill Campbell, finally ending one of the biggest threats the family had ever faced. Most importantly, one of the coolest Peaky Blinders characters, Tom Hardy’s Alfie Solomons is introduced.

The introduction of Alfie boosts the series greatly as it not only helps draw in new viewers, thanks to Hardy’s star power, but also boosts the dialogue. Most of Alfie’s quotes are golden and after his introduction, many other characters try to keep up, too. As the first person to cause physical harm to Tommy, Sabini also comes off as very impressive. Additionally, Tommy’s relationship drama helps dilute the dark, concentrated, atmosphere brought about by the constant killing and brutalizing.

3/6 Season 5 – 8.7

The stock market crash in the US causes the Peaky Blinders’ businesses in the country to suffer, and it’s all Michael’s fault. This results in bad blood between him and Tommy. The protagonist is also introduced to Oswald Mosley, resulting in an uneasy alliance. A newly formed friendship between Tommy and Winston Churchill, later on, influences him to attempt to assassinate Mosley, only for the plan to fail.

Season 5 stands out because it brilliantly blends business, politics, and gang hostility. Tommy’s dilemma as he tries to avoid being roped into the British Union of Fascists is entertaining to watch, and so is watching him have intellectual conversations with one of the most adored historical figures. Additionally, it’s refreshing to see a villain get the better of Tommy without using violence. The season is also packed with captivating subplots, notably that of the “Angels of Retribution.”

2/6 Season 3 – 8.7

Tommy and Grace get married, only for her to get killed. The evil priest, Father Hughes, also becomes a pain in Tommy’s neck and an attempt to kill him is foiled because of a confession Polly made to another priest while drunk. During his war with Father Hughes, Tommy also gets betrayed by Alfie but chooses to spare his life after realizing he’ll be useful later on.

Few would have thought that a priest would turn out to be one of the deadliest Peaky Blinders villains but that’s what happens, with Hughes proving to be both intelligent and ruthless. Like Sabini, he earns baddie points by injuring Tommy and putting him on the sidelines for a couple of months. Because of Grace’s death, it’s easier to sympathize with Tommy in season 3, too. The season also has one of the best finales in the entire series, in which several Blinders are arrested and set the stage for the emergence of the iconic New York mobster, Luca Changretta.

1/6 Season 4 – 9.0

Mobster Luca Changretta shows up in Birmingham to get revenge for the murder of his father at the hands of Blinders. After Changretta’s men kill John, Tommy meets with the mobster and makes an agreement to keep children out of the war. For the rest of the season, Luca keeps trying to take down the Blinders, but he is eventually outsmarted and killed by Tommy.

Plot-wise, season 4 is arguably the simplest storytelling, yet it’s the most adored. Though nothing much happens outside the “Hunter Vs Hunted” plot, the events are intriguing enough to make them unforgettable. Furthermore, the season’s action sequences are far much better than what’s on offer in the rest of the series. Most importantly, there is the perfect happy ending, with Tommy not only winning against a foe that had instilled fear in his family but also making the transition into politics in the finale.

NEXT: The 10 Best Peaky Blinders Quotes, According To Reddit