Peaky Blinders - uses and gratifications

Peaky Blinders contains a thorough amount of information on historic events. The show is set in 1919, post World War 1, and presents the main protagonists in the narrative as having been left with this post dramatic stress due to the effect the war had on them, which is a historic event which gratifies the audience as it portrays what happened to people after the war. This is evident in the way that the characters speak to one another, as well as their violent actions. For example, Tommy Shelly (main protagonist) and his companions easily and brutally beat up a gang of gypsies. This demonstrates the scarring and psychological damage that the war left on them after coming home, which then gratifies the audience in a way that helps them gain insight into the effect that the war had on people.
A further example of historic events is the use of communism in the show, it is mentioned several times, and gives the audience the empathy for the poor characters, e.g. Tommy Shelly, as opposed to C.I. Chester Campbell who came out of the war comfortably rich. The use of communism helps the audience to understand the inequality between the classes, as opposed to most capitalist societies today, this is a further reason why the poorer characters are constructed as more corrupt. This also satisfies curiosity and general interest for the audience. It is also a gratification for active audiences, as they would read into this, in contrast to passive audiences who would get caught up in the narrative and find it harder to engage.

There are also gratifications such as identifying with already gained values. Even though the show is set in a different era, it still contains problems that appear in contemporary society today, known as retrophilia. This is evident when we discover that Ada has become pregnant outside of marriage, this is also a contemporary issue today. However it is more accepted in the world today than it was back in that era, women are not necessarily put to shame in this situation. This helps to create a contrast as well as a similarity between the time it was set in and the present.
In relation to this, there is also the portrayal of power that women now had. An example of this is the scene where Aunt Polly is shown towering over Tommy, yelling at him as he sits quietly with his head down. Usually, the men would be the ones in control over women, however in this case it is the other way around. Using another gratification of the rise in power women were beginning to have, that they now have in contemporary society.

Peaky Blinders Episode 2 - attracting the audience

Peaky Blinders, set in 1919, is a crime drama, revolving around a small group of men who started a gang after the end of WW1. It is set in the early days of Birmingham's construction. The first series contained only 6 episodes, as they didn't have the budget to make more.

Peaky Blinders is both a mainstream and niche text, meaning that it attracts passive as well as active audiences by using conventions that will appeal to both.

One way in which it appeals to a mainstream audience is the use of film stars. The male protagonist, Thomas Shelly, played by Cillian Murphy has played other well known roles in mainstream films such as Batman and Inception, this will therefore attract an audience that is familiar with him.
A second example of a well known film star would be C.I. Chester Campbell, played by Sam Neil, also known for his role as the main protagonist in the popular films 'Jurassic Park'. These well known actors have been used in order to attract a wider, mainstream audience, by using the fact that they will be familiar with them, and be interested in the series.

However, a way in which it attracts a niche audience would be the soundtrack used throughout. The period it is set in does not constantly relate to the non-diagetic music in the background. For example, when the gang and various others are shown throwing the king's pictures into a fire, the non-diabetic music in the background is very modern, rock music. This goes against the mainstream convention of using a soundtrack or score that is of the particular era it is set in. This is a niche convention, which attracts a niche audience.
In contrast, there is also continuous uses of fast paced music that builds, this allows the audience to be more passive.