The show is more like Peaky Blinders – which began life as an interesting look at social mobility in the 1920s, but increasingly became a meme of fragile masculinity – than Knight’s other work since retiring Tommy Shelby.
The result is a show that is lavish yet purposeful, bringing to life a world slipping inexorably from bare fists to boxing gloves, from savagery to the illusory modernity of Trump's beloved MMA.
And this is the central preoccupation of the show’s creator Steven Knight – who has been on a mad productivity frenzy since Peaky Blinders ended in 2022 – in bringing this untamed London vividly to life.
Behind her, Stephen Graham goes full Stephen Graham, his ageing prize-fighter another great gurning champ to add to a list that includes Rocky Balboa, Jake LaMotta and Micky Ward.
Still, A Thousand Blows promises to be a big hit for Disney+ and, after Shōgun, offers further evidence that the House of Mouse can compete with any channel in the world when it comes to engaging, adult drama.
