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'Peaky Blinders' season 5 episode 6 review: Alfie Solomons is alive, but is Thomas Shelby dead?

Steven Knight’s Birmingham-based crime family saga talks its way into turmoil in the one-hour long last episode, but without any vim or vigor.

The review contains spoilers for 'Peaky Blinders' Season 5 Episode 6 — 'Mr Jones'.

'Peaky Blinders' is just a six-episode affair. This short run hurts the show as the showrunners wrapped up the fifth season on a messy note. There are only questions and no answers — and that is not even the biggest bummer. The sloppy ending does not do justice to the suspenseful and intense beginning. Steven Knight’s Birmingham-based crime family saga talks its way into turmoil in the one-hour-long episode, but without any vim or vigor.

The episode begins with a lovely tête-à-tête between prime minister Winston Churchill (Neil Maskell) and Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) as the former quizzes the latter: "You are forming an alliance with a fascist. But, in reality, you are not forming an alliance with him at all. You are spying on him. Why?" Churning out words of wisdom one after another, he recalls the time when Tommy was below the ground and he was above it in France but both were working towards the same end. "We are in the same situation here in Westminster," he tells him.

Family matters are complicated now. Michael Gray (Finn Cole) and Gina Gray (Anya Taylor-Joy) play absolute villains in the last episode and bringing Tommy's worst fears alive. "The Americans don't want a deal with an old-fashioned razor cap gang," he tells Tommy, explaining how it is time for him to see the situation for what it is — a natural succession of what must happen. Dishing out new plans for the business, Michael tells Tommy: "I will be the Managing Director and you can be the Executive Chairman. You will be addressed as Mr. Jones." However, Thomas shoves down his file in the fire.

Polly Gray (Helen McCrory) gives him a tight slap and in that shocking moment, Finn's expressions are simply on-point. Later in the episode, Pol hands her resignation letter to Tom — hinting on her possible involvement in her son's plans. Arthur (Paul Anderson), as usual, does justice to his fuming but emotional personality.

In another riveting plot twist, Alfie Solomons (Tom Hardy) is back and he tells Tommy: "Since my resurrection, I am considered to be God." The two have a chat about politics and Tommy reveals his master assassination plot asking for his help to use some of his Jewish gangsters in London to cause a commotion at Oswald Mosley’s (Sam Claflin) rally in Birmingham. It seems like the allegiance will make for a meaty plot in the next season. 

"There will be a war and one of you will die," Pol tells Tommy, referring to his war with Mosley. "But which one I cannot tell." As 'Ballad of a Thin Man' by Richard Hawley plays in the background, Thomas goes to ask a gypsy, "Tell me how my mother went." He finds out that suicide runs in his family. Does Thomas have a similar end in his fate? 

As Mosley's rally nears, Tommy's friend Barney Thompson puts the bullet in his gun and tries his hand at shooting after being behind the bars in the asylum for years. Guess what? He completely nails the shot! Mosley only enters towards the end of the episode and conquers the audience with his rousing speech. During the ensuing commotion, Jessie Eden comes back into the picture. As officers try to manhandle her, Thomas saves her and tells her, "You can do more damage from the inside," and adds, "Whenever I do a good thing, innocent people get hurt."

Until the very last minute, the suspense builds on. As the house bursts with thunderous claps after Mosley's speech, a mob breaks in and a huge fight breaks out. Barney has his aim stuck on Mosley but at the last moment, it is him who gets shot. Within a minute, the tables are turned and Aberama Gold is also killed. Tommy is infuriated, raging with fury like a lone wolf. Wandering about in the woods, Grace's ghost comes back to him and he attempts to shoot himself in the last frame. Is Tommy dead?

Cliffhangers can arouse one's curiosity but the last scene featuring Thomas only brings despair and despondency. And as fans wait for the sixth season, it will only be a long lull of hope to see Tommy back as the kingpin instead of his "supposed successor" Michael! Until them, remember Tommy's words: "I will continue until I find a man that I can't defeat."

Missed the review of the third episode? Read it here: 'Peaky Blinders' Season 5 Episode 5 — 'The Shock'.