Understanding Peaky Blinders and Its Audience

Relevance

• Particularly relevant for EDUCAS A-Level Media Studies (2024 onwards).

Entertainment Factors

• Crime Genre: Popularity due to gangsters and violence.
• Visual Spectacle: Period costumes and settings.
• Comparison to Other Shows: More violent and dark compared to shows like "Downton Abbey".

Educational Value

• Historical Context: Based on a real gang, the Peaky Blinders.
• Working-Class Representation: Focus on regional areas in Britain.

Audience Preferences

• Ofcom Research: BBC criticized for lack of regional representation in 2018.
• Social Commentary: Class, wealth, and poverty explored; appeals to left-leaning audiences.
• Escapism: Nostalgia and tradition.
• Representation:
  • Masculinity: Strong, aggressive male characters.
  • Feminism: Powerful female characters offering counter-typical gender representations.

Production Quality

• BBC Drama: Associated with high quality, attracting audiences.

Audience Reception

• Diverse Reactions:
  • Preferred Reading: Enjoyment of show’s elements.
  • Negotiated/ Oppositional Reading: Too violent, lack of historical accuracy, and disliked modern music choices.
  • Accent Issues: Inaccurate accents affected some viewers.

Cultural Impact

• Tourism: Increased in areas featured in the show.
• Fashion: Popularization of styles from the show.
• Fan Engagement: Costumes, themed events, and a festival in Digbeth.

Fan Participation

• Online Engagement: Behind-the-scenes content and social media interaction.
• Fan Creations: Fan fiction and art, with BBC-held competitions.
• Streaming Services: Available on Netflix and Prime, attracting modern audiences.

Celebrity Influence

• Cast: Famous actors like Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill, Tom Hardy attracted fans.

Conclusion

• Guide Overview: Encourages checking out related videos and suggests leaving comments for new content ideas.