‘A Thousand Blows’ Review: Steven Knight Delivers Another Knockout Series

Steven Knight, the prolific screenwriter, director, and producer known for Peaky Blinders and Eastern Promises, returns to period television with another riveting series. A Thousand Blows is a six-episode pugilist drama set in grimy 1880s East London, where vicious gangsters rule the filthy and impoverished streets against a backdrop of ugly Victorian classism, racism, and sexism. The story follows three radically different protagonists as they try to get ahead in a literally cutthroat world. A banner ensemble becomes intertwined as schemes for a better life have devastating consequences.

Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) and Alec Munroe (Francis Lovehall) are overcome by bustling London as they step off their ship from Jamaica. The Black men in straw hats and plantation clothes realize their status as second-class citizens while searching for cheap lodging. They have little money but big dreams. Hezekiah convinced Alec, his best friend from childhood, to come along. They had nothing in Jamaica. Alec isn’t sure they’ll do better here, but he always has Hezekiah’s back.

Get in the Ring A Thousand Blows Drama 4 /5 Release Date February 21, 2025 Network Disney+ Cast See All Malachi Kirby Hezekiah Moscow Stephen Graham Sugar Goodson

In 1880s London, two friends from Jamaica, Hezekiah and Alec, find themselves entangled in the gritty underworld of illegal boxing. As Hezekiah rises in the ranks, he crosses paths with Mary Carr, leader of the Forty Elephants, and faces off against veteran boxer Sugar Goodson in a battle that extends beyond the ring.

Creator(s) Steven Knight Producers Stephen Graham, Steven Knight, Hannah Walters, Kate Lewis, Tom Miller, Damian Keogh Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) Hulu Powered by Expand Collapse Pros & Cons Superbly acted with jaw-breaking boxing scenes. Thoughtfully explores racism, classism, and sexism. Never a dull moment with swift pacing. Relies on chance in several key moments.

The pair observe an astonishing spectacle involving a screaming woman. A crowd gathers around her, but Hezekiah notices something else happening. Other women are pickpocketing the distracted gawkers. The woman at the center of attention suddenly springs to her feet and rushes away with the accomplices in tow. Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), “queen” of the all-female Forty Elephants gang, has masterfully struck again.

Hezekiah and Alec follow her to the ramshackle Dolphin Inn. Its proprietor, Lao (Jason Tobin), is surprised that Hezekiah can speak Mandarin Chinese. His grandmother was Chinese and many worked on the plantation back home. Lao allows Hezekiah to stay in the basement, where he promptly opens a window for Alec to sneak in. Street posters for bare-knuckle boxing lead the wide-eyed Jamaicans to the pub of Henry “Sugar” Goodson (an awesome Stephen Graham). They watch his brother, “Treacle” (James Nelson-Joyce), beat a man to a pulp while howling gamblers cheer. Can anyone survive a round for a few shillings? Mary, always observant and cunning, watches the Black strangers take the bet.

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Posts Sharp Dialogue Cuts Into the Underworld

A Thousand Blows plunges the viewer into East London’s criminal underworld with a banner first act in the pilot episode. You’re introduced to the primary characters, made keenly aware of their treatment, and thrust into the bloody boxing arc that drives the overall plot. Knight’s brilliance in building exposition through sharp dialogue is again in top form. Hezekiah and Alec aren’t fools to be snookered. They’re tough as nails but wary in an unfamiliar environment.

Hezekiah suffered through brutal British colonialism. He’s not quick to trust. Mary presents a beguiling enigma. Hezekiah sees something in her beyond ruthless machinations and nerve. Conversely, Mary, underestimated as a woman, can’t help but be intrigued by Hezekiah. He’s thoughtful and listens, two qualities she’s rarely found in men. Their burgeoning relationship raises alarms in both Alec and the ferocious Sugar. They don’t have a clue what Mary and her gang are really up to.

Jaw-Breaking Fight Scenes Close

A Thousand Blows has a complex and intricate narrative. Knight addresses societal issues while crafting elaborate subplots with many supporting characters. For example, Mary and the Forty Elephants are protected by Sugar on his turf. She has a long history with him that doesn’t involve romance, much to Sugar’s chagrin. He’s apoplectic when Mary begins to show an interest in Hezekiah. Crossing Sugar is tantamount to a death sentence. But Sugar is greatly mistaken in thinking Hezekiah and Alec are pushovers. He’s no longer the best fighter in East London.

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The boxing scenes surpass expectations. Kirby, Lovehall, and an absolutely shredded Graham deliver jaw-breaking punishment. The series tracks the birth of professional fighting, from bare-knuckle, no-holds-barred brawling, to gloved matches attended by wealthy elites. This is fascinating to behold. Sugar represents unbridled savagery. Hezekiah also comes from the school of hard knocks, but is willing to learn gentleman’s rules to get out of the gutter. The problem is that he’s a Black man considered inferior by his white competition. They are threatened by his skill and meteoric rise to fame. Every opponent he bests destroys the facade of white superiority. Both Sugar and Hezekiah, mortal enemies, are significant threats to the status quo.

A Banner Ensemble Cast

A Thousand Blows is superbly acted. Kirby is fantastic as an optimist refusing to be put in his place. This sentiment is shared by the scene-stealing Doherty. Mary’s a force of nature who takes whatever she wants — sex, money, power — through careful planning and iron fortitude. Her backstory shows the horrible conditions for women and children as the Industrial Revolution swept across Britain. Mary’s no boxer, but she can carve you to pieces if her gun doesn’t do the job. Her confidence and guile instills unwavering faith in the Forty Elephants that women deserve respect.

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Graham closes out the trio as a hammer with a broken heart. Sugar crushes anyone who opposes him, but a remarkable sadness and hurt lies behind his grizzled exterior. Each character goes through remarkable changes while hurtling to a stunning conclusion.

A Thousand Blows relies on chance at several pivotal junctures. This is especially noticeable in the events leading towards Mary’s eventual goal. Also, an important character is basically written to serve a singular purpose. It’s admittedly farfetched, but doesn’t derail the suspension of disbelief. The serialized nature of the show means that each episode ends on a cliffhanger. This is so well done, I had to binge the entire series in one day. A Thousand Blows is a production of The Story Collective, Matriarch Productions, and Water & Power Productions. All six episodes premiere February 21st on Hulu; watch it through the link below:

Watch on Hulu