If there’s one thing you could never accuse Steven Knight of, it’s being complacent.
Since the conclusion of Peaky Blinders, the British writer-director has dutifully served as television’s most prized workhorse, churning out everything from SAS: Rogue Heroes and a Great Expectations adaptation for the BBC; to mystery-thriller The Veil and boxing drama A Thousand Blows for FX/Disney+, respectively.
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Somewhere along the way, Knight also plans to produce a series about the rise of Ferrari, pen an undisclosed Star Wars movie, and roll cameras on a feature-length continuation of Peaky Blinders. But before he dives headfirst into any of that, the man is delivering yet another period drama about a family in Birmingham with BBC’s This Town.
At a glance, this shares some DNA with Peaky Blinders, though a closer examination will tell you it couldn’t be more different. This Town follows an extended family who are drawn into an “explosive and thrilling music scene in the Midlands” during the 1980s.
As per the official description: “Set in a world of family ties, teenage kicks, and the exhilarating music of a generation, This Town tells the story of a band’s formation against a backdrop of violence, capturing how creative genius can emerge from a time of madness.”
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Steven Knight’s forthcoming six-part affair — which you may recall issued a casting call for skinheads a year or so ago — stars Levi Brown as Dante Williams, Jordan Bolger as Gregory Williams, Ben Rose as Bardon Quinn, Eve Austin as Jeannie Keefe, Michelle Dockery as Estella, Nicholas Pinnock as Deuce Williams, David Dawson as Robbie Carmen, and Geraldine James as Marie.
This Town represents Knight’s most personal project to date; having described it as a “love letter” to the area he grew up in, during an era he “loved through and [knew] well” involving “characters” who he grew up with.
In terms of a release date, it’s scheduled to premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on March 31st, 2024. Keep an eye out here for updates on an Aussie release (our money’s on Binge).
