With a title as eye-catching as “A Thousand Blows,” one can only imagine the premise of the newest series from both Hulu and “Peaky Blinders” mastermind Steven Knight. A helium balloon-inflating contest may come to mind, but where Knight may have left money on the table by disregarding such a tantalizing premise instead sees the small & large screen veteran turn his focus back towards a similar setting as the early-20th century British locale of ‘Blinders,’ again taking inspiration from a real-life group of lowlifes interspersed with fictional plotlines covering the likes of immigration, culture shock and (checks notes) underground, bare-knuckle boxing. It is from the latter that the show seems to have acquired its name, but the greatest fight unfolding onscreen appears to take place between those narrative threads competing for attention, with little holding everything together to suggest the entire project may very well fall apart at a moment’s notice.
Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) has just arrived in London’s East End, fresh off the boat from Jamaica with fellow immigrant Alec (Francis Lovehall) in tow. With a job lined up at a nearby zoo, the two set about attempting to secure lodging while witnessing the seedy underbelly that is life on the streets at or near the turn of the century. A scant minute or two has elapsed before Hezekiah witnesses a woman apparently giving birth in the street, at the same time noticing several other women taking advantage of the distraction by working a pickpocketing ring amongst the fracas. This would turn out to be the Forty Elephants, a group of female thieves led by “Queen” Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), that same woman who just moments earlier had just produced the miracle of life before a crowd of passers-by. 
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Hezekiah has no time for any of this; not long after finding a room to rent at the same boarding house used by the Forty Elephants as something of a staging ground for their various misdeeds, he and Alec soon decide to follow up on a flyer advertising a backroom boxing match, with the promise of a few shillings for whoever can defeat opening act Treacle Goodson (James Nelson-Joyce) and, eventually, his vastly formidable brother Henry (Stephen Graham), going by the nickname “Sugar. “Both Henry and Hezekiah come from backgrounds not far removed from one another, though Hezekiah’s went in a far more severe direction as it’s seen in flashbacks how he was forced to flee his homeland following a forced occupation by enemy forces and the subsequent execution of his family; Henry, meanwhile, seems to only want for his brother’s protection.
All comparisons aside, Hezekiah triumphs in his match with Sugar as Alec’s attempt in the ring ends in defeat. However, this all remains a narrative detour as Hezekiah wishes to pursue that not-to-be-forgotten job at the zoo. Unfortunately, as the series premiere wraps, this job, believed to have been taming lions, soon reveals itself as anything but, and as an enraged Hezekiah storms from the premises, he now sets his sights on further success in another round with Sugar. Will Mary see something in this Jamaican transplant, possibly as a pawn for her next big score? 
The layers enveloping “A Thousand Blows” add up quickly; one would be forgiven if unraveling each in an effort to reach the core message might be seen as difficult. No fault can be found in the atmosphere, perfectly capturing the period whether it’s in two characters walking along the alleys and cobblestone streets of the East End or when the action shifts indoors, sometimes evoking a genuine sense of claustrophobia. Each cast member delivers in their own way, with Doherty’s Mary a compelling character in demonstrating something akin to compassion for Hezekiah or her underlings, or what could be seen as malice, such as a moment where sabotaging Hezekiah’s boxing career becomes necessary for the sake of his own life. Her interactions with Sugar bleed tension, as seen when she suggests the poorly-received idea of the boxer adopting gloves, and when Sugar himself matches wits with Hezekiah in an effort to suggest he throw their next fight, the tension shifts. Credit where credit’s due, everyone onscreen does just fine. 
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If only a story existed onto which one could latch. When the setting moves in Episode Three to the far-more affluent West End, as Hezekiah and Mary take a field trip of sorts, a new kind of culture shock emerges, with the brightness of these scenes contrasting the dour East End beautifully; sadly, it’s not enough, and any attempt to grasp at your favorite plotline will only result in another forcing its way into one’s clutches. Steven Knight has proven himself a worthy storyteller, a master of the craft, and an undeniable artist, but with “A Thousand Blows,” it’s evident he’s unsure which brush he should use to produce his vision. [C+]