Erin Doherty's Dominance Hides the Weaknesses in 'A Thousand Blows' Season 2
The second season of Steven Knight's 'A Thousand Blows' is a cautionary tale about how even the most talented actors can be overwhelmed by a weak script. Erin Doherty, who shines as the wily and tough-as-boots pickpocketing queen Mary Carr, is back to her old tricks in this outing, but the show itself struggles to keep up.
While season one had its issues with heavy-handed exposition, season two tackles more mature themes such as colonialism, racism, and class. The introduction of a real-life crime syndicate, the Forty Elephants, adds a layer of novelty that elevates the series. However, the tone is now more depressing than punchy, which may deter some viewers.
Doherty's co-star, Stephen Graham, fares better as the troubled boxer Henry "Sugar" Goodson, whose downward spiral is both heartbreaking and infuriating. Malachi Kirby shines as the charismatic Jamaican fighter who disrupts Sugar's world. The rivalry between Sugar and his brother Treacle adds a compelling layer of family dynamics.
The real star of the show, however, remains Mary Carr, played by Erin Doherty. Her portrayal is magnetic, and her character's complexities are expertly woven throughout the narrative. Doherty's talent is evident in her nuanced performance, but it's also clear that she can carry a weak script on her back.
The season's narrative backbone revolves around Mary's planned heist of a Caravaggio, which brings together her disbanded band of lady thieves. Hezekiah's comeback takes longer to materialize, and even then, his journey is marked by self-doubt and insecurity. The show's action scenes are plentiful, but the stakes seem low, making it difficult to become invested in the characters' fates.
Ultimately, 'A Thousand Blows' Season 2 feels like a missed opportunity. With Doherty's phenomenal performance at its center, the show could have explored deeper themes and emotions. Instead, the narrative is muddled, and the characters are left to carry the weight of their own personal demons. While fans of season one will likely find some enjoyment in this outing, new viewers may struggle to get invested in the series.
The second season of Steven Knight's 'A Thousand Blows' is a cautionary tale about how even the most talented actors can be overwhelmed by a weak script. Erin Doherty, who shines as the wily and tough-as-boots pickpocketing queen Mary Carr, is back to her old tricks in this outing, but the show itself struggles to keep up.
While season one had its issues with heavy-handed exposition, season two tackles more mature themes such as colonialism, racism, and class. The introduction of a real-life crime syndicate, the Forty Elephants, adds a layer of novelty that elevates the series. However, the tone is now more depressing than punchy, which may deter some viewers.
Doherty's co-star, Stephen Graham, fares better as the troubled boxer Henry "Sugar" Goodson, whose downward spiral is both heartbreaking and infuriating. Malachi Kirby shines as the charismatic Jamaican fighter who disrupts Sugar's world. The rivalry between Sugar and his brother Treacle adds a compelling layer of family dynamics.
The real star of the show, however, remains Mary Carr, played by Erin Doherty. Her portrayal is magnetic, and her character's complexities are expertly woven throughout the narrative. Doherty's talent is evident in her nuanced performance, but it's also clear that she can carry a weak script on her back.
The season's narrative backbone revolves around Mary's planned heist of a Caravaggio, which brings together her disbanded band of lady thieves. Hezekiah's comeback takes longer to materialize, and even then, his journey is marked by self-doubt and insecurity. The show's action scenes are plentiful, but the stakes seem low, making it difficult to become invested in the characters' fates.
Ultimately, 'A Thousand Blows' Season 2 feels like a missed opportunity. With Doherty's phenomenal performance at its center, the show could have explored deeper themes and emotions. Instead, the narrative is muddled, and the characters are left to carry the weight of their own personal demons. While fans of season one will likely find some enjoyment in this outing, new viewers may struggle to get invested in the series.
but it kinda fell flat for me. Erin Doherty is still on fire as Mary Carr tho 
her character's complexity is so interesting to watch and she carries the show with ease, even when the writing isn't that strong. The addition of the Forty Elephants crime syndicate was a cool twist! 
but overall, I think the tone got a bit too depressing and it's hard to get invested in the characters when they're just kinda stuck in their own personal struggles. The action scenes were sick tho 
and Stephen Graham's performance as Sugar was amazing... I wish the script had given him more to work with, though! 
. doherty's mary carr is def the highlight of this season, but sometimes u just wish she'd have a better supporting cast, ya know? 
what's up with hezekiah's come back tho? feels like it's just an afterthought 
. like, i love how complex she is and how her character is woven throughout the season but cmon, can we pls get some better writing on top of that talent? 
the rest of the cast is great too btw, Stephen Graham's Henry "Sugar" Goodson is so heartbreaking 
. and omg, the rivalry between Sugar and his bro Treacle is literally the best thing since sliced bread 
here's a quick diagram to illustrate my point:
but the rest of the show needs some serious work 
season 2 feels like just another episode of mary carr's adventures, instead of something more substantial 
i mean, i get that it's not supposed to be all sunshine and rainbows, but can't they at least try to tackle some real issues? 
! She's like a breath of fresh air as Mary Carr, but I'm still waiting for the rest of the show to catch up with her level of talent 
. Still, Doherty shines so bright that she makes up for some of the show's shortcomings 
. If they'd just figured out how to balance the tone and the plot, this could've been something special 
.
.
. She brings so much depth and nuance to the character, it's like she's carrying the whole show on her shoulders 
. And don't even get me started on how much I wish Hezekiah's storyline was more fleshed out – it feels like a missed opportunity to explore some really interesting character dynamics 
.
. The writers are trying too hard to tackle heavy themes like colonialism and racism, but it feels forced and heavy-handed 
. And don't even get me started on the action scenes – they're just a bunch of chaos with no real stakes or tension 
. I mean, what's the point of all this drama if we're not invested in the characters' fates? 
maybe if they'd focused more on Mary's character & less on the super generic "tough woman" trope, we would've gotten something real 
. But, you know, I'm still a bit miffed that the script is kinda lacking. They're trying to tackle some heavy themes like colonialism and racism, but it feels like they're not quite hitting the mark. The show's all over the place, tone-wise - sometimes it's dark and gritty, other times it's just... meh 
. And Malachi Kirby is great as the Jamaican fighter who shakes things up. So yeah, I'll still watch season 2 just to see Doherty do her thing again 
, but I wish they'd taken some more risks and really made this script shine 
.
. But honestly, the whole show feels like it's just going through the motions. The script is so weak, I mean, I get what they're trying to do with colonialism and racism, but it's all so heavy-handed and lacking in subtlety 
. It's like, I want to see more of Mary's world, you know? But instead we're just stuck in this muddled narrative that's hard to care about 
.
. The script is all over the place and the story is just meh. It's like they took a bunch of cool ideas and mashed them together without really thinking it through 
It's all just kinda meh, you know? 
his character's descent into madness is SO compelling! also, malachi kirby's charm is infectious