---
title: "A Thousand Blows"
year: 2025
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/a-thousand-blows"
fi1m_id: "a-thousand-blows"
imdb_id: "tt21874900"
tmdb_id: 208851
wikidata_id: "Q117350441"
fi1m_score: 80
critics_score: 82
critics_reviews: 12
published: "2026-09-12"
updated: "2026-09-12T20:17:28.605156+00:00"
region: "DK"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# A Thousand Blows (2025)

Created by Steven Knight · Drama

## Identity

A Thousand Blows

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/a-thousand-blows
- **Type:** Series
- **Fi1m ID:** a-thousand-blows
- **IMDb ID:** tt21874900
- **TMDB ID:** 208851
- **Wikidata ID:** Q117350441
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21874900/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/208851, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117350441

**Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 82 from 12 reviews

*In a sentence:* The fists are alarming enough; then Erin Doherty starts talking

> Erin Doherty is the chief pleasure of this absorbing period crime drama, with Malachi Kirby and Stephen Graham close behind. We recommend it, though the crowded plotting and explanatory dialogue sometimes keep the actors waiting.

## Synopsis

In 1880s London, Jamaican immigrants enter an East End where bare-knuckle boxing and organised crime offer ways to get ahead. The drama follows Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby), boxer Henry ‘Sugar’ Goodson (Stephen Graham) and Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), leader of the Forty Elephants gang. Money and status are at stake as their ambitions develop, with race, class and gender shaping the opportunities open to them. The cast also includes James Nelson-Joyce as Edward ‘Treacle’ Goodson, Caoilfhionn Dunne as Anne Glover and Hannah Walters as Eliza Moody.

## Review

*A Thousand Blows* is an absorbing period drama that sometimes gets tangled in its competing stories. Set in 1880s London, it brings Jamaican immigrants, bare-knuckle fighters and the Forty Elephants gang into a struggle for money and status. Almost everyone wants more than their circumstances seem likely to allow, which gives the series plenty of reasons to keep moving. With Steven Knight among the writers, it has a taste for forceful dialogue, and the actors make the threats worth listening to.

Malachi Kirby gives Hezekiah Moscow the attention that a crowded drama needs at its centre. He makes the character’s ambition understandable without making every decision seem wise, which matters in a story so interested in survival. We keep wanting to know how Hezekiah will manage among people competing for power. The series is easier to follow whenever it gives Kirby room, because his performance keeps the personal stakes clear through the changes of storyline.

Stephen Graham, as Henry ‘Sugar’ Goodson, makes the boxing difficult to enjoy without some discomfort. His forcefulness suits a drama in which violence can bring money and standing, and he does not let the fighting become a harmless exhibition. We flinched at the bare-knuckle blows; the punishment makes the prospect of earning a living this way feel appalling. The fights are exciting, but Graham keeps us aware that the men involved have to live with what happens to them.

Erin Doherty’s Mary Carr gives the series its most reliable source of pleasure. Leading the Forty Elephants, she has the authority to make a conversation about criminal business as absorbing as a fight. Doherty handles the assertive dialogue without sounding as though she is waiting for approval after each line. We believe that other people would follow her, including when following her looks unwise, and that credibility carries the gang story through some of its less convincing writing.

Maja Meschede’s costume design gives the period setting much of its detail, with clothes that keep differences in status visible. The wider production gives the criminal activity a convincing place to happen, and the fights have the roughness the story needs. There is pleasure in how fully this London accommodates the different characters and their ambitions. The shifts between boxing and gang business can be lively, although the series sometimes moves on before a supporting story has had enough attention.

The writing is less sure when it explains the connections between class, race and gender. Knight and his fellow writers sometimes state what the unequal opportunities have already made clear, slowing a drama that otherwise likes to move. The competing stories compound that problem, because returning to a neglected character can require another stretch of explanation. We wanted the series to trust its cast more: Kirby, Doherty and Graham can make the struggle for money and control understandable without quite so much help.

As a boxing drama, *A Thousand Blows* has the sense to remain interested in what happens outside the fighting. The characters’ access to money and standing matters enough that a bout can carry more than the immediate question of who wins. That broader interest earns the space given to crime and social climbing, even when the divisions between stories need firmer handling. Stay with the cast when the explanations slow things down.

*Fi1m score 80, published 12 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics find A Thousand Blows an engrossing, violent period drama, with praise concentrated on its ensemble and its depiction of Victorian London. Erin Doherty’s Mary Carr draws the most consistent attention, while Kirby and Graham also receive strong notices. The boxing scenes, detailed setting and interwoven criminal stories supply much of the entertainment. Several reviews also credit the series with giving class, race and survival substantial attention alongside the fighting and scheming.

The reservations concern how well those stories hold together. Even favourable reviews note heavy exposition, uneven pacing and subplots that struggle for space; some find the plotting conventional despite the lively performances. The spread runs from emphatic enthusiasm to qualified approval, with Collider offering the clearest dissent: it finds the series unfocused and the Forty Elephants’ story insufficiently developed. Praise for the cast remains common ground even where confidence in the storytelling weakens.

## Straight answers

**Is A Thousand Blows worth watching?**

*A Thousand Blows* is worth watching for anyone who likes a period crime drama built on strong performances, and we scored it 80. Erin Doherty, Malachi Kirby and Stephen Graham carry it, though the crowded plotting and explanatory dialogue sometimes slow things down. Stay with the cast when the writing over-explains.

**Where can I watch A Thousand Blows in Denmark?**

*A Thousand Blows* is streaming on Disney+ in Denmark. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is A Thousand Blows, and is it suitable for children?**

*A Thousand Blows* is not suitable for children: it carries a TV-MA rating in the US and has no UK certificate. The bare-knuckle boxing is brutal rather than sporting, and we flinched at the blows, while the gang business brings threat and forceful talk. Teenagers used to adult crime drama may cope; the squeamish should be warned about the fights.

**How does A Thousand Blows compare to A Prophet?**

*A Thousand Blows* is the broader and busier of the two, spreading its story across boxers, gangs and Jamaican immigrants in 1880s London, where [*A Prophet*](https://film.one/film/a-prophet) keeps to one prisoner learning how power works. Audiard’s film is the tighter and more brutal piece, with far less room for swagger. Choose the series for its cast and period sweep, the film for concentration.

**What should I watch after A Thousand Blows?**

After *A Thousand Blows*, try [*A Prophet*](https://film.one/film/a-prophet) (2009, Fi1m 86): Another outsider learns how power works, with considerably less room for swagger. Then [*Gangs of Wasseypur*](https://film.one/film/gangs-of-wasseypur-part-1) (2012, Fi1m 83): Criminal families and inherited grudges make its sprawling story worth the time.

### Reviews we read (15)

- **The Telegraph**, Benji Wilson (5/5): The critic says it may be Steven Knight’s best yet, a brutal but blockbuster drama that crackles with nefarious possibility. They single out Erin Doherty’s star-making turn as Mary Carr. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2025/02/17/a-thousand-blows-disney-review/)
- **The Times**, Carol Midgley (★★★★★): The critic finds it rollickingly good and very moreish despite the violence. They single out Erin Doherty’s captivating performance as the queen of the Forty Elephants. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/a-thousand-blows-review-erin-doherty-disney-3pff7kn9c)
- **Vulture** (85/100, inferred): The critic finds season 2 a brisk, pulpy, and enthusiastically engrossing ride full of twists, heists, and strong characterizations that deliver adrenaline and entertainment. Narrative inconsistencies and lack of depth are acknowledged but do not detract from the overall enjoyment. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/a-thousand-season-2-tv-review.html)
- **The AV Club**, Christina Izzo (B+): The series is a promising Victorian-era bare-knuckle boxing drama from the Peaky Blinders creator, with strong performances and vibrant fight scenes that capture the grit of East End London. It excels in its heavyweight ensemble and detailed world-building but is weighed down by heavy exposition and some sidelined subplots. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/a-thousand-blows-review-tv-hulu)
- **Radio Times**, Morgan Cormack (4/5): The critic praises it as a rich and immersive world that stands on its own, highlighting the seamless intersection of stories and Erin Doherty's knockout performance as Mary Carr. They note it uses boxing to comment on class, gender, race, with some pacing issues but overall gripping. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/a-thousand-blows-disney-plus-review/)
- **Empire**, Nicola Austin (75/100, inferred): Positive take on Knight's historical drama, excellent lead performances especially Kirby and Graham, gripping plot and historical setting; notes it can feel unwieldy with many storylines but packs a punch. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/a-thousand-blows/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Daniel Fienberg (70/100, inferred): Entertaining if conventional; blends genres effectively but becomes conventional; excellent performances, well-produced, inspires further research. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/a-thousand-blows-review-steven-knight-hulu-1236140448/)
- **Evening Standard**, Adam Bloodworth: The critic calls it a fantastically entertaining stew that is chaotic and gruesome. They single out Erin Doherty’s complete shape-shift as Mary Carr as the standout reason to watch. [Read](https://standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/a-thousand-blows-disney-review-steven-knight-b1211226.html)
- **The Guardian**: The critic calls it a hugely fun journey into Victorian bare-knuckle fighting and a ripping yarn full of audacious dialogue. They single out the mesmerising performance of Erin Doherty as gang leader Mary Carr. [Read](https://theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/feb/21/a-thousand-blows-review-the-irresistible-new-boxing-drama-from-the-peaky-blinders-creator)
- **Variety**, Aramide Tinubu: The critic calls the series masterful and an intricate, fast-paced period drama about ambition, desire, and violence in 1880s London, centered on Jamaican immigrants, the Forty Elephants gang, and a ruthless East End boxer. It praises the show for delving into the era’s texture while exploring racism, sexism, greed, and revenge through compelling outsiders. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/tv/reviews/a-thousand-blows-review-hulu-1236312075/)
- **Paste**, Lacy Baugher Milas (8.8/10): The critic praises the gritty, modern-feeling Victorian drama for its visceral boxing, strong character work (especially Erin Doherty), diverse cast, and thoughtful exploration of class, race, and survival themes in a changing London. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/hulu/a-thousand-blows-review)
- **Digital Spy**, Janet A Leigh (80/100, inferred): The critic calls season 2 darker and grittier yet even better, with compelling performances (especially Graham and Doherty) and a richer, more grounded narrative that builds on season 1's strengths. It is described as unmissable with strong consequences and levity in the right places. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a69946847/thousand-blows-season-2-review/)
- **/Film**, Jeremy Mathai (80/100, inferred): The piece hails the series as a thrilling, well-crafted follow-up in the vein of Peaky Blinders, praising its fresh take on similar material, strong ensemble, and exploration of class, race, and survival in 1880s London. [Read](https://slashfilm.com/1801638/hulu-series-peaky-blinders-fans-need-watch-a-thousand-blows)
- **NME**, Gary Ryan (4/5): The critic finds the Victorian boxing drama a rollicking success that is much more than a Peaky Blinders retread, praising its blend of historical stories, strong performances (especially Erin Doherty), lavish production, and social themes around class, race, and survival. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/a-thousand-blows-review-stephen-graham-steven-knight-3838547)
- **Collider**, Maggie Boccella (6/10): The review calls the series a competent but unfocused period piece that fails to pack the same punch as Peaky Blinders, criticizing its lack of narrative focus on the Forty Elephants and incomplete storytelling while noting strong lead performances and diversity. [Read](https://collider.com/a-thousand-blows-review/)

## Details

- **Created by:** Steven Knight
- **Creator:** Steven Knight
- **Director:** Ashley Walters, Katrin Gebbe, Dionne Edwards, Tinge Krishnan, Nick Murphy, Coky Giedroyc
- **Writer:** Steven Knight, Ameir Brown, Harlan Davies, Yasmin Joseph, In-sook Chappell
- **Costume design:** Maja Meschede
- **Producer:** Barrington Paul Robinson, Stephen Haren, Jo Johnson
- **Cast:** Malachi Kirby as Hezekiah Moscow; Erin Doherty as Mary Carr; Stephen Graham as Henry 'Sugar' Goodson; Caoilfhionn Dunne as Anne Glover; Morgan Hilaire as Esme Long; Jemma Carlton as Belle Downer; James Nelson-Joyce as Edward 'Treacle' Goodson; Hannah Walters as Eliza Moody
- **Release (Denmark):** 21 February 2025
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAx_ARl_6tc

## Where to watch in Denmark

- Disney+: streaming, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-12.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *The Harder They Fall* (1956): A boxing drama with a clear eye for who profits from the punishment.
- *Widows* (1983): For women planning crimes while men leave them to deal with the consequences.
- *A Prophet* (2009), Fi1m 86: Another outsider learns how power works, with considerably less room for swagger. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-prophet.md)
- *Gangs of Wasseypur* (2012), Fi1m 83: Criminal families and inherited grudges make its sprawling story worth the time. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/gangs-of-wasseypur-part-1.md)
- *Warrior* (2019): Immigrant lives, criminal rivalries and brutal fighting keep another period city moving.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/a-thousand-blows