"Episode 2.5" is the fifth episode of Series 2 of Peaky Blinders and the eleventh episode overall. It aired on October 30th, 2014.
Summary
Alfie Solomons invites Arthur and Billy Kitchen over for Passover at the distillery. Things escalate rather quickly after Alfie sacrifices the goat named after Thomas, and shoots Billy Kitchen in the head. He has his men tie up Arthur Shelby Jr. and wait for the police to haul him off to jail for the murder of Billy Kitchen.
Meanwhile, Polly Shelby's son Michael Gray is thrown behind bars by Major Campbell for the burning down The Marquis of Lorne pub.
An infuriated Thomas meets with Campbell at a church. He simply informs Thomas that his reason for throwing Arthur and Michael in jail was to motivate Thomas to properly carry out his task.
Thomas receives a phone call from Grace. They agree to meet sometime soon.
Thomas has a family meeting where he is informed of the gang's business losses due to the coppers. John Shelby informs Thomas that The Eden Club (as well as their other pubs) has been raided by the coppers and returned to the ownership of Darby Sabini and Alfie Solomons. Polly tells Thomas that she will be taking Michael away from the Shelby family when he gets out of prison.
Realizing that Thomas won't get Michael out of prison soon enough, Polly takes the matter into her own hands. She offers to pleasure Campbell in exchange for releasing her son out of prison the next morning. The next day, Michael fails to understand the generosity of her sacrifice, and is instead embarrassed and disgusted by what his mother has done.
Grace Burgess lies to her husband and runs out to see Thomas, where after some abruptly harsh conversation, Thomas informs her that he simply wanted to skip past the Thomas takes her to see Charlie Chaplin in person. Thomas takes a highly satisfying moment to telephone Campbell and inform him that he is about to sleep with Grace. After they button up, Thomas asks to see Grace again and she informs him that she and her husband have been trying to have a baby, and that she may be the cause of her infertility. Thomas then urges her to tell her husband the truth.
John Shelby blows up the residence of Field Marshal Henry Russell in order to relocate the assassination that Thomas must carry out. Arthur gets released from jail thanks to John's efforts.
Thomas visits May Carleton to confesses that he still loves Grace and that they should break up, but May is unable to let him go.
Thomas reveals to Inspector Campbell that his new location of Henry Russell's assassination will take place at the Epsom racetrack on Derby day.
Music
"To Bring You My Love" by P J Harvey (Thomas goes to meet up with Grace)
"C'mon Billy" by P J Harvey (Thomas goes to see May)
"What He Wrote" by Laura Marling (Polly picks up Michael from prison)
Trivia
- The idea that Charlie Chaplin was a Gypsy, comes from a letter found in 2011 which claimed that he had been born in a Gypsy caravan at Black Patch Park in Smethwick, Staffordshire. Chaplin's son Michael has suggested that the information must have been significant to his father in order for him to retain the letter.
Quotes
"I’m shoveling shit to remind myself what I’d be if I wasn’t who I am." — Thomas Shelby takes a moment while thinking of how to get back at his enemies.
"You’ve tried to hang yourself twice, now the king’s going to do it for you.” — John Shelby has nothing but sympathy for his brother.
"Will you stop that noise?" — Major Campbell’s boudoir chat leaves much to be desired.
"This life is bad. This life is all bad." — Aunt Polly ... well, d’uh
"May, forget about men like me." — Thomas Shelby, you rogue, as if she could.
“You’ve told me about her like a gentleman, now kindly behave like a gangster again.” — May Carleton refusing to let Thomas go.