ThePeaky Blindersare among the more successful gangs onTV. While many members make this crime family what they are, much of their success comes down to their leader, Thomas Shelby. His brilliant stratagems and bold business moves have propelled the gang and those loyal to them to untold fortune. That said, no one is perfect.
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Over the past six series/seasons, Tommy has made some terrible blunders. These mistakes are especially noticeable given how smart he usually is. More importantly, they put his family in unspeakable danger. During such moments, even the most stalwart supporters of thePeaky Blinderswould call for new management.
7Encouraging John’s Savagery
John has always been the most impulsive Shelby brother. He likes the violence of gang life, and Tommy mostly lets him run rampant. This makes him overzealous, which is obviously a problem when a situation calls for subtlety and diplomacy.
This is most problematic when dealing with the Italians. Feeling possessive over a girl, John burns Vicente Changretta’s restaurant and publicly insults him. Rather than apologizing, he brutally attacks Vicente’s son and earns congratulations from Tommy. This increases hostilities and leads to the death of Tommy’s wife. This, in turn, sets off several other chaotic events. Stressing more finessewould have helped John in the long run.
6Sending John And Arthur
Tommy naturally wants revenge on Vicente Changretta. After all, the Italian engineered his wife’s death. To achieve his retribution, Shelby organizes an abduction so that he can privately execute his target. His mistake lies in whom he sends.
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Tommy dispatches Arthur and John to collect the Changrettas as they try to flee the country. The would-be kidnappers have reservations about it since Changretta’s wife was their elementary school teacher. That sentimentality prompts them to let her go free. Obviously, she would want payback, and that payback comes from her other son, Luca. He heads a group ofItalian mafia thugsin New York, and he brings a batch of them to England in retaliation. Had they left no one to tell the tell, the Shelby’s wouldn’t have targets on their backs.
5Trusting Alfie Solomons
Here’s a character who’s mainly stuck around for popularity. Alfie Solomons is a Jewish gang leader whom Tommy allies with on multiple occasions. Unfortunately, he betrays the Shelby’s every time. He gives them up to Sabini in Series 2, Father Hughes in Series 3, and Luca Changretta in Series 4. Anyone else would have met a brutal end for these back stabbings.
Against all logic, though, Tommy continues working with Alfie. It’s not like the wily Jew has any dirt on him; Shelby just seems to like the entertaining conversations they have. Admittedly, you may’t argue with that. Viewers enjoy these scenes, as well, especially with Tom Hardy’s eccentricitiesmaking Alfie a fan favorite. It still makes no sense from a business perspective.
4Not Telling His Family About Their Arrest
A last-minute surprise in Series 3 is the Shelby family’s arrest. Tommyoffers them up as a gesture to Parliament. Granted, he gets them out at the start of Series 4, but it’s right before their execution. Needless to say, they’re a little peeved.
Tommy could have avoided this resentment by keeping his family in the loop. He could have brought them around to the idea and allowed them to mentally prepare, assured that their confinement would be temporary. That experience wouldn’t have left them emotionally scarred and cause them to cut ties for a year. In turn, the Shelby clan may have been ready for the Italians' attack. Instead, divided they fall.
3Letting Michael Lose All His Money
At the end of Series 4, Tommy sends Michael to manage the Shelbys' interests in Boston. They don’t part on good terms; they do so due to lost trust. This defies the idea of keeping enemies close, but that’s just the beginning.
The following series sees the Great Depression hit. Tommy tells Michael to pull out of the stock market, but he holds on,losing much of the Shelby fortune in the process. The boss could have prevented this by sending someone to reinforce his demands. He doesn’t entirely trust Michael anymore, so why not have some insurance? This would make even more sense considering Michael doubtless harbors a grudge for being hung out to dry. Yet, Tommy is still shocked when the kid defies him. More shocking is that this isn’t the only task he puts in Michael’s spiteful hands.
2Not Securing Michael And Gina
Later, Tommy outlines a plan toassassinate Oswald Mosley, leader of the burgeoning fascist movement. Shelby would then take control of said movement and bring it down from the inside. It’s a delicate operation which relies on everyone playing their parts with precise timing. More importantly, it hinges on absolute secrecy.
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Michael and his wife, Gina, are present at the preemptive meeting, meaning that they hear the details. Tommy should have suspected they would leak the scheme or otherwise sabotage it. After all, he’d just spurned Michael’s bid to take over management of the Shelby interests, thus renewing his scorn of his elders. Plus, Gina is hopelessly ambitious and devoid of loyalty. She’d definitely push her husband to betray his family. Tommy is stupid enough to give them just the tool they need for their hostile takeover.
1Getting Involved With Grace
They say you can’t choose whom you love. If one could,Tommy probably wouldn’t have chosen a relationship this complicated. Though Grace starts as a bold barmaid, she soon reveals herself as a spy for the dogged Inspector Campbell. That quickly ends her and Tommy’s affair, and she later marries another man in America. Likewise, Shelby seems to move past this heartbreak.
The second series sees him involved with May Carleton, who can give him everything he can possibly want. She has loyalty, intelligence, and resources. For the cherry on top, she even likes horses.
When Grace comes back, though, Tommy dumps May at the first opportunity. In essence, he takes a huge step backward. His obsession with Grace, particularly after her death, causes him such deep unhappiness that it hampers his ability to lead. Nothing better exemplifies this than his forays into the wilderness, drugging himself just so he can see his late wife. To say that this relationship is unhealthy is an understatement.
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