4.

How do anti-hero dynamics contribute to the complexity and

distinctiveness of long-form TV?

"I'm not a traitor to my class; I am just an extreme example of what a working man can

achieve." – Thomas Shelby.

This essay will explore the term anti-hero, what constitutes an anti-hero and how anti-

hero dynamics contribute to the complexity and distinctiveness of long-form TV. This

essay will closely analyse the anti-hero and spectator relationship through the television

series Peaky-Blinders. This essay will explore the spectator text relationship through

attribution theory and Cognitive film theory.

Antiheroes are narrative protagonists that exhibit antisocial behaviours and often

contravene morals. An antihero is motivated to do heroic deeds for personal and selfish

gains. They often feel disassociated from the society and go down a self-destructive path

that may lead to isolation or death. Nevertheless, the spectators still support and root for

Antiheroes, e.g. Walter White from Breaking Bad, Sherlock homes, The professor from La

Casa de Papel. Antiheroes deepen the engagement of a spectator by being morally

condemnable protagonists. The narrative structure compels the spectator to develop a

liking towards the antihero with film techniques (editing, cinematography) and emotional

back stories. (Justifying the characters decisions and actions)

According to The Attribution theory, the narrative structure serves as an antecedent factor

that determines internal and external factors, resulting in the antihero's detrimental

behaviour. This theory focuses on how individuals explain the causes of behaviour. E.g. Is an

individual furious because they have a temper or did some external stimulus cause it?
Internal attributes negatively predict character liking, whereas external attributions are

positive predictors. (Tamborini) When a show wants the spectator to admire the characters,

they might apply the attribution approach to indicate that external factors have led the

protagonist to behave this way. This concludes that character representation can bias the

spectator's view of an antihero and eliminate or suppress moral judgment. 

Lawrence Kohlberg introduced a widely accepted framework of the different levels in which

people can reason morally. Kohlberg identified three levels, which are the pre-conventional,

conventional, and post-conventional levels. At the pre-conventional level, individuals

behave in a way that provides the best rewards. Their morality juggles the concept of good

and bad how much it satisfies their own, and occasionally, others’ needs. (Kohlberg)

Individuals in the conventional level are fidelities to the community’s laws and rules,

regardless of what they are. At the post-conventional level, where most antiheroes

infamously fall under, the moral values and principles individuals uphold are independent of

the authority of Burnett, which is the community that holds them. Their ethical principles

are abstract, where their decisions are the by-product of logical extensions of said

principles. While they are aware of the community’s view of morality, they will turn to their

inner values to make a moral decision. (Burnett)

The cognitive film theory involves the spectator with the screen text by engaging their

mental processes both consciously and subconsciously.( Bordwell) In accordance to

Bordwell’s Cognitive Film theory, the narrative leads us to sympathize with the antihero and
how they were treated harshly in the past. The information fed to the spectator in fabula

time enables the spectator to connect with the character and further justify their violent

acts. Syuzhet is the text that unfolds on the screen, whereas Fabula is the sequence that

enables the viewer to piece the text together through their cognitive processes. Antiheroes

act out of self-interest and are highly manipulative. They are observant, critical thinkers and

may have some good characteristics. An excluded antihero seeks acceptance. The moralistic

antihero wants to beat the system, e.g. Punisher, Batman and the corrupt antihero is

obsessed with power and fame, e.g. Tony Soprano, Thomas Shelby. 

Corrupted Protagonist: Toxic Masculinity, Glorification of Criminality, and unconventional

aesthetics in Peaky Blinders. (Jason) Peaky Blinders is a passé crime drama TV show created

by Steven Knight. The series is set in Birmingham, England, and follows the workings of the

Shelby crime family in the immediate aftermath of World War I. In this television series,

Thomas Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, is an antihero protagonist aired on Netflix.

Thomas Shelby served as a tunneller in the world war and suffered from PTSD. He lives in a

corrupt society, but he acts out of his self-interest, and everything seems disposable to him.

Thomas Shelby is highly calculated and manipulative; Shelby protects his family and is loyal

to them but later in the series it becomes an obligation rather than kindness. Family

members in the Shelby family are portrayed as romantic outlaws and nationalist oppressors,

which represents British identity as both progressive and regressive at the same time. Both

periods used the fable that males fight to show that they are masculine. Shelby family

demonstrates power and wants to create an empire. Even when they walk together in a

group, they still assert dominance. I will analyse shots and explain how the mis-en-scene

helps create an affect of power and dominance in peaky blinders with the spectators.
The show plays on the early myths that men must be violent and aggressive to be more

masculine.

These two shots are relatively similar in terms of camerawork, both are mid shots from a

side-on perspective that emphasise the group of men as a “gang” with a sense of

synchronisation and uniform between the members. Both shots are at a slight low angle

which establishes more power and control for the characters in the group by giving them

the appearance of being more intimidating and over-bearing. The aspects of Mise-en-scene

used in both shots also contribute towards this overall feeling of unity, very similar

costumes and through darker colours worn by the gang contrasting with their surroundings.

The use of lighting in the shot on the left tells us a lot about these characters, the high

contrast/harsh flare of light coming from the top right symbolises the groups anger and

aggression whilst also carrying the connotations of fire, which suggests the destructive or

spontaneous nature of the gang. The way the lighting hits the gang also suggests that these

characters are stubborn, and un-moved by destructive or explosive surroundings which

gives us an insight into their potentially violent past. The shot on the right uses the rule of

thirds to outline the most powerful member in the group and create a sense of hierarchy

and leadership through that character. Although he does not necessarily stick out from the
other members, we make the subconscious assumption that he is the leader because of his

positioning in the frame which gives him more power than the others.

This extreme long shot establishes the

mystery and bleakness surrounding the gang

by using the reflection in a puddle to create

a sense of disorientation that emphasises

the groups collective enigmatic presence.

The use of fire and its connotations, similarly to the shot in the top left also creates a very

aggressive, contrasting feeling to an otherwise very bleak and dull setting. The connotations

of this fire, however, are more hellish, as the fire seems more broken and infernal. The high

contrast lighting in the middle of the shot could also be symbolic of the flare and

determination of the group, as it seems to run along the same path as the men. The frame

appears to be upside down, which seems to give the shot a surreal and dream-like aspect.

The gang has a massive amount of head space collectively, which emphasises their control

and dominance over the surrounding area by outlining their importance as they are the only

focus of the shot, which is otherwise empty.

As Martin states that “Third Golden Age” in terms of how the shows were produced and

what they represented, were motivated by a notably gendered male angst embedded in a

post-feminist ideology. (Martin) Shows like The Wire, Sopranos play on a similar ideology.

Peaky Blinders takes place after the WW1 and plays on the notion of men returning from

war unable to fit in the society “Damaged Men” and are attracted to organized crime and

build an empire. (Evan) Thomas served as a tunneller in WW1, after the war he suffered

from PTSD and did not fit in the society. He labelled himself as “already broken” and this
gave an unsaid justification to the spectators for his heinous crimes. During times of war,

confusion, and devastation, the anti-hero has become increasingly popular. Following world

war, we saw a rise in anti-heroic soldiers as a result of their wartime experiences and their

inability to rehabilitate into community and stable life after enduring serious experiences

that the average individual can never comprehend. (Evan)

Since the beginning of the show, Thomas Shelby is introduced as a powerful man and his

pain and emptiness can be determined through his conversations. As an antihero

protagonist Thomas Shelby has many layers which are yet to be explored. This is one of the

main reasons how we connect to a broken character and hope for the best. When Freddy

Thorne questions whether he should have let Shelby die in the War, Shelby responds with,

“there are nights I wish you did.” Shelby has a quiet confidence that demands the respect of

everyone he walks by. His stillness and physicality pave the way for fear and respect.

Spectators can relate to the characters as the characters have flaws and are not perfect.

As the antihero is often closed, reserved and dark spectators need to see some form of

vulnerability to deepen their engagement with the protagonist. The turning point in Shelby’s

vulnerability seems to come in the Series two. From the beginning of the series, Shelby is

introduced as a man of power, and his darkness is felt throughout his conversations. When

Freddy Thorne questions whether he should have let Shelby die in the War, Shelby responds

with, “there are nights I wish you did.” Shelby has a quiet confidence that demands the

respect of everyone he walks by. His stillness and physicality pave the way for fear and

respect. It seems as Shelby is finally going to die. With no way out, he gets on his knees and

seems to finally accept his fate. Death is a release, not a punishment. However, to our
surprise, Churchill wants Shelby alive. As Shelby begins to walk away, a cover of All My

Tears, plays in the background. When Shelby falls between the dirt, you hear him scream an

expletive, crying out. The world got to watch Shelby accept the world’s most common fear

death. After finally accepting his fate, and starting his prayer, he was released. The

remainder of the show beautifully illustrates the trials and tribulations of Shelby. Grace

represents an escape; a real glimpse of what Shelby may have been like before the War.

There is a softness to him, a vulnerability. As a result of this vulnerability, when Grace is

killed, Shelby is forever changed. His trust is entirely eradicated, and love becomes a foreign

concept. “When there’s a woman, yeah. A woman, who I love. And I got close. Nearly got

fucking everything.” Grace pierced through Shelby’s hardened exterior, and when this was

taken away, we saw Shelby’s most humane characteristics. Thomas Shelby is a very complex

character; the show manages to strengthen this relationship with the spectator by making

the anti-hero go through the death of a loved one. E.g. Grace in Peaky Blinders, Rachel Davis

in Batman. According to Freudian’s theory of consciousness this makes the spectator

emotional and justifies the immoral acts that the protagonist will commit out of love and

revenge. (Freud) This further contributes to the complexity and longevity of the tv series.

An anti-hero faces a common struggle. The internal battle of being normal, and the external

battle of prosperity. An anti-hero, like Shelby, does, in fact, lack the traditional heroic

characteristics that we are accustomed to seeing. The appeal of an anti-hero, like Shelby, is

that they have this confidence that appears to be effortless. An anti-hero is someone that

one can justifiably dislike but must respect. Focusing on Thomas Shelby, we never really get

the opportunity to dislike him. He really is the glue of his family, ensuring that he protects

everyone, while providing the entire family with opportunity. Even when Linda, Arthur’s ex-
wife, seemed to disrupt Shelby’s entire enterprise, he welcomed her into meetings. The

whiskey and cigarettes may play a part in all of this. Shelby cuts all tension by pouring a glass

of whiskey and lighting a cigarette. Shelby also enters every conversation as the friendly

one. He remains composed throughout most of his conversations, and if he is ever caught

off guard, it never shows. Shelby takes a moment to process, before he responds. He can

take a puff of a cigarette but maintain the power in a conversation. Which is one of the main

reasons why spectators respect Thomas Shelby and root for him.

In conclusion the anti-hero protagonist has distinctive qualities and are highly complex in

nature. The narrative structure, cinematography, supporting characters makes these

antiheroes complex and distinct which contributes to the long-form Tv. The post war life of

the anti-hero adds more trauma and layer to the characters. (Thomas Shelby from Peaky

Blinders) The spectator and moving text relationship determines the longevity of the show.

These factors of anti-hero dynamics contribute to the complexity and distinctiveness of

long-form TV.

e
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