As BBC One's This Town ends its first series, we take a look at Steven Knight's new characters that remind us of some of our favourites in his other hit show, Peaky Blinders. The six-part drama based in early 1980s Birmingham and Coventry has won over fans with its Two-Tone music and likeable characters led by brothers Dante and Gregory.
While Tommy Shelby and his gang put Small Heath on the international map, much of This Town has been a sentimental love-song to what Birmingham City FC fan Knight remembers of the Chelmsley Wood of his youth. Although eagle-eyed viewers will have noted it was filmed in Druids Heath where the tower blocks still stand.
With in-depth characters across generations including devoted mothers, gangsters and ambitious youngsters, these are ones we thought had a canny resemblance to the Peakies.
READ MORE: Win a VIP three-night Butlin's Big Weekender break for adults
READ MORE: Who were Birmingham Zulus This Town gang of 1980s in BBC Steven Knight show
This Town's first series concludes on BBC One tonight(Sunday, April 28) at 9pm. All episodes remain on BBC iplayer for those catching up with the new show.
Let us know what you thought about This Town in the comments section below too and if you'd like to see a second series.
Psychotic gangsters
While nightclub owner Robbie Carmen, played by David Dawson, is a gang leader you don't mess with in This Town, he has the edginess of Arthur Shelby rather than Peaky Blinders ' top dog Tommy.
The wild eyes and unpredictable nature of Arthur, played by actor Paul Anderson, is seen only too clearly in early episodes of This Town, when Robbie sets a jaw-dropping challenge to a Zulu Warrior that has crossed him. He's all about notoriety and the more people who think he is crazy, the better.
Strong mums
There's strong similarities between iconic Aunt Polly Gray in Peaky Blinders and This Town's Estella. Likeable, strong-willed and often stealing the show as Estella did in the funeral scene.
Both are played by actresses of high calibre from the late, great Helen McCrory starring as Polly and Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery playing songbird Estella and Bardon's mum.
The two are fierce mothers, who have been separated from their beloved sons, and wild ladies who know their own mind. Under-estimated and surprising people with their resilience, Polly and Estella have uncanny similarities and show how well Knight covers strong female leads.
Brotherly love
It is This Town's older brother Gregory Williams that has a nod to iconic Peaky Blinders' leader Tommy Shelby. Like Tommy, he also is a soldier suffering the effects of PTSD, but this time through the troubles in Northern Ireland rather than from the First World War.
Gregory, played by former Peaky Blinders star Jordan Bolger, is motivated by brotherly love and protecting his family, in a similar fashion to Cillian Murphy's Tommy.
POLL: Birmingham is changing to fortnightly bin collections - tell us what you think
Both have the cunning to sit back and scheme along with the violent streak needed to get them out of trouble.
Fiesty females
Tommy's sister Ada Shelby, played by Sophie Rundle, took her own path in Peaky Blinders as a headstrong Brummie. She's the rock among a highly-strung, emotional gangland family.
In a similar fashion, likeable Jeannie Keefe, played by Eve Austin in This Town, is the calm head who supports Dante and encourages him to team up with her to write songs.
Motivated, kind and energetic, she's got elements of Ada in her personality, the sister that Tommy trusted.
Virtuous do-gooders
Arthur Shelby's ex-wife Linda, played by Kate Phillips, wasn't afraid to stand-up to the criminals in his family in Peaky Blinders. She was spurred on by her faith and dreamed of a time when she could take Arthur away from the violence.
There's stark similarities between Linda and Bardon's devoted grandmother Marie, played by Geraldine James of Anne With An E fame. From the start of This Town, Marie warns Bardon of the dangers of getting involved with his dad's 'work'.
Marie even takes her concerns to the Church in the hope of saving her grandson from being drawn into criminal activity.
Not in control of their own destiny
In This Town, Ben Rose plays an emotional Bardon Quinn, who feels hopeless against his dad's demands on him.
Caught between his family duty and what he wants for himself, there's an inner turmoil of secrets and lies that makes him want to flee. That's also true of Peaky Blinders Irish barmaid from Series One, Grace.
Annabelle Wallis played Grace, who keeps a close eye on Tommy Shelby while working at his local pub, The Garrison. She's also withholding many secrets from the Shelby's.
On top of that, they both have Irish family links, which Knight frequently incorporates into his work.
Poets corner
It would be amiss to not mention the similarities between This Town's lead romantic Dante Williams and a certain famous face from Peaky Blinders.
While Dante, played by Levi Brown, is a budding poet and songwriter, it can't help but remind Brummies of Birmingham's late famous son and poetry writer Benjamin Zephaniah.
Benjamin, from Handsworth, who died in December aged just 65, was a popular addition to Peaky Blinders as Jamaican born street preacher Jeremiah Jesus, speaking in his beautiful rhythmic tones even when not reciting poetry.
Knight's latest work showing a young man in a Birmingham tower block thinking and communicating through poetry isn't too far from the truth of Benjamin, Brum's real-life and much-loved dub poet.
Receive newsletters with the biggest and breaking TV and showbiz news by signing up here
Catch the final episode of This Town's first series on BBC One tonight(Sunday, April 28) at 9pm. All episodes remain on BBC iplayer.
Let us know what you think about the first series of This Town and its characters in the Comments section below.
We are now on WhatsApp. Join our dedicated community here to get the latest articles to your phone.
