Peaky Blinders, the acclaimed BBC television series about a family of gangs that ruled Birmingham in the early 20th century, is back for season 4, and it has been just as good as seasons past. One of the main characters this season is John Shelby, played by Joe Cole (who also portrayed John Proctor in HBO’s production of The Crucible). A look at this character reveals why he’s so popular among fans of the show. John Shelby – A character you can’t help but root for in Peaky Blinders
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How I became fan of the show
I stumbled upon it, began watching and I couldn’t stop! Even when I didn’t have time to binge watch I would find myself staying up until 3 am just to catch a few episodes before bed. The show draws you in because it captures everything we love about gangster movies while still having its own unique spin on things. The fight scenes are choreographed with intensity and thoughtfully crafted so that each scene feels unique. It has certainly become one of my all-time favorite shows and Johnny Shelbys character is easily my favorite part of it.
My favorite episode
John is an everyman. As such, he’s easily relatable to us, especially when he gets knocked down by fate. However, John stands back up again and again—sometimes literally—and keeps on fighting his way towards his goal. That determination makes John a hero to me and many others (as evidenced by viewing figures for season 2 of Peaky Blinders). On top of that, there’s so much more that I love about John: his connection with Grace Burgess; his relationship with Thomas; his earnestness; and how likeable he is as a person overall. It helps that Joe Cole portrays him perfectly too.
What I love about John
In Peaky Blinders, Joe Cole plays John Johnny Shelby. Initially written as a mere supporting role, he quickly became one of my favorite characters on TV. Much like Mad Men’s Pete Campbell, John was initially given limited story time to create intrigue around his personality (or lack thereof). Through season 1 and 2 we got to know Johnny better through his interactions with Thomas and Arthur; and we saw how much he cared about his sister Helen.
Why he’s an icon to me
Joe Cole as John Johnny Shelby is one of those characters where I wanted him to succeed. The kid had so much potential, it was heartbreaking to see his life go to waste. He’s a young guy that could have done anything with his life if it wasn’t for his circumstances. A lot of people will sympathize with that and wish they could have done something to change what happened. It was great to see Johnny become successful in spite of it all, even though at times he felt he didn’t deserve happiness, he still found a way of getting it. You really want him to get out from under Tom’s thumb and show off his real talent, which we’ve seen hints of before.
Why he’s so easy to relate to
Any fan of Peaky Blinders has to feel for John Johnny Shelby. He’s ambitious, adventurous and flawed—just like any of us. Even when he makes mistakes or lets himself down, we still find it easy to forgive him because he’s trying his best to better himself and do what’s right. Unlike some of his fellow brothers from Birmingham, Johnny is ambitious and driven. However, unlike Tommy or Arthur, he seems to be grounded; not only by respect for others but also by a small measure of cynicism about how things work around him.
Did Joe Cole leave Peaky Blinders because of Cillian Murphy?
Many people have been asking if Joe Cole left ‘Peaky Blinders’ because of Cillian Murphy and that’s simply not true. The series is fantastic, especially since it was picked up by Netflix after it was canceled on BBC2. Hopefully, we’ll see more of Tommy Shelby down the road. We’ve seen Tommy (Cillian Murphy) struggle with his family ties in previous seasons, so we know there are still plenty of stories to tell. And many will be happy to know Joe Cole will be returning for season 4!
Why did Joe Cole leave Peaky Blinders?
Rumours of a major shake-up involving Cillian Murphy and Joe Cole’s characters John and Thomas Shelby were doing the rounds before season 4 was released to Netflix. It was finally confirmed at release that neither of them would be returning, alongside Helen McCrory as Aunt Polly and Finn Cole as Michael Gray. Cillian Murphy tweeted: At end of 3rd series felt had been long enough & wanted to move on. Series 3 only aired on BBC2 in 2016, so there was time for all 4 main cast members to return before season 4 if they wanted it to – especially since each episode lasts over an hour!
Are John and Finn Cole Brothers?
John and Finn Cole are brothers in Peaky Blinders. While they don’t share any scenes together, it’s fairly obvious that they are brothers when you look at them side by side. John has a scar on his face from where he was shot during WWI (we think) and Finn has a similar scar on his neck. Even though Finn is only seen briefly throughout seasons one and two, we see John react with shock to seeing him alive after thinking he had died years before. He seems legitimately happy to see him again, which makes sense since he’s his brother. They were definitely close growing up as there isn’t much of an age difference between them – maybe a few years? Maybe less than five?
Are Joe Cole and Finn Cole from Peaky Blinders related?
The TV series, Peaky Blinders is one of those shows that has captured a large number of followers. The drama surrounds Birmingham gangsters operating during England’s interwar period, specifically between 1914 and 1922. The show stars Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby and features actors like Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Joe Cole and Finn Cole. With so many characters to keep track of at first glance it might seem impossible to determine whether or not any of them are related; however, as it turns out both Joe Cole and Finn Cole play brothers on Peaky Blinders . But who are they really? What else have they done besides play these roles? Let’s find out! READ MORE : Who Are Finn & Joe Cole?
