Disney+'s new drama, A Thousand Blows, arrived on our screens last week and fans are praising the "truly amazing" show, which comes from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight.
Set in the dangerous world of illegal boxing in 1880s Victorian London, the six-part series follows Hezekiah, who arrives in London from Jamaica (Malachi Kirby) in search of a fresh start only to find himself drawn into the underbelly of the boxing scene, ruled by the notorious and terrifying Sugar Goodson (Stephen Graham).
Fans praised the compelling series on social media, with many binge-watching the drama. One person wrote: "Highly recommend #AThousandBlows on Disney+. Binge watched it yesterday, it's really good," while another added: "Now, this is truly amazing. TV at its best, it's not really TV, more cinema. A must-see by the legend that is #StevenKnight."
A third viewer couldn't pull themselves away from their TV screen, writing: "I have gotten nothing done today because #AThousandBlows on Hulu is holding me hostage. I can't stop watching!" while another praised the cast and encouraged others to tune in. "Watched the first two episodes of #AThousandBlows.... wow those fight scenes!" they penned, adding: "Incredible cast. Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, Malachi Kirby,Hannah Walters,James Nelson-Joyce another wonderful Liverpudlian actor and the fantastic @DanielMays9. Give it a watch it's brilliant!!"
For those yet to tune into the series, it follows best friends from Jamaica, Hezekiah Moscow and Alec Munroe (Francis Lovehall), who find themselves thrust into the criminal underbelly of London's thriving bare-knuckle boxing scene.
The synopsis continues: "As Hezekiah finds fortune and fame through the art of pugilism, he attracts the attention of the infamous Queen of the Forty Elephants, Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), who sets about exploiting his talents to further her criminal enterprise. Meanwhile, the menacing and self-declared emperor of the East End boxing world, Sugar Goodson (Stephen Graham), is determined to destroy Hezekiah whose ambitions to fight in the West End threaten everything he has built. What ensues is a battle of the old world against the new."
Stephen, who is an executive producer on the show, revealed that he "watched and studied" boxing matches in preparation for the role and also had his own trainer.
"It was also good to stay as close to the authenticity of the character and the time period as possible," said the actor. "So it wasn't all about having a six-pack, it was about trying to create a fighter, a street brawler. I put some weight on and then worked on the cutting process. It was a really great experience working to create the physical aspects of this bare-knuckle street fighter."
A Thousand Blows is available to stream on Disney+.
