poster

A Thousand Blows (2025)

Hezekiah and Alec, two friends from Jamaica, finds themselves thrust into the criminal underbelly of London's East End. Here they meet Mary Carr, Queen of an all-female criminal gang known as the Forty Elephants, and run afoul of Sugar Goodson, criminal kingpin and notorious boxer.

Inspired by Real Gangsters: The series draws inspiration from the Forty Elephants, an actual all-female crime syndicate that operated in London from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries. They were known for their shoplifting skills and elaborate scams, often targeting high-end stores.
Knight's Creative Combination: Show creator Steven Knight, also known for Peaky Blinders, combined the story of the Forty Elephants with the real-life tale of Hezekiah Moscow, a Jamaican immigrant who became a bare-knuckle boxer in London. Knight blended these historical facts with fictional storylines to create the series.
Graham's Boxing Prep: Stephen Graham, who plays the menacing Sugar Goodson, trained extensively to get into the best shape of his life for the role, feeling like he was in a "Rocky movie". He wanted to create a realistic street brawler, immersing himself in the physicality of the sport.
Set as a Character: The Victorian-era sets were meticulously built at The Story Works studio in London, with the street set acting as a character itself. The boxing set was designed like a mini-theater, with extras on the ground level and a balcony surrounding the ring.
Historical Accuracy: While the series is inspired by true events, only about 35% of Season 2 is rooted in history, according to Steven Knight. The show blends real historical figures and events with fictional narratives to create a compelling drama.

Released Feb. 21, 2025 584 min Episode 48 min 16+

Genres: Crime, Drama, History

Keywords: imdb.based-on-real-people, imdb.boxing, imdb.friend, imdb.gang, imdb.battle, imdb.boxing-sport, imdb.boxer + 45 more, imdb.1880s, imdb.based-on-true-story, tmdb.victorian-england, mdblist.hulu-original, mdblist.has-trailer, tmdb.london-england, tmdb.east-end-of-london, mdblist.certified-fresh, imdb.black-protagonist, imdb.black-man, imdb.chest-tattoo, imdb.black-male-protagonist, imdb.fight-in-a-boxing-ring, imdb.fight, imdb.female-fighter, imdb.sporting-event, imdb.sexuality, imdb.live-sport, imdb.united-kingdom, imdb.london-england, imdb.sport-battle, imdb.mental-health, imdb.wrestling-contest, imdb.boxing-match, imdb.reference-to-london-2012, imdb.wrestling-match, imdb.election, imdb.serial-killer, imdb.english-woman, imdb.wilhelm-scream, imdb.world-war-two, imdb.gossip, imdb.ampersand-in-title, imdb.chanting, imdb.boxing-contest, imdb.adult-humour, imdb.wrestling-battle, imdb.sky, imdb.non-fiction, imdb.murder, imdb.bare-chested-man, imdb.female-partners-in-crime, imdb.mini-series, imdb.hairy-chested-man, tmdb.19th-century

Watch Providers: Hulu, Disney Plus

Production Companies: The Story Collective, Matriarch Productions, Water & Power Productions, Walt Disney EMEA Productions Limited, Nebulastar

Network: Disney+

Country: United Kingdom
Production Country: United Kingdom
Languages: English

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IMDb 113

7.4

/11406/

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MDBList 71 44 votes

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Steven Knight

Steven Knight
Director

Stephen Graham

Stephen Graham
Henry 'Sugar' Goodson

Erin Doherty

Erin Doherty
Mary Carr

Malachi Kirby

Malachi Kirby
Hezekiah Moscow

Jason Tobin

Jason Tobin
Mr Lao

James Nelson-Joyce

James Nelson-Joyce
Edward 'Treacle' Goodson

Hannah Walters

Hannah Walters
Eliza Moody

Francis Lovehall

Francis Lovehall
Alec Munroe

Daniel Mays

Daniel Mays
William 'Punch' Lewis

5.4

Season 1

6 episodes

2.6

Season 2

6 episodes

Recommendations

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85

85

84

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Watch Trailer

Disney+

584 min

48 min/ep

Feb. 21, 2025

Jan. 9, 2026, midnight

Returning Series

TV-MA

16+

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