My dear Freddie Thorne deserved a much better send-off than he got inPeaky Blindersand the show would have been better with him sticking around. After rewatchingeveryPeaky Blindersseasonfor the umpteenth time, I’ve come to appreciate the time jumps in the show. Each season feels fresh and new with Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) taking major steps forward in his unquenchable pursuit of power. I don’t need to see every detail about the characters' lives, just give me the broad strokes at the start, then get deep into it.
This storytelling style does come at a price, with one of the victims being Freddie Thorne (Iddo Goldberg). Freddie is a season 1 character, positioned uniquely among the Shelbys. He’s in love with Ada (Sophie Rundle) and has a child by her. Most men wouldn’t go near Ada for fear of her brothers, but Freddie is not one bit scared of them, as he fought with Arthur (Paul Anderson) and Tommy in the tunnels during WWI.The same horrors that shaped the Shelbys also shaped Freddie, and that parallel could have been explored if he hadn’t gotten killed off so quickly.
Freddie Thorne Died Of The Spanish Influenza (Which Was A Horrible Death For The Character)
Despite his importance inPeaky Blindersseason 1,Freddie is unceremoniously written off the show in season 2. The premiere opens two years after the end of season 1, with the Shelbys attending Freddie’s funeral where it’s revealed he died from Spanish Influenza. Save for a few mentions here and there, Freddie’s death doesn’t seem to have that big of an effect on anyone, except that it opens Ada up to take a more dedicated role in the Shelby Company LTD.
10 Incredibly Heartbreaking Deaths In Peaky Blinders
A lot of characters die in Peaky Blinders, but there are 10 character deaths in the show that are more heartbreaking than the rest of them.
Freddie was notably a socialist and spent much of season 1 arguing for workers' rights, which put him on a lot of lists you don’t want your name to appear on. At his core, Tommy agrees with Freddie, but his nihilistic streak has convinced him that there’s no point in pursuing a “communist utopia”, so he will instead set out to conquer and own everything he can. It’s an interesting parallel between the two characters and I would have liked to see Freddie and Tommy grow together over the years.
They both came from the same town, had the same upbringing, and faced the same horrors in WWII.
They both came from the same town, had the same upbringing, and faced the same horrors in WWII. Tommy Shelby became the devil while Freddie Thorne tried to use what he learned on the battlefield to help the working class of Birmingham. Freddie was one of the few characters inPeaky Blinderswho I believed could get the better of Tommy, so not to see them match wits, either as friends or foes, throughout the seasons, feels like wasted potential.
No Reason Was Given For Why Iddo Goldberg Stopped Playing Freddie Thorne On Peaky Blinders
Fans Speculate Goldberg Left To Star In Salem
Neither Goldberg nor the showrunners forPeaky Blindershave explained why they did away with Freddie so quickly, butit’s likely he left the show to co-star inSalemas Isaac Walton.Salempremiered in 2014 whenPeaky Blindersseason 2 premiered, so I guess Goldberg had to choose. Isaac and Freddie share some surprising similarities, including their kind and loyal temperament. What’s more odd, is that extramarital affairs are central plot points for both characters.
Fear(2023)
Michael
Goldberg has not had any massive performances sincePeaky BlindersandSalem, but he’s worked steadily, appearing inThe Zookeeper’s Wifeas Maurycy Fraenkel,Fearas Michael, andWestworldas Sebastian. His biggest role has come as Bennett Knox inSnowpiercer. He’s been fantastic in everything, but seeing those roles just makes me wish we got even one more season of Freddie Thorne inPeaky Blinders.
Peaky Blinders
Cast
Peaky Blinders is a historical crime drama created and written by Steven Knight and starring Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill, and Helen McCrory. The television show is based on the gang, Peaky Blinders, a group that banded together after the end of World War I.
