“You don’t get bored watching Steven Knight’s work”: Darci Shaw and James Nelson-Joyce on A Thousand Blows season two

Steven Knight has proven time and again his aptitude for transporting audiences into dark underworlds of eras gone by, from Peaky Blinders to Taboo, and A Thousand Blows continues that tradition with its gritty portrayal of Victorian London’s brutal East End. Returning for its second season, the series takes us further into the sphere of bare-knuckle boxing, crime and survival, finding its characters more broken and fractured than ever. Stephen Graham is once again ferocious as fighter Sugar, while Erin Doherty is mesmerising as the steely Mary Carr.

The Upcoming spoke to Darci Shaw and James Nelson-Joyce about returning to Knight’s immersive manifestation of 1800s London and why, as Nelson-Joyce put it, “you don’t get bored watching Steven’s work”. Both praised Knight’s writing for its depth and unpredictability, particularly the way it centres working-class communities and bold female characters who are “driven and determined” rather than “downtrodden”. Shaw discussed Alice’s evolving journey as Mary’s right-hand woman, describing a character who is “hungry for it” and constantly pushing to take the next step within the Elephant, while also revealing she carried out many of her own stunts, including a violent broken-bottle sequence that didn’t make the final cut. Nelson-Joyce reflected on Treacle’s fractured position in season two, explaining how the roles between him and his brother Sugar are reversed, forcing Treacle to care for the very man who nearly killed him. The conversation also touched on themes of ambition, resilience, revenge and redemption, the way “everyone’s status is flipped” this season, and the collaborative spirit across the cast and creative team that helps bring Knight’s vision so vividly to life.

Sarah Bradbury

A Thousand Blows season two is released on Disney+ on 9^th January 2026.

Watch the trailer for A Thousand Blows season two here: