Warning: SPOILERS about A Thousand Blows season 1, episode 6 ahead.
Hulu’sA Thousand Blowsseason 1’s ending set up various storylines and the real characters’ stories inspiring the crime drama can hint at whereA Thousand Blowsseason 2’s story could go.Set in the 1880s in London, with most of the action happening in the East End,A Thousand Blowsworks as a crime and sports drama, very loosely adapting the stories of historical characters of that time, intertwining their stories even if some of theA Thousand Blowscharactersnever met in reality. Still, its historical foundation can mean season 2 could adapt part of their real stories.
Some key events and other characters’ stories getting entangled inA Thousand Blowsseason 1 already showed the crime drama keen to keep part of the real history if it suits the story. Like Alec Munroe’s death by stabbing right beforeA Thousand Blowsseason 1’s finalecould have been taken straight from the history books had Indigo Jeremy not been involved, other developments in season 2 could too resemble what historically happened. What could happen inA Thousand Blowsseason 2 can thus be potentially inferred by cross-referencing the stories season 1 left hanging and what happened in reality.
A Thousand Blows' Forty Elephants Could See Alice Diamond Replace Mary
Alice Diamond Is the Most Famous Queen Of The Forty Elephants
A Thousand Blowsseason 1 introduced Alice Diamond to the criminal underbelly of London as a contemporary of Mary Carr, while in reality, she operated as the Queen of the Forty Thieves in the early 20th century. Dubbed Diamond Annie, she effectively made the Forty Elephants gang famous, even appearing regularly in the press at the time (viaMailOnline).AlthoughA Thousand Blowsshowed Alice as one of the few Mary could trust to complete a job not being “ruled by fear” like others among the Forty Elephants, their relationship could very much changeinA Thousand Blowsseason 2.
A Thousand Blowsseason 1 introduces Alice Diamond as Mary Carr’s protégé after she sees the Forty Elephants in action, but, in reality, she led the most famous Forty Elephants iteration in the first half of the 20th century.
The teaser at the end ofA Thousand Blowsseason 1 showed Mary and Alice reunited, along with a shot of Alice very much dressed for high society. The Forty Elephants were less widespread before Mary went to prison and Mary was one of their first Queens in reality. This, along withseason 1 ending with Mary’s Forty Elephants returning to her mother Jane following Eliza’s lead, might prompt Alice Diamond to take over from Maryin season 2 and lead her own iteration of theForty Elephants, more successfully than Mary ifA Thousand Blowsfollows the true story.
The Real Punch Lewis Died 2 Years After Opening The Blue Coat Boy
Punch Lewis can be seen as one of the few characters closest to Sugar inA Thousand Blowsseason 1, presenting the boxing matches and working at the Blue Coat Boy pub, but also calling Sugar out after he beat his brother Treacle within an inch of his life.An MC Punch Lewis also existed in real life in 1880s London, but his story ended sadly and prematurely(viaGrappling With History), according to historian Sarah Elizabeth Cox.
Punch Lewis opened up a boxing saloon at the Blue Coat Boy in 1881 in real life, placing Sugar and his brother in charge of it. He started Hezekiah Moscow’s career, and was also Sugar’s second during his boxing matches, including the infamous Prize Fight in a Chapel, making him important in Sugar’s life both in reality and inA Thousand Blows.Only dying two years later in 1883 as it historically happened nevertheless makes it likelyA Thousand Blowsseason 2 will include Punch’s death, depriving Sugar of his last remaining ally were he not to reconcile with Treacle.
A Thousand Blows Season 2 Could Send Sugar To Trial
Sugar Faces Trial For An Infamous Match In 1882
Sugar Goodson’s real boxing career included a match that was discussed for years and dubbed the Prize Fight in a Chapel in the press. Facing Jack Hicks, who was almost three decades older than him,the 1882 match in a deconsecrated chapel near Tavistock Square became infamous after the police stopped it in the third round, arresting Sugar Goodson and nine others among those at the match(viaGrappling With History). During the trial, the police claimed the gloves being used didn’t comply with the rules and Sugar kicked Hicks while reporters at the scene stated the opposite.
A Thousand Blows True Story: How Accurate The Show’s Sugar & Hez Boxing Drama Is To Real Life
A Thousand Blows adds some narrative wrinkles to the story, but the Victorian-set boxing drama pulls direct inspiration from real-life people.
Sugar Goodson was let off only with a caution not to take part in similar actions after the trial, butsomething similar happening inA Thousand Blowsseason 1 when the police raided the Blue Coat Boy’s boxing saloon could foreshadow Sugar ending up on trialalso in season 2. While the raid had everything to do with Saul Woolfe hiding in the East End,A Thousand Blowsseason 2 could still use the police stopping the illegal match to adapt the infamous Prize Fight in a Chapel and bring Sugar on trial.
Hezekiah Moscow Was An Exhibition Boxer At The Blue Coat Boy From 1881
Image via Hulu
Sugar might have told Hezekiah the truth behind Alec’s murder to manipulate him into forsaking Mary under Jane’s suggestion, but their new balance could also bring forth something that historically happened. Indeed, bothHezekiah Moscow and Alec Munroe were exhibition boxers at the Blue Coat Boy from 1881, when the boxing saloon opened. Sugar potentially relaxing his anger against Hezekiah after breaking him and Mary up for good and declaring some sort of truce until their future match could thus bring Hezekiah over to the Blue Coat Boy like it really happened in the 1880s.
Losing Alec so brutally left [Hezekiah] alone and without a training partner, making Hezekiah training at the Blue Coat Boy not too farfetched.
The events ofA Thousand Blowsseason 1 after all left Hezekiah unmoored. Feeling betrayed by Mary, not being able to reach Mr. Lao after the faking of his death, and losing Alec so brutally left him alone and without a training partner. Adding to that how the mob turned against him in the match against Buster Williams and those at the West London Boxing Club weren’t able to protect Hezekiah, training at the Blue Coat Boy wouldn’t be too farfetched, especially considering how the biggest point of contention between Hezekiah and Sugar would have temporarily disappeared.
A Thousand Blows Season 2 Could Send Mary To Prison
The Real Mary Carr Was Sentenced Multiple Times
A Thousand Blowsseason 2’s brief teaser after season 1’s ending showed Mary lavishly returning to London before getting involved in schemes of some sort with Alice Diamond. While there’s little to foreshadow the law finally catching up with Mary, the press at the time of Mary’s trial for the kidnapping of a child described her as adorned with ostrich feathers and diamond rings (viaMailOnline), and Mary could be seen wearing fancier attire outside, and it would be unlikely for her to present as Lady Farnley after the events of season 1.
Mary Carr is eventually convicted of kidnapping, receiving a three-year sentence of penal servitude (viaBiography). While it would be unlikely for Mary to be sentenced for something similar inA Thousand Blowsseason 2, her circumstances are different.Without the Forty Elephants, Sugar’s protection and Indigo Jeremy having it in for her,Mary’s story inA Thousand Blowsseason 2 could be more similar to history,landing her in jailat last after the many times she escaped scot-free.
Sugar Could Train Treacle’s Son In A Thousand Blows Season 2
Thomas Goodson’s Story Could Mirror The Real Ted Goodson’s
A Thousand Blowsseason 1’s ending left Sugar quite isolated after he almost killed his brother Treacle by brutally beating him, prompting Treacle to not want anything to do with him once he woke up. However,A Thousand Blowsseason 1 sneakily set up the boxing future of Thomas Goodson when Sugar took him to the side to tell him boxing was his responsibility, being the family business. Moreover,Treacle’s son Thomas was the only one still willing to talk with Sugar, as it was Thomas who told Sugar Treacle had woken up.
The 25 Best Historical TV Shows
From Vikings to Spartacus, historical series are always admired. These 25 are the best historical TV shows.
AlthoughA Thousand Blowsshows only Treacle having a wife and children,Grappling With History revealed that the real Sugar Goodson also had several children, including Edward Ted Goodson, who eventually became a professional boxer in 1896(viaHenry Sugar Goodson). Sugar’s only connection with his family being with Thomas inA Thousand Blowsand his hints about his future in season 1 might prompt Sugar to train Thomas as a boxer,essentially letting Thomas take the path of the real Ted Goodson. This could also potentially lead to Treacle and Sugar reconciling.
A Thousand Blows Season 2 Might See Hez Reunite With Mary
Hezekiah Moscow Married Mary Ann Maddin In 1890
A Thousand Blowsseason 1’s ending makes it difficult to highlight any possible happily-ever-after for Mary and Hezekiah. Even if Hez were to learn about Jane and Sugar conspiring to tell him about Indigo Jeremy’s involvement,the fact remained that Mary got Mr. Lao captured and was indirectly involved in Alec’s murder, as Indigo had him killed believing him Hezekiahas retribution for Mary’s heist. Mary not coming clean about it makes her and Hez’s relationship inA Thousand Blowsseason 2 very difficult.
A Thousand Blows: What Mr. Lao Is Hiding From & What Happens To Him
Mr. Lao’s actions in A Thousand Blows season 1, episode 4’s ending forced him into hiding, with his tragic past heavily influencing them.
Still, wereA Thousand Blowsseason 2 to reunite Mary and Hezekiah eventually, it could be inspired by the real story. While the only thing seemingly in common between the real Hezekiah Moscow and Mary Carr was their spending time around the Elephant & Castle area in the 1880s,Moscow married Mary Ann Maddin in 1890(viaGrappling With History) and had a daughter with her in 1891. Historically, Hezekiah and Mary Ann appeared with various names in the different censuses, making it possible forA Thousand Blowsto adopt such an ending for Mary and Hez if it wanted.
A Thousand Blowsseason 1 is streaming on Hulu in the US and Disney+ almost everywhere else around the world.
