iWorld
Netflix’s Hastings expects linear TV to diminish like landlines have
MUMBAI: Do you know what’s driving Netflix as it continues on its mad rapid expansion around the globe? Well, CEO Reed Hastings gave some insights to German TV anchor Claus Keiber in an interview to Digital Life Design (DLD) station recently. Hastings indicated that he believed that linear television is on the brink of extinction.
“It has been a breakthrough for 50 years and has enabled consumers to watch movies at their own comfort rather than going to a theater,” he said. “However, today people want to watch content on different screens. There used to be a lack of diversity and of different voices during the era when the three major networks dominated the entertainment space in the US. Today, consumers want to make it personalized with updated and improved applications which are the aspects of internet TV. Eventually, these new forms will replace the linear television TV just like fixed lines were by mobile phones.”
When asked if the linear TV will manage to retain a viewership niche, he agreed, saying that “there is always a tendency to romance the past.”
He rued the fact that internet TV has no authoritative voice, but that shortcoming is more than made up by the fact that it is a platform which offers a broader diversity including more opinions and experimental content.
“Every technology has its losses and gains. These days, anyone can produce and can also have a television network”, added the IT engineer. “Linear TV networks are adapting and putting their content out on the Internet. The other international networks might also convert themselves into internet networks.”
Netflix’s big challenges going ahead – after its recent expansion into 130 countries – are producing locally in the markets it has launched, getting the right price points for consumers and finally getting a leg in to China. Hastings revealed that the company is already in talks with local partners as well as government departments to get a license.
“We need to be patient. Apple took six years from 2005 to 2011 in negotiating and binding relationships in China before launching their I-phone. We are looking forward to a decade where Chinese middle class would want to embrace the content that we provide”, he pointed out. “Currently, bloggers in China think that House of Cards is a documentary on the US.”
iWorld
Why Peaky Blinders is one of television’s biggest hits that still deserves more attention
Six seasons, multiple awards and the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man bring the Shelby saga back into the spotlight
In the crowded universe of streaming content, only a handful of shows manage to leave a lasting cultural footprint. Peaky Blinders is overwhelmingly considered one of the biggest global hits of the past decade. Yet many viewers still haven’t fully explored the dark, gripping world of the Shelby family.
Originally produced for the UK’s BBC and later finding a massive global audience through Netflix, the series quietly grew from a British period drama into a worldwide streaming phenomenon.
Created by Steven Knight, the show follows the rise of the Shelby crime family in post-First World War Birmingham. What begins as a gritty street-gang story gradually expands into a sweeping narrative about ambition, politics, power and survival.
At the centre of the saga is Thomas Shelby, portrayed with extraordinary depth by Cillian Murphy. The casting of Murphy is widely regarded as perfect for the role. With piercing eyes, restrained dialogue and an almost hypnotic screen presence, he transforms Shelby into one of the most unforgettable characters in modern screen storytelling.
Murphy’s brilliance lies in his restraint. He rarely shouts or performs theatrically. Instead, a quiet stare, a calculated pause or a subtle shift in expression conveys the emotional storms within the character. Beneath the ruthless gang leader is a war veteran carrying trauma, guilt and loneliness. Murphy captures this complexity with remarkable precision, making Thomas Shelby both terrifying and deeply human.
Beyond its central performance, Peaky Blinders stands out for its unfiltered portrayal of reality. The show does not romanticise crime. Instead, it exposes the harsh social conditions of early 20th-century Britain, from poverty and class struggle to political extremism and the psychological scars left by war.
The series also presents powerful female characters who hold their own within the Shelby empire. Polly Gray, played by Helen McCrory, is the strategic backbone of the family and one of the most formidable figures in the story. Women in the series shape decisions, influence power structures and challenge the rigid social norms of the time.
Across six seasons, the narrative grows dramatically in scale. What begins in the smoky streets of Birmingham evolves into a story involving political conspiracies, fascism and international criminal networks.
The series has also earned significant critical acclaim. It won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2018 and multiple National Television Awards for Best Drama, cementing its reputation as one of Britain’s most celebrated modern shows.
Another defining feature of the series is its iconic music. The show’s opening theme, Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, became instantly recognisable and widely associated with the Shelby universe. Combined with a powerful soundtrack featuring artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, the music helped shape the show’s dark, stylish identity and became hugely popular among fans.
And the Shelby story is not over yet.
In fact, its legacy is unfolding right now. The long-awaited feature-length continuation, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, was released on March 6, 2026, bringing the Shelby universe from streaming screens to cinemas and giving fans a new chapter in the saga.
For viewers who have not yet stepped into this world, the timing could not be better.
Six gripping seasons are ready to binge on Netflix. A new film has just arrived in theatres. And at the heart of it all stands one of the most magnetic performances in modern drama by Cillian Murphy.
So if Peaky Blinders has been sitting on your watchlist for years, this weekend is your moment.
So, by order of the Peaky fookin’ Blinders, consider this your cue to finally step into the ruthless world of Thomas Shelby. Pour yourself a drink, clear your schedule and press the play button. Because when the Peaky Blinders give an order, you listen.
