British actress Michelle Dockery, known for her iconic roles in Downton Abbey and Gentleman, is set to headline a new drama from Peaky Blinders writer Stephen Knight titled This Town. The project centers on four young people who share a powerful passion for ska and its energetic offshoot 2 Tone, movements that began in Coventry and Birmingham during the late 1970s and early 1980s. These scenes of music, youth, and cultural exchange brought together young people from varied ethnic backgrounds, and they formed a scene that still resonates in music history today.
The series is described as weaving a taut thriller with the warmth and breadth of a family epic, aiming to trace the lives of its protagonists as they navigate loyalty, ambition, and the evolving landscape of British music and culture. It promises to blend suspense with character-driven storytelling, shedding light on how a musical movement influenced communities and friendships in ways that echoed beyond the stage and studio.
Knight expressed a personal connection to the material, describing the project as a passion project that reflects a period of his own life. He emphasized that the drama serves as a kind of love letter to Birmingham and Coventry, celebrating the cities that shaped the artists and the music while inviting audiences worldwide to share in that history and its emotional resonance.
There have been reports that the creators of other acclaimed shows have drawn inspiration from this concept, signaling that the series may influence broader television storytelling by exploring how subcultures emerge, evolve, and leave a lasting mark on popular culture. This Town aims to offer a nuanced portrait of a dynamic era, grounded in authentic character experiences and the social textures that defined a generation.