Peaky Blinders' creator returns with a new show – and it's just as good

The reviews are pouring in for Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight's new series – and so far, so good.

SAS Rogue Heroes is set in Cairo, Egypt, in 1941 and follows the formation of the UK's Special Air Service (the SAS), a unit that specializes in things like counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, and covert reconnaissance. When an eccentric young officer (Adam Swindells) is hospitalized after a training exercise gone wrong, he uses the time to come up with a radical new plan and sets out to recruit the boldest and brightest soldiers. 

The six-part miniseries' cast also includes Sofia Boutella, Dominic West, Alfie Allen, and Jack O'Connell.

We've rounded up what the critics are saying about SAS Rogue Heroes to give you an idea of what to expect – and don't worry, everything we've included below is spoiler-free.

The Guardian – 4/5

"This show about the formation of the SAS – from the brains behind the Shelbys, Steven Knight – is big, brash, witty and packed with energy. It’s Khaki Blinders, if you will...It is funnier than Peaky Blinders, which dragged itself into the doldrums for its final series, though this still has plenty of its predecessor’s vim. It is a bracing way to spend a Sunday evening, and, to borrow the parlance of one of its leads, a lot of fun, old boy."

The Telegraph – 4/5

"Steven Knight has a riot with this bombastic wartime saga... The Peaky Blinders creator adapts Ben Macintyre’s bestseller into a boys' own hoot which playfully buys into the regiment’s mythic status."

The Times

"As you’d expect from the man who brought us Peaky Blinders, the programme was uproarious, a punchy, bucking colt of a true Second World War story that grabbed the viewer (well, this one, anyway) by the lapels from the outset... It’s a (sort of) Peaky Blinders in the desert, and it works for me."

Financial Times – 4/5

"The series will undoubtedly further fuel our nostalgic nation’s propensity for turning the second world war into the stuff of legend. It might elicit eye-rolls for its use of brash gimmicks. But the show’s spirit of adventure proves hard to resist, and there have been few scenes on TV this year as jolting and immersive as the mission sequence which opens the third episode... Ultimately, SAS Rogue Heroes has the makings of another hit for Knight and the BBC."

Metro – 5/5

"It’s rare for a new TV drama to come roaring out of the blocks like a fully-formed beast, but there’s a swagger about SAS Rogue Heroes that’s hard to resist... Even if war dramas aren’t your normal kit bag, give it a go."

The Independent – 3/5

"A BBC thriller that’s like a naff version of Inglourious Basterds...This is something of a prestige drama – albeit one imbued with a streak of deep tackiness that befits its title."

The Upcoming

"SAS Rogue Heroes feels authentic and sensitively portrayed but with moments of comedy and modernisation. It’s an engaging story, shaped through a brilliant cast and all-out action, that captures the fearless moments of the SAS soldiers as they moved forward with reckless abandon."

Evening Standard – 4/5

"It's a fizzy, stylish wartime drama with enthusiasm to spare, as well as a clear love for the story being told. It’s propulsive and addictive, rather like jumping out of a plane probably is, if you happen to be mad enough."

Radio Times - 4/5

"Anyone expecting SAS Rogue Heroes to be a revolutionary exercise or an investigative character study should adjust their expectations accordingly. This is an old-fashioned story told with punky, modern set-dressings. It’s Peaky Blinders in a new set of clothes … But the dialogue is razor-sharp, the performances entertaining and the action well-staged. It’s exactly what Sunday nights have been missing and is sure to leave fans crying out for more."

SAS Rogue Heroes is simultaneously airing on BBC One at 9 pm BST beginning October 30 and streaming on BBC iPlayer.

For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2022 and beyond.