- From the creator of Peaky Blinders, the series Taboo offers a darker, stranger, and more atmospheric historical drama that many fans are discovering for the first time.
- Tom Hardy delivers a “feral” and “volcanic” performance as James Keziah Delaney, a character far more unpredictable and brutal than the calculated Tommy Shelby.
- The show pits a haunted adventurer against the might of the East India Company in a grimy, gothic 1814 London, creating a uniquely intense viewing experience.
- Despite its critical acclaim and BAFTA-winning production, a second season of Taboo remains unlikely, making its single season a must-watch event you can stream now on Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
The Brutal Show That Puts Peaky Blinders to Shame
If the swaggering, violent world of Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders and House of Guinness left you craving more, you’re not alone. Thousands of fans believe they’ve found the pinnacle of historical grit, but they may have missed the creator’s darkest and most feral project. Before his recent hits, Knight collaborated with superstar Tom Hardy on Taboo, a series so intense it makes the Shelby family look positively polite.
A Darker, Grittier Vision of History
Set in the fog-drenched streets of 1814 London, Taboo introduces James Keziah Delaney (Hardy), an adventurer presumed dead who returns from Africa to claim a mysterious inheritance. His arrival sends shockwaves through high society, as his small piece of land becomes a critical point of contention between the British and American empires. This throws him into a deadly battle of wits and gunpowder with the ruthless East India Company, portrayed as a monolithic evil.
Where Peaky Blinders explores the industrial twentieth century, Taboo plunges viewers into the grimy, gothic Regency period. The show deals heavily with themes of madness, both on a personal and societal level, creating an atmosphere that is lurid, ludicrous, and utterly unforgettable.
Tom Hardy’s Unforgettable Feral Performance
While Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby is an ice-cold schemer, Tom Hardy’s Delaney is a force of nature. Described as a hulking brute whose simmering intensity is always on the verge of erupting, Hardy delivers a truly feral performance. Co-creating the show with his father, Chips Hardy, he brings a strange and personal energy to the role, alternating between guttural grunts and poetic curses.
Plagued by haunting visions from his past, Delaney is an unknowable and unpredictable agent of chaos. He is violent, scary, and yet a seductive figure raining down righteous fury upon the corrupt politicians and businessmen who stand in his way. It’s a magnetic and terrifying performance that fans of the actor can’t afford to miss.
An Immersive, Award-Winning World
The series is bolstered by a phenomenal supporting cast, including Jessie Buckley, Oona Chaplin, Jonathan Pryce, and Mark Gatiss, who all hold their own against Hardy’s towering presence. The show’s world-building is second to none, earning BAFTA nominations for its costume design, cinematography, and haunting score by Max Richter. The hair and make-up team even secured a BAFTA win for their work in crafting the filthy, vivid world of bygone London.
Where to Watch Before It’s Too Late
For those who missed its initial 2017 run, Taboo is readily available to stream on both BBC iPlayer and Netflix. However, viewers shouldn’t get their hopes up for more. A long-promised second season looks increasingly unlikely to ever materialize. This means the show’s dark, twisted, and complete single-season story is all that fans will get—making it an urgent and essential watch for anyone who thinks they’ve seen the peak of historical drama. Don’t be the one who missed out on Tom Hardy at his most horribly magnetic.