Taboo 

Adventurer James Keziah Delaney returns to London during the War of 1812 to rebuild his late father's shipping empire. However, both the government and his biggest competitor want his inheritance at any cost - even murder.

Creators:

Chips Hardy, Tom Hardy, Steven Knight

Stars:

Tom Hardy, David Hayman, Jonathan Pryce

Top Rated TV #216 | Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 8 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Tom Hardy	...	James Keziah Delaney 10 episodes, 2017-2019
David Hayman	...	Brace 8 episodes, 2017
Jonathan Pryce	...	Sir Stuart Strange 8 episodes, 2017
Oona Chaplin	...	Zilpha Geary 8 episodes, 2017
Richard Dixon	...	Pettifer 8 episodes, 2017
Leo Bill	...	Wilton 8 episodes, 2017
Edward Hogg	...	Godfrey 8 episodes, 2017
Ruby-May Martinwood	...	Winter 7 episodes, 2017
Jessie Buckley	...	Lorna Bow 7 episodes, 2017
Stephen Graham	...	Atticus 7 episodes, 2017
Franka Potente	...	Helga 7 episodes, 2017
James Greaves	...	Strange's Clerk 7 episodes, 2017
Michael Kelly	...	Dumbarton 7 episodes, 2017
Louis Ashbourne Serkis	...	Robert 6 episodes, 2017
Jefferson Hall	...	Thorne Geary 6 episodes, 2017
Jason Watkins	...	Solomon Coop 6 episodes, 2017
Danny Ligairi	...	Martinez 6 episodes, 2017
Scroobius Pip	...	French Bill 6 episodes, 2017
Tallulah Haddon	...	Pearl 6 episodes, 2017
Tom Hollander	...	Cholmondeley 5 episodes, 2017
Nicholas Woodeson	...	Robert Thoyt / ... 5 episodes, 2017
Mark Gatiss	...	Prince Regent 5 episodes, 2017

Storyline

James Keziah Delaney returns to 1814 London after 10 years in Africa to discover that he has been left a mysterious legacy by his father. Driven to wage war on those who have wronged him, Delaney finds himself in a face-off against the East India Company, whilst playing a dangerous game between two warring nations, Britain and America.

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Plot Keywords:

east india company | regency era | year 1814 | georgian era | 19th century | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

FX Networks Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 January 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Taboo

Filming Locations:

West Wycombe Park, West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hardy, Son & Baker, Scott Free Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

59 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

Helga's last name is "von Hinten", which means "from behind" in German.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Smart Shows that No One is Watching (2018)

User Reviews

"I have a use for this series"

Finally I came to see this Gothic gem from the BBC and I am not disappointed - quite the contrary is the case.

In 'Taboo' the set up of the world and the creation of a very dark and at the same time tender atmosphere as well as the nicely arranged spectrum of taboo-motifs (like sexual transgression, the grotesque and strange, overwhelming violence etc.) kept me from being bothered by the fact that I didn't feel one jot more sympathy for its main character than for its antagonists. James K. Delaney is an intriguing mysterious character attracting us in a depraved way. But he is also an individual of extreme moral reprehensibility we eventually cannot go along with.

The series makes very good use of Gothic- and Dark Romanticism writers' style to build up the gloomy atmosphere of a depressed 1814 England still anguished by the loss of the great colony. It is no coincidence when Delaney claims at some point in the series:"The ravens told me". We find lots of Poe here either in theme or characters. Madness wanders through the world of 'Taboo' and at least at the dip of the hem this madness is always caused by the East India Company, the Crown or Delaney. Curiously all the characters except Delaney himself are appearing so vulnerably and fragile that their indulgence (to be helpless and lost in this made up society) arises a counter-part to the unforgiveness of the room they live in.

'Taboo' also declares the downfall of the classic adventure genre. There is no space for nostalgic explorers or discoverers in the plot lines, Delaney is a broken man as he returns from Africa, even if he is not willing to admit this. It's rather a farewell to the exotic, the story takes place after the alleged adventure and mainly stays at the well-known. Interestingly the series manages it to combine some accounts on slavery shifting the story to an international level (not many historic series/ movies do this, they mostly remain in the domestic frame).

Further the actors do a very nice job. Particularly Tom Hardy, Jonathan Price and the reoccurring Mark Gatiss play exceptionally good. However I have to say that there was no huge character development, which I wished to see. The characters are not uni-dimensional, but they do not alter in their facets. The series tries to offset this flaw with new secrets and confessions in every episode pretending these to be a change, whilst it is actually only about the introduction of new information. A very common writing technique, I think.

Overall I can highly recommend 'Taboo', especially for fans of Gothic, Grotesque and the 19th century England.