Taboo (2017-2026)

Taboo is a pretty special series. It is set in a depressed, dark-looking London of 1813.

To everyone's surprise, James Keziah Delaney (Tom Hardy) suddenly turns up alive in London, after spending some time in Africa where he learned quite a few special arts. He owns something that was very precious at the time, namely an important trade route and with that he creates many enemies.

James Keziah Delaney is portrayed very well by Tom Hardy. James is numb, has no sympathy or affection for anyone in the world except for his half sister. James is also quite mysterious and that is something that keeps this series very well alive, together with the great score and razor-sharp dialogues. It was, of course, also written by Steven Knight, the man behind Peaky Blinders. You see that a lot somewhere because this series has little action, it is really mainly drama.

As a minus point I would cut the bad cinematography. The camera work looks very wooden and moments of action are also poorly captured, so it doesn't really come in.

Furthermore, this series still promises a sequel. In advance it should have appeared in 2019 and the last season in 2020. Only due to the very busy schedule of Hardy, COVID and Knight who is also very busy with Peaky, that did not actually get off the ground. As far as we know, the series still hasn't been cancelled, but Hardy's schedule hasn't necessarily gotten more accessible. That leaves the question of whether we will ever get a sequel.

Translated from Dutch · View original

Taboo is a strange and intriguing series set in England in 1814. Former soldier James Delaney returns from Africa to bury his father. Vader doesn't leave much behind outside of a significant piece of land in America, Nootka Sound. America and England are currently engaged in a war, but it is coming to an end. Nootka Sound is strategically placed for future trade and so the East India Company is very keen to get their hands on it, willingly or ill-willed. However, Delaney is not the same man he was when he left. He has picked up some pretty strange habits and customs in Africa that make him a formidable adversary even to the mighty East India Company.

Everything is very strong about Taboo, although it does take a while before you know where the series wants to go. The characters, the dark decor, the threatening atmosphere, the occult mysticism and the captivating mystery make you keep watching. Tom Hardy is totally in his element. We also see Franka Potente and Oona Chaplin, Charlie's granddaughter. It's great for a first season. It sets the tone and leaves the viewer yearning for more but sadly, four years have passed and it's still eerily quiet around Season 2 and it increasingly looks like it's not coming.

Taboo is definitely worth watching despite leaving the viewer with a cliffhanger.

Translated from Dutch · View original