Taboo: What to expect from Tom Hardy's new lavish period drama
Adventure, death and betrayal are the key ingredients in this highly anticipated eight-part series
![Tom Hardy Taboo](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PokW4LZMipUtojn8dmv5tE-415-80.jpg)
Tom Hardy has barely had a moment off our screens in the past two years. From Mad Max: Fury Road to The Revenant, the Londoner is one of the industry's most in-demand actors, bringing pathos and sensitivity to gritty, macho roles.
Now Hardy is about to return to the UK small screen in new mini-series Taboo. The brainchild of Hardy and his wonderfully named father, Chips – plus Peaky Blinders screenwriter Stephen Knight – it is a macabre tale of vengeance and conspiracy set in 1813.
So what can we expect from Taboo and what do we know so far?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What's it about?
According to The Independent, the series will focus on James Delaney, "an adventurer who uncovers a dark family conspiracy upon returning home from Africa with the aim of avenging his father's death".
Stolen diamonds, the East India Company and the American Revolutionary War are expected to be major factors in the plot, although the finer details are still under wraps.
Who is involved?
Aside from Hardy, the series brings a wealth of British talent, with a cast including Oona Chaplin (Game of Thrones), David Hayman (Trial & Retribution) and Jonathan Pryce (Pirates of the Caribbean). US actor Michael Kelly (House of Cards) will also appear.
Taboo has also recruited renowned international directors, with Danish director Kristoffer Nyholm (The Killing) and Swede Anders Engstrom (Jordskott) taking control of four episodes each. Gladiator director Ridley Scott is executive producer.
How historically accurate will it be?
Knight has raised the eyebrows of a few historians in the run-up to the show's launch with his comments on the East India Company, which, he said, "throughout the 19th century, was the equivalent of the CIA, the NSA and the biggest, baddest multinational corporation on earth, all rolled into one self-righteous, religiously-motivated monolith".
Historians have expressed concern that Taboo will portray the firm in an overwhelmingly negative light, says the Daily Telegraph, and believe this is unfair revisionism. Economic historian Tirthankar Roy said the East India Company "made a very positive contribution overall" and that its "major beneficiaries were the huge number of Indian, Chinese, south east Asian traders".
When is it on?
Taboo will air on BBC1 on 7 January 2017.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Hamas and Fatah sign unity agreement in Beijing
Speed Read China brokered a reconciliation deal between the rival Palestinian factions
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
The Earth just saw its hottest day on record
Speed Read July 21, 2024 was the hottest day in recorded global history
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Bob Menendez to resign after corruption conviction
Speed Read The New Jersey senator submitted to resignation pressure following charges of federal bribery and corruption
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Douglas Is Cancelled: Hugh Bonneville plays a shamed news presenter
The Week Recommends Cancel culture drama is mostly 'clever and sharp'
By The Week UK Published
-
A Quiet Place: Day One – the 'pleasant surprise of the summer'
The Week Recommends Silence is golden in this prequel to the popular 2018 apocalyptic thriller
By The Week UK Published
-
The Bikeriders: Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy star in high-octane drama
The Week Recommends Film inspired by 1968 book about notorious biker gang in Chicago
By The Week UK Published
-
Raffles London at The OWO review: a quintessentially British stay
The Week Recommends This heritage building has been given a twist as a luxury hotel in the nation's capital
By Leaf Arbuthnot, The Week UK Published
-
The Young Woman and the Sea: Daisy Ridley stars as 'tenacious' heroine
The Week Recommends The film explores the story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim across the Channel
By The Week UK Published
-
Has Bridgerton lost the plot?
Talking Point Return of the hit Regency series has divided both fans and critics
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Michelangelo – the last decades review: an 'absorbing' exploration of art
The Week Recommends New exhibition focuses on works from the final 30 years of the artist's long career
By The Week UK Published
-
Silversea cruise review: a Central and North American adventure
The Week Recommends An incredible journey featuring cultural exploration, cooking classes, comfort and more
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published