Taboo - New show on BBC with Tom Hardy

Watched episode 1 last night. Slow moving, dark, and I think I am gonna enjoy this series. Considering the warnings of language and nudity, I didn't see/hear much (what a disappointment ). Hardy is quite good. As with all of these regular TV shows, if it weren't for DVRs, I would not be watching. After the first 24 minutes, commercials about every five minutes. Do these advertisers not realize how many people just ff past them?

 

Letting the 'F-word' fly..... I think, twice... that's saying something on how 'basic cable' TV is changing.

 

I really don't agree that he lacks humor. He takes a lot of roles that are quite serious but still his humor shines through. His role as Alfie Solomons on "Peaky Blinders" has a glint of humor to it. In "Bronson" he showed it as well. I'd say, right now, he's my favorite working actor besides the semi-retired Daniel Day-Lewis.

 

I'm enjoying this one quite a bit. He has a unique walk when he's walking along with his coat & top-hat on. As someone already said, it's very visually stimulating series.

 

I'm still in having gotten through episode 4. FX Canada shows it at various times which is perfect for me.

 

Somehow it is becoming a bit boring affair ... I hoped he would set sail for America and we get a bit less dark-and-gloomy-only scenery, but it doesn't look like that.

 

And Franka Potente looks like she put on a few pounds ...

 

Btw Tom Hardy would make an excellent Bond, no ?

 

Whether in the barroom or the boardroom; every character in the series is ruthless and corrupt to the core. And yet they're all terrified of Delaney.

 

Frankly, without a DVR I cannot imagining watching this. There are commercials about every five minutes.

It certainly is a slowly developing story line. As Graham Chapman might say "get on with it".

 

Don't intend to veer off-topic, but I just watched `Locke' over the weekend. How Tom Hardy was not
nominated for a major acting award for that role is beyond me.

 

I don't have a problem with the pace at all. I guess the one thing they've maybe gotten repetitive with is James being almost supernaturally aware of everything that goes on and anyone plotting against him or even having the thought. They've established that he's practically a phantom nobody can outmaneuver, but I hope they provide some explanation for how he is always in the know or stop hammering this.

 

I'm guessing it has something to do with the slave ship that sank combined with his time abroad. If they share that too early it might ruin the show.

 

He's got spies everywhere. He blackmailed the crossdresser. He's got his father's old contacts and his own.

 

I know he's got spies everywhere. But how did he know that the man in the bar/pub (the one who's thumb he cut off) had been merely been "considering" providing information for the reward.

 

It seems like Tommy,,, uh, I mean, Atticus is wondering the same thing!

 

It's almost a certainty that Delaney already had been informed that there was a snitch in process in that den of thieves.
He just let's on that he knows all this by dint of his mighty witch craft powers, that he can read a betrayal before it happens.
And i think it takes a good bit away from any real excitement that Delaney's always so far ahead of the posse and assassins.

I'd agree with the 'let's get a move on' statement, 6 episodes and we are still surrounded by muck, filth, the stench of the permanently unwashed, the hovels, the grime of low tide. I just wanted them to get on the boat to somewhere else, fresh air of the open sea, an island would be just paradise. That's why the burning of the boat was a great disappointment, bad work by the dastardly E.I.C.
I'm not usually that bothered by a fear of bugs, or fear of catching stuff but if i were around that environment, I'd be barely able to walk with the amount of gypsy amulets etc to ward off evil demons and disease.

 

Taboo is very intriguing and visually stunning, capturing the seediness of early 19th century London, like Gustave Doré's illustrations of the city.
I also thought that it might have moved on a little further by episode 4 but I'm not at all bored by it. A terrific cast and Tom Hardy is perfect as this ghost of a man with his soul ripped out (making sure he literally rips out his enemies souls as well!).

 

Wasn't it suggested in this last episode that the man betrayed him BECAUSE Delaney cut off his thumb? It's interesting to ponder if Delaney's premonition or whatever spidey-sense he has that warned him the man would betray him came before the man planned to, and after getting his thumb cut off while in his mind being completely innocent, he then decided to betray Delaney. His premonition of the betrayal causing the destruction of his ship and powder would have been more useful. Then he could have offed the guy and prevented the real problem. Or maybe Delaney just chose the guy based on a hunch to send a message to everyone else and keep up his image as "all knowing", but in doing so caused the betrayal.

 

Regardless of what question was put to Delaney by the tattoo guy, he would choose not to answer it because it's in his interests (blind loyalty) that his legend grows and his minions fear the almighty Delaney.
The simple answer is that Delaney had information about a snitch and used that information to make his position stronger re his 'supernatural powers'.
The explosion/ burning of his ship was a complete and utter shock to him, Delaney did not foresee that one because he had no information, that's why he was annoyed with his golden snitch, the cross dresser clerk, for not warning him of the EIC´s change of tactics.

 

His snitch probably didn't know. It really shouldn't be too hard for the EIC to figure who the leak is. There's only one person in the room who it would seem would have less of a vested interest in the success of the company than the rest of them.

 

His snitch didn't know about the boat attack and therefore neither did Delaney and that's the evidence that Delaney depends on his wits and information to keep ahead of the pack and not from supernatural powers with an on the spot ability to read minds and spot a potential traitor.

 

Love the film set, love Hardy, but...............It is really starting to bore the pants off me. Loved the first episode, got a bit bored after the second, gave up after the third. Should have condensed it into 4 parts!!!