19th century London, murders, incest, and Tom Hardy. All of these elements can be found on the FX TV show, Taboo. Only two weeks have passed since the series premiere of the show, and I would caution audiences to be aware of mature content on it such as nudity and offensive language. This historical drama takes place in 1800s London. It features celebrity heartthrob, Tom Hardy, who is perfectly cast as show’s male lead: James Delaney. The show begins with the mysterious return of Delaney to London after a ten year leave to Africa. No one knows why he left, but his return was prompted by the mysterious death of his father. Where I feel most pilots leave you confused as to who the main characters are, I believe Taboo does a great job of establishing character positions. Almost immediately the audience knows that Jonathan Pryce is the antagonist, David Hayman is the trusty butler and sidekick to Hardy, and Chaplin is Hardy’s sister and maybe potential love interest. The sister’s reaction to her step-brother’s return leaves the audience wondering if they were more than just siblings? This hint at an incestuous relationship between Hardy and Chaplin engages the audience’s attention, and leaves them wanting to know more.

Although character positions were established perfectly, there were times when I was confused about the theme of the show. Certain scenes made me wonder if it was supposed to be be realistic or contain elements of fantasy. There were times when the presence of ghosts left me confused, I wasn’t sure if they were actual ghosts/demons haunting Delaney or if they were merely visions of his past. However, those issues could easily be cleared up by future episodes.

I highly recommend this show for people who like drama and mystery. The historical aspect of the show makes it unique and it offers a different type of drama and experience than most show nowadays.