Period drama by Peaky Blinders creator hailed as ‘one of the BBC’s best’ | Films | Entertainment

A period drama starring Tom Hardy has been called one of the best “all-time best” .Taboo is a television drama series that premiered on BBC One in 2017. 

The eight-episode series was created by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight with Tom Hardy and his father, Chips Hardy, based on a story written by Tom and Chips Hardy. In 1814, adventurer and businessman James Delaney (Tom Hardy) returns to England having spent twelve years in Africa, following the death of his father and the approaching end of Great Britain’s 1812 war with the United States. Alongside Hardy, the cast includes Leo Bill, Jessie Buckley, Oona Chaplin, Mark Gatiss, Tom Hollander, and Stephen Graham.

Taboo explores the dark side of 19th-century London, political and business corruption involving the East India Company, criminal gangs, and the misery of the working class.

The series has received generally favourable reviews, with critics praising Hardy’s performance, the aesthetic and the slow-burning aspect.

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the series an approval rating of 78% based on 45 reviews, with an average rating of 7.03/10. Their critical consensus reads, “After a sluggish start, Taboo takes a hold as a mysterious, dark, and often brutal period drama with plenty of promise as a series – most notably Tom Hardy’s exceptionally watchable performance”.

On review aggregator Metacritic, the series has a score of 67 out of 100 based on 32 critics, indicating “generally favourable reviews”. Screen Rant highlighted the series in its listing of the “20 Best BBC Period Dramas Of All Time”.

Taboo received favourable reviews upon its release, and its popularity remains strong today. One fan described the drama as “one of the best series last 20 years”.

Another said: “This is a regency era crime thriller that’s fuelled with vengeful spirits infesting a seasoned sailor on seas of life. He walks the streets and death follows known as devil itself, Delaney is a character that was acted without a single break.

“The mystified look that signals numbness to anything that happens in the ruins of society’s underbelly is the tone setter. Precise work by the whole cast in piecing together this unique period drama. Descriptive audio effects. A wide range of characters that could keep the audience immersed. Excellent story of strategy and action that demands another season.”

Taboo is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.