Home > Taboo > Season 1 « TV Series Page Taboo: Season 1 (2017) Want to see Episode List Season 1 Taboo Critics Consensus After a sluggish start, Taboo takes hold as a mysterious, dark, and often brutal period drama with plenty of promise as a series -- most notably evident in Tom Hardy's exceptionally watchable performance. 76% TOMATOMETER Critic Ratings: 67 92% Audience Score User Ratings: 1617 See score details Other TV Shows Fargo The Americans American Crime Story Blood Feuds Rate And Review Submit review Want to see Edit Submit review Super Reviewer Verified Super Reviewer Verified Edit Super Reviewer Rate this season Oof, that was Rotten. Meh, it passed the time. It’s good – I’d recommend it. Awesome! So Fresh: Absolute Must See! What did you think of this tv season? (optional) Submit Continue Super Reviewer Step 2 of 2 How did you buy your ticket? Let's get your review verified. Submit By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket. Super Reviewer Rate this season Oof, that was Rotten. Meh, it passed the time. It’s good – I’d recommend it. Awesome! So Fresh: Absolute Must See! What did you think of this tv season? (optional) Submit How did you buy your ticket? Submit By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. Episodes 1. Pilot Air date: Jan 10, 2017 In the series premiere, James Delaney returns to London to follow his father's legacy following a ten-year stint in Africa. View Details 2. Episode 2 Air date: Jan 17, 2017 An unexpected arrival looms and threatens James' plans as he assembles his league of the damned. View Details 3. Episode 3 Air date: Jan 24, 2017 James takes radical action to protect himself from his enemies. View Details 4. Episode 4 Air date: Jan 31, 2017 James protects his business by any means necessary after being blacklisted. View Details 5. Episode 5 Air date: Feb 7, 2017 James gets blackmailed into taking on a dangerous mission as animosity grows between the Crown and Company. View Details 6. Episode 6 Air date: Feb 14, 2017 War is declared on James while a family revelation rocks him to the core. View Details 7. Episode 7 Air date: Feb 21, 2017 James faces a betrayal that jeopardizes his freedom and gives his enemies a big opportunity. View Details 8. Episode 8 Air date: Feb 28, 2017 In the season finale, James plans his escape while Prince Regent makes a final push to destroy him. View Details Taboo: Season 1 Videos 0:29 Taboo: Season 1 Promo - Dear James 0:29 Taboo: Season 1 Promo - Deserving 1:00 Taboo: Season 1 Promo - Little Men 0:30 Taboo: Season 1 Episode 2 Trailer 0:30 Taboo: Season 1 Episode 3 Trailer 0:30 Taboo: Season 1 Episode 4 Trailer 0:30 Taboo: Season 1 Episode 5 Trailer 1:18 Taboo: Season 1 Trailer 0:30 Taboo: Season 1 Episode 6 Preview 0:30 Taboo: Season 1 Episode 7 Trailer View All Videos (11) Taboo: Season 1 Photos View All Photos (39) Tv Season Info Presumed-dead James Delaney reappears in London in 1814, to find his father dead and England at war with France and the US. Due to inherit his father's shipping empire, his resurfacing threatens his half-sister Zilpha and the political ambitions of the East India Company. Genre: Drama Network: FX Premiere Date: Jan 10, 2017 Exec. Producers: Dean Baker, Gene Stein, Kate Crowe, Ridley Scott, Steven Knight, Tom Hardy Cast Tom Hardy as James Keziah Delaney Michael Kelly as Dumbarton Jonathan Pryce as Stuart Strange Oona Chaplin as Zilpha Geary David Hayman as Brace Jessie Buckley as Lorna Bow Ashley Walters Jefferson Hall as Thorne Geary Ed Hogg as Godfrey Leo Bill as Wilton Christopher Fairbank as Ibbotson Richard M. Dixon as Pettifer Jason Watkins as Solomon Coop Nicholas Woodeson as Thoyt Show More Cast News & Interviews for Taboo: Season 1 New On DVD in February: Coco, Three Billboards, Only the Brave and More Taboo Finale: 8 Things to Prepare You for the Game-Changing Season Closer Tom Hardy Promises ‘Slow Burn’ Taboo to Heat Up View All Taboo: Season 1 News Episodes 1. Pilot Air date: Jan 10, 2017 In the series premiere, James Delaney returns to London to follow his father's legacy following a ten-year stint in Africa. View Details 2. Episode 2 Air date: Jan 17, 2017 An unexpected arrival looms and threatens James' plans as he assembles his league of the damned. View Details 3. Episode 3 Air date: Jan 24, 2017 James takes radical action to protect himself from his enemies. View Details 4. Episode 4 Air date: Jan 31, 2017 James protects his business by any means necessary after being blacklisted. View Details 5. Episode 5 Air date: Feb 7, 2017 James gets blackmailed into taking on a dangerous mission as animosity grows between the Crown and Company. View Details 6. Episode 6 Air date: Feb 14, 2017 War is declared on James while a family revelation rocks him to the core. View Details 7. Episode 7 Air date: Feb 21, 2017 James faces a betrayal that jeopardizes his freedom and gives his enemies a big opportunity. View Details 8. Episode 8 Air date: Feb 28, 2017 In the season finale, James plans his escape while Prince Regent makes a final push to destroy him. View Details Critic Reviews for Taboo Season 1 All Critics (67) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (16) If you like your historical fiction grim and your cobblestones dirt-caked, if you don't mind looking into some of humanity's bleaker facets, this one's for you. Jan 5, 2017 | Full Review… Matthew Gilbert Boston Globe Top Critic Hardy may want to mix in a romantic comedy sometime soon, if only for his own sanity. But for now, he's got demons to work out and it's an exorcism worth watching. Jan 10, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review… Neal Justin Minneapolis Star Tribune Top Critic Hardy's great - as always - but the story at times can be as turgid as the Thames in winter. Jan 10, 2017 | Rating: B+ | Full Review… Verne Gay Newsday Top Critic Hardy, always an admirably committed actor, has the magnetism to elevate even the silliest moments, making this an intriguing, if sometimes oppressively moody trip into a sinister underworld. Jan 10, 2017 | Full Review… Sophie Gilbert The Atlantic Top Critic Three episodes deep, there's an appetite for more, but not a ravenous one. Jan 10, 2017 | Rating: B- | Full Review… Ed Bark Uncle Barky Top Critic It's definitely a Tom Hardy vehicle, but it's got a hell of an ensemble supporting him. Jan 9, 2017 | Full Review… Brian Tallerico RogerEbert.com Top Critic Freshly unique, gloriously offensive, and delightfully vicious with superb costume design, an unbelievably talented cast, and a riveting story that thrives on reeling its audience in. Aug 30, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5 | Full Review… Chris Sawin God Hates Geeks Not even often-stunning performances... can dig Taboo out of its messy, overwrought darkness. Oct 19, 2018 | Full Review… Matt Miller Esquire Magazine The Hardys have created a period piece with a grim, noir feel, and ballsy execution. There are plenty of betrayals, murders, conspiracies and a clash of primitive and modern western values. Aug 24, 2018 | Full Review… Anne Brodie What She Said The actor, also the creator of the series, has a hypnotic presence halfway between a rhinoceros and a peacock. [Full Review in Spanish] Jul 10, 2018 | Full Review… Álvaro P. Ruiz de Elvira El Pais (Spain) ... an amazing Tom Hardy in one of his usual genius performances... [Full review in Spanish] Jan 16, 2018 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review… Alberto Sáez Villarino El antepenúltimo mohicano For not giving up on historical dramas, even if not perfecting the genre, Tom Hardy's Taboo deserves your attention. Give it some. Dec 26, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review… Soumya Srivastava Hindustan Times View All Critic Reviews (67) Audience Reviews for Taboo: Season 1 Jul 31, 2020 I really liked this series, it had memorable characters and a plot which was interesting. If you like historical dramas this is a must watch. lefteri e Jul 20, 2020 What a waste of such beautiful aesthetic visuals. This is a mish mash of tired tropes.. white stoic tough guy who always gets what he wants.. indigenous peoples of North America and Africa are shown as savages but hey, at least they can add some exoticism to the white guy and give him special powers so he can wreak havoc while getting what he wants. Oh wait, he's actually half indigenous despite being played by Tom Hardy, lol. Unnecessary incest side story with an undeveloped weak female character who exists to have access to her body fought over by men.. a weak effeminate gay man/trans woman exploited by our tough guy too. I am willing to put up with all the usual unnecessary gore and weird sex scenes that seem to be the trend in historical-ish shows lately if the story and characters are actually interesting and engaging and there is at least a little bit of effort put towards setting a reasonably historically accurate scene.. but this fails in all those areas.. they didn't even develop the main character much, he was rather dull. Riley M Jun 13, 2020 Taboo is a top-tier historical drama. Its atmospheric and gritty portrayal of 19th century London is a sight to behold, and its cast is well up to the challenge of portraying 19th century characters. The star is of course Tom Hardy as James Keziah Delaney, a rugged antihero who is perhaps not the most original character, but a compelling lead to the show. Even minor characters, like Franka Potente as brothel madam Helga, do a lot with little screen time. The plot revolves around a piece of land Delaney owns which the East India Trading Company wishes to acquire, and this conflict is well-written and plays out in an entertaining manner. Delaney's ability to recover from pretty much any injury is perhaps a bit silly, and pushes this more into escapism than pure realism, but he can also do dark magic, so suffice it to say the show was never meant to be realistic to begin with. There is one character, Lorna Bow (played by Jessie Buckley) who never has much to do, and seems like she could have been written out, but otherwise there are few glaring flaws to be found. Even if there is never a Season 2, the first season has closure, and works as a standalone series. Highly recommended for dark historical drama fans. Sasha J May 10, 2020 Tom Hardy is best reason to see this. It's not bad, but there is something missing in all of it... Carlos F May 08, 2020 Great performance, dense and brilliant Thomas Hardy Marc L May 07, 2020 Excellent. S1 of 'Taboo' is a treat. A few of the episodes can drag out a tad, but by and large it all makes for a very fine viewing. Tom Hardy is excellent as the superbly named James Keziah Delaney. He is by far the best thing about this show, but that's not to say he's the only pulling the strings. Jessie Buckley (Lorna), Oona Chaplin (Zilpha), Stephen Graham (Atticus), Tom Hollander (George) and Jonathan Pryce (Stuart) all give their own terrific performances. Steven Knight does a grand job with the writing, as do the whole team behind this in truth. Three years+ on, still waiting for the second series; which has been commissioned, with Tom Hardy stating within the last twelve months that it will return. Here's hoping! Ryan S Apr 24, 2020 10/10 for acting, 10/10 for cinematography, 10/10 for writing. Billie B Apr 21, 2020 Absolutely brillant. Dark and haunting. Love it Katie Z Apr 07, 2020 Very good story with an excellent Tom Hardy. Klemen V Mar 31, 2020 Unique show, unique twists, phenomenally acted, superb casting, seriously, only 8 episodes, it's a must see. Production value of this period piece is also of great quality. I happen to stumble onto the show on Hulu/fx without knowing and I finished the whole season in a single sitting. Hoping for another season. Nanor A See all Audience reviews News & Features 200 Erotic Movies Coming attractions for you 2020's Most Anticipated Movies What and when to watch Video Game Movies Ranked 43 ranked worst to best Best Netflix Series and Shows What to watch right now More News & Features TOP HEADLINES Best Horror Movies of 2020 Ranked – Rotten Tomatoes Fall TV First Look: Find Out What’s Coming – Rotten Tomatoes The Best Peacock Original Shows and Movies – Rotten Tomatoes 20 Movies To Watch If You Loved Inception – Rotten Tomatoes All Upcoming Disney Movies: New Disney Live-Action, Animation, Pixar, Marvel, and More – Rotten Tomatoes The Best Quibi Shows to Stream Now – Rotten Tomatoes The 64 Most Anticipated Movies of 2020 – Rotten Tomatoes Sundance 2020 Movie Scorecard – Rotten Tomatoes More Headlines Go back More trailers