Yesterday as I sat watching TV, I felt a void. That void was left by Tom Hardy‘s James Keziah Delaney, last seen sailing off with his League of the Damned towards the US on the season finale of Taboo. The FX series, a passion project for Hardy, was one of the best new shows on television in the early stages of 2017. The short 8-episode run ended February 28th. Good news for fans of the series though, as BBC One and FX have ordered a second season.
Taboo Episode 1.8 “Episode 8”
Written by Steven Knight
Directed by Anders Engstrom
Starring Tom Hardy, Oona Chaplin, David Hayman, Michael Kelly, Jonathan Pryce, Jefferson Hall, Franka Potente, David Hayman FX
Air date: February 28th, 2017
“I witnessed and participated in darkness you cannot perceive.”
Last week, on the penultimate episode of FX’s Taboo, James Delaney (Tom Hardy) saw his plans hit an apparent snag. All of his plans were divulged to the East India Company by Helga (Franke Potente) as revenge, since she believes he killed her daughter Winter (Ruby-May Martinwood). James made a plan involving Godfrey (Edward Hogg), his man inside the E.I.C. He’s finally captured by agents of the crown and tortured in all sorts of nasty ways. He will remain steadfast in silence unless he gets a face to face with Sir Stuart Strange (Jonathan Pryce) of the Company. Strange was beside himself thinking he’s won, but it’s never over with James Delaney. Tonight was the explosive finale of Taboo, FX’s epic limited series.
Taboo Episode 1.7 “Episode 7”
Written by Steven Knight
Directed by Anders Engstrom
Starring Tom Hardy, Oona Chaplin, David Hayman, Michael Kelly, Jonathan Pryce, Jefferson Hall, Franka Potente, David Hayman FX
Air date: February 21st, 2017
Last week on FX’s Taboo, we went off the deep end. James Delaney (Tom Hardy) is trying desperately to get out of 1814 London with with a supply of gunpowder, so he can sail to Nootka Sound and trade with the Chinese. Standing in his way is greedy American Dumbarton (Michael Kelly), who blackmails him for his entire payload of powder. Add to this, what he truly desires more than anything is his half sister Zilpha (Oona Chaplin). She, in the best scene in the entire series, dispatched of her abusive husband Thorne (Jefferson Hall), and went to James only for him to nearly strangle her in a bizarre sexual encounter, that was interrupted by visions of his native mother. His visions take an even worse turn when a drunken stumbling Delaney wakes up next to the dead body of Winter (Ruby-May Martinwood), the daughter of Helga (Franka Potente) who was a member of his “League of the Damned” but now may prove his biggest threat. Helga, the East India Company, the Americans, and the Crown… all are after James Delaney as we enter the penultimate episode of Taboo.
Taboo Episode 1.6 “Episode 6”
Written by Chips Hardy & Steven Knight
Directed by Anders Engstrom
Starring Tom Hardy, Oona Chaplin, David Hayman, Michael Kelly, Jonathan Pryce, Jefferson Hall, Franka Potente, David Hayman FX
Air date: February 14th, 2017
Spoilers below for the FX series Taboo:
Last week on FX’s Taboo, everyone’s plans had a wrench thrown in them. James Delaney (Tom Hardy) had a chemist mixing gunpowder to use as a trade chip into China. But he is now being blackmailed by American doctor Dumbarton (Michael Kelly), and all the gunpowder must go to him. This required chemist Cholmondeley (Tom Hollander) to add an explosive chemical to the mixture, something he was not too keen on doing. Adding to this issue, was Delaney’s estranged young son helping to prepare the powder. At the same time the East India Company and their leader Sir Stuart Strange (Jonathan Pryce) were having an inquiry opened into the sinking of a ship where over 200 slaves drown; a ship that Delaney may have been on. And perhaps the root of all Delaney’s unrest was Zilpha (Oona Chaplin), his half sister and beloved, who was brutally beaten and raped by her husband Thorne (Jefferson Hall) after he found out about their secret tryst.
Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press
