Taboo (2017)

The series is a vicious and uber-masculine period drama centered on Tom Hardy's commanding, powder-keg performance as the enigmatic James Delaney. It highlights Hardy's magnetic presence and the show's intense, macho energy.

Taboo struggles with thinly drawn characters and an over-reliance on teasing secrets rather than developing them, making the limited series feel frustrating despite its intriguing premise. The visuals and historical elements stand out as strengths under director Kristoffer Nyholm.

Taboo is a vivid but pokey miniseries whose hypnotic atmosphere and weirdness make it more enjoyable to ponder than to watch. It singles out the fanatically detailed production design and Tom Hardy's intense, theatrical lead performance for praise.

The review notes that the dark, brooding series has enough intrigue to sustain interest thanks largely to Hardy, while observing it is not particularly action-oriented or sexy in its early episodes. It highlights the mixed results of the mystical elements and Hardy's compelling presence as strengths amid slower pacing.

The BBC’s new historical drama is seductive and atmospheric, if completely baffling. Tom Hardy brings extra swagger to Regency London as the menacing James Delaney, though the plot and dialogue can feel portentous and stiflingly male.

The critic finds the series ponderous and heavy-handed, wasting its talented cast on excessive chiaroscuro, angst, and self-important grit without substance or a unifying vision. It singles out the thin material, vague handling of race and Africa, and over-the-top brooding as major flaws despite strong production values.

The series is a strange, slow-burning revenge tale set in gritty early-1800s London, where Tom Hardy’s James Delaney schemes against powerful forces over a valuable piece of land. It features strong performances, atmospheric direction by Kristoffer Nyholm for the first half, and a polished BBC-style production that balances weirdness with restraint.

Taboo is an utterly ridiculous but totally absorbing grimy revenge thriller that serves as a bold, no-holds-barred antidote to glitzy primetime fare. It singles out Tom Hardy's supremely theatrical and watchable performance as the standout element that sets the tone.

Taboo is a grimy, intriguing new BBC period drama featuring Tom Hardy as a mythic amalgam of 19th-century literary leads in a tale of revenge and empire. It praises the script's unflinching look at the era's racism and the director's capture of mud and insalubriousness.

The critic finds Taboo a slog that takes too long to build momentum, intimidating viewers into reverence it may not deserve. They single out the sumptuous grime and atmosphere helmed by director Kristoffer Nyholm for praise, while noting the restraint in depicting violence.