2017 has been a remarkable year for British drama series, with the highly anticipated return of Sherlock and the premiere of the gripping historical series “Taboo” on the FX Network. Set in 1800s London, “Taboo” paints a vivid picture of the Dickensian era, complete with its dark secrets and raw portrayal of human greed. With a fantastic cast and authentic historical references, the show takes us on a complex journey into human nature and one man’s struggle to reclaim what’s his after being presumed dead for years. While the trailer promises mystery, action, and sexual tension, there are some lesser-known facts about Tom Hardy’s “Taboo” that you might find intriguing.
1. The Creative Minds Behind the Show
Although often referred to as “Tom Hardy’s Taboo”, the show’s creators include renowned screenwriter and director Steven Knight, and writer Edward “Chips” Hardy, who is Tom’s father. Despite Tom’s struggles with substance abuse in his youth, he and his father have evidently resolved their differences. His parents played a crucial role in helping Tom overcome his personal issues, paving the way for his successful career in modeling and acting.
2. A Familiar Face with a Famous Lineage
Actress Oona Chaplin, who portrays James Delaney’s half-sister Zilpha, captivates viewers with her expressive dark eyes that perfectly convey the unspoken desires central to Taboo’s storyline. Oona is the daughter of actress Geraldine Chaplin, who starred alongside Omar Sharif in “Dr. Zhivago”, and the granddaughter of silent film legend Charlie Chaplin. She is named after Charlie Chaplin’s fourth wife, Oona O’Neill, daughter of playwright Eugene O’ Neill. Oona has also appeared in “Game of Thrones” and an episode of “Sherlock”, playing one of John Watson’s ill-fated girlfriends.
3. Delving into Multiple Taboos
James Delaney is a man tormented by numerous secrets and the atrocities he committed against the indigenous people he exploited and enslaved. As much as he tries to ignore these ghosts while seeking revenge for his father’s death, they continue to haunt him at the most inconvenient moments. In 1814, slavery had not yet been abolished in England, and the East India Trading Company, established two centuries earlier by Queen Elizabeth I, was actively exploiting natives worldwide as part of England’s so-called “divine” destiny.
4. A Gruesome Glimpse into Body Snatching
In the 18th century, it was customary to pay gravediggers extra to bury your loved ones deeper, as fresh cadavers fetched a high price for medical research and other sinister purposes. Taboo graphically illustrates this fact about coffin theft, showing a man who was buried in one scene literally in the hands of a scientist shortly after.
5. The Show’s Commitment to Historical Authenticity
Did men really urinate outside taverns near where food was being cooked? “Taboo” accurately depicts this, as it was common practice to simply step out back and relieve oneself since there were no public restrooms for most public houses at the time. The show’s characters are also shown eating with their hands and removing pennies from a dead man’s eyes. Taboo doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of Georgian London.
6. Taboo’s Controversial Reception
Not since HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and “Six Feet Under” has a story about death featured such incestuous undertones. Many critics are uncomfortable with the relationship between two of the main characters. The sizzling chemistry between Tom Hardy and his on-screen half-sister Oona Chaplin has raised eyebrows. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons the show is called “Taboo”. Centuries ago, incest was the ultimate taboo, with first cousins marrying being acceptable in the early 1800s, but brother and sister relationships were strictly forbidden—unless you were Lord Byron.
7. The Real Nootka Sound
During the War of 1812, Native American Territories were indeed part of the war chessboard between the US and other lands. By 1814, peace talks had begun. Nootka Sound exists on the Canadian/American border, but the land dispute had been resolved a few decades before the time period in which “Taboo” is set.
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