Taboo (2017)

When Tom Hardy isn’t hiding his pretty face in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Dunkirk (2017), Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), and Venom (2018), he’s working behind the scenes as co-creator of the miniseries Taboo (2017). Like his roles on other small screen shows — The Virgin Queen (2005), Oliver Twist (2007), Wuthering Heights (2009), and Peaky Blinders (2014-2022) — this too is a costume drama. The action begins in the early 1800s when James Delaney (Hardy) mysteriously returns to London after being presumed dead. Instead of existing in heaven or hell, Delaney was actually in Africa. Needless to say, the experience leads to some fabulous fleshbacks of Hardy in a loincloth! At present, he’s ready to take over as the rightful heir to a shipping empire owned by his late father (Edward Fox). Yet, considering all of the crooks (Fiona Skinner, Scroobius Pip, Stephen Graham) looking to hijack his fortune, Delaney is facing an uphill battle. That doesn’t even include others who may lay claim on the goods such as his father’s widow (Jessie Buckley), his half-sister (Oona Chaplin), and his dad’s loyal servant (David Hayman). The story also includes the East India Company’s minute taker (Edward Hogg), scientist George Cholmondeley (Tom Hollander), insurance broker Thorne Geary (Jefferson Hall), and Prince George (Mark Gatiss). Speaking of the latter, your crown jewels will be aroused when you see Mr. Hardy tout his tattooed abs, gams and ass. There’s nothing Taboo about that!