2017’s period drama “Taboo” was genuinely a labor of love for “Mad Max: Fury Road” actor Tom Hardy. He collaborated with Steven Knight (the creator of “Peaky Blinders”) and his father, Chips Hardy, to co-create and co-write the series. Yet, despite the overall positive critiques and favorable audience reception — and the fact that it was officially picked up for a sequel by BBC One and FX immediately following its debut season — “Taboo’s” second season remains elusive even after more than nine years.
Although both Hardy and Knight have expressed in various interviews throughout the years their desire to revive the show, those comments have not materialized into action. Whether 2026 will bring the return of the brooding adventurer and businessman James Delaney is uncertain, but Knight did briefly mention the series in a recent chat with Radio Times, which may offer some optimism to fans. He remarked, “Well, Tom and I have discussed it, and I think we know how we would proceed. It’s just about finding the time. But I’d love to; I get asked about it — particularly in the States, actually — I get asked about it quite often.”
In their defense, it’s quite easy to see why “Taboo” has been put on the back burner for some time. Knight’s career skyrocketed once “Peaky Blinders” became a sensation, and he has been incredibly occupied crafting other shows like “See,” “Rogue Heroes,” and two anticipated series for 2025, Hulu’s “A Thousand Blows” and Netflix’s “House of Guinness.” Meanwhile, Hardy filmed “Dunkirk,” delved into Marvel’s “Venom” trilogy that spanned six years (which somewhat underutilized Hardy’s talent), and returned to television starring in “MobLand” on Paramount+ in 2025 (which you should consider adding to your watchlist if you enjoy gritty mob dramas). With such demanding schedules, carving out time for a relatively low-profile and underappreciated series that the two initiated nine years ago is no small feat. But as they say, hope springs eternal.
The grim, shadowy, and mysterious realm of Taboo
Debuting in early 2017 on BBC One in the U.K. (and on FX in the U.S., which boasts at least 11 outstanding shows available via Hulu), “Taboo” traced the story of James Delaney, a bitter and enigmatic businessman who returns to London after a 12-year sojourn in Africa to attend his father’s funeral and safeguard an inherited piece of land in British Columbia from Sir Stuart Strange (Jonathan Pryce), the chairman of the East India Company. The more captivating plot elements, however, hint at Delaney’s time away from home through visions and flashbacks, alongside potential incestuous ties with his half-sister Zilpha (Oona Chaplin), and a vague link to the supernatural. Keep in mind, this is 19th-century England, so violence and Gothic themes are very much part of the narrative, and “Taboo” definitely embraces these aspects to provide a rather hazy, psychedelic, and intricate tale across its eight episodes.
Personally, I found the series excruciatingly slow and occasionally lacking in excitement back then, leading me to drop it after four episodes. However, I clearly was in the minority, as “Taboo” cultivated a substantial fanbase that discovered much to appreciate in the series that I simply couldn’t (I’m somewhat tempted to give it another go now). The show also garnered two Emmy nominations in 2017 and received predominantly favorable reviews from critics (currently holding a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes). And since the season finale wrapped up on a cliffhanger, it seems everything is essentially primed for a continuation (even though addressing the elapsed time might be necessary), whenever the two Hardys and Steven Knight can finally make it happen.