Proving once again that television really is the new refuge of movie stars seeking quality work they're not finding on the big screen, Tom Hardy is coming to your TV set with the upcoming FX miniseries Taboo . Joining a long line of big-name celebrities who have made the jump to the small screen — including the likes of Viola Davis, Kevin Spacey, and Matthew McConaughey — the Dark Knight Rises star will play the lead in this eight-episode British-American co-production. But with the release of a new Taboo promo comes the question: What is Hardy's new TV show exactly, and why should I care about it?
Well, first of all, did I mention that it starred Tom Hardy? Once or twice? That alone should be reason enough to tune in when the show premieres in 2017. But, in case you need more convincing, here's a quick synopsis of Taboo , courtesy of Variety:
Set in 1814, Taboo follows James Keziah Delaney (Hardy), a man who has been to the ends of the earth and comes back irrevocably changed. Believed to be long dead, he returns home to London from Africa to inherit what is left of his father’s shipping empire and rebuild a life for himself. But his father’s legacy is a poisoned chalice, and with enemies lurking in every dark corner, James must navigate increasingly complex territories to avoid his own death sentence. A dark family mystery unfolds in a combustible tale of love and treachery.
Although this is Hardy's first new project on television since he became a certifiable household name, this is far from the actor's first time on TV in his career. In fact, one of his earlier parts was a supporting role in the 2001 HBO miniseries Band Of Brothers. Throughout the years, the actor has guest starred on a number of British series or appeared in British TV movies. Most recently, he had a major role in the second and third seasons of the BBC period drama Peaky Blinders, the third season of which just dropped on Netflix this past May.
But Hardy is far from the only reason you should be tuning in to Taboo when it premieres. The miniseries boasts an abundance of talent both in front of and behind the camera. Onscreen, the actor will be joined by several familiar faces, including not just one, but two Game Of Thrones alums: Oona Chaplin (aka Robb's doomed wife Talisa) and Jonathan Pryce (aka the recently immolated High Sparrow). They'll also be joined by the likes of Michael Kelly (a recent Emmy nominee for House Of Cards) and Franka Potente (The Bourne Identity, The Conjuring 2).
Behind the scenes, Taboo is run by Steven Knight, who co-created the series alongside Hardy and his father. Knight is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises), who has worked with Hardy twice before, as the writer/director of the 2013 action film Locke as well as on Peaky Blinders, which Knight created and writes every episode of. Taboo is also executive produced by Ridley Scott, one of the most prolific figures in Hollywood, having directed such varied films as Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down (which Hardy appeared in), Prometheus, and The Martian.
If a charismatic leading man, an intriguing premise, a supremely talented cast, and a dynamite production team aren't enough to get you stoked for Taboo… then I'm not sure what's wrong with you, frankly. Are you sure you're alive? If you are stoked… then I'm sorry to have to tell you that you're going to be waiting for a little while, since no premiere date other than a vague announcement of "2017" has been set for the miniseries yet. At least that gives you plenty of time to enjoy these Tom Hardy gifs.
Images: FX (2)
