Tom Hardy proved once again he’s a chameleon when he took on Taboo, a period drama full of mystery and intrigue. He became James Delaney, a man who returned from Africa during the War of 1812. Taboo Tom Hardy streaming US thought he was dead, and he shocked London with his presence. He inherited his family’s fortune and declared war on his enemies and he also navigated corruption, dark family secrets and deadly conspiracies. He fought the Crown and the East India Company and revealed that power in London flowed through deceit, intimidation and blood.
Hardy created a character unlike anything seen on TV before. His performance was menacing and vulnerable, and his physicality dominated every frame. His series is now streaming across the US. The timing couldn’t be better as audiences are craving complex, darker dramas. Viewers can get the grit of 19th-century London without waiting for weekly episodes. Streaming brings Hardy’s story back to life for a whole new audience.
A Journey Back to 1814 London
The story begins in 1814 when Britain was at war with the world and was a colonial power. Hardy’s James Delaney walked back into London after 12 years abroad. He was carrying secrets, scars and diamonds stolen from Africa and he unnerved the elite with his presence as they thought he was long gone. He claimed his father’s shipping empire and land and challenged the East India Company, one of the most powerful forces of the time. His inheritance included Nootka Sound, a trade route between America and Asia.
The Company wanted it badly but Delaney wouldn’t sell. He was threatened by politicians, businessmen and even his own family. His return disrupted carefully constructed alliances. His presence exposed corruption and hypocrisy. Hardy made Delaney a man out of step with society. He trusted almost no one, and his motives were unclear. That ambiguity kept us guessing throughout all 8 episodes.
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US Streaming Options
US viewers can now stream Taboo. Amazon Prime Video ha
s the series in its library. Peacock has the full season with both Premium and Premium Plus subscriptions. fuboTV has it as well. Pluto TV and The Roku Channel stream it for free with ads. Amazon Freevee is another ad-supported option. If you want to own episodes, you can buy them through Apple TV, Amazon Video or Fandango at Home. With so many options, almost everyone has access.
Streaming removes barriers and allows fans to binge the whole season at their own pace. New viewers can discover Hardy’s intensity without waiting for DVD releases. Existing fans can rewatch the complex story years after it first aired. Wider availability is a win for long-time fans who demanded more. US audiences can now dive into Hardy’s dark world.
Critical Reception and Audience Love
Critics were mixed but mostly positive. Rotten Tomatoes rated it around 78%. IMDb users gave it 8.3/10. Metacritic scored it 67, saying the response was “generally favorable”. Many praised Hardy’s presence and the show’s tone. They loved the sets, music and characters. Some found the early episodes slow, but most agreed the tension built.
Fans online defended the slow pace, saying it was a “slow burn worth the wait”. Screen Rant later ranked Taboo as one of the best BBC dramas. Viewers loved how the show balanced brutality with poetic dialogue. The mix of violence, intimacy and mystery kept them talking for years. Audience comments praised the difference from other period dramas. The style attracted fans who wanted something grittier than what polished costume dramas deliver.
Power, Betrayal, Obsession
The heart of Taboo is in its themes. Power is in every decision. Betrayal is in every alliance. Obsession is in Delaney’s choices, whether about his inheritance, his half-sister or his revenge. The East India Company is greed and colonialism. Politicians are in it for themselves while the public suffers. Religion is corrupt, and justice is absent.
Hardy’s Delaney is against all these forces but is dark himself. He kills without thinking and manipulates those around him. His relationship with Zilpha is moral complexity and audience unease. Through him, the show asks if survival requires total corruption. Every theme is intertwined to show a society built on hypocrisy. We see characters make choices based on ambition, fear and loyalty. The themes are relevant today, so the show is more relevant. Taboo never paints heroes or villains. It blurs the lines until every decision is tainted.
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Final Thoughts
Tom Hardy’s Taboo is TV that doesn’t play it safe. It challenges, provokes and rewards patience and it goes into history and the supernatural and creates a world that feels alive, dirty and dangerous. It gives you a protagonist who’s monstrous and magnetic. Also It surrounds him with unforgettable characters and performances. It’s anchored in themes that are still relevant today. It gets new life through streaming in the US.
Fans have had years to wait. Critical acclaim and fan love prove its impact. Season 2 is uncertain, but hope remains. Until then, season 1 is a masterpiece worth watching. Hardy’s performance is one of TV’s most impressive. If you want drama, don’t miss it. Taboo is now streaming in the US and is worth every minute.
