Taboo

Tom Hardy arrives in Taboo looking as though London has already tried to bury him and failed. His James Delaney returns from Africa to claim an inheritance, including a piece of land that puts him in the path of the East India Company.

The attraction is Hardy's stubborn, threatening presence amid people who prefer their threats delivered politely. Delaney gives little away, and the negotiations around him can feel as dangerous as the violence. Jonathan Pryce makes an especially good opponent: a powerful man accustomed to treating other people's lives as an administrative inconvenience.

This is a grim, slow-moving period drama, heavy with secrets and dirty business. The atmosphere is a substantial part of the pleasure, though anyone wanting quick answers may find it frustrating. If Hardy was your favourite part of Peaky Blinders, there is an obvious reason to give this a look.