|
Post by Melifeather on Jan 15, 2017 18:19:02 GMT
Anybody catch the first episode of Taboo? It stars Tom Hardy as adventurer James Keziah Delaney who builds a shipping empire in the early 1800's. He was told at an early age that his mother was from Naples, but he learns later that his mother was a native American Nootka, a tribe that Nootka Island is named for and the island (and wife) that Delaney's father bought for ten shillings. The mega-powerful East India Company wants Nootka Island and had been negotiating with Delaney's sister, who is suspected of poisoning her father with arsenic. Both Delaney's sister and the East India Company believed Delaney was dead...drowned during a voyage near Antigua. The EIC wants the island desperately, as it seems that Nootka Island is near Vancouver and the gateway to trade in China, and was negotiating a hefty sum to buy it from Delaney's sister. Now that Delaney is back his sister's husband is plotting to kill him. Delaney is a mysterious, threatening sort with strange tattoos, flashbacks, and hallucinations that seem to be communications or paranormal communication with the dead, and he returns to London for his father's funeral in 1814, having been changed by some disturbing experiences he had during his 10 years in "Africa." He claims he communicated with his father psychically and that is how he learned everything about his mother and Nootka Island. It seems as if the show is presenting his character as someone that is undead or at least reborn with special powers and creepy knowledge of, I'm assuming, his mother's Nootka language and spiritual belief system. I think the show is interesting and I've got it set to record/dvr. The premiere was Jan 10th, so I think it's Tuesdays on FX.
|
|
|
Post by Weasel Pie on Jan 15, 2017 18:36:43 GMT
Wow, that's already a ride! If it's brand new I'll catch up - so much easier than needing to watch 5 seasons of something to get current
|
|
|
Post by Melifeather on Jan 23, 2017 5:39:45 GMT
Episode 2 summary:
We learn more about the motivations of the East India Trading Company and the extents they are willing to go to to further their business and the desires of the crown. I also got the sneaking suspicion that there's something unseemly about the relationship between Delaney (Tom Hardy) and his half-sister Zilpha (Oona Chaplin) that seemed sexual.
James Delaney spends some time searching his father's belongings trying to find a legal document to prove that his father traded peacefully with the Nootka indians for Nootka Sound Island versus taking it by conquest. He seems to think the document would be made of deerskin, suggesting that it was created by the Nootka indians themselves and then given to his father.
Delaney shows up at an auction and bids 800 pounds to purchase a ship. Earlier we witness him opening a safe and counting out rough cut diamonds. He presumably uses the diamonds as payment for the ship, and he sends one diamond to his sister, who looks very pleased to receive it and she hides it away in her locked jewelry case. It seemed to me that she was hiding it from her husband. Later on we see Delaney inspecting the ship that he bought, but he's angered upon discovering that the ship was used to transport slaves. He extracts all the chains and remnants left behind by the slaves and then chanting, presumably Nootka indian language, he carves a type of bird into the floorboards.
James learns of an assassination plot and through his investigation to find out who wants him dead and for what reasons, the audience gets a little better understanding of what kind of man James's father was and why so many people turned against him. When it comes time for the official reading of the will, there are many people in attendance who claim dead Mr Delaney owed them money. The attorney proclaims that the heir of the property does not inherit the debt, yet James has brought exactly enough coin to pay everyone back what was owed to them. After everyone is paid a younger women shows up claiming to be Mr Delaney's widow. Her claim is confirmed legal and she stands to share equal inheritance with James, who was named sole beneficiary.
There is a bit of a no-surprise cliffhanger in that there is an attempt on Delaney's life. James makes quick work at killing his would be assassin, but not before taking a knife in the belly himself. The episode ends with him sitting against a wall bleeding.
|
|
|
Post by cooterian15 on Jan 25, 2017 0:51:04 GMT
So this series is not shaping up as I had imagined. Perhaps pleasantly so.
First, I'm not having any trouble understanding Tom Hardy, I was fearful because of his thick accent. That's the good news. The bad news is that half of the other characters I can't follow. One might say turn on subtitles..which lead me to my second point. The series is on F/X which means, commercial interruptions. The first two episodes I taped, which is very useful in getting through the commercials. The problem is that you need subtitles on during the recording...hence back to my first comment about not understanding half of the characters.
I had originally thought that Taboo was going to be about voodoo and witchcraft (which it may still yet produce). After two episodes it is pleasantly headed in the direction of a cross between Black Sails and Penny Dreadful (less the monsters...at least thus far).
Two call outs to the Mummer's version of GOT. The character who played Mace Tyrell sits on the EI Company board. And Hardy's half-sister Zilpha played Rob Stark's wife (Talisa).
Anyway...looking forward to E3, which I will likely watch in person so that I can turn on subtitles.
|
|
|
Post by cooterian15 on Jan 25, 2017 0:55:22 GMT
Episode 2 summary: Delaney shows up at an auction and bids 800 pounds to purchase a ship. Earlier we witness him opening a safe and counting out rough cut diamonds. He presumably uses the diamonds as payment for the ship, and he sends one diamond to his sister, who looks very pleased to receive it and she hides it away in her locked jewelry case. It seemed to me that she was hiding it from her husband. Later on we see Delaney inspecting the ship that he bought, but he's angered upon discovering that the ship was used to transport slaves. He extracts all the chains and remnants left behind by the slaves and then chanting, presumably Nootka indian language, he carves a type of bird into the floorboards. You forgot to add that he (Delaney) later burned the ship
|
|
|
Post by cooterian15 on Jan 25, 2017 1:09:00 GMT
Episode 2 summary: We learn more about the motivations of the East India Trading Company and the extents they are willing to go to to further their business and the desires of the crown. I also got the sneaking suspicion that there's something unseemly about the relationship between Delaney (Tom Hardy) and his half-sister Zilpha (Oona Chaplin) that seemed sexual. Melifeather...most definitely sexual. Did you catch in E2 that Delaney pays the one old guy money to watch over a young lad that he has sheltered for quite some time. Is it possible that this was a son born to Delaney and Zilpha (his half-sister)? Delaney didn't want to meet the yound boy but was very interested in his overall well being and future education.
|
|
|
Post by Weasel Pie on Jan 25, 2017 1:13:25 GMT
thanks for the reminder, will watch it tonight!
|
|
|
Post by Melifeather on Jan 25, 2017 2:03:54 GMT
cooterian15 The High Sparrow heads up the East India Co too. I thought the ship he burned was someone elses? Good call on the son!
|
|
|
Post by cooterian15 on Jan 25, 2017 2:50:36 GMT
cooterian15 The High Sparrow heads up the East India Co too. I thought the ship he burned was someone elses?Good call on the son! You are correct and thanks for reminding me. The boat he burned was supposedly the guy that was sent to kill him. The boat that he bought, after his visit to the hull and finding the shackles and beads in the floor boards, left me with the impression that he knew what he was buying. I didn't take it that he found those things but was rather, expecting to find them.
|
|
|
Post by Weasel Pie on Jan 25, 2017 3:25:13 GMT
The High Sparrow Lives! Thanks cooterian15 for the tip to turn on captions because damn, can that man mumble. Great show! I'm getting a feel for how the cast is getting built up. Was his mother a witch? I feel like I lost a thread on that one. Was he a cannibal in Africa? Is that part of the "taboo" other than his sister?
|
|
|
Post by Melifeather on Jan 25, 2017 5:35:16 GMT
In keeping with the GOT theme, incest was confirmed tonight.
Should I make this a spoiler thread?
|
|
|
Post by Weasel Pie on Jan 25, 2017 5:38:22 GMT
Should I make this a spoiler thread? Probably a good idea
|
|
|
Post by cooterian15 on Jan 27, 2017 4:20:54 GMT
The High Sparrow Lives! Thanks cooterian15 for the tip to turn on captions because damn, can that man mumble. Great show! I'm getting a feel for how the cast is getting built up. Was his mother a witch? I feel like I lost a thread on that one. Was he a cannibal in Africa? Is that part of the "taboo" other than his sister? Good questions. After 2 episodes I'm not sure we have enough foundation to base an opinion, but it seems this show is easier to figure out than say "Westworld". Which I'm not sure I still have figured out. I think the Taboo has more to do with Delaney (Hardy) and his step sister and the "forbidden love" that the shared (and hence, the possible child as shown in Episode 2). I don't think we know enough about what he (Hardy) experienced in Africa at this point in the show; but given his blowing dust onto cadavers and reciting incantations would suggest that we at some point we will delve into "an unnatural" diversion.
|
|
|
Post by Melifeather on Jan 27, 2017 12:00:14 GMT
I think she's his half sister. Same father, different mother. I'm thinking Delaney is practicing his Nootka Indian spiritism, but he also can talk to the dead.
|
|
|
Post by cooterian15 on Mar 4, 2017 2:09:57 GMT
Running quickly and have been meaning to post for quite some time.
I am going to put this out there in case anyone has had a change of mind about Taboo after the 1st four episodes. I have.
If so inclined, respond and I'll be glad to offer my "high marks" recommendation of the series. The last half far exceeded the first half.
Until we meet again.
|
|