Alright, so I went back and did it again. Watched Taboo. The whole first season, start to finish. This was my third time through, hence the ‘iii’ in my head, I guess. Felt like I needed to.
Why? Mostly just fed up waiting. You hear whispers, bits and pieces about more coming, but nothing solid. So, I figured, instead of just sitting around annoyed, I’d dive back in. See if the third viewing changed anything, you know? Maybe catch something I missed before.
Fired up the old streaming account. Didn’t rush it this time. Let the episodes breathe a bit. Really tried to soak in the atmosphere again. The grit, the muck, London feeling properly grim. Hardy’s character, Delaney, he’s still captivating. All those grunts and stares, but you see him working angles the whole time.
It’s funny what stands out on a rewatch. That whole business with the East India Company, the Crown, the Americans – it felt clearer this time. Like seeing the chess moves laid out. Before, maybe I was just caught up in the shock of it all, the violence and the weirdness. Which, let’s be honest, there’s plenty of.
I paid more attention to the side characters too. Brace, Atticus. Even Lorna Bow, she’s got guts. And poor Zilpha. Her story feels even sadder the third time around. Just trapped, wasn’t she? Her ending by the Thames… yeah, that still hits hard.
The whole gunpowder plot, sending the ship off not to America but to the Azores. It felt like such a clever twist the first time. Now, knowing it’s coming, you see Delaney setting it up piece by piece. Still satisfying, but different.
So, finished it again. Still think it’s brilliant, unique stuff. Dark, moody, doesn’t hold your hand. But honestly? This third watch mostly just made me more impatient. It ends on such a knife-edge. Delaney sailing off to find ‘Colonnade’… and then nothing. It’s like starting a great book and finding the last chapter ripped out. This whole rewatch process just solidified that feeling. Great journey, but man, I really need the rest of the story.
