Taboo - General Discussion

[NorthstarATL]

11 hours ago, acid burn said:

And of course they put Zilpha in the female mourning version of James' hat and accessorized it with a big old murder weapon, now that she's gone fully 'round the bend and embraced her own otherness.

She wore that in her first appearance as well. It's her normal attire, though now we've seen it serve a greater function.

13 hours ago, Constantinople said:

aboo UO: I'm not saddened by Winter's passing.  Until now, her character hadn't even risen to the level of plot device.  It's as if the writers woke-up and realized they had only a few episodes left to start pruning the cast.

I had to look again to see that it was indeed supposed to be her at the end. Most of the cast mean nothing to me. They all make for an interesting backdrop against which Tom Hardy acts, but few seem to have coherent motivations nor a life apart from interactions with James. That's all well and good, but it doesn't work if you want me to have an emotional reaction other than to mirror James' grunts.

[attica]

I have a bunch of hats I could wear more often if I had a badass hat pin. Hey! Turns out amazon sells 'em! Whee! (Me, murderous? Don't be silly!)

The way they're styling/wigging Chaplin, I had several moments when I expected her to bust out with a "Are y'all ready to see your fixer upper?" And although I'm sad she didn't set him on fire, I am glad that she was the one that ended that pustule of a husband. Putting aside James's willingness to support her, I hope Geary had some estate left over to leave her -- she deserves it.

Because I am fully accustomed to Tom Hardy chewing scenery like a starving man, I find myself delighted with the face-only acting he's doing here. Watching all the things that flit across his face during the scene where Brace tells him about his ma's murder attempt, or all the things that deepen in his eyes when Zilpha shows up in the rain, or the kindness with which he looks at Winter whenever she comes into a scene, well, these are craft lessons for actors.

Cholera is very handy for serial killers, I'm just saying.

[Haleth]

That's a nice hat. Too bad bad ass hats went out of fashion.  I would rock that hat.

I had watched the first episode when it first aired then promptly forgot this was on.  Binged the rest of the epis over the weekend. It's certainly atmospheric. So Gothic. I am enjoying the story, especially every time James thwarts the evil empire. Even if Winter was a plot device my heart dropped when we saw her dead. I hope it wasn't James's doing although it wouldn't be his first reprehensible act. 

[Constantinople]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

Too bad bad ass hats went out of fashion.

Based on my experience, ass hats will never go out of fashion, or at least they'll always be with us.

[Haleth]

49 minutes ago, Constantinople said:

Based on my experience, ass hats will never go out of fashion, or at least they'll always be with us.

Ha!  While this is true, I meant her badass hat.  (Does that help?)

Now I'm thinking about bad asshats in badass hats.  (Which I believe is the lost Dr Seuss book.)

Edited February 16, 2017 by Haleth

[RedHawk]

Winter we hardly knew ye. I did not see that coming.

Zilpha was pulling the crazy eyes so hard, Ramona Singer has nothing on her. I think what drove Z round the bend was the combo of Lorna showing up asking for James and her husband wanting to take her to Australia. Ah yes, she hid the murder weapon in plain sight!

I also am getting into Tom Hardy's "face-only" acting.  A friend recently has been very critical of the "gutteral whisper" thing many male actors are doing these days (looking at you Aiden "Littlefinger" Gillen), but Tom's voice works for me. He doesn't have conversations, he just gives directions and orders. "Sit there. You're one of us now. Go home. Mine." I'm starting to fall under his spell(s)! 

Edited February 17, 2017 by RedHawk

[tennisgurl]

Oh no, Winter! I don't know what's more depressing, James mother trying to drown him, OR Winters dead body. Ok, its Winter, but still.

Really good episode this week! Zilpha is actually kind of interesting this week, maybe because she's actually out crazied James, which is pretty impressive. She's got a serious case of the crazy eyes, although I don't know where she goes from here. She doesn't seem to be very good at the follow through for her crazy the way James is. You also have to love how Australia seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back. "Abuse, exorcisms, and racism? Ok that's fine...wait. KANGAROOS?!?! NOOOO!"

I wear hats as much as is socially acceptable. We need to bring them back to being acceptable all the time.

[SharonH58]

Great episode.  I do not think James killed Winter.  I knew when he was wandering around drunk he was allowing himself to be either attacked or as in this case, set up.    I think Zilpha (whatever) has been channeling James's mom.  She started acting weird after the fake exorcism, I thought her eyes were going to pop out when Lorna showed up at her house.  And I think that is why he had visions of his mom while they had sex and that the mom was the voice she heard telling her to kill her husband.  And why she/mom said Australia was too far.  Maybe mom still wants to kill James.  Not enough Brace.  Loved the move of the gunpowder.  Where is Robert (the brother/son) going to go now that the guy taking care of him is dead??  SO much happened!!  Only 2 episodes left  :(   Is there a season 2?  I hope 

[Athena]

Quote

Following Winter's funeral James is fearful that he may have killed her whilst drunk but, unlike Helga, Lorna believes in his innocence, especially as he houses another young waif, Robert. James is visited by George Chichester, accusing him of complicity in sinking the slave ship but offering immunity if he will indict the East India Company, after which Brace makes a dreadful confession to James. Meanwhile a vengeful Helga tells Strange about the gunpowder, leading to James being imprisoned and tortured, for treason. Lorna does her own sleuthing to prove James innocent of killing Winter whilst James' ally in the company, Michael Godfrey, agrees to testify against them, requiring George to spirit him away for his own safety. With the Prince Regent still annoyed at the East India Company James is surprised to find Strange offering him a compromising bargain.

 

Edited March 1, 2017 by Athena

[johntfs]

15 hours ago, SharonH58 said:

Great episode.  I do not think James killed Winter.  I knew when he was wandering around drunk he was allowing himself to be either attacked or as in this case, set up.    I think Zilpha (whatever) has been channeling James's mom.  She started acting weird after the fake exorcism, I thought her eyes were going to pop out when Lorna showed up at her house.  And I think that is why he had visions of his mom while they had sex and that the mom was the voice she heard telling her to kill her husband.  And why she/mom said Australia was too far.  Maybe mom still wants to kill James.  Not enough Brace.  Loved the move of the gunpowder.  Where is Robert (the brother/son) going to go now that the guy taking care of him is dead??  SO much happened!!  Only 2 episodes left  :(   Is there a season 2?  I hope 

So, James was having sex with his sister and his mother?  The family that sleeps together stays together.  Alrighty then...  Robert is "one of them" and after saving the gunpowder with his corpse act will stay one of them.  It wouldn't surprise me to see James, Zilpha, Robert and Brace head to Australia with James assuming Geary's identity to escape the shitstorm he'll leave behind him in England.

[RedHawk]

Quote

 

Oh no, Winter! I don't know what's more depressing, James mother trying to drown him, OR Winters dead body. Ok, its Winter, but still.

Really good episode this week! Zilpha is actually kind of interesting this week, maybe because she's actually out crazied James, which is pretty impressive. She's got a serious case of the crazy eyes, although I don't know where she goes from here. She doesn't seem to be very good at the follow through for her crazy the way James is. You also have to love how Australia seemed to be the straw that broke the camels back. "Abuse, exorcisms, and racism? Ok that's fine...wait. KANGAROOS?!?! NOOOO!"

I wear hats as much as is socially acceptable. We need to bring them back to being acceptable all the time.

 

Anyone think maybe James' mother wasn't trying to drown him but was casting a spell to make him safe from drowning? He did survive the ship sinking...

Hats were way in during the '80s. My cousin looked great in hats so she wore them until they were way out.Time to bring them back!

 

[Neurochick]

Whoa.  That's all I have.

[thuganomics85]

Finally caught up with this episode!  Interesting seeing the East India Company finally score some kind of victory by blowing up James' ship and causing him to go into a tailspin and drink himself stupid.  Which leads to Winter's death!  That said, I have a feeling he didn't kill her and he's being set up, but I'm sure this is going to cause him much trouble and probably haunt him, since I do think he cares about her despite him being... well, himself.

Zilpha killing her husband was awesome.  Only thing that was more awesome was how much she threw James off guard over not just the killing, but how casual she was about it.  This whole family is just a bit off their rocker, to say the least.

Have a feeling James' mole in the EIC is on borrowed time, and he will be discovered very shortly.

Tom Hollander's character continues to be my favorite.

[Neurochick]

Spoiler

A few days ago, I listened to a podcast about this episode.  They had emails from viewers.  One of them said they think Delaney can see the future, and has seen his own death.  They also think that maybe we, the audience has seen his death too, in the opening credits.  I think in those credits, there are three versions of Delaney, in one of them he's wearing a uniform, in another he's bare chested, and in the third, he's swimming upward.  But, who are the other people in the water?  One of them seems to be a chained African man, probably from the ship, the Influence, the slave ship; but there are a few women as well.  One of them looks like Miss Bow.  So, I wonder who the rest of the people are.  One looks like it could be Zilpha.

[johntfs]

Bless you for not spoiling, but damn you for making my anticipation even more intense.

[thuganomics85]

Getting some answers, and I think I'm finally understanding most of it!

So, it was actually Brace the Butler who killed James' dad and it had nothing to do with any of the East India Company stuff.  He basically took pity on him when he was falling apart, and decided to end his "suffering."  I wonder how long James knew, because he seem to be very unsurprised by this development.

Not surprised that it was the East India Company behind Winter's death, but, of course, it's already too late since Helga turned James in, and he's now in the slammer, getting a bit of torture thrown at him (of course, he doesn't break, because when your both the star and a producer on the show, you get to make yourself look like a badass!).  At least all of his allies have zipped off.  I hope his EIC mole and Tom Hollander's character make it out alive. 

At least James got Chichester convinced the EIC mole will rat Strange out, so now Strange is freaking out, and leading to Jonathan Pryce yelling out a few more "fucks", which always a good thing.  And now he's meeting James.  Hmm... I wonder what his grand plan is.

With her husband out of the way, now Zilpha is becoming way into James, while James is suddenly being less into her.  Oh, you two!

Finale next week!  Still hoping they pull a reverse Peaky Blinders, and have Cillian Murphy jus randomly show up with a bushy beard and not understanding half of what he says!

Edited February 22, 2017 by thuganomics85

[Joimiaroxeu]

I know James is supposed to be the badass to end all badasses but those extended torture scenes were almost beyond suspension of my disbelief. Based on his trippy visions and flashbacks that we've been seeing all along, had he pretty much been training himself to withstand dunking and waterboarding and all other extreme forms of pain inducement?

As someone who wasn't a particular fan of Tom Hardy's, I have to say he is killing it in this role. This isn't the kind of show I would've expected to like so much.

[DoubleUTeeEff]

I like how right after the husband's funeral, James and Zilpha have sex.  It's kind of as if it was the marriage that was stopping them and not the fact that they are half-siblings.  Which I guess is true since they were lovers before.

[johntfs]

"I have a use for you."  The six most terrifying words in the English language when said by James Delaney.

[ShannaB]

6 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

As someone who wasn't a particular fan of Tom Hardy's, I have to say he is killing it in this role. This isn't the kind of show I would've expected to like so much.

I have always enjoyed Tom Hardy even though I can only understand half of what he mumbles.  Seriously...I have the volume up and then have the closed captioning going!  I think the man is seriously talented and the first time I saw him in STAR TREK NEMESIS I was mesmerized.  I watched that film again recently and TH is almost unrecognizable because he is half the size he is now.  If you watch that film you can see the same intensity back when he first started getting roles.

1 hour ago, johntfs said:

"I have a use for you."  The six most terrifying words in the English language when said by James Delaney.

So true!  The grunting can be terrifying too!

[Neurochick]

23 hours ago, ShannaB said:

I think the man is seriously talented and the first time I saw him in STAR TREK NEMESIS I was mesmerized.  I watched that film again recently and TH is almost unrecognizable because he is half the size he is now.  If you watch that film you can see the same intensity back when he first started getting roles.

I actually have that movie on DVD and you're right.  When I saw that the first time, I thought, "Who is THAT?  He's awesome."  Interesting on the DVD it says, "and introducing Tom Hardy as Picard's deadly foe."  Tom Hardy was playing a younger version of Picard, and he did it without doing an impersonation of Patrick Stewart.  But you're right, he was a lot smaller when that movie came out, fifteen years ago.

Edited February 23, 2017 by Neurochick

[acid burn]

2 hours ago, ShannaB said:

So true!  The grunting can be terrifying too!

I'm convinced that half of Tom Hardy's lines are simply "Mmm" or "Hmm."

[Kuther2000]

What did the preacher mean by him not being able to say that at Winter's funeral? Does anyone remember the scene? Helga finished it for him.

[Haleth]

1 hour ago, acid burn said:

I'm convinced that half of Tom Hardy's lines are simply "Mmm" or "Hmm."

Or in this episode "I have a use for you."  I can't wait to hear what he has in mind for Strange.

Poor Brace. 

[raven]

3 hours ago, Neurochick said:

When I saw that the first time, I thought, "Who is THAT?  He's awesome."  

So did I.  That movie gets a lot of flak but it's not bad plus has Tom Hardy.

 

29 minutes ago, Kuther2000 said:

What did the preacher mean by him not being able to say that at Winter's funeral?

I thought maybe he couldn't read what was written down, maybe Helga had handwritten something.   I was curious so I looked it up and what she says is "“She will be sent to you aboard a sunrise along the road of the river that she loved as if it were her father”.

I felt so badly for Brace.  Loved James's final response, telling him that Lorna was making a mess in the kitchen.  I hope Brace can get over what he did.

So assuming James is one step ahead of everyone, what is his endgame?  I was also a little confused about his rejection of Zilpha; I wouldn't be surprised if that sends her right over the edge.   Is he *really* rejecting her or not wanting her to get caught in the crossfire of his plans?  He's planning on getting away with everyone (every emotionally manipulating Godfrey) but is intending to leave her in London?

Chichester:  Perhaps I should come back later.

James:  No use, I am always like this.

Hee!

[pezgirl7]

42 minutes ago, raven said:

I thought maybe he couldn't read what was written down, maybe Helga had handwritten something.  

I think Helga wrote the entire eulogy that he was reading. I was wondering why he looked so annoyed in the beginning, and I think it's just because he thought her words were frivolous or ridiculous.

[attica]

James is playing 11 dimensional chess; everybody else is playing tiddlywinks. With dynamite.

38 minutes ago, pezgirl7 said:

I think it's just because he thought her words were frivolous or ridiculous.

Certainly not doctrinal, that's for sure.

I continue to love the little flashes of feeling that flit in and out of Hardy's eyes. The momentary irritation when his hat is shot off his head -- not fear of being shot, annoyance that he'll need a new hat. The softness of affection for 'Godders' (Oh, such a boarding school nickname!) and Robert. The disappointment when his Winter Vision went away before he could get his question answered.

What was the first bit of torture? I couldn't quite tell -- was it a, erm, nutcracker?

Finally, I guffawed when Lorna closed the door on poor, deluded Chomondley. Hollander is very good at hapless.

[ShannaB]

16 hours ago, Neurochick said:

I actually have that movie on DVD and you're right.  When I saw that the first time, I thought, "Who is THAT?  He's awesome."  Interesting on the DVD it says, "and introducing Tom Hardy as Picard's deadly foe."  Tom Hardy was playing a younger version of Picard, and he did it without doing an impersonation of Patrick Stewart.  But you're right, he was a lot smaller back in, fifteen years ago.

Interesting fact....James Marsters (Spike from BTVS) was up for the role and Patrick Stewart had the final say and picked Tom Hardy.

Quote

Or in this episode "I have a use for you."  I can't wait to hear what he has in mind for Strange.

James wants a ship so maybe.......

Edited February 23, 2017 by ShannaB
Add-on

[justmehere]

20 hours ago, raven said:

I was also a little confused about his rejection of Zilpha; I wouldn't be surprised if that sends her right over the edge.   Is he *really* rejecting her or not wanting her to get caught in the crossfire of his plans? 

He's protecting her, according to a Steven Knight interview (possible minor spoilers). The relevant part:

...he never wanted her to be a part of this group that is gathering around him, he never wanted her to be one of the Damned. He wanted her to be different. And as a result of what has happened, she has now joined his group and that wasn’t what he wanted. He didn’t want her to be guilty and to know what it’s like to do that sort of thing. Now, she does, so he’s not pleased with himself.

-----

The use of "the Damned" makes me curious.

[NeenerNeener]

It just hit me how much the writers have cribbed from Wuthering Heights. The half-breed half-brother sent away because of his too close relationship with his sister. He comes back after she has married someone else, and proceeds to mess up her marriage while working on his fortune. The setting changed to London but the plot is basically the same.

[Constantinople]

Pro Tip for Cholmondeley - You'll have better luck if you don't put cow and bird shit in your mouth.

I kept expecting Delaney to yell "Freeeeeedommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!" when he was being tortured.

Early 19th Britain really was rough.  Forget about the filth and the corpses, did you see that golf course?

[SharonH58]

Only one left!  What am I going to do??  I love the humor that James puts in that I think go over the people he is talking to heads.   I read a review that said James was being mean to Robert and he wasn't.  He was playing with him with the key.   Loved him talking to Chich-whatever and Brace.  Miss Bow is murdering a duck and tearing up the kitchen, something along those lines.   That torture part was terrible but he is a tough S.O.B.  I don't want him and Zilpha together.  That was some fake upset-ness when he gave her the brush off. 

[coppersin]

EIC has spies everywhere but they don't notice one of their own clerks constantly sprinting around London, usually on a direct route from EIC to James Delaney. What are they thinking when Godfrey runs by? "Wow, that boy sure does love his cardio."

A few questions aside, it's refreshing to actually trust the writing of a show I watch. It's nice to see all of James' chess moves and think "I can't wait to see how this all works out by the end of the series" instead of "I hope I'm not wasting my time trying to think this through more than the writers did."

Edited February 26, 2017 by coppersin

[tennisgurl]

I don't care if he's actually speaking Pig Latin, I love Tom Hardy, and I think his performance here is all kinds of awesome. I still have no idea what James's end goal is here, but I do feel like there actually IS a plan, so its already doing better than a lot of shows out there. I'm impressed that Tom Hardy gives James so much personality, beyond being growly and mysterious. Yeah, he is growly and mysterious, but he also has a sense of humor, he can be both self hating and cocky, and while he is a very violent and scary guy, but he can also show compassion and kindness, like when he insisted that the crossdressers get the hell out of dodge before the soldiers showed up. He has a more going on then "mysterious badass guy".

Kind of hilarious that the EIC, for all their power, never noticed that their clerk clerk is both into dressing like a woman, AND is spying on them for their greatest enemy. And Godfrey, well meaning decent sort that he is, is not much of a spy. How many times has he run straight to James at this point? Speaking of, I wonder what Godfrey was thinking while he was riding on horseback with James? "Damn, this is so not how I pictured this scenario in school.  Oh well, I`ll take it".

I was glad to see James didn't kill Winter, although I didn't really think he did. Turns out, the evil assholes are the killers! Not that much of a shocker honestly. Come on Helga. You trusted the shadiest people in the entire British Empire, and now you and your girl are in jail, and James, who probably would have actually helped you, is in jail and being tortured. Smooth.

[attica]

11 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

Kind of hilarious that the EIC, for all their power, never noticed that their clerk clerk is both into dressing like a woman, AND is spying on them for their greatest enemy.

I feel like this is meant to be commentary on how invisible assistants are in the workplace. As long as their job functions normally, nobody can be bothered to notice them. I think the show is taking such commentary a bit too broadly with all the sprinting, but I'm okay with it. 

[Neurochick]

I'm just going to say this.  I watched the eighth episode.  Send me a PM if you want to be spoiled.

[LocimusPrime]

Bet James wishes he didn't burn the assassin's ship in the first or second episode.  It would be real handy to have right about now. 

James could easily tell the crown that he has info that would destroy the East India Company thus giving the royals all the trade in India in exchange for his life and Nootka - that seems like a fair deal. 

[salsamacdog]

On 2/16/2017 at 2:14 PM, Haleth said:

Ha!  While this is true, I meant her badass hat.  (Does that help?)

Now I'm thinking about bad asshats in badass hats.  (Which I believe is the lost Dr Seuss book.)

Now this is a book I simply must have... 

Edited February 28, 2017 by salsamacdog

[salsamacdog]

This series has not lived up to my expectations (it could be so much more) and the incest taboo does feel a bit tired/contrived.  I am also not necessarily a Tom Hardy fan girl.  That said, his delivery of "Take off your dress....take of your f-ing dress!" was super hot.

[pezgirl7]

Quote

An enraged Prince Regent unleashes one final plan to destroy James Delaney, who conspires to escape.

[Neurochick]

Can't wait to talk about this episode with you guys.

[Made4tv]

So far it's great

[pezgirl7]

So... that was interesting. Still not really sure what happened, or where they are all off to on the boat. They definitely left it open for a second season. I'm sad that Brace was left behind, although he seemed OK with it by the end. Also sad that Cholmondeley is probably going to die. Couldn't care less that Zilpha killed herself. Or maybe she's still alive? After all, James said he would be able to feel it. I really hope they can find a doctor for Lorna!

[thuganomics85]

Well, that wracked up a bodycount tonight, I see!  Zilppha offs herself, Helga gets shot dead, both of Strange's lackeys get headshots, Strange himself gets blown up (is this a new thing, now?  Blowing up Jonathan Pryce characters?!!),Dumbarton/Michael Kelly is drowned and then strung up, and not to mention all the other numerous deaths from minor characters.  And while not dead, Lorna is shot and looking a wee bit sickly, while Cholmondeley is pretty much an extra crispy chicken right now (no, not Tom Hollander!).

Still not entirely sure about everything that just happened, but from what I can gather, James basically was playing everyone and pulled off some big-ass con, and it now setting off to meet some mysterious guy with his merry band of misfits and all the powder.  It seems like Chichester was the only one he kept his word to, since it look like he had his and Geoffrey's documents at the end.  Also, it sounded like Dumbarton was actually a spy for the East India Company, so that's why James killed him?

Overall, a weird and imperfect show, but I kind of found it fascinating.  Admittedly, it was probably mainly just a vanity project for Tom Hardy, but since I think he's great, I don't mind.  Plus, it had Jonathan Pryce dropping "fucks" left and right, which is my new favorite thing now!

[Bannon]

Hardy was just remarkable this season. Actors should study the performance, as an example of how character is revealed nonverbally, and often with great subtlety.

So Collanade (please remind me who is) awaits in the Azores, for Delaney and gunpowder. For what purpose I do not know, but I hope a 2nd season informs me. 

[Bannon]

1 hour ago, thuganomics85 said:

 Also, it sounded like Dumbarton was actually a spy for the East India Company, so that's why James killed him?

I really didn't see that coming, Dumbarton being Jonathon Pryce's ace up his sleeve, and it was a nice twist.

1 hour ago, thuganomics85 said:

 

[cpcathy]

Hardy and Jude Law have my two favorite performances (so far). It doesn't hurt that they are also handsome Brits with beautiful blue eyes. (shallow!)

[pezgirl7]

10 hours ago, Bannon said:

So Collanade (please remind me who is) awaits in the Azores, for Delaney and gunpowder. For what purpose I do not know, but I hope a 2nd season informs me. 

Is Collanade some big spy in the Americas? I thought I remember James first going to Dumbarton because he wanted him to set up a meeting between him and Collanade, and Dumbarton played dumb. hah! I wasn't sure why James killed him at first, but it does sound like he was a turncoat and was giving info to the EIC. Lorna told that countess lady, via a leaking ship metaphor, that she did indeed have a spy in her circle, and that James would take care of it.

Still surprised that James had so many people willing to fight for him, and sail off with him! I guess some of them he paid, and others didn't really have much left to stay for.

[meep.meep]

I'm glad you guys could keep track of everyone and their names!  I had forgotten who Dumbarton was so when Strange put that out, it went right over my head.

I liked the show, it ended pretty much where I thought it would, Hardy and Jessie Buckley were great.  And I'll totally start using that "I have a use for you" line.

But the thing I'll miss most are those armchairs in Zilpha's parlor.

[isalicat]

Well, I absolutely loved the series so here is some good news for people like me:

 

By Ben Dowell

Saturday 25 February 2017 at 8:00PM

If you’ve been enjoying BBC1’s cracking Tom Hardy Saturday night period drama Taboo then settle in – it could be a long ride.

Writer Steven Knight tells RadioTimes.com that his current aim is to make up to three series of the show, in which Hardy stars as grim James Delaney, a renegade Regency adventurer who returns to London to claim his legacy amid mounting opposition from various ruthless enemies.

"We think it has got a two and a three certainly, that’s the plan,” Knight told RadioTimes.com. “After that who knows? This series is eight parts – it’s a lot of time."

====

"Taboo's premiere in the United States was on FX on 10 January 2017 and drew 3.43 million viewers – 1.63 million adults in the category 18-49 – a record for the cable company."

( In the UK, Taboo drew 6-8 million viewers. )