It’s unclear if the series will have a second and possibly third season. The ratings have been a little weak for the first season. Personally, it’s been hard to become excited about a show, which is so dark and violent given the current state of the world. The series has been altogether too reliant on the audience’s concern for James Delaney and his demons. Zilpha played by the expressive actress Ona Chaplin has been relegated to a mere muse of James’s fevered dreams. The world of Taboo swirls around a strange cannibal for whom it’s hard to feel empathy towards. In this finale, it appears once again that James will triumph and leave muddy England behind. Perhaps the second act with other interesting characters may save the series from its own self-indulgence.
The first scene unfolds with Zilpha narrating a letter to James, her lover and half-brother as she walks along the city at dusk. She explains how his absence in her life has forced her to examine the caged condition of her soul. She dreams of a place where she can be free and reunited with him. She vows to “leave England and society.” But not by ship apparently, Zilpha steps onto the railing of a bridge and leaps off to her death in the water below. The camera follows her decedent into the cold embrace of the river, mirroring the haunting opening credits.
James has been granted his audience with Sir Stuart Strange. James takes notes as the head of the East India Company gives his account regarding his involvement in the illicit slave trade. “In those days I only took boys who already had the shadow of death upon them.” Strange muses although he spotted this desperate aura around James, somehow James managed to survive even Africa “where every man dies.” James recounts how an African healed him, and afterward committed such atrocities, which would make Strange’s seem tame by comparison. However, James notes he is not the one on trial. James informs Strange how he will testify that he was ordered to lower the flags of the East India Company and the “Union Jack” and instead fly the flag of the United States, an act of treason. James notes Godfrey’s testimony will affirm Strange’s guilt. (Godfrey is shown looking frightened, escorted by French Bill to a secret location.) James hands Sir Stuart a note of demands. James will not testify and destroy Godfrey’s testimony in exchange for a ship out of England. James gives Sir Stuart four hours to consider and deliver on this offer. Given the serious nature of the charges and Prince Regent’s dislike for the East India Company Strange must consider this deal.
Lorna descends the stairs calling out, “Brace, I’m going out, I need to see someone!” Robert hastily opens James’s safe and retrieves a bundle of letters. Robert rushes downstairs and hands the first one to Brace, stating it is from Mrs. Delaney. The boy then flees the house to deliver the rest of the post. Robert’s first stop is to Mr. Cumberly the chemist who is surprised that James could have predicted his whereabouts at a random brothel. With a women’s naked behind as a backdrop, he asks, “As a scientist, I’d like to know how he does it? Does he see me in his dreams?” Robert does not answer but runs off to find Atticus to deliver his next letter. Atticus is busy butchering a rabbit, and thanks him.
Back at the East India Company, an agitated Sir Stuart calls Wilton and Pettifer into his office. “Gentleman, there are things that I need you to do!” It appears Delaney’s demands will be met.
Pearl kisses a uniformed Company man as they place a flirtatious game of crochet. Pettifer runs out to find the women. He orders Helga and Pearl into a carriage for “a tour of the grounds.” Pettifer draws his gun and the women go with him.
James wears a hood, speaking in his mother’s language as his wounds bleed and rats run over his feet. Coop and some red-coated men stand nearby in his cell. The uniformed men enter to get James. “Tell them I’m not ready, I need to see a doctor.” A red-coated man treats James roughly. James falls to the floor, foaming at the mouth in an apparent seizure. The guard informs Coop, whose first guest is the prisoner is bluffing. “Or has he fallen off the tightrope?” The guard makes a small nod. “Get the doctor then.” Coop replies. “And hope we haven’t completely fried his brain.”
The carriage carrying Helga and Pearl is ambushed on a road deep in the woods. Pettifer gets out of the carriage and explains to the women they are being “rescued” by an agreement between Delaney and the East India Company. Pettifer will tell the Company the women were kidnapped. Atticus reveals his face and tells Helga if it were up to him he would have killed her. Instead, he informs her Winter’s death was the fault of Pettifer and the Company. Suddenly, Atticus shoots Pettifer in the head, and the carriage and the men rush off.
Wilton comes to Sir Strange with information about a ship, aptly named the Good Hope. Strange orders the boat to be brought near Delaney’s shipping offices with “skeleton” crew aboard with provisions for a two months journey. False pretenses are noted. Wilton further asks why two carriages are en route to Bedlam Asylum Strange loses his patience, “Because this day is insane because Delaney is insane!” (In truth, the gunpowder is stored at the asylum; perhaps Delaney will give it back to the Company or have it loaded aboard his new vessel.) Wilton asks if they should wait for Pettifer’s return. Strange replies, “No we shall not await Mr. Pettifer’s return!” He tells Wilton to bugger off; perhaps he knows Pettifer will likely not be returning.
Atticus and his men instruct the prostitutes to exit their carriage. Lorna is waiting in another carriage with a special witness, the little boy from the docks. Lorna explains that Temple saw what happened to Winter. Temple identifies the carriage the murderer left in as belonging to the East India Company. Helga sneers at the boy, demanding that he tell the truth. Temple swears to his account. Lorna says, “James is offering you a new life.” (This will be a strange ship of misfits sailing to the New World.)
Mr. Cholmondeley works in his laboratory, he speaks out loud to himself. “So James, things that go ‘bang.’” What did James ask for in his missive?
Lorna goes back to the Delaney home to find her own letter from James, which she reads with a blank expression on her face.
In the lab, Cholmondeley adds some substances together to create a small explosion. “There! Things that cause confusion!”
Lorna hurries out of the house into the sunlight.
James is attended to by the prison’s physician who stitches up his wounds. A uniformed man asks how much longer it will take the physician approximates thirty minutes.
Countess Musgrove or “Carlsbad” chats over cards about the beating of men for pleasure in the bedroom. They laugh and drink gin. Lorna interrupts the party stating she has an appointment. Lorna cleverly disguises her intentions by referring to herself as a saleswoman of a certain feminine product a powder that is in high demand. (Gunpowder.) Lorna offers her “samples” she will show her in private. The ladies note, “How dull our lives were before Countess Musgrove!” (If they only knew the truth.)
In the hallway, the Countess draws a knife on Lorna and brings it to her neck. Lorna identifies herself as someone who works for James Delaney. The Countess has heard that James is in the Tower but Lorna assures her he will soon be free to sail. Lorna demands a letter for safe passage and the codes of the flags in order to navigate through the United States waters. The Countess expects the Nootka treaty in return for these favors but Lorna offers blackmail instead. “A letter will be sent to Solomon Coop describing how you titillate and intoxicate on behalf of the Americans,” Lorna states it will be sent if she doesn’t return home in a few hours. Lorna states that James has found a “leak” within their organization and will fix it for them if they cooperate. Upon hearing this Countess softens, asking Lorna the nature of her relationship with James. Lorna boasts she is Mrs. Delaney, his mother!
The physician continues to tend to James. Sir Strange watches his timepiece nervously in his own office. Outside the prison, Robert sings loudly to rouse his father. Strange receives words that “the whores have been freed” and he chuckles. In the cell, James tells the physician “I’m ready” despite him not having finished dressing his many wounds.
James is brought down a hallway by uniformed guards to Solomon Coop’s office for his deposition. Coop reads the treason charges against him and demands the names of the Americans operating in London. James mutters in his mother’s tongue. Coop threatens to place James in the rack and other inventive tortures. James suddenly locks eyes with Coop and admits, “I must have lied. I will tell you one thing all the charges of treason brought to me by the East India Company will be dropped today, witnesses vanish and testimonies burn. Demands will be met, pride will be burned and when morning becomes afternoon, then I will become a free man!” Coop is incredulous. He flies down the hall towards the Prince Regent’s chambers muttering.
James walks out of the prison, beaten, but standing proud dressed in his old clothes. Robert waits for his father. James gives him a letter, stating it is the last one.
Coop approaches the Prince Regent. And the Prince begins, “I hear the case has been altered!” Coop concedes they have had to release Delaney.
The motley crew, including Pearl, Brace Godfrey, and Helga wait for James down by the docks. Pearl sings a few verses of “Yankee Doodle Dandy” before being silenced by Helga. Brace looks out to the water, “Aye, it will happen.”
Atticus shoots his gun in the air and sneers at the public to clear off the streets. People scatter as Atticus and his men begin unloading cargo. Robert runs off to find Mr. Chichester and deliver a letter. Judging from the depth of Mr. Chichester’s sigh, it is likely stating that he will not be able to provide testimony regarding the sinking of the Cornwallis.
James returns home. There is a letter for him on a tray. It is from Zilpha, she poetically relays her reasons for taking her own life, which she feels is “merely turning a key into a lock.” There is a flashback of her preparing for her plunge into the Thames. Zilpha is not sure if she will go to heaven or hell but begs him to keep some “part of her soul for your own.”
Lorna arrives with the news of their secured safe passage thanks to Countess Musgrove. James looks melancholy; he actually sheds a tear for the life of his half-sister. Lorna reads the letter. James states, “If she were dead I would know it, I would feel it, like a door open in this very house.” Lorna tries to reason with him. “If she was in the river, she would sing to me!” Zilpha’s epic plunge is reshown. Lorna notes her words were very certain. “If the dead don’t sing, how can I hear them?” Lorna urges him to have the question will have to be answered in America. She notes all these people are waiting for them, and Zilpha will not be returning. She adds one final plea, “It’s a fine day to die at sea!” With that, James rises and promises her they will board his ship together.
Robert opens the gate to several carriages heading towards the docks. It appears the East India Company is delivering the gunpowder to Delaney’s boat, gunpowder made with raw materials stolen from them. What a bargain!
Mr. Chichester storms into Sir Strange’s office, furious that his inquiry will amount to nothing due to Delaney’s deal. Strange gloats, “The difference between Delaney and me is I always make sure I have one ace yet to play!” (But it appears so far, James has received everything he wanted. Is Strange planning a final coup?)
Chichester leaves disgusted by Delaney and Strange, promising this injustice will not stand.
Dr. Dumbarton receives James in his secret office. The doctor offers him Laudanum, pain medicine for his journey. Dr. Dumbarton states nothing in this “war between cousins is complicated.” He assumes James still needs a letter for safe passage, for this, the doctor wants the treaty for the Nootka land to offer to the East India Company. But James sees through the doctor, noting the doctor is a pawn for both the Company and the Crown. Dumbarton notes, “No one in this city has only one master.” James beats the doctor’s head savagely on the wooden desk and then pours the morphine down his throat, saying, “I do!”
He places the doctor’s head in a bucket of blue dye, ensuring his death. James flashes upon a vision of his sister in the water whispering to him. James leaves the doctor’s dwelling leaving a grim tableau, Dumbarton has been strung up by his hands, faced dyed blue, intestines hanging out over a vat of red paint with a note pinned to his chest.
Cholmondeley hands a suitcase to Robert, urging the boy to be cautious with it. “Has he actually managed to employ anyone who knows how to sail that thing?” Wilton looks around suspiciously as the barrels of gunpowder are unloaded. Wilton hands over a flag of the East India Company so that they “Will have no hindrance. Tell Delaney he may have won this small battle, but justice will be delivered by God.” Those are to be Wilton’s last words, as the man shoots him in the head. “Kind regards from Sir Stuart Strange.” It appears that Strange wants to ensure no one in the Company will be alive to testify against him. The man orders Wilton’s body to be thrown into the river.
The Prince questions Coop about his personal faith. The Prince states he speaks to God all the time. The Prince wants everyone to hang, Delaney, the Americans, cats, and dogs! Coop protests that they have made a deal with Delaney but Prince demands action.
The ship is nearly ready to sail. Godfrey trembles, dressed as a woman in a cold shack with the other women. The King’s men ride furiously towards the dock. Atticus updates James on the progress of the ship’s readiness. Atticus is wary of the chemist but James insists they need him as a physician on the journey. James informs Brace he will not be coming. “You’ve always been my father’s man, we are sailing to my mother’s land now.” Brace asks if James is doing this as a “mercy” believing the old man would not survive the journey. (And to hide how this decision hurts the elderly faithful servant.) James states, “You were not born for freedom” James bestows his father’s house and possessions to Brace as they part. Robert warns the men that soldiers are coming.
The gate to the docks open. Atticus and Cumberly are ready with their weapons. The soldiers move forward in the eerie silence as a bomb explodes killing many. Atticus and his men take advantage of the confusion to shoot the others. Brace still stands ready with the other men to defend his master. More men come and are attacked. The women and passengers are rushed to the boat. Causalities occur on Delaney’s side but Atticus remains standing and fights on. Helga is shot as she reaches for a gun she dropped. Lorna shoots a soldier but is struck as well. Brutal fighting continues. Cholmondeley throws a grenade-like device and is struck down. Atticus and James fight their way to the docks and reach the ship. They carry the body of the chemist with them aboard. French Bill and several others are sacrificed in this effort. The ship sails away with red-coated soldiers still firing at them.
Solomon Coop sits in his opulent office reading the private military report about the failed execution of James Delaney and his men. Strange arrives at his office in high spirits. His clerk tells him, “Still no word for Pettifer and Wilton.” Strange, already knows their fate looks at a rolled up parcel on his desk. “Ah, my final ace!” The clerk notes a messenger on behalf of Dr. Dumbarton delivered it. Strange believes it’s the Nootka land and a deal for trade. He says to himself, “An end to this deal at last!” The camera pans out to the building's exterior and a loud explosion is heard and the room is quickly engulfed in flames.
Chichester arrives at the Delaney home to find Brace staring blankly. “Mr. Delaney said he left you the account of the sinking of the Cornwallis and a statement from the East India clerk Godfrey.” Brace directs Chichester to the attic to find the documents. Chichester finds the testimonies and closes his eyes in relief, “Justice.”
The ship is at full sail now heading west. James looks in on his passengers. Lorna lies wounded but opens her eyes weakly. Cholmondeley is badly burned on his face and hands. He asks for Godfrey’s forgiveness, as he lies, dying. James wants to go to the Azores. Atticus asks, “I thought the gunpowder was for the Americans?” James notes, “We are Americans.” The Union Jack is lowered and the Stars and Stripes are raised on the ship.
So ends the first season of Taboo, with a long look towards the horizon. Ultimately, James has managed to wage an impossible war against the largest powers in the known world at the time, the East India Company and the British Empire. But like the Americans, James has managed to outmaneuver the great powers by exploiting their weaknesses. In that way, the story is one of the classic “anti-hero” like Walter White or Robin Hood. Despite his evil ways, James takes care of those who are loyal to him, like Godfrey and Helga. But the way in which he does things leaves little room for other characters to chose anything but his way or certain death. (Helga pays for trusting James with her life as does many of Atticus’s gang.)
The question of plausibility still hovers like a dense fog surrounding the series. I love magical realism but the continuous triumph of James and his evil plans rings more false than magical. While the show looks to the aboriginal wisdom of people from Africa and the Americas why does this deeply flawed white man act with shamanistic power? If the series continues, my hope is that they can expand and develop other characters beside James Delaney. The story still has promise if it can see beyond Tom Hardy.
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