Like maybe James has deep-seated clothing-related superstitions? Or maybe, Tom and Chips Hardy, savvy TV creators they are, simply knew what their audience likely wanted-Tom Hardy in a rowboat-and decided to give them just that. Deadline previously informed us that the character is depicted as he ”returns from Africa with 14 ill-gotten diamonds to seek vengeance after the death of his father.” So maybe the bag contains diamonds and a dog-eared copy of Hamlet? And, well, we still can't explain the nudity but are sure that there is a reason for it. We are not quite sure about that one-although it does appear that Hardy’s character, James Keziah Delaney, is in a rowboat and transferring something in a heavy canvas sack. We know what you are thinking: “But how does Hardy’s nudity serve the story line?” And we would still be in the dark had Hardy not been photographed earlier this week filming in Essex while completely nude, save for some tribal tattoos and beads. In our defense, we had no reason to know or expect that Hardy, who hatched the premise for the series with his father, would elect to appear naked. In our excitement, however, we failed to mention another motivating factor to watch the eight-part show-that its star would appear in the buff.

At the time, we listed all the reasons why you will certainly tune in to see the series, which is set in the 19th century and centers on a rogue adventurer, played by Tom, avenging his father’s death.

Last year, we learned that Tom Hardy- dubsmash extroardinaire and unabashed dog admirer-and his father, Chips, as in Chips Hardy, had brainstormed the concept for a television drama, Taboo, that will air on FX and BBC One.

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