Taboo was created by Steven Knight, Tom Hardy and his father, Chips Hardy, and is based on a story written by Tom and Chips Hardy. The eight-episode series explores the dark side of 19th-century London, its political and business corruption involving the East India Company, criminal gangs, the misery of the working class, and the increase in wealth of the rich. The first series was directed by Kristoffer Nyholm and Anders Engström. Max Richter composed the score.