The best bits of "Taboo" (BBC/FX)

BBC's new historical drama is full of fun, if you can get past the mumbling and murky plotting. Steven ("Peaky Blinders") Knight turns his attention to Regency England.

• Tom Hardy cutting through the streets of London in stovepipe hat and billowing greatcoat.
• Jonathan Pryce tapping his cane ominously in the East India Company board room.
• The Machiavellian Solomon Coop (Jason Watkins) has a great catchphrase: "Always assume I know".
• Gout ridden Prince Regent (heavily padded Mark Gatiss) surrounded by stuffed zebra and legless giraffe.
• Atticus's (Stephen Graham - remember Al Capone in "Boardwalk Empire"?) compass rose skull tattoo
• The always-good-value David Hayman (in any scene).
• Michael Kelly (Doug Stamper from "House Of Cards").
• The intriguing relationship between Delaney and his school chum/EIC spy
• Chemistry lessons with manure-munching Mr Cholmondeley (Tom Hollander; he played the slimy Lance in "The Night Manager").
• Delaney's constant companion, his mini-scythe - it slices, dices, slashed - the perfect kitchen tool.
• Amazing night photography.
• Street scenes - looks like a movie budget
• Lush musical score.

What to do when your favourite TV series finish...

Having withdrawal symptoms, now my favourite TV series have finished their seasons. Have to wait until 2014 for new seasons of "Banshee", "Orphan Black", "Da Vinci's Demons", "Elementary", "House of Cards" and the French "Les Revenants".
At least I still have "The Newsroom", but not for long.
Consolation: "Boardwalk Empire" starts this month.
Going to turn to a good book in the hammock, now Melbourne's Spring is here.

Why Showtime's "Ray Donovan" is good viewing

Just watched the first two episodes of "Ray Donovan". By now you know if a show is a fizzer or not. This is smart, involving, "water cooler" television drama. This show has got it all - juicy Hollywood goss on the surface, but underneath, themes like: regret, guilt, passion, the nature of evil.
Ann Biderman has written beautifully complex characters: the tormented, multi-layered Ray (Liev Schreiber); the charismatic but morally bankrupt Mickey (Jon Voight - normally playing Mr Nice Guy in movies); stalwart, but strident Bridget (Paula Malcomson), trying to hold her family together. Elliott Gould's (who was one of the biggest stars in the early 1970's) savvy but flaky, Ezra, is priceless.
Strange scenes that come out of nowhere: When Ray gives heartfelt advice (and later, cash) to the young transsexual or when Grandpa Donovan gives some prison wisdom to his teenage grandson "...don't take it up the ass". Looks like Conor is being groomed on the internet by the sex addicted movie star, Tommy.
The show looks great, LA locales, the mansions to the seedy gyms. Allen Coulter seems to be the go-to director for classy cable series - "Boardwalk Empire", "House of Cards", "Six feet Under", "The Sopranos". I also liked his work in the under appreciated flick "Hollywoodland" (2006).