(CNN) For Tom Hardy admirers, just landing him to star in a series after several high-profile movies -- among them "Mad Max: Fury Road" -- represents a coup for FX. That the result, "Taboo," proves very good, set in an enticing period and graced with a splendid supporting cast, is a happy bonus.

Infused with a Dickensian flavor and a broodingly dark streak, this grim tale begins in 1814, with the return of a prodigal son. In this case, it's Hardy's James Delaney, who has been missing for a decade since embarking on a journey to Africa, brought back by the death of his father.

Delaney's arrival unsettles everyone around him, starting with his half-sister (Oona Chaplin), with whom he exchanges too-long looks; and most significantly the powerful East India Co., which has a more-than-passing interest in his father's estate and business affairs. Throw in a plot that brushes upon a disputed strip of land and the in-progress War of 1812 with America, and there's plenty going on here, although the first three episodes are slow to disgorge Delaney's secrets.

Told he looks the same, Delaney says ominously, "I'm not." If there's one unfortunate note, it's the eerie and fleeting flashes of his past, a device that feels decidedly overused.

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While the basic story is familiar, "Taboo" compensates by delivering a highly polished product, including Jonathan Pryce (like Chaplin, a "Game of Thrones" alum) as East India's ruthless chief, and Stephen Graham ("Boardwalk Empire") and Michael Kelly ("House of Cards") as two of the associates that Delaney enlists to aid his cause.

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