Black Sails
Post updated 4.19.24. See updates below.
If you’re a fan of swashbuckling adventure stories set on the high seas, today’s your lucky day. One of the best pirate shows ever made comes to Netflix today, after being delayed several months since its originally scheduled arrival back in January.
Black Sails takes place roughly two decades prior to the events of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel Treasure Island. The series, which aired from 2014 - 2017 on Starz, is set in and around the Bahamas during the “Golden Age of Piracy” and the island of New Providence. Much of the story takes place in the port city of Nassau, where we meet the influential tavern owner and fencer/supplier, Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) and the ambitious prostitute Max (Jessica Parker Kennedy).
The show follows the notorious Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his crew of pirates, rogues and ne'er-do-wells as they navigate a dangerous world filled with powerful foes and other perils.
Black Sails
"In 1715 West Indies, the pirates of New Providence Island threaten maritime trade in the region,” the first episode’s opening title card reads. “The laws of every civilized nation declare them hostis humani generis, enemies of all mankind. In response, the pirates adhere to a doctrine of their own....war against the world."
Many other historical pirates show up throughout the show including “Long” John Silver (Luke Arnold), Charles Vance (Zach McGowan), Jack Rackham (Toby Schmitz) and Anne Bonny (Clara Paget) to name a few. Like many Wild West films or shows such as Deadwood, Black Sails is set in a time of lawlessness and unalloyed freedom, but civilization—here in the form of the encroaching British Empire—threatens to undo everything.
Black Sails
I was actually quite late to the series and have only been watching it recently on Starz (via Amazon Prime Video) so I haven’t even finished this one yet, but after a bit of a clunky start it’s become one of my go-to adventure shows. I’ve seen many people compare it to Game Of Thrones or Vikings because of its political wheelings and dealings, fantastic action sequences and incredible production values, with detailed costume and set design, sprawling pirate ships and a terrific score from composer Bear McCreary. It’s a lot of fun, though also quite gritty. This is not the children’s book that serves, at least partly, as its inspiration.
If you’re a fan of shows like Game Of Thrones, Vikings, The Last Kingdom and other historical adventures, definitely give Black Sails a shot. All four seasons (a total of 38 episodes) set sail on Netflix (US) today.
Update
Avast ye landlubbers!
I thought that since this post was getting a bit of traction that I should offer up one more pirate show suggestion. Our Flag Means Death recently wrapped up its second and final season on Max (I believe it’s on the BBC in the UK) and while it’s a shame that it ended after just two seasons, those two are well worth your time if you enjoy both pirates and a good laugh. Here’s the trailer:
When I wrote about Vikings coming to Netflix I added a similar update recommending Norsemen, a hilarious take on the Viking historical subgenre. Well, Our Flag Means Death is to Black Sails what Norsemen is to Vikings, though the humor in the two shows is quite different.
Like Black Sails, Our Flag Means Death is loosely based on true historical figures. In this case, Stede Bonnet, the Gentleman Pirate, played by the always-hilarious Rhys Darby.
Bonnet—an incompetent pirate who leaves his privileged life behind to sail the high seas—and his ragtag crew eventually cross paths with the notorious pirate captain Edward Teach (known more famously as Blackbeard) played by the wonderful Taika Waititi. Humor, chaos and unexpected romance ensues.
If you want a little dash of levity with your grim pirate seafaring adventures, add this one to the list. You won’t regret it.
