Monday, June 6, 2022

Our Flag Means Death (2022-Present)

It’s Pride Month and this show was just renewed for a second season, so there’s no better time to start talking about it. I didn’t begin Our Flag Means Death until after its season 1 finale aired, and after hearing oodles of excellent things about it. To put it mildly, the show does not disappoint.

In the 1700s, aristocrat Stede Bonnet leaves his comfortable but staid family life in Barbados to become a pirate. Aboard his ship, the Revenge, Stede’s ramshackle crew keeps their inexperienced captain afloat. But even though the Revenge is decidedly not the terror of the high seas, Stede gains the interest of the notorious Blackbeard, who finds himself fascinated by the Gentleman Pirate.

Because I didn’t come to the show until I’d already seen numerous blogs freaking out about how amazing it is, I was aware that I ran the chance of going into it with expectations it couldn’t meet, and for the first couple of episodes, I thought that might be the case. Early on, there’s a heavy emphasis on Stede’s embarrassing attempts at real piracy. In some ways, it feels a bit like a quirkier, swashbuckling version of The Office’s brand of cringe humor: buffoon boss doesn’t know what he’s doing, hijinks ensue. Funny and entertaining, but not necessarily special. But as the show goes on, it actually reveals itself to be more a quirker, swashbuckling version of Ted Lasso’s brand of uplifting humor: inexperienced boss fumbles his way through his chosen field, focusing on emotional health and vulnerability in what’s traditionally thought of as a toxically-masculine environment.

That description makes it sound heavy, and the show does have serious passages, but it’s also delightfully ridiculous. Whether it’s Stede holding a contest to design the ship’s flag (to encourage creativity,) the crew deciding not to mutiny because they wouldn’t have anyone to read Pinocchio to them if they got rid of Stede, or Blackbeard teaching Stede and the crew “the art of fuckery” (a.k.a. theatrical scare tactics,) the characters grow and change together, learning from each other in wonderful, funny ways.

Admittedly, my Taika Waititi bias is showing here, but I think the show hits its stride and really becomes what it’s aiming for nearly the second Blackbeard joins the show. He and his crew were the last piece of the puzzle, and once they come on the scene, everything just sings. The jokes range from sharp to silly to ludicrous, the character beats and interactions are by turns hysterical and heartwarming, and an assortment of entertaining guest stars—including Leslie Jones, Nick Kroll, and Will Arnett—adds different flavors of comedy to various episodes.

I appreciate meaningful inclusion in media anyway, but I especially like seeing racial diversity and LGTBQ inclusion in period pieces, and this show has both in spades. I like how the characters of color get plenty of the same goofy pirate banter as the white characters but that it’s also not “colorblind.” Race factors into the story in different ways, and often, the closer the crew gets to high society, the more a characters’ race matters than when they’re just among their crewmates—I love the scenes of two Black characters running an actual Nigerian Prince scam on a ship of snooty French aristocrats. And the show takes full advantage of the historical fact that pirates were very laidback about sexuality, giving us multiple queer relationships, including one that’s going on my list of favorite TV relationships ever. The show also features a nonbinary character in a prominent role, with their own ongoing season arc, played by a nonbinary performer.

Leading the pack of an immensely talented cast is Rhys Darby as Stede. He’s fussy and absurd, but he also has an enormous heart and zest for life, and he brought along an entire library for a life at sea. What’s not to love? Opposite him is Taika Waititi’s thrillingly complex Blackbeard, equal parts confident, mercurial, vulnerable, shy, bored, and silly. He can shift on a dime, but the changes always feel consistent for his character. The rest of the cast is terrific and includes such familiar faces as Ewen Bremner (who I’ll always remember as Spud in Trainspotting) and Kristian Nairn (who played Hodor on Game of Thrones.) It feels unfair to pick favorites among them, because everyone gets numerous chances to shine, but I do want to particularly shout out Samson Kayo, Joel Fry, and Vico Ortiz.

I’m so happy that this show exists, and I’m thrilled we’re going to get a chance to see more of these characters and their stories.

Warnings

Violence, language, drinking/smoking, sexual content, and thematic elements.

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