Is it possible to be both a gentleman and a pirate? In HBO Max’s new show Our Flag Means Death, Captain Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) is on a mission to find out.
The real-life Stede was a wealthy landowner who blew up his whole life to become a pirate. During his career as the “Gentleman Pirate,” he collaborated with the legendary Blackbeard (Taika Waititi, who also directs). Our Flag Means Death uses these events as inspiration, but it takes many delightful liberties, resulting in a pirate comedy that’s fresh, irreverent, and full of winning performances.
Created by David Jenkins, Our Flag Means Death combines the best elements of workplace comedies with the hard and fast lives of pirates sailing the high seas. There’s an incompetent boss, a gaggle of memorable workers, and a common goal: adventure (with a side of pillaging). There are also guest appearances by comedic heavy hitters including Leslie Jones, Fred Armisen, Kristen Schaal, Nick Kroll, and Will Arnett, who all fully commit to the absurdity.
“Our Flag Means Death” is a pirate comedy that’s fresh, irreverent, and full of winning performances.
As eager as Stede is to be a great pirate, it’s clear he has no idea what he’s doing. He’s accustomed to a life of luxury. He won’t resort to violence, and he can’t command the respect of his crew. However, his can-do attitude and dedication to classing up piracy are so endearing that you can’t help but root for him.
Darby excels in scenes where Stede’s fish-out-of-water status is most apparent, like when he overdresses for a trip to the Republic of Pirates, or when he prepares a Shakespearean performance with his crew. However, he also brings a welcome sense of gravity to his role. To pursue this life, Stede abandoned his children and wife (Claudia O’Doherty. Neither Darby nor the show shies away from the tragedy of that action.
Stede gets himself in a spot of bother.
Credit: Aaron Epstein/HBO Max
The members of Stede’s crew are just as fun to watch as their captain. The ensemble cast (which includes Joel Fry, Nathan Foad, Samson Kayo, Vico Ortiz, and Kristian Nairn) does a phenomenal job embodying unique (and sometimes outlandish) personas. Every scene with them is a riot. In many ways, they’re similar to the football players from Ted Lasso. They’re an unlikely group working hard to become a team. You may have preconceived notions about them based on their careers. But as the season progresses, they reveal vulnerabilities and other character quirks that you may never have suspected.
In fact, one of Our Flag Means Death‘s greatest surprises is how quick it is to question ideas of masculinity and heteronormativity within the pirating world. Flashbacks show toxic male figures in Stede’s life taunting him, calling him weak for not being overly aggressive. As a pirate, Stede is criticized for his foppishness and distaste for violence, yet many of his new ideas have positive effects. Elsewhere, Stede’s crew proves they’re kinder and more sensitive than they may originally seem. There are even some sweet romances between buccaneers, leading to some excellent new pirate ships (pun fully intended). Throughout the season, Our Flag Means Death suggests that there’s no one right way to be a pirate, just like there’s no one right way to be a man.
“Our Flag Means Death” suggests that there’s no one right way to be a pirate, just like there’s no one right way to be a man.
This question of how to be a good pirate extends to the show’s version of Blackbeard, which is extremely far removed from previous on-screen portrayals of him. Waititi’s Blackbeard is jaded and close to an identity crisis. How can he keep up with the myth he’s built for himself? How can he have fun as a pirate again?
Waititi’s performance is just the right amount of comically understated, subverting the audience’s expectations of Blackbeard. At times, he unleashes some of Blackbeard’s wild side and injects some delicious unpredictability into a scene.
Meeting Stede completely changes Blackbeard’s outlook on life. To Blackbeard, Stede represents a fresh new perspective and a chance to rekindle his love for piracy. To Stede, Blackbeard is the pirate mentor he’s always wanted. Their burgeoning friendship drives much of the show, bolstered by Darby and Waititi’s dynamite chemistry, fostered through past collaborations like Flight of the Conchords, Hunt For The Wilderpeople, and What We Do In The Shadows.
Overall, Our Flag Means Death reimagines elements of the pirate genre to create a gem of a comedy series. It manages to be equal parts swashbuckling adventure, sitcom, and character study. Whether you’re a pirate expert or you’ve never heard of Blackbeard in your life, you won’t regret setting sail with Captain Stede Bonnet and his crew.
Our Flag Means Death is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes weekly.
