'Our Flag Means Death' is a Swashbuckling Tale of Romance & Found Family

An enticing and accurate review of Our Flag Means Death could start and end with two words: gay pirates. But the genre-defying show from the mind of People of Earth showrunner David Jenkins is exactly that and so much more. It ranges from silly to serious, covering everything from workplace dynamics to toxic relationships and packing a comedic punch from slapstick to double entendre, all seamlessly intertwined with a heartfelt commentary on queerness — not just romance, but friendship, community, and self-discovery.

Jim: “We think you’re in an… unhealthy relationship with Blackbeard.”

At the heart of Our Flag Means Death is a love story between two pirates based very (very) loosely on historical figures, Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). Stede is a wealthy family man who abandons his wife and children to become a rather unsuccessful pirate. At the outset of Season 1, his ragtag crew is ready to mutiny, and Stede is barely clinging to the delusion that he could become a great “gentleman pirate.” Enter Blackbeard, the most fearsome pirate of them all, at least according to his own marketing. Ed gets word of Stede’s antics and is intrigued by him, and the two strike up a friendship, combining their crews.

Stede learns from Ed that bloodthirsty piracy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and even Blackbeard has a sensitive side. Ed learns from Stede that the aristocratic society can be just as vicious as the high seas, and it has left Stede wounded from a lifetime of struggling to conform. After a run-in with the British navy, the two make a pact to run away together, sealing it with a kiss — but their plan falls apart when Stede cannot let go of the dream of fitting into the 18th-century equivalent of a picket-fence suburban dream.

Season 1 ended with Stede, Ed, and their crews scattered to the winds. Season 2 spends much of its time bringing them back together while reckoning with their trauma (mostly inflicted by Ed and Stede-via-Ed). Stede and Ed hurt each other deeply, and though they talk about it more effectively than most TV couples (especially given the circumstances), what goes unsaid keeps the tension high. After Season 1’s fluffy rom-com meet-cute, Season 2 centers on Stede and Ed as two flawed, scarred adults trying to forge a relationship. Now that the characters have learned to open up to love, friendship, and community, Season 2 asks how do you take care of it so that it can last?

The greatest delights of this show are its flawless ensemble cast and guest stars. Stede’s crew includes Buttons (Ewen Bremner), Frenchie (Joel Fry), Lucius (Nathan Foad), Wee John (Kristian Nairn), Black Pete (Matthew Maher), The Swede (Nat Faxon), and Roach (Samba Schutte), as well as additions from Ed’s crew Ivan (Guz Khan) and Fang (David Fane). Con O’Neill (Nolly) plays Ed’s deliciously nefarious first mate, Izzy Hands, a scene-stealer in Season 1, deservedly given even more of a character arc in Season 2.

Two more standouts from Season 1 who return for Season 2 (albeit with less screentime and a less compelling narrative) are big-hearted softie Oluwande (Samson Kayo) and mysterious assassin Jim (Vico Ortiz), whose quiet, companionable romance offers a contrast to Stede and Ed’s. Most of the crewmembers from Season 1 return for Season 2, many of them sporting fabulous emo makeovers with eyeliner galore, with the addition of Madeleine Sami (Double Parked).

Guest stars in Season 1 included a veritable murderers’ row of comedians, including Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live), Fred Armisen (Wednesday), Kristen Schaal (What We Do in the Shadows), Nick Kroll (Don’t Worry Darling), and Will Arnett (The Morning Show). Claudia O’Doherty (Killing It) gave an especially delightful turn as Stede’s forsaken wife, Mary, who managed to carve out quite an excellent life for herself in his absence.

Season 2 brings back some favorite guest stars and adds Anapela Polataivao (The Messenger), Ruibo Qian (Manchester by the Sea), Rachel House (Cowboy Bebop), and Minnie Driver (The Witcher) appear as legendary historical pirates Mary Read and Anne Bonny. Those last two fulfill one of the only things missing from Season 1: lesbian pirates. Need I say more?

Despite those major players of comedy, the show isn’t as laugh-out-loud funny as you might expect from something with Waititi’s name on it but rather excels most when it is tender, quiet, and contemplative. Both seasons try to say something about mental health, masculinity, trauma, and class, but Season 2 brings a slightly darker twist. The show presents these themes at face value without digging much deeper, which sometimes can be unsatisfying but ultimately fits the mood of a rom-com show. The moments when the show shines, in both seasons, are when it delves into themes of found family and the delayed coming-of-age that often comes with queerness.

However, the pirates’ eclectic community is more than just an allegory for queerness. Nearly every character is shown in some sort of queer relationship. This is a world in which characters are assumed queer until proven straight. The show also blurs the lines between romantic, platonic, and familial love and even glances at polyamory in Season 2. Our Flag Means Death is a balm for the soul for viewers tired of having their chains yanked by shows that refuse to acknowledge queer undertones.

Season 2 captures the joy and oddball hears essential to the series while taking a more serious turn and exposing more of the characters’ twisted psyches. Fans of Season 1 will not be disappointed by the way Season 2 picks up the threads of Season 1 and delves deeper into the characters’ relationships.

Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death premieres on Max on Thursday, October 5, 2023, with three episodes, and then follows with two episodes a week through the end of the month. All episodes of Season 1 are available to stream on Max now.