'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.
