Two words for you: Queer. Pirates.
We'll just add this all to the list of non-reading reviews I've done on here.
I kept seeing fanart about "Our Flag Means Death", and I resisted watching it (only because I didn't have a subscription to HBO Max--didn't, as in past tense, as in I caved and subscribed) for like...a whole week. But I kept seeing fanart and kept seeing news articles about it and fan-theories and whatnot, and I caved and watched.
["An outrageously funny period comedy loosely based on the true adventures of Stede Bonnet, a pampered 18th-century aristocrat who abandoned a life of privilege to become the "Gentleman Pirate."]
It was easy to binge in one day, because there's only one season (so far), and there's only ten episodes (so far), and each episode is only 28-48 minutes long. And, well, it's about queer pirates. Who wouldn't binge that?
It was created by David Jenkins (who just recently chatted with Neil Gaiman on Twitter about their mutual love of each other's very quirky and very gay shows--and then fan-boyed about it (anyone would after being complimented by Neil Gaiman)). Taika Waititi plays Blackbeard/Edward Teach (and also is one of the executive producers) and is fucking amazing. Rhys Darby is Stede Bonnet and is also really, really good. There are honestly too many amazing characters (played by too many amazing actors) to list (so just please, check it out yourselves).
There's a lot of diversity in race, sexuality, gender, ability/disability, class/status, etc. It's both funny and very real, from pirates doing arts-and-crafts to create a flag to very serious hints at dilapidating mental health. There's also a lot of gore that goes with being a pirates as well as back stabbing (and real stabbing). There's laughter and rum and romance.
Stede has no fucking clue what being a pirate really means, and frankly, sucks at it for 90% of the show. But he has great intentions and really changes the lives of everyone he meets. Including the infamous Blackbeard who is getting bored of the day-to-day repetition and darkness that comes with his title/history, only to be utterly enchanted by Stede. The affections go back ways, obviously. ;)
And the best thing: the romance actually plays out (spoiler alert). It's not just a ton of chemistry and never-actually-going-to-happen-because-producers/executives/people-are-homophobes shipping (pun not intended). It's not just queer-baiting. It's not just a wishes and dreams and only-going-to-happen-in-fanfiction romance. I mean, obviously things happens and don't happen (because you need a really good cliff-hanger-season-ender to grab people's attention and gain more viewers and get renewed for a second season (the latter hasn't happened quiet yet)), and people kiss and don't kiss, people die and live.
Now I must dive-deep into alllllllll of the fanart and fan theories. :)
#ourflagmeansdeath #ofmd #pirates #queerpirates #hbo #hbomax #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
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