The little pirate show that could, “Our Flag Means Death,” has turned out to be anything but little — in terms of both ambition and viewer appeal. Part romantic comedy, part period piece, the series is surprisingly large in scope, and it’s swiftly emerged as a sleeper hit: Since its premiere on HBO Max last month, it has emerged as a rival to the likes of “Peacemaker” and even “Ted Lasso,” according to Parrot Analytics.
Created by David Jenkins, the series stars Rhys Darby as self-proclaimed “gentleman pirate” Stede Bonnet and Taika Waititi as Blackbeard/Edward Teach, with whom Stede forms a deep romance over the first season’s 10 episodes. (Waititi is also heavily involved behind the scenes as both an executive producer and a director.)
That groundbreaking queer representation — not to mention the series’ beautiful visuals — have fans clamoring for more of their favorite band of pirates with the trending hashtag #RenewOurFlagMeansDeath. (At press time, the streamer hasn’t heeded their call.)
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