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Set on [[New Providence]] Island, the series is a prequel to [[Robert Louis Stevenson]]'s novel ''[[Treasure Island]]''.<ref name="zap2it.com">http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/black_sails_treasure_island_will_hopefully_connect_season_2_being_filmed-2014-01</ref>
Set on [[New Providence]] Island, the series is a prequel to [[Robert Louis Stevenson]]'s novel ''[[Treasure Island]]''.<ref name="zap2it.com">http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/black_sails_treasure_island_will_hopefully_connect_season_2_being_filmed-2014-01</ref>

The series was renewed for a third season on October 12, 2014m before its second season has started airing.<ref name=sa>{{cite web|title=Black Sails Renewed For Season 3 By Starz!|url=http://seriable.com/black-sails-renewed-season-3-starz/|publisher=Seriable|accessdate=12 October 2014}}</ref>


==Plot==
==Plot==

Revision as of 21:27, 11 October 2014

For the similarly themed TV series, see Crossbones.
Black Sails
GenreDrama
Adventure
Created by
Directed byNeil Marshall
Sam Miller
Marc Munden
T.J. Scott
Starring
ComposerBear McCreary[1]
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducersNina Heyns
Brad Caleb Kane
Production locationCape Town, South Africa
CinematographyLukus Ettlin
Jules O'Loughlin
EditorsJoe Hobeck
Paul Trejo
Production companiesPlatinum Dunes
Quaker Moving Pictures
Film Afrika Worldwide
Original release
NetworkStarz
ReleaseJanuary 25, 2014 (2014-01-25)[2] –
present
Releasespecial effects supervisor
Releasespecial effects supervisor
Releasespecial effects supervisor
Releasespecial effects supervisor
Releasespecial effects supervisor
Releasespecial effects supervisor

Black Sails is an American dramatic adventure television series created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine for Starz that debuted online for free on Youtube and other various streaming platform and video on demand services on January 18, 2014.[3] The debut on cable tv followed a week later on January 25, 2014.[2] Steinberg is executive producer, alongside Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, while Michael Angeli, Doris Egan, and Levine are co-executive producers. On July 26, 2013, Starz renewed the show for a ten-episode second season. The early renewal was based on the positive fan reaction to the show at the San Diego Comic-Con.[4] In France[5] and Germany the Premiere came out two weeks earlier on January 10, 2014, on the Pay TV Channel Starz. On January 17, 2014, Starz released the first episode on YouTube.[6]

Set on New Providence Island, the series is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island.[7]

The series was renewed for a third season on October 12, 2014m before its second season has started airing.[8]

Plot

Set roughly two decades before the events of Treasure Island and during the Golden Age of Piracy,[7] the feared Captain Flint brings on a younger crew member as they fight for the survival of New Providence Island. According to the first episode, "In 1715, West Indies, the pirates of New Providence Island threaten maritime trade in the region. The laws of every civilized nation declare them hostis humani generis; enemies of all mankind. In response, the pirates adhere to a doctrine of their own....war against the world."

Real life pirates that are fictionalized in the show include Charles Vane, Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny and Benjamin Hornigold.

The plot focuses on the hunt of the Spanish treasure galleon Urca de Lima.

Production

The series is filmed at Cape Town Film Studios in Cape Town, South Africa with local production company Film Afrika.[8][9]

The opening title sequence was made by Imaginary Forces and directors Michelle Dougherty and Karin Fong with the backing sea shanty inspired theme composed by Battlestar Galactica and The Walking Dead composer Bear McCreary. It features a period accurate instrument in the form of the Hurdy gurdy.[10]

For the amount of detail that was added to the ships, it took over three hundred workers to build just one ship.[11]

Season 2 is set to air on the 24th January 2015, though the show was renewed for Season 3 on the 11th October 2014.[12]

Regular cast

Name Portrayed by Ship/Location Occupation Seasons
1 2
Captain James Flint Toby Stephens Walrus Captain Main
Eleanor Guthrie Hannah New Nassau Chief Fence and Supplier Main
John Silver Luke Arnold Walrus Cook Main
Max Jessica Parker Kennedy Nassau Whore Main
William "Bones" Manderly Tom Hopper Walrus Boatswain Main
Charles Vane Zach McGowan Ranger Captain and Steward of the Fort Main
Jack Rackham Toby Schmitz Ranger Quartermaster Main
Anne Bonny Clara Paget Ranger Crew Mate Main
Gates Mark Ryan Walrus Quartermaster Main
Mr. Scott Hakeem Kae-Kazim Nassau Adviser to Eleanor Guthrie Main
Richard Guthrie Sean Cameron Michael Nassau Governor Main
Miranda Barlow Louise Barnes New Providence Resident Main

Supporting/recurring cast

2

Season 2 (2015) cast additions

2

Series overview

Main article: List of Black Sails episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
18January 25, 2014 (2014-01-25)March 15, 2014 (2014-03-15)
210January 24, 2015 (2015-01-24)March 28, 2015 (2015-03-28)
310January 23, 2016 (2016-01-23)March 26, 2016 (2016-03-26)
410January 29, 2017 (2017-01-29)April 2, 2017 (2017-04-02)

Reception

Black Sails has been met with mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the show holds a rating of 58% with the consensus rating being: "Black Sails boasts visual appeal, but the show's bland characters aren't strong enough to keep the show from being dragged down into its murky depths of aimless exposition".[15] On Metacritic the show has a score of 57 of 100, based on 27 reviews, "indicating mixed or average reviews".[16]

Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter said, "This ambitious pirate story is helped immensely by going beyond the pay cable freedoms that often bog down lesser shows in boobs, blood and sex. Black Sails steers itself out of that realm after a few episodes and makes a play for bigger, more complicated stories."[17] Robert Lloyd of The Los Angeles Times said, "Black Sails is a pirate treasure. The Starz series vividly depicts the daily life of pirates."[18] Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly said, "Not even a guilty pleasure, Black Sails is arrrrrr-estingly good.".[19] Tom Long of The Detroit times commented "Alliances are made and broken, power shifts go this way and that, blood is spilled, and wenches keep wenching. It’s oddly addictive, and the cast--made up mostly of British, Australian and Canadian actors--is as sharp as you’d expect from pay cable. "[20]

Conversely, Brian Lowry of Variety said, "Black Sails never quite takes off, developing into a tired treasure hunt with indifferent casting and stock characters. Counting Michael Bay among its producers, this South Africa-lensed production might tempt adventure-seeking viewers to plunge into its crystal-blue waters, but despite some handsome aspects, the show ultimately proves as hollow as its CGI-rendered ships."[21] Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club said, "Black Sails is a handsome illusion at times, but it rarely finds its way beyond that."[22]

Accolades

Black Sails received four nominations for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music, Outstanding Main Title Design, Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series at the 66th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

References

  1. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (July 15, 2013). "'Walking Dead' Composer to Score 'SHIELD,' 'Black Sails'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Black Sails: Starz Series Starts January 25th". TV Series Finale. November 20, 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  3. ^ Todd Spangler: Starz to Release Michael Bay’s ‘Black Sails’ Premiere Episode for Free on YouTube, iTunes, Amazon and More. Variety.com, 2014-1-13
  4. ^ Bibel, Sara (July 26, 2013). "'Black Sails' Renewed for Ten Episode Second Season by Starz Months Before Its Premiere – Updated". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  5. ^ "Black Sails" (in French). February 25, 2014.
  6. ^ YouTube "Black Sails Episode I". Retrieved 18 January 2014. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  7. ^ a b http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/black_sails_treasure_island_will_hopefully_connect_season_2_being_filmed-2014-01
  8. ^ a b "Black Sails Renewed For Season 3 By Starz!". Seriable. Retrieved 12 October 2014. Cite error: The named reference "sa" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  9. ^ The Location Guide
  10. ^ Hibberd, James. "'Black Sails': See the awesome opening credits with theme from 'Walking Dead' composer – EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  11. ^ "Black Sails: Building the Behemoth". Starz. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  12. ^ http://uk.ign.com/articles/2014/10/11/black-sails-renewed-for-season-3
  13. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2575671/I-want-make-Hollywood-I-WONT-BEG-Rupert-Penry-Jones-life-America.html
  14. ^ http://diamondmanagement.co.uk/index.php/artists/bio/lars_arentz_hanson
  15. ^ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/black-sails/
  16. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/tv/black-sails
  17. ^ Goodman, Tim (January 21, 2014). "Black Sails: TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  18. ^ Lloyd, Robert (2014-01-25). "Review: 'Black Sails' is a pirate treasure". latimes.com. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
  19. ^ "Black Sails TV Review | TV Reviews and News". EW.com. 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
  20. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/tv/black-sails/critic-reviews
  21. ^ Lowry, Brian (January 23, 2014). "TV Review: 'Black Sails'". Variety. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  22. ^ VanDerWerff, Todd (January 23, 2014). "Black Sails is a tale of a bloodthirsty pirate bureaucracy". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
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