Our Flag Means Death

Our Flag Means Death
File:Our Flag Means Death Season 1 Poster.jpg
Genre	Swashbuckler Romantic comedy
Created by	David Jenkins
Starring	Rhys Darby Ewen Bremner Joel Fry Samson Kayo Con O'Neill Nathan Foad Vico Ortiz Kristian Nairn Matthew Maher Guz Khan David Fane Samba Schutte Rory Kinnear Nat Faxon Taika Waititi
Theme music composer	Mark Mothersbaugh
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	10
Production
Executive producers	Garrett Basch Dan Halsted David Jenkins Taika Waititi
Producers	Todd King Allen Marshall Palmer
Cinematography	Mike Berlucchi Cynthia Pusheck
Editors	Christian Kinnard Hilda Rasula Daniel Haworth Gina Samsom
Running time	26–36 minutes
Production companies	CereProds Dive HBO Max
Original release
Network	HBO Max
Release	March 3, 2022 (2022-03-03) – present (present)

Our Flag Means Death is an American period romantic comedy television series created by David Jenkins. Set in the early 18th century during the Golden Age of Piracy, the series follows the misadventures of gentleman-turned-pirate Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and his crew aboard the Revenge as they try to make a name for themselves as pirates and cross paths with famed pirate captain Blackbeard (Taika Waititi) and his right-hand-man Izzy Hands (Con O'Neill).

Our Flag Means Death was released on HBO Max from March 3 to 24, 2022. It received positive reviews, including praise for its LGBT+ representation, and was renewed for a second season in June 2022.

Premise

The series is loosely based on the life of Stede Bonnet. In 1717, Captain Bonnet is a member of the landed gentry of Barbados who abandons his comfortable life and family to prove himself as a pirate during the Golden Age of Piracy, despite having no aptitude for the role. Sailing aboard his ship the Revenge, Captain Bonnet and his dysfunctional crew struggle to survive against deadly threats from naval warships and other bloodthirsty pirates. During their misadventures the crew of the Revenge cross paths with notorious pirate captain Edward Teach and his crew, including right-hand-man Izzy Hands, and Bonnet and Teach eventually fall in love.

Cast

Main

• Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet, a wealthy Barbadian aristocrat who, growing tired of his sedentary life and unhappy marriage, abandons his family to begin a life of piracy despite having no aptitude for it. After purchasing a ship and hiring a crew, he seeks to brand himself as the Gentleman Pirate. Rhys Darby's son Theo Darby plays Stede Bonnet as a child.
• Taika Waititi as Edward "Ed" Teach / Blackbeard, the legendary and feared pirate captain who has become bored with his life and career, feeling that his reputation has made it too easy. He becomes fascinated with Bonnet after hearing about him from his first mate Izzy, and decides to seek him out. Mateo Gallegos plays Edward Teach as a child.
• Ewen Bremner as Nathaniel Buttons, the grizzled first mate on the Revenge whom Stede often calls upon for advice and is capable of talking with seagulls.
• Con O'Neill as Israel "Izzy" Hands, Blackbeard's ruthless first mate.
• Joel Fry as Frenchie, a crewmate on the Revenge who often sings of the crew's adventures.
• Samson Kayo as Oluwande Boodhari, a level-headed crewmate on the Revenge who is sympathetic to Stede and tries to steer him away from danger.
• Nathan Foad as Lucius Spriggs, a scribe on the Revenge tasked with keeping a record of its adventures who often helps Stede come to terms with his feelings.
• Vico Ortiz as Jim Jimenez (previously known as Bonifacia), a skilled fighter who has a bounty on their head for killing one of Spanish Jackie's husbands. With their friend Oluwande's help, they join the crew of the Revenge in disguise and posing as a mute. Allyson Juliette plays Jim as a child.
• Kristian Nairn as Wee John Feeney, a crewmate on the Revenge obsessed with fire.
• Matthew Maher as Black Pete, an irritable pirate aboard the Revenge who claims to have crewed with Blackbeard.
• Guz Khan as Ivan, a member of Blackbeard's crew who joins him on the Revenge.
• David Fane as Fang, a member of Blackbeard's crew who joins him on the Revenge.
• Rory Kinnear as Captain Nigel Badminton, a British naval captain who bullied Stede when they were children. Kinnear also plays Nigel's twin brother, Admiral Chauncey Badminton.
• Nat Faxon as The Swede, a Swedish crewmate on the Revenge, often clueless of what's going on.
• Samba Schutte as Roach, the ship's cook and doctor on the Revenge.

Supporting

• Leslie Jones as Spanish Jackie, a powerful and feared pirate captain with 19 husbands.
• Fred Armisen as Geraldo, a shifty barkeep in the Republic of Pirates and one of Jackie's husbands.
• Claudia O'Doherty as Mary Bonnet, Stede's wife.
• Boris McGiver as Father Bonnet, Stede's emotionally abusive father.
• Gary Farmer as Chief Mabo, an Indigenous leader who is wary of colonizers.
• Kristen Schaal as Antoinette, a French aristocrat and Gabriel's partner/sister
• Nick Kroll as Gabriel, a French aristocrat and Antoinette's partner/brother
• Tim Heidecker as Doug, Mary's painting instructor and lover.
• Kristen Johnston as The Widow Evelyn Higgins, Mary's friend.
• Yvonne Zima as Fleur de Maguis, a French aristocrat.
• Will Arnett as Calico Jack, a recently deposed pirate captain and former friend of Blackbeard.
• Angus Sampson as King George
• Eden Grace Redfield as Alma Bonnet, Stede and Mary's daughter.
• William Barber-Holler as Louis Bonnet, Stede and Mary's son.
• Michael Patrick Crane as Officer Wellington, a member of the British navy who’s taken hostage by Stede's crew.
• Connor Barrett as Officer Hornberry, a member of the British navy who’s taken hostage by Stede's crew.
• Benton Jennings as the Anglican Priest who droningly performs Mary and Stede's marriage ceremony near a lighthouse.
• Damien Gerard as Father Teach, Blackbeard's father.
• Simone Kessell as Mother Teach, Blackbeard’s mother.
• Selenis Leyva as “Nana”, a nun from St. Augustine who was Jim’s guardian and mentor.
• Brian Gattas as Siegfried, The German Prince.

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	"Pilot"	Taika Waititi	David Jenkins	March 3, 2022 (2022-03-03)
Stede Bonnet, a wealthy Barbadian landowner, abandons his wife Mary and their children for a life as a pirate. He commissions the building of a ship, the Revenge, outfitting it with luxuries, and hires a seasoned crew, declaring that he is now a pirate captain. Several months pass, and the crew, bored and irritated with Stede's gentle manner and lack of pirating experience, threaten to mutiny and kill him. To save himself, Stede finds a ship for them to pillage. The vessel turns out to be a Royal Navy warship captained by Stede's childhood bully, Nigel Badminton. Stede invites Nigel and his officers aboard, pretending that he and his crew are aristocrats. Nigel mocks Stede and calls him pathetic; a furious Stede strikes him on the head, causing Nigel to accidentally stab himself through the eye with his sword. The pirates reveal themselves and take the officers hostage, escaping before Badminton's crew realizes what has happened. Stede's men call off the mutiny, figuring that their captain will get himself killed soon enough.
2	"A Damned Man"	Nacho Vigalondo	David Jenkins	March 3, 2022 (2022-03-03)
After accidentally stranding his ship on an island, Stede orders his crew to take a "vacation" so they can recover their strength. The hostages manage to escape into the island's jungle, and Stede, Black Pete, and Oluwande go to retrieve them. While walking along the beach, Lucius discovers that his crewmate "Jim" was actually disguising themself as a man. Stede, his men, and the hostages are captured by the island's natives, who put them on trial. Stede, haunted by visions of a dying Badminton, breaks down and confesses to murder; a tribal elder advises him that his fear may stem from something deeper. The men are freed but learn that their hostages have been sold to other pirates. Stede improvises a plan to catch the pirates off guard and agrees to trade them one of the hostages in exchange for the other. As the crew sets sail, he makes peace with Badminton's death. Lucius is ambushed by Jim, who knocks him unconscious. The pirates secretly follow the Revenge under orders from their captain, Blackbeard.
3	"A Gentleman Pirate"	Nacho Vigalondo	Adam Stein	March 3, 2022 (2022-03-03)
Stede learns of the "Republic of Pirates", a haven for criminals where he hopes to both sell off his remaining captive and introduce himself as the newly minted "Gentleman Pirate". Aboard his ship, Blackbeard orders his first mate, Izzy Hands, to approach Stede and request a meeting. Jim and Oluwande take Stede to a tavern owned by Spanish Jackie, who seeks Jim's head for killing her favorite husband. When Izzy finds Stede, Stede rudely dismisses him, unaware of who his boss is. A fight breaks out over who will purchase the captive, and Jackie kicks Stede out of her tavern. To thank Jim for sparing his life, Lucius steals back Jim's family dagger from Jackie. Geraldo, Jackie's barkeep and one of her numerous husbands, tricks Stede into boarding a ship belonging to the Spanish navy, where he is stabbed and sentenced to death for piracy, while Jim's disguise is exposed. Stede is stabbed and about to be hanged when the ship is attacked by another pirate crew. Cut down before he strangles to death, Stede opens his eyes to see Blackbeard standing over him.
4	"Discomfort in a Married State"	Nacho Vigalondo	Eliza Jiménez Cossio	March 10, 2022 (2022-03-10)
Blackbeard takes command of the Revenge while Stede recovers from his wounds. Flashbacks reveal Stede's unhappiness in his arranged marriage, culminating in his running off to become a pirate. When he wakes, Blackbeard greets him and confesses that he's grown tired of his life, because no one dares to challenge him. He and Stede decide to switch lives for the day. This proves to be the last straw for Izzy, who angrily calls Blackbeard a "shell" of what he once was. Jim tells the crew that they wish to remain "Jim", explaining that they should be perceived the same as they were before. With Spanish warships closing in on them, Blackbeard's plan to use the cover of fog to escape is ruined by his failure to accurately determine which day it is. He and Stede then come up with a new plan: using a mirror and lanterns as a fake lighthouse. They fool the Spanish long enough to escape. Blackbeard convinces Stede to teach him how to be an aristocrat, seemingly planning to betray him and steal his identity.
5	"The Best Revenge Is Dressing Well"	Fernando Frías	John Mahone	March 10, 2022 (2022-03-10)
Ed (Blackbeard) trains Stede's crew to become better pirates, while Stede teaches Ed about high society. A flashback shows a young Ed holding a silk scarf and being told by his mother that they are not the kind of people to wear fine things. Ed proposes that they crash a high-society party hosted by French aristocrats. Ed is initially successful at mingling with the aristocrats but is later ridiculed after misusing utensils. Ed storms out of the dinner, but Stede defends him by proposing the party guests play a game during which Stede reveals all of the guests' secrets, turning the party into a brawl. Meanwhile, Oluwande and Frenchie pose as the crown prince of Egypt and his viceroy and scam the guests, inventing the world's first pyramid scheme. A fire breaks out and the pirates return to their ship. Frenchie and Oluwande share their earnings from the scam with the African servants of the aristocrats. Later, Stede and Ed share a moment aboard the Revenge, and Stede tells Ed that he wears fine things well. Meanwhile, Admiral Chauncey Badminton, Nigel's twin brother, convinces King George to lend him the full force of the English Navy to avenge his brother's murder.
6	"The Art of Fuckery"	Fernando Frías	Simone Nathan	March 10, 2022 (2022-03-10)
Ed helps Stede practice dueling, and forces Stede to stab him. Later, Blackbeard tells the crew the story of when he witnessed the Kraken kill his father. He plays various practical jokes on the crew, which he calls the "art of fuckery". Meanwhile, Izzy becomes frustrated with Ed's continual delay in killing Stede and persuades him to murder him as soon as possible. Lucius develops an infection in his finger, and the crew tries unsuccessfully to amputate it. Later, the Revenge approaches a vessel and is boarded, which Stede views as the perfect opportunity to engage in some "fuckery". During the chaos, Blackbeard moves to kill Stede but is interrupted by a feverish Lucius, adding to the fuckery by amputating his own infected finger. Stede then announces that the Kraken is approaching, triggering a traumatic flashback from Blackbeard. The sight of Blackbeard causes the invaders to retreat. When Stede goes to comfort him, Ed tearfully admits that the Kraken did not kill his father, he did. He also confesses to his original plan to kill Stede and take his identity. They mutually agree to put the murder scheme behind them. Later, Izzy challenges Stede to a duel and says the loser will be banished from the ship. Izzy stabs Stede who, thanks to a trick taught by Blackbeard, directs the blow away from his vital organs, breaking Izzy's sword in the process. Stede is the rightful winner, leading to Izzy's banishment. Black Pete whittles a new wooden finger for Lucius, and Lucius thanks him with a kiss. Izzy makes his way to Spanish Jackie's and makes a proposal.
7	"This Is Happening"	Fernando Frías	Zayre Ferrer	March 17, 2022 (2022-03-17)
Ed expresses wanting to leave the ship out of boredom. Stede tries to find a way for him to stay excited and spots an opportunity when the crew goes to St. Augustine to find oranges for the Swede's scurvy. Jim is reluctant to go ashore but refuses to explain why. Stede, Ed, and Lucius go on a treasure hunt, while the rest of the pirates, including Jim, search for oranges. The crew finds an orange tree in a church courtyard and a nun who Jim calls "Nana". Oluwande learns that Jim came to live with Nana after their father was murdered. The nun taught Jim to use knives in order to avenge the death of the Jimenez family at the hands of Siete Gallos, a roving gang of mercenaries. Jim admits to Nana that they have only killed one. On the treasure hunt, Ed gets crabby. Stede and Ed have a moment together by the fire. Lucius sees that Stede is falling in love with Ed, and confronts Ed by asking him to have fun for Stede's sake. Ed changes his attitude and entertains Stede's treasure hunt, where they find a petrified orange under the Jimenez family tree. Stede keeps the treasure and the crew return to the ship without Jim, who remains behind to finish their revenge. Meanwhile, Chauncey Badminton arrives at Spanish Jackie's, where she and Izzy are plotting against Stede.
8	"We Gull Way Back"	Bert & Bertie	Alyssa Lane & Alex Sherman	March 17, 2022 (2022-03-17)
An old friend of Blackbeard's, Calico Jack, arrives, rousing Blackbeard's more chaotic side, to Stede's displeasure. Jack explains that his crew mutinied; to cheer him up, the crew agree to visit Blind Man's Cove. Once there, he stirs up Stede's jealousy by mentioning he and Edward were past lovers. Heartbroken by Jim's absence, Oluwande gives the bedroom to Frenchie and Wee John, who express their excitement for their newfound status as roommates by redecorating the room. Meanwhile, Jim takes Geraldo hostage to force Spanish Jackie into telling them everything she knows about the Siete Gallos. Jackie kills Geraldo herself and reveals that Geraldo was a member of Siete Gallos and that all the others are likely dead. Back on the ship, a drunken Jack whips Buttons' pet seagull, Karl, to death. Buttons curses Jack and Stede kicks him off the ship. Blackbeard decides to join him. Jack admits to Blackbeard that Izzy sent him to get Blackbeard out of the way, and led the Revenge to be ambushed by Chauncey Badminton. Upon learning that Stede is in danger, Blackbeard races back to the Revenge and orders the crew to raise the white flag to spare them a losing battle. The British capture them, but Stede and Blackbeard are happy to be reunited. Buttons' hex takes effect when Calico Jack is hit by a stray British cannonball.
9	"Act of Grace"	Bert & Bertie	David Jenkins & Yvonne Zima	March 24, 2022 (2022-03-24)
On the Revenge, Stede admits to having killed Nigel and is sentenced to death. Just as they are going to execute Stede, Blackbeard claims the Act of Grace, saving Stede, to Chauncey's anger. Blackbeard and Stede are sent to the Royal Privateering Academy to get reformed, where Stede learns that he has been declared dead, and Blackbeard shaves off his beard. Stede tries to convince him to escape, but Blackbeard seems content to accept their fate. As they talk, they realize that as long as they are together, they will be happy, and they kiss. Ed and Stede plan to run away to China together and assume new identities. They agree to meet at dawn, but before Stede can meet Ed, Chauncey finds him and takes him at gunpoint into the forest. Chauncey accuses Stede of being a monster that ruins everyone's lives, including Blackbeard's, and Stede breaks down and agrees. Before Chauncey can kill Stede, he trips and kills himself similar to his brother's own demise. Stede runs away to return to his family, leaving Ed alone. Heartbroken, Ed returns to the Revenge and resumes his role as captain.
10	"Wherever You Go, There You Are"	Andrew DeYoung	David Jenkins	March 24, 2022 (2022-03-24)
Stede comes home to find that Mary has enjoyed being "widowed". Both struggle to return to their former lives. After Mary fails to kill Stede in his sleep, they discuss their feelings and become friends. Stede realizes he is in love with Edward and, with the help of Mary and her lover Doug, plans to fake his death and go back to sea. Meanwhile, on the Revenge, a depressed Ed neglects his role as captain, causing Izzy to confront him about his perceived softness. That night, after reflecting on his life and relationship with Stede, Edward gives in to his darker self and throws Lucius overboard. He paints himself a new black beard and punishes Izzy's insubordination. He orders all of Stede's belongings to be thrown at sea and leaves the latter's original crew stranded on a deserted island, with the exception of Frenchie and Jim. Alone in Stede's former quarters, Edward breaks down and cries. Stede takes a dinghy and leaves in search of Edward. Instead, he finds his starving crew and waves at an incredulous Oluwande.

Production

Development

Creator and showrunner David Jenkins was inspired to write the show after learning about Stede Bonnet from his wife and subsequently reading his Wikipedia article. He was particularly interested in filling in the blanks of Bonnet's life, trying to find his motivations for abandoning his family as well as understanding why Blackbeard took him under his wing. From the outset he envisioned the show as centering on a romantic relationship between Bonnet and Blackbeard, and pitched it as such.

Taika Waititi, who shares a manager with Jenkins, became involved after Jenkins told him the story of Stede Bonnet and asked if he wanted to be involved. Waititi was attracted to the project because of what he believed to be Jenkins' original approach to pirates. In subsequent discussions they agreed that a romance between Bonnet and Teach was "the reason to do the show." Garrett Basch later joined the project as executive producer after reading the script for the pilot episode.

The show was given a straight to series order by HBO Max in September 2020 with Jenkins, Basch and Halstead as executive producers, and Waititi as both an executive producer and director of the first episode. On June 1, 2022, the series was renewed for a second season.

Casting

Casting an actor to play Stede Bonnet began shortly after the series was ordered. While Rhys Darby's name was mentioned early in the process, it was not until after an unsuccessful round of auditions and most of the script had been written that he was again brought into consideration. His casting was officially announced in January 2021. Jenkins stated that Darby made an otherwise unlikable Stede Bonnet likeable, telling Slash Film that he was "the only person who could play it." Darby, whose career has consisted primarily of supporting comedic roles, saw the role as an opportunity to branch out and play a leading, and more dramatic role, telling Deadline "I looked at myself and how much experience I've had over the years and I felt maybe it is time to step up."

Taika Waititi, who was already attached as executive producer and director, joined the cast to play Blackbeard four months later in April 2021. Jenkins had begun writing the role with Waititi in mind, and eventually approached him over text asking if he would be interested in playing Blackbeard. In the official casting announcement Jenkins said of Waititi "Our Blackbeard is a legend, a lover, a fighter, a tactical genius, a poetic soul and quite possibly insane. Only one man could play this role, and that is the great Taika Waititi. We're thrilled beyond measure he's decided to don the beard."

In June, Kristian Nairn, Nathan Foad, Samson Kayo, Rory Kinnear, Con O'Neill and Vico Ortiz were added to the cast, with Ewen Bremner, David Fane, Joel Fry, Guz Khan and Matthew Maher added in July. Leslie Jones, Nat Faxon, Fred Armisen and Samba Schutte would be cast in recurring roles in August.

Filming

Filming took place between June 14 and September 28, 2021. Taika Waititi, who serves as an executive producer, also directed the pilot episode, which was filmed after Waititi completed production on Thor: Love and Thunder. The scenes aboard the Revenge were filmed on a soundstage using StageCraft.

The second season began filming on September 25, 2022, in New Zealand. The season is set to wrap on December 13, 2022.

Music

The original score for the series was composed by Mark Mothersbaugh. On May 5, 2022 it was announced that the soundtrack album for the first season would be released by WaterTower Music on May 6, 2022.

Release

The series debuted on HBO Max on March 3, 2022. The first season ended on HBO Max on March 24, 2022.

Reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 92% approval rating with an average rating of 7.60/10, based on 35 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Our Flag Means Death's gentle sensibility doesn't quite strike comedic gold, but its bemusing band of buccaneers are endearing enough that viewers seeking a comforting watch will find bountiful booty." Metacritic gave the first season a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on 13 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". The show became the most in demand series in the United States after its finale, unseating The Book of Boba Fett, which had claimed the top spot for three months.

The series has garnered praise for its substantial LGBTQ+ representation, which consists of three queer relationships, one of which involves a nonbinary character (Jim Jimenez). The central romance of the show, between Bonnet and Teach, was originally believed by many to be a "friendship". It has also been praised for its subversion of the common trope of queerbaiting by making their relationship explicit before the end of the season.

External links

• Our Flag Means Death at IMDb