Black Sails (Starz)

Alright, what say ye all on Starz's new pirate drama, Black Sails? (The first episode is viewable on their site already).

I've seen the first two episodes already, and I'm definitely interested. There's some unnecessary nudity in it, but I'm okay with that (others might not be). Great storyline, imo. And it has already been renewed for a second season before it even aired.

O to the M to the G. I am so hooked to this show. Last week was a nail-biter. I confess I actually resorted to all kinds of means to try and find the next episode plot breakdown before Saturday. Too bad they dont leak these things!!! These folks are up to all kinds of antics, and while the show does have some serious elements, I dont think it takes itself to serious, which helps tremendously.

Visually STUNNING. They film in South Africa - Capetown, I believe. Beautiful place.

__________________
something witty goes here......

Ive watched the first two episodes and have to say it remids me of Spartacus, but not as good as the first season. Everything and everyone looks authentic except for all the main actors who are too damn good looking. That kills it for me. Especially the supposed deadly and mysterious chick with the cowboy hat and daggers LOL @ that!

That 'be Anne Bonny. A bit fictionalized, maybe, but she was still a right nasty pirate.

I've only seen the first two episodes as well (because I... *cough* ...don't have Starz), but I'm really liking the show. I thought it would be a bit more low budget than it is. Very pleased to see ship battles and a very authentic-looking Nassau.

Narratively, it remains to be seen if the show is any good. I really like the pulse so far: a lot of tension and backstabbing and intrigue. Pretty much everything you'd expect from a pirate show. I'mma keep watching.

Whats sad is I am too lol! Just wished they cast it differently. Im not familiar with historical pirates other than Blackbeard. Was there even a Davy Jones?! (Google - No)

Nope. Done with this show. Got to the 4th episode and stopped due to all the gratuitous rape & torture scenes. Same reason I stopped watching Spartacus. (First season of Spartacus was good though) Now Im watching Low Winter Sun, and its awesome

That is all

Bumping for a newb who loves this show.

My bro was one of the first DoPs on this. I freaking love it. Totally bummed he wasn't on the final set so I could go and visit, lick some sweaty armpits, and steal the wardrobe...and maybe the man o war for my front garden. Would make a nice ornament.

Thanks Dani. Well, I guess there are not many people who like this. Can't believe no one has commented on here sine 2014? Nudity doesn't bother me - violence does but I just close my eyes unitl it's over, lol!

Yeah I'm going to start a thread on screen nudity because this theme has fascinated me for years. Back soon.

This is on my list to binge watch. I watched it when it first came out and loved it. But I got busy and fell too far behind. I am much better at binge watching than I am at watching a show week to week.

I watched season 1, but it really jumped the shark for me in S2, plus I got busy. And yes - overmuch nudity/violence. But my god the people are beautiful! I havent watched since mid S2, but I do know that:


SPOILER ALERT:


Funny because it explains why he suddenly shows up in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The 100 - the first as a latest season villain, and the 2nd as a regular. I do wish he wasnt so typecast as a "cat" whipped man - (he went from "youthful heartthrob hurt me" in Black Sails to "mama hurt me" in The 100, and "angsty villian" in SHIELD. I like his characters, but I think a man like that would annoy me in real life.


oh yeah. and

Re your first spoiler - brutal

your second spoiler - I really liked that character and the acting in that scene is amazing.

Worth checking out for those two scenes, and there's a long tracking shot during a heist that is amazing.

I've only seen ep 1 of this final season. Liked it but didn't love it. Too much talky talks with the wiminz which is starting to annoy me a bit. Bring on the pirates and gore.

Re your comment about the nudity - it calms down a lot. I never found it too much, though. Beautifully shot, and as you said, the bodies are jaw dropping. I was telling my oldest brother about this show and said when nood Eleanor gt out of bed and walked across the room I might have squealed a bit because she has such a stunning figure. Her bum is a delight, and usually I only squeal at men's bums.

mmm.... ok, I'll just go there. Even beside the fact that show seems like soft to middling porn written by a horny teenager (sex! violence! story.... SEX! story... sexsexsexsexviolencesexsexviolence, story, sexsexsex, story), I was floored when they made Flint gay in Season 2. I mean... I liked him for a straight guy. And wasnt it enough that Max and Eleanor went at it? Making Flint sexually fluid - to me - changed it from being an somewhat oversexed pirate show about pirates into a gay show specifically written for a gay audience. They lost me with Flint.

And beyond that - I get that you have a beautiful scene, with beautiful people getting busy, but when the show first started I was pumped for an actual legitimately interesting story, with some sexual drama peppered here and there. It felt like what we got, from even S1, was a who's-shagging-who-when soft porn show, with the occasional actual storyline peppered here and there.

The story itself it too thin, and drags. It shouldnt have take until S2 for them to decide to find the Urca gold. To fight. To stand. I spent most of my viewing time waiting for SOMETHING other than sex to happen. Holding an audience with sex is a cheap trick, imo - and a stand-in for good writing.

And that doesnt interest me long term.

That's the thing - for me it didn't seem porny at all, but for others it did. I knew before they even started filming there was going to be nudity so I guess I just wasn't surprised. I was told about the blackbeard merkin and the orgy with silver and the whores so I was fully aware. As for the showrunners, they're lawyers I believe. Probably why it's so talky. I dont mind slow burns but definitely not for everyone. I feel each season has taken a while to gather sp[eed and that loses people. You know, start with a great opening sequence then it lags until about episode 6, so I can see how people were getting bored. I'm just really taken with the sets, wardrobe and cinematography so when it gets to dialogue heavy I'm still engrossed in the screen.

The gay reveal I actually really liked but again, it repelled a lot of people. It was only very brief, though. I dont think they ever touch upon it again. All over red rover unless he gets another bang this season.

Anne Bonny is given more to do as a female pirate in season 3, and Jack Rackham was a standout. Ray Stephenson is still criminally underused. I loved him in Rome.

As an aside, sadly the guy who played Dufresne (Jannes Eiselen) in the first season succumbed to his battle with brain cancer. Apparently he was a lovely guy.

Im all for a slow burn. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is a slow burn. Luther is a slow burn. True Detective is a slow burn. TWD is a slow burn. This one just drags. I literally started reading episode recaps to see whether I wanted to even watch an episode of the show. I found there wasnt one episdode I *had* to watch. Now - seasons later, Im thinking of picking it up again since it seems they've finally made real progress beyond all the "I wanna be a real boy" angst.

re: Dufresne - wow that's too bad. Anne Bonny - they woobified her with Max to me. Nothing says "disregard this girl" like making her gay, and doing nothing but basically gay love scenes for a male-dominated audience. To me - I found Anne Bonny fascinatingly sinister UNTIL they threw her and Max together. Then it was like: "oh. okay. She's the guy eye-candy fantasy girl, complete with lesbian make-out sessions." She became a tired cliche.

Jack Rackham - literally the BEST character of them all. He's hilariously funny, but nothing he does can keep the show afloat. They dont give him enough scenes.

**side note: Ive only watched through 1/2 of S2, tho, so maybe it gets better.

Yes that all makes perfect sense to me. There certainly was a lot of male gaze in the show. I didnt mind it because they have beautiful bodies, and I quite like homoerotica, but totally appreciate that it rubbed you up the wrong way when it feels show horned in for the lads. IMO it does get better halfway through season 2.

Jack Rackham I love. My bro said Toby Schmidt was hysterically funny to be around all the time. He loved him. He loved the whole cast to be honest. Had lots of fun for two seasons.

Just on the male gaze aspect, I dont know if that was the decision by the showrunners, starz cr3atives or Michael Bay. I know Bay did have some creative input, I think mostly on colour, but doesnt seem sleazy enough for his input. I thought it was pretty classy, myself. No boobs or bums in hot pants practically touching the lens.

Very different, however, to the nudity in westworld. that doesnt seem the least bit sexualised to me. Just undraped robots. No different to looking at an unclad barbie or ken doll, although I wouldn't mind the camera panning down on rodrigo's fine, taught physique.

Just saw EP.2 Dani. Have you seen it yet?

Not yet, Wp. Soon. Saw a possible spoiler title on imdb the women are bitches, but that just might be the usual...or they might actually be getting bad ass. Looking forward to it.

I saw it last night. Way too dialogue heavy for my liking. I think the writers are going overboard with soliloquies. I didn't dislike it, but I was getting easily distracted. My concentration span is shot in this heat and humidity.