So when I first saw Black Sails I was not expecting much; coming from a network called "Starz" - which I'd never heard of but sounds like the kind of network that pumps out trashy day time television and not serious drama.
This is a pirate story different from any I've seen before. One of shifting political intrigue, moral ambiguity, richly drawn character driven drama and multi-season plot arcs.
It's a far cry from the thinly drawn caricatures of films like Pirates of the Caribbean, where piracy is just a backdrop and not a real subject of the story.
Admittedly the show gets off to a rather rocky start and takes some time to find its sea legs. In the first few episodes there's some rather cringey dialogue and overly gratuitous nudity, which I think may be the result of Michael Bay's involvement in the project. Thankfully though its not long before the show drops the immaturity and delves into some serious and seriously good story telling. Season 1 is a slow build to a fantastic climax, but Season 2 is where the show really hits its stride, becoming deeper, darker, fleshing out its characters and keeping a perfect balance between action and intrigue. The show has also gotten better at fusing its larger story arcs with smaller episodic story lines, leading to better pacing.
Acting performances are strong across the board, Toby Stephens having an especially stand out performance; utterly compelling and haunting as the grimly determined Captain Flint. Honorable mentions as well to Toby Schmitz who brings Jack Rackham alive with wit and charm, and Mark Ryan who plays a key role as the warm and likable heart of the Walrus crew.
Zach McGowans gravelly voiced Charles Vane does border on pantomime from time to time but the rest of the cast is so strong that it can easily be forgiven as one of the more exuberant excesses of the show.
The production values are also astounding for cable television. The attention to detail in the sets and costuming (down to historically accurate sailing tattoos) gives the show a real sense of place. The show also has many large set piece action scenes that would give many Hollywood films a run for their money, it has some of the best action sequences on TV today. The CGI is blended perfectly with practical effects so that its almost impossible to distinguish what was filmed on set and what is green screened.
All in all this is the best written, acted and directed story of piracy I've ever seen, and probably one of the most under-rated shows of the present moment. If you can stick with it past its rocky beginnings you'll be rewarded with an unexpectedly brilliant show.
