When you’re in the mood to watch television, you don’t want to settle for anything less than the best. But choosing the right show can be time-consuming. Whether you’re looking for a high seas action-adventure, a period drama or a queer rom-com, “Our Flag Means Death” has it all!
“Our Flag Means Death” first premiered in March 2022 on Max. Set in the year 1717 during the Golden Age of Piracy, the show follows rich-boy-turned-pirate Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and his crew as he tries to navigate seafaring life. After leaving his wife and children to pursue his dream, he starts to learn just how terrible a pirate’s life can be. He meets Edward “Ed” Teach (Taika Waititi) — known more commonly as Blackbeard — in a near-death experience on board an enemy ship, and the two enter an agreement to teach the other about the trappings of their lifestyles.
The cast is diverse, star-studded and gut-wrenchingly hilarious. No matter how few lines they have, every actor stuns in their role. Throughout the show, the cast delivers insanely well-timed comedy, an abundance of wholesome scenes and numerous heart-wrenching expressions and interactions that make me cry no matter how many times I’ve watched the series (five and counting).
No word can adequately illustrate the impact “Our Flag Means Death” has had. In a short period of time following its release, demand for the show skyrocketed, beating every show on Max — including hit teen drama “Euphoria” — with ease. The show has gained a loyal cult following, with streams alone not doing justice to the raging excitement for the series. The numbers alone show just how well a piece of media can do when it has good representation.
The enthusiasm following the recent release of the first season two trailer was no different.
While the internet was in no means devoid of fan theories, the trailer revealed a few important details about the next season.
At the end of season one, Teach and Bonnet had shared their feelings for one another, but lingering insecurities and a series of unfortunate events led them to be torn apart after making plans to escape from their imprisonment together. Stede’s return to his wife Mary allowed him to begin working through his issues, and while Ed had started to heal, a “pep” talk from first mate Izzy Hands (Con O’Neill) stopped this.
The trailer shows Stede on a quest to find Ed and profess his true love to him. Ed, on the other hand, seems to be going on a series of post-breakup rages and pillages, his face doused in dark eye makeup and his chest lined with several guns. Most of the returning cast appears in the video, and we see new additions Minnie Driver, Ruibo Qian, Madeleine Sami and Anapela Polataivao. No exact locations are confirmed, but Vanity Fair reports the involvement of Chinese pirates and British soldiers in the action.
Despite what we see in the trailer, there are a number of things we get no confirmation on. Is Lucius still somehow alive after Ed pushed him over the side of Stede’s ship? Why are Stede and Ed wearing parts of Buttons’ outfit in recent pictures? Will Fred Armisen and Will Arnett reprise their roles? Will a third Badminton brother miraculously appear?
All these questions and more will be answered starting Oct. 5. Max will release three episodes on this day, with two episodes in each week following the premiere.
Batten down the hatches: ‘Our Flag Means Death’ season two to set sail Oct. 5
Maria Tobias
