In Our Flag Means Death you go on a not entirely historically accurate pirate voyage to the Caribbean. The series has heart, mind and doesn’t always take itself completely seriously. And it is precisely this combination that makes it MeinMMO editor Sophia’s absolute favorite pirate series.
What kind of series is this?
What awaits you in Our Flag Means Death? Our Flag Means Death finds its roots in historically documented people and events, but is not a historical drama. It’s more like Pirates of the Caribbean, without the supernatural elements. Davy Jones is mentioned as a seafaring tale, but there is no trace of a tentacled face.
The catalyst for the plot is the mid-life crisis of Stede Bonnet, portrayed by Rhys Darby: he doesn’t feel loved and valued by his family. So he commissions a ship and secretly sets sail one night to become a pirate.
Unfortunately, the gentleman pirate has no idea about piracy and treats his crew more like a support group. However, Stede’s actions arouse the curiosity of the feared pirate Black Beard (Taika Waititi), who takes him and his people under his wing.
You can get a first impression for yourself in the trailer:
Not much is known about the real lives of Stede and Ed. Our Flag Means Death therefore largely reinterprets them and does so in an absolutely fabulous way:
Pirate crews in the 18th century were one of the few places where people could just be themselves. On Stede’s ship there are former slaves, queer personalities and all sorts of people who don’t fit into the regular, standard life of the time. Stede himself struggles with his weak self-esteem. And Black Beard also has to struggle with some personal problems.
But on board the Revenge, that’s all a thing of the past: Here everyone can be whoever they are and want to be. Stede turns his ship into a safe space. Only Black Beard’s right-hand man Izzy doesn’t like it – he is the source of many conflicts, but also many funny moments.
Why do I think the series is so good? A colorful found family helps themselves through the pitfalls of everyday pirate life by overriding the norms of regulated society. Stede’s ignorance and Ed’s curiosity provide a good amount of situational comedy.
The series has everything that makes a good story for me: humor, love, drama, sword fights and an absolutely likeable cast. This combination makes Our Flag Means Death one of the best series I’ve seen in a long time. Accordingly, I can only warmly recommend it to you.
Of course I can only agree with the IMDB score of 7.8.
Who is Our Flag Means Death worth? If you like pirate stories on the high seas, Our Flag Means Death is the right choice for you. Especially anyone who celebrated the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films will have a lot of fun with the colorful group around Stede and Ed.
I would also like to recommend the series to those who are looking forward to more main character duos like in Good Omens. While Crowley and Aziraphel are still a bit hesitant, I can already tell you for Our Flag Means Death: The first season is already nailing things here.
And last but not least, anyone who appreciates Taika Waititi’s very special brand of humor will have fun here. Our Flag Means Death is a great mix of Waititi’s series What we do in the Shadows as well as the films Thor: Day of Decision and Jojo Rabbit.
Where can I watch Our Flag Means Death? Unfortunately, so far only season one has reached the German streaming seas. Here are your current options:
Streaming provider RTL+ offers a 30-day test phase for its premium model. If you cancel before the end of this test phase, you will not incur any costs. This makes RTP+ Premium the currently best option for watching Our Flag Means Death legally and inexpensively in Germany. Before taking out a subscription, check the small print again in case something has changed.
If you’re up for even more pirate action, you could be happy with Black Sails:
The best pirate series is not available for free on any major streaming service – with one small exception