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Reviews
Our Flag Means Death: Calypso's Birthday (2023)
My Absolute Favorite of the Season
Spoiler-light? I'm trying to not give away too much.
In a media landscape where everyone figures themselves out at 17 or 20 or the late late age of 30, it's so good seeing myself for once. Older and wiser but also just as confused. Good to see Izzy learning who he really is and how he can connect to others, good to see Stede and Ed learning how to care for one another, good to see the new-old crew stretching themselves and sharing joy. You can want to feel beautiful when you're seven foot tall and bearded or if you're older it's your very first time even admitting it matters to you. You can want to have a community around to support you through your journey. (And Roach, in the background, absolutely having the time of his life through this entire episode doesn't hurt either!)
Our Flag Means Death: Wherever You Go, There You Are (2022)
That is How You End a Season
Even when everything is gone horribly wrong for both your protagonists, they can be trying things (and failing so badly that you sprain something cringing). It can be sweet and funny and they can make or lose progress and be impacted by the people around them. The parallel (and opposite) journeys of the characters through this last episode leave you dying to know what's going to happen next. Romance? Murder? And it doesn't ignore the ensemble. The wife? Fully a character in her own right (with wonderful supporting characters around her!). The crew? They have opinions of their own. All the supporting cast are here making things better... or worse. So, so much worse. Delightfully worse.
Our Flag Means Death: The Art of F**kery (2022)
Surprising Artistry Amidst a Lot of Nonsense
Rewatching and noticing all sorts of things I never did at first. The first time around, it's just silliness. The second time around, you get to really appreciate both the beautiful ways this was shot (Izzy's hand stroking the curtain, the refracted reflections in the bathtub scene) and the oddly tender emotional tentpoles at the center of the episode. No, none of them are *nice* people. They're pirates. Also, it's a sitcom, and by law everyone in a sitcom is awful. But the teamwork of the crew while Stede is having a hissy fit, all working to play to one another's strengths, and the wooden finger scene... and, yes, of course the tenderness between Stede and Ed as they navigate lack of murder. But the crew really pull it all together emotionally. It's an ensemble.
Our Flag Means Death: Discomfort in a Married State (2022)
Individuals and Relationships
Rewatching and I really have to appreciate what they did here. The first episode set up the characters of Stede and the crew of the Revenge and their relationship one with the other. This episode sets up the central relationship of the season: Stede and Edward. It sets up the "buddy comedy" of it all. Stede, who was isolated and bored and Edward who is isolated and bored and the two of them aching to trade places. And the show plays with that... for about five minutes and then shows us exactly why that is a deeply silly idea. And then it shows us that they can be more together. That this is, against all odds, a relationship that can work. (Yes, with the threat of the coda... they are *pirates*) Within half an hour, we can see the longings in them and the possibilities inherent in Stede-and-Edward as a unit.
Our Flag Means Death: Pilot (2022)
They Had Me From the Dagger
This first episode feels the most slapstick as they introduce the Gentleman Pirate. Lots of silliness as we get to know this guy and why he's here and who he crew is and what each crewmember's thing is and what the relationships are. And, as a whole, it was fine. Right? And then they meet up with the Navy and the racist within and instead of all the usual painful places that could have gone, we get a perfectly, beautifully thrown dagger and a sliced teacup and it's glorious. The buildup pays off with the fights, the coconut head, Pinocchio, and the flags. We know who they all are and now we care what happens to them. Exposition and emotional investment achieved.
Our Flag Means Death: Mermen (2023)
Fitting But Not Finished
Considering they had their budgets slashed by 40% at the last minute (thanks Zaslav) and had to make fewer episodes, this was brought to a very satisfying place. Like I'm not okay about REDACTED, but I want more. They absolutely need to do more the Zheng because my girl was the admiral of a pirate fleet thank you, and we need to know how things work out at the inn! (That is bound to be a cluster.) And, though it wasn't explicit in s2, I fully expect the polycule to become canon! There was a lot to love here and while this was a good ending for "We don't know if they'll let us have one more season," the story isn't done!
Glass Onion (2022)
Hilarious and Keeps You Guessing
How are people so spicy about this movie? It's a great murder mystery with a great cast and I would totally watch more in this series. The *cough*NotElonMusk*cough* character and all his friends are all so delightful to despise that you're genuinely excited when things go really off the rails.
Generally, I'm not a fan of things set during the Pandemic. A little too close to home. But it's a perfect setting for these characters because it explains *exactly* who each of them are through that lens.
The story was told inside out, but it's basically a classic mystery ala Murder on the Nile: interesting, isolated setting and absolutely everyone lies.
Our Flag Means Death: The Best Revenge Is Dressing Well (2022)
Cringy and Satisfying as Heck
(Technically spoilers included, but I promise not really to ruin anything...)
I loved this episode deeply. If you like a good underdog story, this was absolutely one to watch!
Admittedly, the entire thing is intentionally a-historical madness (yes, the European aristos on the pleasure boat in high Rococo fashion are excited about phrenology... also one is wearing a chicken hat... this is not supposed to be tricking you into thinking it's anything but historical *fantasy*).
Besides following our two main leads in their awkward dance of navigating 18th century mean girls, the B plot of the what the other crew are up to is funny and satisfying and one of my favorite jokes (I hope Abshir comes back next season)!
And the the denouement at the end of the episode is, seriously, all I could have hoped for.
Our Flag Means Death (2022)
Marketing Didn't Impress and Then....
Impression #1: Pirates!
Impression #2: Oh, haha pirates. Whatever.
And then people online started telling me I absolutely had to watch just a few episodes.
This show is a WILD ride. At first glance it feels like a dumb episodic comedy (no shade if that's your thing), but then it rapidly starts to turn into a something a lot more! By the end of the 10 series season, you are absolutely cheering for these pirates, even as you continue to tear your hair out about their poor life choices like betraying **spoilers** and going back to **spoilers** and cutting **spoilers**.
I am dying for a season 2 and there's supposed to be a 3rd season (assuming things don't go pear shaped with the higher ups). Fingers crossed!!
Good Omens (2019)
Not the Book Precisely, But Delightful
How often do you have a show written by one of the authors which both is very loyal to the book and yet something entirely different?
(This isn't a criticism. Sometimes the most frustrating adaptations are the ones where you should love it because it has all the bits you love but it doesn't translate to the new medium. This isn't just the books word for word. Bits are added and a lot of removed, but also a fair bit is just different enough now to avoid being an unintentional period piece.)
I may be slightly losing my mind over this show, but it's adorable and weird and surprisingly heartfelt in spots. Also it's a comedy about the end of the world, in case you missed that bit, which is sometimes just what you need.