At first glance, Black Sails is just another offering of sex and sadism in the tradition of Game of Thrones. Stick with it and you'll find the show moving past that. This is definitely a show that will suck you in.
If you don't know, Black Sails is a semi-historical story about the pirates of Nassau, but it is also a loose prequel to "Treasure Island." As such, you'll follow John Silver, Captain Flint, Billy Bones, and other characters from the novel as they earn their fierce reputations from the book. These fictional characters interact with historical figures such as Jack Rackham, Charles Vane, Edward Teach, Ned Low, and Woodes Rogers. It takes an unflinching look at life in 18th century Nassau, London, Carolina, and Philadelphia (and other locations). This show neither glamorizes nor vilifies pirates, colonial governors, and others. They are all shown complete with virtues and flaws.
The cast is excellent, as are the plot and character development. You are pulled into each episode wanting to know what happens next. Of course, if you know history and/or if you know the story of Treasure Island, you pretty much know how the story ends for some of these people (whether they make it or not). That said, the show takes creative license with many of the historical characters and events.
Spoilers:
In the first season or two, but especially in the first few episodes, the sex and nudity are absurd. Everyone is having sex with everyone, all the female characters are bisexual (with one or two exceptions), and the sex scenes are over the top. Fortunately, this is faded out and the show focuses on characters and plot, thankfully.
I did feel the romantic relationship between Flint and Thomas was a bit contrived, and it was done to be culturally relevant in modern times. I also felt the resolution to Flint's story was silly--that he'd find Thomas alive and well, but as a slave laborer in Georgia. Of course, this very well could have been lie told by Silver to appease his wife. But if this was the actual ending, it is hardly a happy one. Life as a slave laborer or an indentured servant under those circumstances wouldn't be happy in any sense. And it's unlikely the overseers--in those times--would have allowed a homosexual relationship like that to exist.
There are other aspects of the show that took liberty with history-- but I didn't mind them so much. In some instances, the fiction is better than the reality.
Many of the actions that Flint did were done by others in real life. -The 1715 Treasure Fleet did sink in a hurricane, of which the Urca di Lima was a part. The Urca itself allegedly wasn't carrying treasure. Anyway, pirates did raid the survivors camp and carry away a sizable fortune--but it was Henry Jennings and Charles Vane who led the attack.
Charleston was blockaded by pirates, but it was Blackbeard who did it ... and he didn't raze the city afterward.
Black Bart Roberts did allegedly take revenge on royal governors after they hanged pirates.
Charles Vane did escape Nassau when the royal navy arrived and he did use a fireship to escape. However, he never returned to Nassau. He was deposed as captain by Jack Rackham and was captured on Jamaica were he was hanged.
Blackbeard's historical end, I think, is far better than the keel- hauling he endured in the show. Blackbeard fought two royal navy ships in Okracoke Sound. He is said to have endured dozens of stab wounds and had been shot several times before finally going down. That said, keel hauling was a real-life punishment used by all sea- faring men of the time ... and the results were horrible.
Woodes Rogers was indeed imprisoned after his first stint as governor, but he returned later, albeit in ill health and he died shortly later.
Ned Low, who was killed early in season 2, actually outlived all the fictional pirates, being killed in 1724.
Jack Rackham, Ann Bonney, and Mary Reed were all caught and put on trial. Rackham was hanged, while Bonney and Reed claimed to be pregnant and thus were saved from the noose. Reed died in prison, while Bonney disappeared. It is thought that she died of old age.
One thing is true though. After Nassau was closed as a pirate port, piracy fell into decline. While it still existed well into the 19th century, it never had the same threat/prestige as it did from 1650- 1720.
If you don't know, Black Sails is a semi-historical story about the pirates of Nassau, but it is also a loose prequel to "Treasure Island." As such, you'll follow John Silver, Captain Flint, Billy Bones, and other characters from the novel as they earn their fierce reputations from the book. These fictional characters interact with historical figures such as Jack Rackham, Charles Vane, Edward Teach, Ned Low, and Woodes Rogers. It takes an unflinching look at life in 18th century Nassau, London, Carolina, and Philadelphia (and other locations). This show neither glamorizes nor vilifies pirates, colonial governors, and others. They are all shown complete with virtues and flaws.
The cast is excellent, as are the plot and character development. You are pulled into each episode wanting to know what happens next. Of course, if you know history and/or if you know the story of Treasure Island, you pretty much know how the story ends for some of these people (whether they make it or not). That said, the show takes creative license with many of the historical characters and events.
Spoilers:
In the first season or two, but especially in the first few episodes, the sex and nudity are absurd. Everyone is having sex with everyone, all the female characters are bisexual (with one or two exceptions), and the sex scenes are over the top. Fortunately, this is faded out and the show focuses on characters and plot, thankfully.
I did feel the romantic relationship between Flint and Thomas was a bit contrived, and it was done to be culturally relevant in modern times. I also felt the resolution to Flint's story was silly--that he'd find Thomas alive and well, but as a slave laborer in Georgia. Of course, this very well could have been lie told by Silver to appease his wife. But if this was the actual ending, it is hardly a happy one. Life as a slave laborer or an indentured servant under those circumstances wouldn't be happy in any sense. And it's unlikely the overseers--in those times--would have allowed a homosexual relationship like that to exist.
There are other aspects of the show that took liberty with history-- but I didn't mind them so much. In some instances, the fiction is better than the reality.
Many of the actions that Flint did were done by others in real life. -The 1715 Treasure Fleet did sink in a hurricane, of which the Urca di Lima was a part. The Urca itself allegedly wasn't carrying treasure. Anyway, pirates did raid the survivors camp and carry away a sizable fortune--but it was Henry Jennings and Charles Vane who led the attack.
Charleston was blockaded by pirates, but it was Blackbeard who did it ... and he didn't raze the city afterward.
Black Bart Roberts did allegedly take revenge on royal governors after they hanged pirates.
Charles Vane did escape Nassau when the royal navy arrived and he did use a fireship to escape. However, he never returned to Nassau. He was deposed as captain by Jack Rackham and was captured on Jamaica were he was hanged.
Blackbeard's historical end, I think, is far better than the keel- hauling he endured in the show. Blackbeard fought two royal navy ships in Okracoke Sound. He is said to have endured dozens of stab wounds and had been shot several times before finally going down. That said, keel hauling was a real-life punishment used by all sea- faring men of the time ... and the results were horrible.
Woodes Rogers was indeed imprisoned after his first stint as governor, but he returned later, albeit in ill health and he died shortly later.
Ned Low, who was killed early in season 2, actually outlived all the fictional pirates, being killed in 1724.
Jack Rackham, Ann Bonney, and Mary Reed were all caught and put on trial. Rackham was hanged, while Bonney and Reed claimed to be pregnant and thus were saved from the noose. Reed died in prison, while Bonney disappeared. It is thought that she died of old age.
One thing is true though. After Nassau was closed as a pirate port, piracy fell into decline. While it still existed well into the 19th century, it never had the same threat/prestige as it did from 1650- 1720.