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Black Sails

  • TV Series
  • 2014–2017
  • 16
  • 56m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
112K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
463
31
Toby Stephens in Black Sails (2014)
Season 4 trailer for "Black Sails" on Starz.
Play trailer1:58
33 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionAdventureDrama

Follows Captain Flint and his pirates twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel "Treasure Island."Follows Captain Flint and his pirates twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel "Treasure Island."Follows Captain Flint and his pirates twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel "Treasure Island."

  • Creators
    • Robert Levine
    • Jonathan E. Steinberg
  • Stars
    • Jessica Parker Kennedy
    • Toby Stephens
    • Hannah New
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.2/10
    112K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    463
    31
    • Creators
      • Robert Levine
      • Jonathan E. Steinberg
    • Stars
      • Jessica Parker Kennedy
      • Toby Stephens
      • Hannah New
    • 385User reviews
    • 58Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Primetime Emmys
      • 8 wins & 34 nominations total

    Episodes38

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos33

    Exclusive Clip: "The Fight"
    Clip 0:35
    Watch Exclusive Clip: "The Fight"
    No Monuments...
    Clip 0:37
    Watch No Monuments...
    Hate
    Clip 0:54
    Watch Hate
    "Why Not Run?"
    Clip 0:26
    Watch "Why Not Run?"
    Odysseus
    Clip 0:50
    Watch Odysseus
    The Lord Helps Those...
    Clip 0:15
    Watch The Lord Helps Those...
    Rise Up
    Clip 0:15
    Watch Rise Up
    Season 4 Trailer
    Trailer 1:58
    Watch Season 4 Trailer
    Season 3 Trailer
    Trailer 2:16
    Watch Season 3 Trailer
    Season 3 Trailer
    Trailer 2:16
    Watch Season 3 Trailer
    First Trailer
    Trailer 1:24
    Watch First Trailer
    Black Sails: Expanding Worlds
    Trailer 1:12
    Watch Black Sails: Expanding Worlds

    Photos2184

    Zach McGowan in Black Sails (2014)
    Toby Stephens and Luke Arnold in Black Sails (2014)
    Ray Stevenson in Black Sails (2014)
    Andre Jacobs, Toby Stephens, Tom Hopper, and Richard Lothian in Black Sails (2014)
    Zach McGowan in Black Sails (2014)
    Tom Hopper in Black Sails (2014)
    Toby Schmitz in Black Sails (2014)
    Toby Stephens and Luke Arnold in Black Sails (2014)
    Toby Stephens and Luke Arnold in Black Sails (2014)
    Hannah New in Black Sails (2014)
    Anna-Louise Plowman, Luke Roberts, and James Gracie in Black Sails (2014)
    Toby Stephens and Luke Arnold in Black Sails (2014)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jessica Parker Kennedy
    Jessica Parker Kennedy
    • Max
    Toby Stephens
    Toby Stephens
    • Captain Flint
    Hannah New
    Hannah New
    • Eleanor Guthrie
    Zach McGowan
    Zach McGowan
    • Captain Charles Vane
    Luke Arnold
    Luke Arnold
    • John Silver
    Toby Schmitz
    Toby Schmitz
    • Rackham
    Clara Paget
    Clara Paget
    • Anne Bonny
    Winston Chong
    Winston Chong
    • Joji
    Tom Hopper
    Tom Hopper
    • Billy Bones
    Andre Jacobs
    Andre Jacobs
    • De Groot
    Lise Slabber
    Lise Slabber
    • Idelle
    Laudo Liebenberg
    Laudo Liebenberg
    • Dooley
    Craig Jackson
    Craig Jackson
    • Featherstone
    Hakeem Kae-Kazim
    Hakeem Kae-Kazim
    • Mr. Scott
    Patrick Lyster
    Patrick Lyster
    • Captain Benjamin Hornigold
    Luke Roberts
    Luke Roberts
    • Woodes Rogers
    Louise Barnes
    Louise Barnes
    • Miranda Barlow
    Zethu Dlomo-Mphahlele
    Zethu Dlomo-Mphahlele
    • Madi
    • Creators
      • Robert Levine
      • Jonathan E. Steinberg
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Chris Larkin (Berringer) and Toby Stephens (Flint) are brothers. Their parents are Dame Maggie Smith and Sir Robert Stephens. Anna-Louise Plowman (Mrs Hudson) is Toby Stephens's wife.
    • Goofs
      The language spoken is questionable throughout the series. There is no agreement on when the F word came into being as a swear word; the educated classes are constantly saying "you and I" when it should be "you and me"; and there is regular use of "excuse me", which is a more modern Americanism, instead of "I beg your pardon".
    • Crazy credits
      The opening titles are a montage of white statues depicting the lives of pirates, incorporating black skeletons and dark oceans.
    • Connections
      Featured in Dubbing 007 (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Theme from Black Sails
      (uncredited)

      Composed and Conducted by Bear McCreary

    User reviews385

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Slow burning political piracy from an unexpected source
    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.
    helpful•14
    1
    • price-58683
    • Dec 4, 2015

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    FAQ20

    • How many seasons does Black Sails have?Powered by Alexa
    • So what's up with Long John Silver's mysterious past? Are there any hints at the truth of where he comes from and who he was before he's introduced in episode 1, or is it simply a stylistic device?
    • Is this show a true story?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 26, 2014 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • South Africa
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Velas negras
    • Filming locations
      • Cape Town, South Africa
    • Production companies
      • Film Afrika Worldwide
      • Platinum Dunes
      • Quaker Moving Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      56 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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