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Reviews
Our Flag Means Death: Mermen (2023)
A beauty!
This show is a gift that keeps on giving!
Ed's self-discovery trip at the beginning made me chuckle. Pity there are no Yoga retreats near the Republic of pirates...
I'm trying to keep this spoiler free, so I can't talk in depth about my very favourite moment, but I adore the way that this ep quotes the first scene of the season, only it's real and so much better this time!
While the season doesn't end with a huge cliff-hanger like the last one, it still sets up a lot more to explore: Avenging the fallen, the adventures of the new and expanded Revenge crew, Ed and Stede building their life together (and no, I don't believe for one second they live happily ever after as innkeepers).
S3 needs to happen!
Favourite line: "For love!"
Our Flag Means Death: Man on Fire (2023)
A lot going on
The opening scene! It took me a moment to figure out what was going on, but yes: apparently that night was all it took for Ed to give up piracy for good (or does he...?). The breakfast together was so cute and I love that Ed was able to open up to Stede a bit. One thing that was really well done was that although there's no big open conflict there, you can already see the seeds for their later miscommunication. They're happy together, but not quite on the same page.
I have to say, the reduced number of episodes shows in this ep. The overall plot is back, but it all seems a little rushed. Same with the Zheng/Olu meeting. I really wish this all could have had room to play out a bit more organically.
It's actually great to see Stede enjoy a bit of the acclaim he always wanted - although the inherent problems are also obvious. Oh and finally we get some Jackie&Ed chatting - love their dynamic!
Favourite line: I am a sea god!
Our Flag Means Death: Calypso's Birthday (2023)
An unexpetced delight
That was such a lovely episode. Well, it contained some genuinely weird torture and Ed explaining a couple of children the mechanics of stabbing someone, but other than that: lovely :)
It was much quieter, I felt, than the previous episodes. There's a bit of introspection from Ed's side (who is out of the burlap sac again). He wants to make amends for his previous rampage and Stede has an idea how to help him with that.
The grand finale though... not so quiet. First of all, Wee John and Izzy look spectecular. Izzy's performance is dazzling. The entire crew partying and singing and dancing, so wonderful to see. They all deserve something nice. Well, and Ed and Stede... good for them.
Favourite line: "We're sort of in the, like, pre-revenge window."
Our Flag Means Death: The Innkeeper (2023)
Spectecular episode
I don't like dream sequences, characters walking in different realms etc. In my shows. Usually. Apparently, Our Flag Means Death is the exception.
This is a superb episode. It's not entirely clear what's going on at first, but once the penny drops, it all makes sense.
Rhys Darby does a phenomenal job conveying the emotion Stede feels when he discovers Ed is supposedly dead. I love that he puts his feelings aside long enough to rescue his crew from Zheng's ship, but then, when he steels himself to go and see Ed's body one last time...
If anyone needed convincing that this show is special, the mermaid scene should do it. That they actually went there. I don't think another show could have pulled that off.
Favourite Line: "*Stede* Stede?"
Our Flag Means Death: Red Flags (2023)
Rollercoaster
This episode is one of the darkest and challenging of the whole show. Ed is spiralling and it's painful to watch. Some beautiful acting from Taika Waititi. (Also, on a shallow note, he looks absolutely beautiful in this ep.)
In happier news, some people are reunited back on Zheng's ship. It's a wonderful scene, full of unbridled joy and happiness. I also enjoyed all the scenes with Captain Zheng, her strict Auntie, and Stede, who slowly seems to start understanding what is happening with Ed. I think he takes a bit too much of the blame on himself - sure, Ed is absolutely heartbroken because Stede left him, but it was Izzy who pushed him from vulnerable sadness into Kraken-mode...
Favourite moment: "What the hell is going on in towels?"
Our Flag Means Death: We Gull Way Back (2022)
Blast from the past
I feel for Stede in this. So much. From the moment Calico Jack appears on screen, I experienced a visceral dislike for him (and no, we're not jealous, what are you talking about!?) It reveals another interesting aspect about Ed, his past, and how he views himself. It also says a lot about how far the relationship between him and Stede has come.
My favourite side plot in this is the Room People story. Frenchie and Wee John have a lovely dynamic, and seeing them experiencing this tiny bit of luxury for the first time is just wonderful.
The end of the episode is epic. I won't spoil anything, but the twist, the editing, the needle-drop, the easter-egg in the final frames... Perfection!
Favourite Line: "Never Left."
Our Flag Means Death: The Best Revenge Is Dressing Well (2022)
My fav?
This is one of my favourite episodes. Stede and Ed seriously start to bond here, and it's a lovely bit of character development for Ed in particular. Taika Waitit does a brilliant piece of acting when Ed is presented with an invitation to a fancy party - he tries to play it cool, but every fibre of his being is bursting with how much he wants to go.
Also, there is a whole side story back on the Revenge where we get to know Izzy a little better. While the rest of the crew enjoys the absence of the Captain for some leisure activities, Izzy tries to assert his authority, with hilarious results.
The final scene is just. The most beautiful, romantic thing I have ever seen in my life. So much longing in such a short dialogue. Breathtaking.
Favourite Line: "They're such dicks about spoons!"
Our Flag Means Death: Discomfort in a Married State (2022)
It definitely keeps getting better
I really enjoyed the first three episodes, but I can't deny that once Stede and Ed (aka Blackbeard) get to interact, the show ascends to a whole nother level. Just like Stede, Ed feels confined in his life, his job, and the role he plays in it. I love to see how fixated he becomes on this unusual man and his unusual ship, while (seemingly) ignoring the threat still looming in the background.
Ed and Stede together are just something else. It's delightful to see how much fun they have with each other. There's trust there and rapport although they barely know each other. I'm sure the actors' long friendships helps with that.
Favourite line: "Wanna do something weird?"
Our Flag Means Death: A Gentleman Pirate (2022)
The Show just keeps getting better
This episode has some of my favourite moments. The first public appearance of the Gentleman Pirate is such a spectacle. His entrance into the pub, his misguided attempts to sell a hostage, his outfit...! The writers/costume designers/actor all just went all in.
Another great addition is the character of Spanish Jackie. She is a delight. Red velvet suit, wooden hand, absolute boss of her establishment - Leslie Jones is perfectly cast.
The final scene had me breathless. If Stede thinks he knows how to introduce himself, he has got nothing on Blackbeard. That performance was spectacular. Can't wait for what is to come.
Best line: "Did you mean to do that?"
Our Flag Means Death: A Damned Man (2022)
Introducing the Gentleman Pirate
The opening sequence is beautifully done. Very slowly, we are closing in on the introduction of Blackbeard, even if only through a story for now.
This episode has lots of interesting characterisation, especially for Stede. The way he actually tries to push his stranded ship back into the sea is both funny and sad. But there's also the way the crew members interpret the meaning of vacation that tells us a lot about them and their backgrounds.
My highlight is the introduction of Izzy Hands and his crew. An actual, proper pirate with no head for silliness - and yet somehow Stede comes out on top. No wonder Izzy hates his guts.
Favourite Quote: "I will not be trifled with, so don't even think about trifling me. You're trifling me. I'm warning you. Don't trifle. Don't you trifle. Oh!"
A Quiet Place (2018)
Suspenseful
This was different from what I expected, but in a good way. I really enjoyed the rather slow tempo at the beginning where it's all about exploring this family, its heartbreak and the life their built together. Later on, it becomes a bit more standard monster horror fare, but it's very well done. Some scenes literally had me on the edge of my seat.
There are a couple of head scratchers though - the question why they didn't set up something super loud right next to their house so that the monsters aren't alerted by the smallest noise first among them. But eh, I'm okay with suspending my disbelief here because it makes for a great film evening.
Our Flag Means Death: Pilot (2022)
A gift that keeps giving
The episode begins with a little song about a pirate's life, and it is a great introduction to the tone of the show. Whimsical, witty, with its very own aesthetic. The main character, Stede Bonnet, comes on with full force - the way he tries to deal with his crew - who don't know what to do with him at all - is breathtakingly funny. I also enjoyed the glimpses into his past - and how that same past comes back to haunt him.
The introduction of the side characters is masterfully done. There are a lot of them - a whole crew plus the English Navy anatgonists - and yet by the end of the of the episode we have a good idea about who these people are. And they're all hilarious.
Best quote of the Ep: "Every pirate captain captains pirates differently."
Our Flag Means Death: Fun and Games (2023)
They! Get! To! Talk!
Okay, first of all, "You're no f--- mermaid" is probably my favourite line of all times. Taika Waititi's delivery and Rhys Darby's reaction - priceless!
But then. Then! They finally get an opportunity to spend time together and talk a bit about all the things that happened. If there was something missing from the last three episodes, it was Ed and Stede being together, on screen, with their chemistry and their love for each other. I enjoyed every second.
Of course, OFMD being the show that it is, has this entire reunion take place in the house of a meddlesome, slightly deranged, hilarious pirate couple. Oh, and it also takes Button's along, because he has an important side quest. Only in this show...
Our Flag Means Death: Impossible Birds (2023)
This is everything
I had high hopes for Series Two, and this ep, specifically the very first scene fulfilled them in one fell swoop. The characters are back, the energy, the unhinged humour, the unabashed joy that is this show. Oh, and did I mention the acting and the dialogue?
There's a darker thread running through it, as Ed struggles and leads his crew on raid after raid. It's painful to watch, and made even more so by the juxtaposition with Stede's antics to get back to him. God, I hope they find each other soon...!
Favourite things: Stede writing love letters in honest to god bottles, Frenchie's fool-proof way of dealing with trauma, and Black Pete's absolute deadpan delivery of "Oh look. Running water." 10/10, no notes.
Our Flag Means Death: The Curse of the Seafaring Life (2023)
A beautiful episode
This is probably my favourite episode of S2 (although it's so hard to choose...)
Love all the character dynamics that get explored here. Ed and Fang get to work out some of their past dynamics, Lucius gets a little bit of closure with Ed, and Stede's newfound mentorship with Izzy is really interesting to watch. Not to mention Ed and Stede sharing another moonlight moment, oh my heart...
The most important relationship in this ep though is Stede and The Suit. I cried when he had to give it up, they were meant for each other. Rhys Darby and his hips play the hell out of this!
The crew moments with the peanuts and the Curse and super funny, and overall it was just an immensely enjoyable, well-rounded ep with lots of lovely character moments.