Score: 96/100
Our Flag Means Death is back to shiver our timbers for a second time after the second trailer premiered earlier in October. The Max Original, spearheaded by David Jenkins, garnered a devoted fan base that has propelled it into a strong start for its most recent season.
Irreverent and heart-felt, Our Flag Means Death reimagines the history of pirate legends Blackbeard (Taika Waititi) and Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) in an anachronistic Golden Age of Piracy. The first season of Jenkins’s swashbuckling dark comedy re-injected queer themes and relationships into the world of piracy which previously had been erased by storytellers and historians alike.
Our Flag Means Death’s second season follows the gentleman-turned-pirate, Stede Bonnet, setting out to win back the love of Blackbeard in the aftermath of last season’s heartbreaking finale. Blackbeard, aka Ed Teach, has returned to a life of destructive pillaging, psychologically traumatizing the crew of the commandeered ship, The Revenge.
Continuing a trend from last season, stand-out performances from Waititi, Darby, and nonbinary Latine actor Vico Ortiz are sharp and witty. Waititi walks a fine line as a borderline manic, sadistic pirate of yore and a brokenhearted, sympathetic train wreck. The chaotic nature of Blackbeard’s character allows Waititi to ham up his erratic tendencies and convey a pain and emotional vulnerability in what continues to be some of his best acting thus far. By contrast, Darby’s delightfully chipper Stede Bonnet trying earnestly to win Ed’s heart back makes for beautiful onstage chemistry between Waititi and Darby.
Aside from continuing to explore the salty and rum-tinged relationship between Blackbeard and Bonnet, dealing with trauma and pain has become a key theme for this season. Blackbeard’s self-loathing has translated into him lashing out on his half The Revenge’s crew. Izzy Hands (Con O’Neil), Jim (Vico Ortiz) and Fang (David Fane) spend season 2 grappling with the cruelties inflicted on them by Blackbeard.
Episode 4 of the new season, “Fun and Games,” brings the show back to its more whimsical roots. With guest appearances by Minnie Driver as Annie Bonny and Rachel House as Mary Read, Our Flag Means Death reimagines these notorious pirates as a couple. Driver and House bring a chaotic energy as Blackbeard’s estranged retired pirating friends and as a dysfunctional lesbian couple who run an antique shop on a mostly deserted island. The addition of these notorious female pirates from history serve to reorient Stede and Ed’s relationship by contrast.
The new season also introduces another legendary female pirate Zheng Yi Sao (Ruibo Qian) who, simultaneously comes off both as imposing and somewhat of a hot mess, even by Jenkin’s own admission. Qian’s dry wit shines through in comparison to some of the show’s more zany antics.
All this to say, Our Flag Means Death accomplishes an impressive feat of expanding the cast in a way that feels natural and compelling. From the addition of Ruibo Qian and her second-mate, Anapela Potalavairo to expanding on recurring cast members like Samba Schutte and Kristian Nairn, the ensemble cast has now swelled to 14-plus characters. Each of these characters feels distinctly individual, despite having such a large cast. Nairn even gets a stand-out drag number which is endlessly entertaining.
The second season of Our Flag Means Death comes back with vengeance. Especially as the new season puts queer romance and joy at the forefront, the show feels like it has progressed to a wider breadth of queer experience while keeping still keeping its comedic touch.
You can stay caught up on Our Flag Means Death on HBO Max, the season finale is set to air on October 26.
Photos courtesy of Nicola Dove/Max
