On the Telly: Black Sails (2014)
Black Sails...well, it's definitely gonna be about pirates, right? Well, I freaking love pirates. They are neither good nor evil. The romanticized versions are the complete embodiment of 'the grey area.' I'm already halfway in. Which ones? Are they fictional like the badass Captain Jack Sparrow or based on real life villains like Edward Teach aka Blackbeard? Both? Well, who's the lineup? (Here's the part where I looked it up and my anticipation increased solidly).Meet the cast: most are comprised of fictional characters from Robert Lewis Stevenson's Treasure Island, or characters made up for the show in general. To the right we have Gates-who was made up for the show, as well as Captain Flint, Billy Bones and John Silver, who are all main characters from the book. Having seen the entire first season, I can say that each of these guys act as protagonists as well as antagonists. The show takes place 20 years prior to the events of Treasure Island, so there's plenty of history to fill in, and who's to say every single role wasn't reversed at some point?
The other main characters are fictionalized versions of real-life people such as Jack 'Calico Jack' Rackham, Charles Vane and Anne Bonny (pictured to the left). So, as in most historical fiction, it's real people interacting with made-up people. Those people just happen to be from a book. The back and forth/will they, won't they?/good guy, bad guy/what's gonna happen next?! is what keeps you interested. You might know the history or the book by heart. That gives you no indication as to what can happen here and it's very exciting. The thing that keeps me watching is that flip-flopping. I find myself constantly re-deciding who I hate and who I want to win.
The tone isn't quite as lighthearted as say, Pirates of the Caribbean, but it's got the same every-man-for-himself (or herself) spirit. Have I mentioned the other excellently written/portrayed characters? You really can't have a good production of any type without them. This show has them in spades. You hear 'pirate' and think 'thief, shifty, scoundrel.' This show ups the ante by showing you exactly how many different types of people can fall into that category. Not all of them are vicious. Not all are brave. Not all are as dumb as they might pretend to be...the layers, man. Black Sails is a freaking onion.
This show is gritty and relies on its setting as well as its actors. The production value is superb and the music backs up the period they're going for. They definitely touch on things like slavery and rape. Fair warning. This makes for a cohesive, believable environment in which you can imagine that this story might actually have taken place. It's enthralling and I'm eagerly anticipating catching up in time for the 3rd season to air. Apparently they're bringing in Blackbeard played by Ray Stevenson! Love that guy. I think I'll do an 'Actor Evolution' on him soon.
FAVORITE CHARACTER:Right now it's a toss-up. I chose Anne Bonny because she's a real-life lady pirate and the actress playing her makes it a believable thing in a world where all the men around you are drunk and have weapons. I'm also leaning toward Long John Silver because that guy is squirrelly as shit and can talk his way out of anything. And even though I don't think I'd like him as a real person, it's fun to watch him babble his way out of impossible situations. As I've said, though, this might change come season two.
QUOTE:
Billy Bones: "How can you just pretend you have no doubts about any of this?"
Captain Flint: "Years of practice? There's always doubt, Billy. No sane man would deny that. No good captain would acknowledge it."
RATING:
I highly recommend this if you're into a steadily-paced show with a gritty underbelly and surprises you don't see coming. It's in the 8-9 out of 10 range for me.
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