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Our Flag Means Death. It's utterly brilliant and I am obsessed!

972 replies

TriceratopsRocks · 15/02/2024 15:08

I'm sure I found a thread on this series a while ago, but now season 2 is out I've looked back and I can't find anything apart from the renewal petition.

For anyone who hasn't come across it yet, I would thoroughly recommend. It starts off as a sort of workplace comedy set on a pirate ship, sort of in the style of Ghosts, and with a similar fanbase to Good Omens. When the 2nd lead character arrives at the end of episode 3, it starts to change and it only hit me two thirds of the way through season 1 that I was actually watching a very different sort of show to the one I thought I had started watching.

From that point it's phenomenal. The attention to detail is superb. Both leads are clearly neuro diverse, from abusive backgrounds and damaged because of these. They both want what they think the other one has. It's about them discovering themselves, accepting themselves for who they really are, and healing. There is comedy, but also heartbreak and despair. The show handles these so sensitively and accurately, down to minute details, and Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby deserve every award under the sun for their work here.

I don't think I've ever obsessed about a show as much as this one. I've tried to make this not too spoilery in case some of you want to watch it, but really I just want someone to talk to about it! I've already watched it countless times and the more I rewatch the more I appreciate it. I said I was obsessed and I really am!

The show has sadly been cancelled, despite its popularity, and the producers are currently trying to see if it will be picked up by another network. I have read that they are keeping an eye on the iPlayer numbers as part of this, so I also wanted to shamelessly plug it here 😁

If any of you haven't seen it and fancy giving it a try, it grows into itself in the first season and you really need to give it at least 4 episodes (episode 4 is where the main story really starts). Its not a show I would have thought to watch myself (DD wanted me to watch it with her) but I'm so glad I have.

I don't really know what I want from this thread really. I want more people to find it, but I also want to just talk about it and obviously can't do that without more spoilers than I've already given. Help me out people!

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DJ47 · 07/04/2024 22:02

Half an hour from me - but as you say the cost of it is what’s putting me off ☹️

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TriceratopsRocks · 07/04/2024 22:29

DJ47 · 07/04/2024 22:02

Half an hour from me - but as you say the cost of it is what’s putting me off ☹️

Well then, you too need to buy a lottery ticket and join in with our "Fingers crossed we win enough to take our fellow Mumsnetter Our Flag Fans to Basingstoke" challenge!

(I think we need a snappier title...)

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ExtraOnions · 08/04/2024 09:50

We need to do a Lottery Winners Transmogrification Ceremony … suitable bowl required

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TriceratopsRocks · 08/04/2024 18:42

I think sometimes about how when Rhys was offered the part, he was a bit worried about whether he could do all the dramatic stuff the role needed. He knew he'd be fine with the comedy, but the emotional scenes were something he hadn't much experience with. But he's just so good at the emotion. I didn't know who he was before OFMD so it might be my perception is off, but he seems to be popping up all over the place at the moment, and I love the idea that it might be his range in this show that's given a new flourish to his career.

(I made a gif but I haven't worked out how to add my own here, so it'll just have to be a still image instead)

Our Flag Means Death. It's utterly brilliant and I am obsessed!
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Phineyj · 08/04/2024 22:14

screenrant.com/our-flag-means-death-2-rhys-darby-interview/ good example of what @TriceratopsRocks was talking about with the comic versus dramatic acting.

Phineyj · 08/04/2024 22:15

And thank you for that lovely gif @ExtraOnions!

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TriceratopsRocks · 08/04/2024 22:46

Phineyj · 08/04/2024 22:14

screenrant.com/our-flag-means-death-2-rhys-darby-interview/ good example of what @TriceratopsRocks was talking about with the comic versus dramatic acting.

Ah yes, that was definitely one of the interviews I read :) There were several around the S2 release date. I've turned into such a Rhys fan! I'm wondering how much of a surprise it was to him, gaining a whole new legion of fans for such a fantastic, first leading man performance, just before turning 50.

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TriceratopsRocks · 08/04/2024 23:00

ExtraOnions · 08/04/2024 22:01

I never even thought to look on X. I don't go there very often - I will have to have a root around Smile It's a great GIF. On Tumblr there's a version of that scene split into 6 slow motion GIFs. I could stare at them all day <sigh>.

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CarlaH · 09/04/2024 08:21

TriceratopsRocks · 08/04/2024 22:46

Ah yes, that was definitely one of the interviews I read :) There were several around the S2 release date. I've turned into such a Rhys fan! I'm wondering how much of a surprise it was to him, gaining a whole new legion of fans for such a fantastic, first leading man performance, just before turning 50.

Show quote history

I found this the other day, you may already have seen it of course.

b

Rhys came across as such a lovely guy and I really enjoyed his answer to the question "Is there nothing Taika can't do?".

CarlaH · 09/04/2024 08:25

Oh and I see I have mistyped 'Nothing' when I meant to type 'Anything' but I am not going in again in case I lose the link again.

Anyway Rhys's answer to the question about Taika was "Modesty" (just in case people want to know but don't want to listen to a whole interview.

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TriceratopsRocks · 09/04/2024 10:39

Both links worked for me on my phone :) I had forgotten this interview, thank you for posting it. I think the young interviewer couldn't believe his luck - Rhys was so open and lovely and relaxed, and gave some wonderful insights into the characters and the show, and it went on for 48 minutes!

Yes the joke about Taika's modesty was funny :) But what I remembered from this interview was definitely one of the things in the back of my mind when I posted yesterday. There's a bit when he says that doing comedy with Taika is easy, but he hadn't done emotional acting before and it was a relief to know that it worked, and that he could do it. And that maybe now he can seek out some more dramatic roles. I also liked how he keeps such a healthy separation between his work/fans and his home life. It's a great interview and I've just had to watch it all again :) Thank you for posting it.

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CarlaH · 09/04/2024 12:16

Yes Rhys seems incredibly grounded but maybe that's because he has had a longish career without having a lead role or maybe just because, as he alluded, he has a happy settled home life.

I couldn't believe that interviewer said he is 30 (well I think he did). He looked a lot younger than that to me. I wonder how these things get set up because, as you say, Rhys gave him a very long time.

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TriceratopsRocks · 09/04/2024 13:14

Yes I wrote 'young interviewer' while still watching and had him pegged at around 23-24. I was surprised too when he said he was 30.

As for Ryhs' "groundedness", I'd guess it's a bit of both - he isn't (or wasn't) a household name so could fly under the radar (I loved the bit in the interview about The Boat that Rocked and the other actors not having a clue who he was 😆), and he clearly does have a very lovely, settled home life. He's someone I imagine would be wonderful to be friends with in RL.

I just had another quick look at the Movie Dweeb's youtube channel. Most of his interviews are 5-15 mins long but there are several that run to 50mins+ (and a few have piqued my interest and might get a watch later)

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CarlaH · 09/04/2024 13:30

I was quite impressed with Mr Dweeb.

Phineyj · 09/04/2024 15:08

Well I guess he liked him. Who knows, maybe a bit of task avoidance. Perhaps in the background his wife was saying "you know, that garage isn't going to clear itself!" 😂

The stuff about the costumes was v interesting.

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TriceratopsRocks · 09/04/2024 15:13

He managed some lovely transitions into different topics. I liked him enough to want to watch some more of those interviews :)

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TriceratopsRocks · 09/04/2024 15:15

Phineyj · 09/04/2024 15:08

Well I guess he liked him. Who knows, maybe a bit of task avoidance. Perhaps in the background his wife was saying "you know, that garage isn't going to clear itself!" 😂

The stuff about the costumes was v interesting.

😂😂😂

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TriceratopsRocks · 09/04/2024 23:53

Ok I've just sat and watched a 2011 rom com starring Rhys (also David Fane and Sally Hawkins from WWDITS). It's rated 6/10 on imdb and only 38% on rotton tomatoes, so I expected it to be... not great. But I loved it. Really. And Rhys was SO CUTE. I used to be all about Keanu, but Rhys Derby has done something to my brain....

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Ladybird69 · 09/04/2024 23:58

lol I tell my friends (we’re in our 50s) that they have to watch ‘Out flag means death and schitts creek’ and my friends look at me as if I’m mad ! 2 of the best programmes ever made. Their loss ‘suckers’

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TriceratopsRocks · 10/04/2024 00:04

I've never seen Schitt's Creek, and know nothing about it. Sounds like I need to take a look. Once I've finished working my way through Taika and Rhys's back catalogue (and more re-watches of Our Flag), that is... :)

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ExtraOnions · 10/04/2024 07:41

I love Schitts Creek … I watched it in lockdown, really brightened things up.

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TriceratopsRocks · 10/04/2024 09:00

Ok, it'll go on my list :) But it might be a while. At the moment I just can't get enough of Rhys. I forgot to name the film last night. If you want some goofy, cute, adorable Rhys being devastatingly gorgeous, watch Love Birds. Don't expect a cinematic masterpiece, but I went to bed really happy with a big smile on my face.

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CarlaH · 10/04/2024 16:03

Well eventually in desperation I rejoined Reddit so that I could read the comments about OFMD from the beginning. Except I can't seem to get any further back than three months and so almost all the conversation is about the fact that the show hasn't been renewed.

I honestly thought I would be able to wile away a few hours ( or days/weeks) reading people's comments going back to the first episode. What a PITA.