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

[TriceratopsRocks]

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!

I do miss season one Lucius, but I understand his character progression. I absolutely love him in We Gull Way Back after Ed leaves. Right from his interaction with Olu to his conversation with Stede to his admonishing of Ed on the beach. His body movements, tone, language… it’s everything. I spotted he’s stroking Stede’s knee whilst talking. He is being so helpful, but he is also in his element! The way he straightens his cuffs and grins before going over to Stede. This is his superpower! He’s ’fantastic at breakups’. He’s also the only one who bloody understands what’s happening.

I love it in S1.6 when Lucius says in response to Izzy’s taunting“… actually I think I’m so so but I’ve decided to carry myself like I’m cute”. A good lesson in confidence there.

I can’t for the life of me figure out why Blackbeard fell in love with him…

Me neither

There was a gorgeous shot
of Stede in English uniform in Mermen, thought it was on Samba’s insta but I can’t find it.

Mind you they all look hot in that scene!

I posted a few upthread, @BillStickersIsInnocent . Pretty sure I included a uniform one (on app atm so a pain to scroll up to check). Personally, I think Rhys is utterly gorgeous in S2. I mean, he has overtaken Keanu in my affections, and that was a high barrier to cross!

And @MrsJellybe you must be kidding us, surely? BB chased Stede across the ocean before he'd even met him, because he was already fascinated. And then their first meeting - a normal conversation with someone who clearly liked him as 'Ed', enough to share secrets and insecurities from the off, who was excited by his presence before he even knew he was BB? He had never met anyone like Stede before. To a depressed man who barely gets any normal interaction with people, that would have been wonderful! They were from different worlds but had so much in common. And S1 Stede is still very handsome. I'm not at all surprised. Then again, I could be rather biased now and Rhys Derby might be clouding my judgement 😝

Oh. Just realised. You weren't being serious 😂😂😂 I was too quick to respond!

@lizziesaurusx that's a wonderful shot. I think I will add it to my collection of "Stede being gorgeous" pictures.

I’ve looked through but can’t find it…it can stay nicely in my head for now until I locate it!

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5008593-our-flag-means-death-its-utterly-brilliant-and-i-am-obsessed?reply=134979694&utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share&utm_source=copylink
This was the post that included a uniformed Stede...

And now I'm just gazing at pictures of him all over again. How am I supposed to get anything done this afternoon now???? Help!!!!!

@TriceratopsRocks no that’s not it…I’ll keep looking!

Let's face it, that's not exactly a hardship.... 🫠🫠🫠🥴

When you find it, will you post it here? Please? 😁

???

(me, supposed to be going out again? Bah!

🤣🤣🤣the tone was clearly lost in posting.

I deliberately put a season one pic up (we know Stede’s hot in season two) because I think he looks utterly charming and kind and thoughtful and sensitive and and a little lost in this picture (think it’s his wedding) and he makes my heart both hurt and melt.

Remember, Ed fell for season one Stede and I can see why.

Hehe I just looked at the photo - saw your text and thought WHAT?????? And dived in to a response in about 0.00004 seconds 😂But yes, he's still gorgeous in S1. And I really need to go out now but can't seem to stop looking for photos of Stede in an English uniform. I've stared at a lot of gifs too :) Who needs to do a school run, anyway. It's only 6 miles, she has legs....😂

OK maybe I should go...

He was gorgeous from the start. Right. Now I really am going!

I think the photo was a bts shot, not a still from the show. I may have dreamt it! I’ll keep searching…

Don’t know if this fan video has been posted upthread, but doesn’t hurt to repost it.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez9emC3pz_s&pp=ygUMZWQgYW5kIHN0ZWRl

It's upthread somewhere, but watching that one too many times isn't a thing. It's definitely a favourite of mine. I really like the video edits by Ella.

Some online pics from Basingstoke today. Rhys really is sunshine in human form ☀️

Oh my, he suits a t-shirt.

And I didn't know anyone could enjoy themselves that much in Basingstoke 😂

Oh why didn't I buy a ticket? 😢
Rhys is still there tomorrow, but you can't buy online now. And even if I knew I could get in, it's a long way to drive for a photo (4.5 hour round trip). Ah well. There will probably be another one sometime. I shall console myself with watching more episodes 😉

Just completed my rewatch from Impossible Birds through to Fun and Games. Eurovision, pah.

I have a theory about the gravy basket and the pigs.

You know those dreams where you get real elements from your life but all mixed up in the wrong setting?

So Ed Teach grew up in Bristol and from the little we're shown, in poor circumstances ("low-born"/"we aren't the kind of people who have fine things") with an alcoholic dad and a mother in domestic service. When Izzy is out of action presumed dead, Ed/Blackbeard picks Frenchie, the other Bristolian, as replacement first mate. So he's hearing a lot of Brizzle.

We hear him say "Ed Teach, born on a beach" in the final episode of S1.

Maybe "Ruthie" is his mum's name? And the pigs, foreshore foraging, soup and sandal making etc are the kind of thing he did as a child to get by in subsistence early C18th existence? So childhood memories, mixed up with his first (or most memorable) captain, but in a dreamlike Caribbean seaside setting instead.

Phew though, those episodes are a hard watch. And I really like the Beethoven they use when Blackbeard is trying to get Izzy to shoot him. It was one of my favourite pieces as a child (yes, I was an odd child) but what a horrific way to use it.

To continue, now I've had some sleep.

His interior dialogue is about whether he wants to live, because he believes he's unlovable.

That part I think is not really about Stede, but about trauma from when he was a child. Plus Felix is there because even if he does make the effort to live, the chances are the universe or horrible people within it will do random awful stuff anyway.

As an aside, Taika is really unfairly attractive with the messy man-bun! And the cognitive dissonance between his lovely face/gentle tone and words and actions is so chilling!