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 wish I didn’t know that. I think that would probably qualify as tipping over from obsession into full on midlife crisis though.

I've been thinking along the same lines. I've been trying to work out what Rhys/Stede look I would be going for. But that's the first problem. Would it be Stede, and if so which Stede, or would it be Rhys? And can I really get away with having one standing in the corner of the living room (I would say bedroom but not sure DH would go with that 😆). If I lived alone though... It's quite scary that I did spend about 10 minutes contemplating it (which Stede, that is, not living alone)!

Thank you. I’ll look it up.

I’m still not over Stede’s rings being on the window ledge…

I found (and lost) a gif the other day of Stede rubbing his knees in 1.9 just before Ed arrives. He’s in a reverie and stimming his knees with his thumbs. It’s oddly sexy and very ASD.

I’ve just watched the second YWFTW scene for, er, research purposes, and I never noticed Ed’s cat bell tinkling before. I love the absurdity of it all.

And he’s still holding the fish.

I know the one, and I know what you mean.
https://64.media.tumblr.com/f84dd1ffe8554190a3fe4829bbfe2541/c22c19c0d45dd3b6-2b/s640x960/b60cfc82c06ce583b7655201831a64984765f836.gifv

I did find a close up of the rings on the window ledge from a bts shot, but couldn't find it again when I looked to post it here.

I noticed the cat bell much louder the first time I listened through a headset. Much more prominent than on normal TV

Oh that’s it! Thank you. I’m so conflicted by his character here. I just want to hug him. And then other things…

Oh yes....

please.

Ahem…

I have to say I'm giggling here at how we have degenerated from complex meta/scene analysis to outright lusting over the male leads. I could blame the glass and a half of wine I've drunk this evening for my part in this, but it would be a lie.

Oh thank you for that, MrsJ. It's not the same pic, although I love the comment on your one :) The one I saw was from a different angle and showed all 3 rings beautifully lined up in front of the little chest.

I’m working on a post about Chauncy in my head. But for now, I just want to think about Gentlebeard, rings, marmalade and how lovely this show is.

(I need to see that other pic with the three rings… I love that they’re lined up too. More ASD coding )

I will look again, though I did spend about 15 mins looking the other day. Maybe I could ask, if I only could remember on which website I actually saw them!

OK that was quick!
https://64.media.tumblr.com/8fe9521f431cb6af3c24edf40b49b43f/064a5ad53fa46b9c-00/s640x960/2d6037c224b7ea459ee53b8477e14c429c39582d.jpg

But for now, I just want to think about Gentlebeard, rings, marmalade and how lovely this show is.

I suspect I'm going to be reading my favourite "Ed + Stede 4 Eva" fic tonight (it's actually beautifully written - don't know why I decided to post like a teenager - probably because they have turned my brain to mush😆)

It's this - if I've done the link right

https://open.spotify.com/track/5Ov8gs3BiOc5sUpFJaAYqx

I've been trying to work out what Rhys/Stede look I would be going for. Would it be Stede, and if so which Stede, or would it be Rhys?

Which would be on your shortlist, @TriceratopsRocks? Perhaps we can help you narrow it down. That one of him in green trousers, about to throw a bottle in the sea, must be a contender?

It's just occurred to me that we see Stede several times with very open shirt, and here with no shirt, but we never see Ed without his shirt on. I wonder why? Is there a character reason based on Ed being reluctant to be physically vulnerable? Would the tattoos be too complicated? Or is Taika just shy? Feeling a little cheated now.

I reckon we've done enough pages of character and scene by scene analysis to earn a little outright lusting, and if the showmakers didn't want viewers to divert from earnest critical analysis they had no business casting those two leads.

The bottle in the sea moment is a good one. As is the red shirt aka the one where Ed can resist no longer. I love his cursed suit attitude. The English uniform is... wow. But I think my favourite Stede look is probably the Calypso teal shirt and brown leather trouser combo. I just thought of a photo I want to post. I'll look shortly (on the app now).

And actually I've just thought of my favourite look of all. You lot are all fond of Ed's morning after look. Can my lifesize cut out be Stede's morning after look please? He needs to be standing, but he is allowed to use the sheet to protect his modesty. To be fair, there are S1 looks I really like too (like the brownish number in 1.4 and the outfit he's wearing for his execution). But right now I'm fancying sexy Stede, and his morning after look works for me 🤪. Maybe I get 2? One suitable to be seen in public and one not?

I welcome any advice.

Agree 1000000000000%

Oh!!! I can't edit! Mermaid Stede! Yes, that's the one I want 😁

Oh that’s magic! Well done, Stede. So neat even in the throes of passion! He so gets my brain. Now, what’s in the little treasure chest, I wonder.

I think there’s a visual/aesthetic reason for it especially the morning after scene. The show’s little vignettes are so well thought out. They’re works of art. Both with their tops off in the morning after scene… I mean, it’s gorgeous, but artistically ‘that’s overkill’.

I do wonder why we don’t get a scene with Ed with no top though. We eventually even get Izzy. Stede’s baring his chest for a good part of 1.2. Plus Merstede. We do see Ed’s stabbed stomach with his previous run-through scars - which I find strangely erotic 🙈. If we take the stabbing scene to be sexual, and Stede’s sword as a phallic trope, what the hell is Ed showing us here??

Ed is actually very shut down. His clothes are his armour. The fact he removes his leather jacket and sits arm to arm with Stede on the treasure hunt as they eat the snake is a beautiful moment where we begin to see him relax a bit.

Gorgeous back shot in 2.1 with the tattoo…

I really like the idea that they both got naked together soon after meeting in 1.4 in order to swap clothes. It’s a narrative gap I’ve headcanoned a few times. I used to think Stede got a little shy and went back into the auxiliary wardrobe, chucking out his clothes to Ed. Now, I think Stede just stripped off. Stede is so unashamedly Stede. Ed, I think, turned his back a bit or even went back into the wardrobe. Then other times, I think they both just grinned and stripped. They’ve already bared their souls at their first meet, why not their butts? You can see I have given this a lot of thought. Because it’s important.