Our Flag Means Death: Thread 2. Still utterly brilliant and we are still obsessed!

[TriceratopsRocks]

Ahoy there mateys! Hop aboard our ‘safe space ship’ thread 2, where we can continue to wax lyrical about our favourite show.

If you haven’t yet seen Our Flag Means Death, what are you waiting for? Do go watch it (on BBC iPlayer) and then come back here and join us.

You may have heard that this is a comedy about pirates and think that's not for you. But it’s actually about self-discovery, healing and found-family with a love story at its heart. It does begin as a sort of pirate workplace comedy, but in episode 4 the tone changes and that’s where the main story really starts. The joint leads are both damaged by abusive backgrounds and think they want what the other has. The show is about their healing and their respective journeys. It’s tender, romantic, funny, emotionally intelligent and utterly refreshing. It subverts genre expectations. There is comedy, absurdity and a good amount of heartbreak and despair - sometimes in the same scene! The acting is outstanding (Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby especially). But the writing, music, costumes, sets, the sheer attention to detail – for a show with only 18 half-hour episodes it is still keeping us talking, a full thread and many re-watches later. Can you tell how much I love it?

If you think this might appeal, do watch it, then come back and talk to us. It would be lovely if more were to join our crew. But be aware it's a show that needs time. The 2nd lead doesn’t arrive until the end of episode 3 and that’s when the main story starts. You need to give it at least 4 episodes. It then took me several more to fully appreciate what I was watching but then I was hooked - and had to immediately watch it all over again. If you like Good Omens, What We Do in the Shadows, Ghosts or even Bridgerton, this might be the show for you.

(I’ve kept this spoiler free, but if you scroll down you will no doubt find many, so beware!)

Thread 1: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5008593-our-flag-means-death-its-utterly-brilliant-and-i-am-obsessed?reply=135294204

"Work Experience" was so funny and sweet that I'm genuinely torn between going on to another of @BeBraveLittlePenguin 's recommendations and just re-reading it immediately.

PS in case anyone's wondering, I have done no work whatsoever today and it's entirely this thread's fault

Ah yes, it's a well-trodden path you are walking here

I'd suggest the first one on the canon list - it's short, bittersweet, and it will remain with you. Or stick with Shearwater and read Just an Excellent Fuckin Fella (no. 7 on the canon list)

If you're keen on a bit of AU, the narrow boat one is just fabulous, but that will write off the rest of today too <sorry not sorry>

Oh, I read the narrowboat one. Until 1am. GODDAMMIT

Or, if you haven't read through the first thread, that has loads of links to YouTube fan edits, which could give you a whole new way to pass the time while not working 😁

Yeah, it's fabulous. My first SMAU.
OK <rubs hands> what are you in the mood for?

Same! I was fascinated by stuff about the yeti, Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, and the idea of lost civilisations like Atlantis. Also historical mysteries like King Arthur and the Trojan War. Though not so much the worrying about spontaneous combustion which often seemed to feature in the same books.

I do wonder how much of it all they all believe - on one recent episode either Rhys or Dan say that something’s veering into QAnon conspiracy theory territory and I thought really, you’re saying that now, after Buttons’ simulation/we’re all from the future theories?

Listening in chunks rather than backwards is a good point as often they mention something and I don’t know what they’re talking about until I get one episode back – I might have to change my system.

Yes to all of that! Especially the historical mysteries, plus ancient myths and legends (and what those things could really be). And yes, I did feel a bit of relief the first time I realised they were clearly not impressed by some 'proof' or other. Like, yes they are actually all sensible, intelligent blokes who are just prepared to open their minds a bit, rather than easily led crackpots (despite Button's theories, which I love BTW - lazy code!!) If you are still into ancient stuff, can I recommend https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCodbH5mUeF-m_BsNueRDjcw 'Red' does myths & legends and 'Blue' does (actual) ancient history.

And we seem to have got rather off the subject of the thread now. Just so no-one reports me for being off-topic, let me add this...

God @BeBraveLittlePenguin what are you doing to us??? I just read 'Celestial Bodies'. Need I say more? I need another like 'Work Experience' now.

Absolutely none of the ones on my list will steer you wrong Any of the ones I describe as funny will lift the mood.
But if you're in the Celestial Bodies mood - try the first one, Labyrinth Skin, the second one Thus Have I Had Thee, or the very short first AU, In the Margins.

Ah, the life of a crack dealer

Not Celestial Bodies right now! That's what I need to avoid! I may have to go back to Ink and Ichor or Birthday Boys. I need light, angst free fluff. Except that I don't, because my school run warning alarm has just gone off. Where did the day go???

But actually it's fine, because that means I get to listen to the CF podcast on the way. Giggling Rhys will sort me out :)

I'm actually organising my A03 bookmarks into public recomendations or private, so it'll be easier for me to recommend things to others in future. It's proving a useful exercise, even if it's messing my history up a bit.

[[//Just an Excellent Fucking Fella - Shearwater - Our Flag Means Death (TV) [Archive of Our Own]
Also light and angst free pirate convention
This too
Yep this too

All those are canon.
This one is not and is v short and entertaining - the author who co-wrote Work Experience On the Job - ElapsedSpiral - Our Flag Means Death (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

@TriceratopsRocks Especially the historical mysteries, plus ancient myths and legends

I wish they'd talk about that stuff - it's not cryptozoological but then neither are UFOs, strictly speaking. I'm still very much into ancient and medieval history, so thank you for the link. For a completely opposite perspective on the Loch Ness Monster, I really enjoyed the Rest is History episode. They haven't covered the Yeti yet but I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

off-topic,

Fair point, though hopefully this is encouraging others to discover the Cryptid Factor. Purely in the interests of balance:

In the Margins is gorgeous - so understated. I love the idea of them finding and recognising each other again in any world.

Purely in the interests of balance:

Hey @lizziesaurusx I already gave you guys an Ed (well, both of them but mainly Ed) that's not balance! 😆

(not that I'm actually complaining, I hasten to add. It is a particularly scrumptious Ed, that one 😋)

Anything that's well-written and true to the characters. Loving the AU. I would prefer not to read about a lady Ed and lady Stede though - that's just confusing 😂

Ah, yes sorry, I really meant balance as in talking about OFMD rather than Cryptid, and so my mind just went straight to updo Ed.

I found this podcast about the real Blackbeard and Stede really interesting - particularly the part on Stede's wealth in the context of slavery.

I have now officially done more research than Taika himself, who claims to have not even bothered to finish reading Blackbeard's wikipedia page.

https://www.imaginaryworldspodcast.org/episodes/the-art-of-piracy

Oh you'll never get anything gendery from me. Loathe that stuff. Even the ubiquitous "Ed wears a skirt" turns me right off. The only one with gender woo is the one I recced which contains brief but unnecessary and ridiculous references to mastectomies for Jim, which would obviously have been fatal 🙄
Honestly, all the stories I recced fit your requirements. I have loads more bookmarked after 14 months, just let me know which of the current lot work.
Seven point three miles perhaps, that's lovely.

Thank you for those - I'd read the canon ones before except for the last one (That Old Devil Moon), which was absolutely lovely and is going on my rec list :) It's quite similar in concept to one of my existing favourites (Impure Thoughts (some) by chaotic neutral knitter). They make a nice pair together. Good old Tuesday Dave was one I almost linked myself :) The last kidnappy one was a nice bit of fun too😁

I thank you kindly for that most excellent image you have posted :)

I’ve just watched both series after seeing it recommended on here- wow, what fantastic and unexpected, brilliant series. Really hoping there will be a s3!

If only he could've kept that glorious suit and carried on twirling.

Ahoy there! Welcome to our crew - do stay and chat 😁 We also would love a season 3, however unlikely that might be at the moment. But while we wait, there are now 2 threads of chat, analysis, photos, YouTube fan edits and fan fiction recommendations to get stuck into :)

So glad you loved it - quite right too, it deserves every superlative - and found this thread! Be warned though, it's a bit like a cult here.

(Edited to say not that any of us are actually trying to escape.)