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

@MrsJellybee @TriceratopsRocks @CarlaH

Totally agree with what you all say about recommending it or not. Doing so feels like exposing something very emotional - I can’t think of another show that's affected me so strongly. It seems to resonate so much with me emotionally in terms of the place I’m in in my life, and particular lines and scenes feel like they’re speaking directly to my situation. So if someone doesn’t like it makes me feel foolish to be reading that much into it and gaining emotional insight from it.

Like you, @TriceratopsRocks, I'm reluctant to admit how much I feel I'm living and breathing it as I realise it's probably odd. I think about it pretty soon after waking up in the morning, and when I'm going to sleep at night I'm often thinking about it too. When I was talking to my friend about it the other day I kept being aware that I should probably try to sound as though I had some critical distance from it to avoid sounding completely ridiculous. I'm not sure I managed - after about 20 minutes I said 'I could talk about this all day' - she said 'Please don't'!

However, I do also want recommend as I just want someone in real life to analyse it with! @MrsJellybee I hope you have some excellent in-depth discussions with your sister in her window of interest.

'so we are going to be be pressing the pause button a lot then are we?'

@CarlaH I watched 2.3 and 2.4 with my son yesterday and it was so frustrating to have to watch it in real time and not be able to rewind my favourite scenes/lines!

I know! She did laugh when I said about Izzy being in a serious hypermasculine pirate drama and the rest of the cast being in Muppet Treasure Island, but she just found it too messy.

@TriceratopsRocks He did say no to the life size cardboard cutout

In that case you're in luck - on the most recent Cryptid episode Dan got a toddler-sized Rhys cardboard cutout for his birthday, so that could be your socially acceptable solution. He didn't specify whether it was Rhys as Stede though or, if so, which look - disappointing, as that's the info you need.

I very rarely recommend anything to other people if I really love it. I don't want to know they don't!

To paraphrase what was wisely said up thread, it depends what's going on with you to an extent, what lands.

I suspect you need to be having a bit of an existential crisis of some sort for OFMD to really grab you.

@Phineyj I suspect you need to be having a bit of an existential crisis of some sort for OFMD to really grab you.

I have been wondering about this for some time but was a bit embarrassed to ask. Some darker years of caring/covid/ loss, then this stealing into my heart and rekindling feelings of happiness a bit like a mer-person coming through the water. I did think I must be having some sort of mental aberration to start with but then found you lovely people and realised that we were actually extra discerning and had discovered something wonderful rather than collectively gone mad.

I suspect you need to be having a bit of an existential crisis of some sort for OFMD to really grab you.

I do think you’ve nailed it with this comment. And I also agree with @MrsBruin that personal loss and the wider global pain we have experIenced, and continue to experience, is significant. The ancient Greeks understood the significance of drama as a route to catharsis. I think so much entertainment now is either ‘reality tv’ or ‘gritty realism’. It doesn’t comfort in the way that it should. OFMD allows us to flee to a sort of magical ‘Green World’ and work through some of our own trauma along with characters we grow to love and care about. It’s no surprise to me that I am drawn to ‘Act 2’ repeatedly 1.8-2.3. I need to fuckin feel.

But also, on a lighter note, the show is about love. And I love that! I am in love with the fact that Stede and Ed are in love with each other. And it feels good ‘just to be near’ them.

I heard that 😁 Wasn't it a James Bond look or something? If so, someone at Basingstoke had one that Rhys signed - she posted a picture on Facebook. I'd have one 😁

I'll take extra discerning.

🙂

It’s no surprise to me that I am drawn to ‘Act 2’ repeatedly 1.8-2.3.
@MrsJellybee I sometimes can't get past these episodes. Once I've got to the end of 2.3 I have to go back to the 1.8 telescope scene and watch them all over again! It's why I went back to the pilot last night. I really want to get to the end this time. I need YWFTW2. I need the couch, Calypso's kiss, the lovely letter, the beach reunion. But sometimes I seem to get a bit stuck in all the angst and sorrow.

I am in love with the fact that Stede and Ed are in love with each other. And it feels good ‘just to be near’ them.
It really does 😊They are just so perfectly made for each other. And once they are back together it makes all seem well with the world. You are right about the comfort aspect - it gives me such a lovely, happy feeling when they are together and showing their love for each other - in the show or in fics.

I need to fuckin feel.
When watching - or when reading the really good fanfic - sometimes it's painful, sometimes it's joyful, sometimes it's just really sweet. It's just good to feel emotion! But I really do need it to always have a very happy ending. I felt genuine horror and fear this morning reading Ship of Theseus the sequel to "In Favour with their Stars" I mentioned earlier. And it's getting painful now just thinking about it again! Now even you lot will think I've gone mad😆. But seriously. Don't read those two if you need to be able to function coherently afterwards).

I'll take extra discerning.
I'm going to stick with that one too, @Phineyj and @MrsBruin . Despite all evidence to the contrary 😂But it is true anyway, isn't it? Just think of all the things we've spotted, the reasons within reasons, the scene analysis, the character analysis, genre discussions, set analyis - there's so much we've found to talk about. Only exceptionally discerning people can do that 😉😇

I think you’re all spot on, @Phineyj @MrsBruin @MrsJellybee Like you @MrsBruin caring/loss have become part of my life in the past couple of years and so I think I’m grabbing onto something that makes me happy and is emotionally powerful. Plus for me the mid-life thing is hugely significant – both the aspect of questioning things at a time of change, transition, and uncertainty, not all of it happy, and the possibility of new directions and hope that Stede/Ed find together, and that the positive community of the crew represent. So while sometimes Act 2 is valuable as catharsis, sometimes I need Act 1 to remind me of the loveliness of love beginning to grow and a community developing, and sometimes Act 3 for reassurance that love is is what matters and that things will be ok, if a bit bumpy.

I don’t know how old everyone is on here, or what life stage they’re at, but while experiencing caring/loss/Covid can hit us at any age, I’m assuming (perhaps wrongly) that many of us are middle aged, whatever the broad definition of that is, and that therefore it resonates with us because both the main characters are at a similar stage themselves. I just watched a group panel from somewhere where Taika talks about it the feelings of getting to a certain age and thinking ‘Did I do it right – did I follow the dream I had as a child? Am I doing what I always wanted to do?’ He says that OFMD is inspiring because by having the courage to act on these feelings Stede frees himself, frees Mary, finds true love and ends up doing what he always wanted. How easy this is in real life is of course another question altogether (as is how it fits into Taika himself leaving his wife, marrying a pop star and living what seems to be quite a Hollywood life (not to mention dressing as a sofa.) But it's a very alluring narrative for the middle aged.

I couldn't quite make it out and was driving so couldn't rewind to check. Would you want really him as Bond not Stede though? At least it shows there's clearly a market though - you're not alone!

Check out Tumblr #ofmd. It’s gone berserk overnight with a load of new stills that seem to have been unearthed. Or don’t. You have been warned! I so need to adult today and this is not helping 🤣

p.s. thank you all for sharing last night. This is such a lovely community.

@lizziesaurusx thank you for that post. It really resonates. I think several of you have hit the nail on the head. While we all know the show is genuinely outstanding for many reasons, as with some of you, the overarching themes, their questions and conversations - it all really hits home personally. At times I'm Stede, and I'm Mary, and Ed (and Jim, and Lucius, and scarily even Buttons 😆). But I'm still stuck in the prologue/act 1. It adds a real emotional punch. The Taika quote from the interview - that hits too. And I think you're right about it being a big part of what makes the show so affecting and so inspiring; we can identify with the characters' personal journeys, their changes, and it's why we are rooting for them all the way.

Of course the other reason it's so good is that we get to gaze on Ed and Stede looking like they do. {contented sigh...🥴}

Oh blimey! Before going to bed I got caught up in some close up GIFs of the 1.9 kiss, where you can see a tear rolling down Stede's face. And now these new stills. This show just keeps giving and giving...

For those not on Tumblr, enjoy...

And if you are, this off-set (number 5 especially)
www.tumblr.com/daria-meoi/750928406888235008?source=share

Doh! Gif-set. Can't edit.

Before going to bed I got caught up in some close up GIFs of the 1.9 kiss

What? Where is this?!! Is this talking to Mary or with Ed?

Just found it. I was watching that obsessively last night and did not even see the tear… 😭😢

Just linked ⬆️. I had never noticed the tear.

I’m going to need sedating soon…

@lizziesaurusx

Oh, and and fellow Rhys fans might like to see what he posted on his TicTok last night. As one of the comments says, he knows what he's doing...🥴
www.tumblr.com/kiwistede/750942284478054400?source=share

Oh blimey! Ed spread-eagled at the end there 🤣.

I started episode 1 based on all the glowing reviews on here but it's bordering on unwatchable 🙈sorry guys