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

https://foxtelgroup.app.box.com/s/uku9yhox5qy7d281lr7j6te7xmbf8mjr/folder/214946555847

The photo sources are here

Hey, different strokes for different folks. 🙂But you do need to watch to at least four and preferably episode eight. I know that’s a big ask if you can’t stand the pilot. The tone changes a lot. Imagine a show going from whimsical comedy to… tragedy.

I do remember feeling that the first 3 episodes were a bit ragged, but someone I consider to be a genuine culture soulmate was raving about it so I stuck it out and am very glad I did!

I wish there was an easy way to scroll through, rather than having to open each one individually. Maybe it will be easier when I'm on the PC. I'm loving the ones that have been posted though (here and on Tumblr). I'll think these will keep me rather busy later 😁. Jobs, chores, bah!

Are you saying you haven't even watched the whole first episode? I feel that the first half of the pilot isn't as good as the second half but then I have a lot of time for Rory Kinnear. Personally I do remember thinking, during the first 10 minutes, that 'this isn't for me' but I couldn't have been more wrong. As everyone else says you really need to get to episode 4 before giving up on it but then I am not time poor so it was no real hardship.

Very annoying. I’m going try to save to my laptop later. I need to do some work first though 🙈

I just finished our second watch through last night. I did say to DH that 'Ok, I will stop going on about it (for now).' He does like it, just maybe not as much as I do!

Very much enjoyed having the insights on here for the second time round. There is so much detail and depth. Not sure I have watched enough to contribute anything too meaningful here though. I just enjoyed it and let it wash over me.

I am in the same camp as those who find humour in it throughout, even in the darkest moments ('Did everyone get cake?') but I do love dark humour anyway. And I do have a bit of a thing for Kraken Ed with the smeared eyeliner....
Still can't quite get the Stede thing but maybe it's the Murray factor from FOTC. Maybe you shouldn't watch that after all @TriceratopsRocks 😉.

Thanks for all the photos! I find that a quick rewatch of the season 2 trailer now again ticks a lot of the great lines, shots, and music boxes (although I can't figure out which song is used).

(am on chapter 3 of "In Favour with their Stars" which is a great concept!)
@CarterBeatsTheDevil I'd love to know what you think of it once you've finished. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. Once you've finished, the sequel is entirely from STE/DE's pov, and it's presented as a you tube video where you just watch his readout, with music playing in the background. @Phineyj and anyone who loved the first one, I'd really recommend it. The only problem is that although the video is under 30 mins, you'll either be totally shellshocked or a gibbering pile of mush at the end. Or both. So give yourselves a couple of hours at least!

Still can't quite get the Stede thing but maybe it's the Murray factor from FOTC. Maybe you shouldn't watch that after all @TriceratopsRocks 😉.
@Franklefoot I've seen enough clips of Rhys now that I don't think I'll have a problem😁.
And I am almost ashamed to say that some time ago (maybe in the S1/S2 break, I can't remember) there was a thread about who your 'crush' was, and I am ashamed to say that Rhys wasn't even in my top 3. At that point S1 Ed had edged him out. Now, even Keanu (my No.1 for many, many years) has been cast into oblivion.

Working my way through the fanfic recommendations, thank you. I love Birthday Boys, part 2 especially, really funny and I can totally hear Lucius’ voice.

I can now really imagine a third series, kind of like Ghosts US, with the drama in each episode brought by the different guests. That could really work well.

I’m rewatching FoTC, hits differently now!!
And Murray has some of the best lines.

@TriceratopsRocks Absolutely loved it. Such an original take! I do feel this whole thing of painting Izzy as a total monster is a bit unfair, though. He's just much more shackled by tradition than the rest of them. And does kind of come around, eventually.

wonders if she's overinvested
concludes that it's not possible to be overinvested
goes about her day

I did also absolutely love Birthday Boys. ROMANCE

Oh he is brilliant. You can tell that Jermaine and Brett are trying to get very hard to keep straight faces!

@Franklefoot absolutely, it’s a delight.

I do feel this whole thing of painting Izzy as a total monster is a bit unfair

He is one of the most enigmatic characters I have ever come across. I think Stede and Ed’s attraction is pretty straightforward. But the enmeshment of Ed and Izzy is unfathomable. The level of co-dependence, trauma and toxicity. It’s hard to get to the bottom of Izzy as we never got his backstory, which I think we were going to get in season 3. But he’s not a total monster. No one in ofmd is. And no one’s wholly good either, which is as it should be.

I've just started watching this and have the biggest crush on Blackbeard.

I cannot believe I haven't seen a reference to Constellationism yet! Modern AU, utterly brilliant (although the author updates soooo slowly). Just beautiful. 2 stories so far Temptation 'Verse - Shearwater - Our Flag Means Death (TV) [Archive of Our Own]]

Actually I have hundreds of recs (kind of been a little bit feral since March 2023, it's basically a sickness at this point). What is anyone in the mood for - canon, AU, filth?

@TriceratopsRocks At times I'm Stede, and I'm Mary, and Ed (and Jim, and Lucius, and scarily even Buttons

I veer between being Stede, Ed and Mary but, much as I love him, I don't think I've ever been Buttons - I'm clearly missing some nuances in my reading of his character.

Those are wonderful, thank you - that right arm looks particularly good in 2 and 3. If only he didn't look at his most beautiful when he's also at his most disturbed/grief stricken😔

I find AAOOO a bit overwhelming so any recommendations more than welcome. Anything well-written and true to the characters but I would be lying if I didn't admit to enjoying the odd bit of sheer filth

@BeBraveLittlePenguin (kind of been a little bit feral since March 2023, it's basically a sickness at this point)

14 months!! I'd been hoping my obsession would wear off, but that doesn't sound promising.

Recommendations welcome of reads that are canon, preferably not AU, very happy with explicit but with plenty of romance and sweetness too. Not violent and preferably no actual battles/gore. Including Lucius is a bonus (and Mary too).

There have been some lovely recommendations upthread too.

@CarterBeatsTheDevil if you go back to near the beginning of the thread I've recommended 7 fics I enjoyed.

Just been reading 'Birthday Boys' which is tremendous mixture of soppiness and smut. Thanks, @TriceratopsRocks!

I know, right? He’s a beautiful maniac.

One thing I find disturbing about these pics is Stede’s black cravat. We know Ed wears it constantly after the initial clothes swap. It’s his unspoken love, and it’s generally loose. But in the shot in the storm, he has it pulled tight around his neck like a noose. Either trying to get Stede closer or suggesting Stede will be the death of him. He’s also wearing that heavy leather duster-style coat. If he goes overboard, he’s going down.

@TriceratopsRocks I’ve started reading ‘In Favor with their Stars’. I was a fool to say I didn’t like AU 🥹