Our Flag Means Death - Thread 4: Roll up, roll up! Come join us for more pirate obsession!

[TriceratopsRocks]

Ahoy again mateys! Can you believe we are now aboard thread 4? Stick around for chat about this brilliant show, its cast, its music, fan edits, fan fiction and more than a little obsessing over our fabulous leads - pictures extremely welcome!

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

You may have heard that this is a comedy about pirates and think it's not for you. But it’s actually a show about self-discovery, healing and found-family with a love story at its heart. The joint leads are both damaged by abusive backgrounds and 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, three full threads and many re-watches later.

If you think this might appeal, do watch it and come back and talk to us. It would be lovely if more were to join our crew. But be aware that it's a show that needs time. It’s structured like a theatre production, with a prologue and 3 acts. The 2nd lead arrives (briefly) in episode 3. Episode 4 is the start of Act 1, where the tone changes and the main story begins. You need to give it at least 4 episodes, and from there it just gets better and better. It still took me several more episodes to fully appreciate what I was watching, but by then I was hooked and had to immediately watch it all over again. And again. And again! If you like Good Omens, What We Do in the Shadows, Ghosts or even Bridgerton, this might well 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
Thread 2 : https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5076581-our-flag-means-death-thread-2-still-utterly-brilliant-and-we-are-still-obsessed?reply=136060611
Thread 3: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5101662-our-flag-means-death-thread-3-its-still-utterly-brilliant-we-are-still-obsessed?reply=137315706

@TriceratopsRocks I think you’re prepared. I wasn’t. It’s possible I’ve over-egged it as I am super-sensitive. I feel Nomadsland is ramping up Ed. He was lovely in Throat GOAT. Darker in the neurologists one when he blocks Stede immediately for months. It’s a darker version of that Ed. Imagine he doesn’t block when he’s in that dark place and Stede gets the full force of it. Imagine Stede meeting a form of Kraken Ed.

Oh now I just want to hug them both even more than I normally do! I think I won't start it yet. I want my angst over in a single session. Ideally in less than half a chapter 😁

@CarterBeatsTheDevil I was ready there to jump to the defence of painters in a representational style (my mum and MIL are both very accomplished painters) but then I actually googled Thomas Kincaid. OMG, I see where your friend is coming from!

I did laugh at Stede's dry comment in the fic: "You'd be amazed what you can buy with jigsaw royalties..."

Maybe I wasn't reading with due care and attention but is Ed that "dark" in 'Chicago'? Apart from rejecting (kind of) a somewhat hysterical Stede off after he shows up unannounced, and sending some shirty texts?

I mean, he actually does the toe thing in the art one, even if it's played for laughs...

@Phineyj I think it's because we've circled back to the sub/dom dynamic which was at the start but changed. Ed appears to have weaponised it for me as a form of punishment and I don't like it.

Well, both of them are playing with fire, for sure. I know nothing about that kind of dynamic (other than in fiction) but I'm sure it's a good idea if both participants are in a stable place psychologically before playing those kind of games.

I have read a few fics where Ed's own family background plays into his actions in the present (true to the show). It will be interesting to see what direction Nomad goes with it. The kids' POV definitely adds an extra dimension.

I must say, having once visited Chicago in February, I was hooked in by the first paragraph of description! The place descriptions are definitely something I like about that author's work.

Also, as they actually admit at various points in the fic, both are really poor communicators so who knows whether Ed is being deliberately hurtful, in pain, or has misunderstood what Stede wants. Which would be easy enough when he doesn't appear to know?!

Lucius-the-barman appears to be inclining to the second theory.

@Phineyj oh,the communication is beyond them. It's quite canon actually. Claire G is doing the sub/dom thing properly with code words, care, cuddles and consent. I know nothing of it either other than these fics. But Ed's so hurt in this one he's trying to cause pain back.

They hinted in their intro that one of their Betas found it too much and told them to 'throw some thyme on the ratatouille'. I couldn't find the thyme.

I think having the POV of a 6 year old and (how old is Alma in this?) teen definitely adds to the drama and possible squick factor. I thought Louis' POV was very well done too.

I did gasp when Alma observed the conversation on the stairs at the museum!

Oh, I am all for representational art - one of my friends is an absolutely stunning chiaroscuro painter and I am constantly bemoaning the fact that her work isn't fashionable enough to get the attention it deserves. But Kinkade (Kincaid? Actually I don't care) is kind of HP Lovecraft-level creepy to me 🤣

I did gasp when Alma observed the conversation on the stairs at the museum!

Broke me. 😢

Thank you for the art fic recommendation @Phineyj It was such a palate cleanser.

THAT'S WHAT STEDE SAID

I definitely need a break from the smut.

I finished Uproar. It’s lovely. RD character sees the absolute best in people, it’s so hopeful and earnest in a good way. I wanted to know more about him and his lonely bedsit and interest in new tech and theatre. Agree so much we need him in a leading role again! He’s great in support but it’s not enough.

I think he's perfect for TV, and I don't mean that in a backhanded way. These days I'll take a well-made series over a film any day. Both have their benefits but you get to see so much more range from actors over a season than you do in a film. I really hope someone gives him another leading role soon.

You’re on fire this week 🤣🤣🤣

OFMD book smut club 😁

🤣👌

You may have already read these, but here are a few smut free fics:

If we only die once: Can they reunite not-ghost Stede with his body?
archiveofourown.org/works/39736824/chapters/99484446

Provenence - Stede shops for strange marine antiques:
archiveofourown.org/works/50372524/chapters/127263829

Your love might break my heart: Stede is oblivious. Utterly ridiculous concept, but sweet.
archiveofourown.org/works/49357984/chapters/124554733

Series of short stories featuring step dad Ed.
archiveofourown.org/series/3307570

Short story - they are renting office space
archiveofourown.org/works/46751758

I think Liquid Gold (beekeepers) might have been mentioned already?
archiveofourown.org/works/40931679/chapters/102575613

Others I know I've already linked - Vampires, Cave divers and Forest fire watchers being favourites.

I would say that I enjoy RD as much as I enjoy Walton Goggins - there's nothing I wouldn't watch if he had so much as a walk-on in it. I really, really love an accomplished character actor and I would love to see more leading roles for quirky, human actors who I can love rather than just fancy.

Oh, superb - thank you

"Your Love Might Break My Heart" is hilarious but also it might be going to destroy me forever. I'm on chapter 3 and there had better be a happy ending or I'm coming for you, @TriceratopsRocks

🤣 Come on, you know me, I can barely cope with any angst at all!!! I promise a happy ending.

But you have to admit, @CarterBeatsTheDevil , it certainly fulfils the 'no smut' promise!