This article is part of TPM Cafe, TPM’s home for opinion and news analysis.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1368214
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1368214
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Arrgh
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Matey!
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I miss Black Sails.
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More than the JC Penny White Sails?
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Uh yeah since those don’t have full frontal nudity.
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Yo-ho-ho!
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Nice to see this article here, as I actually recently bought and read Colin’s book, because of the show.
It remains a mystery to me how Hollywood failed to take advantage of the far more interesting true stories of the pirates, including the nascent democratic republic they founded in Nassau, the interracial nature of their crews, and loyalty to the Stuart line as opposed to King George. Fascinating stuff!
I didn’t actually make it through the Netflix series, given the obnoxious need to continue repeating talking head quotes, but it’s nice to see Colin explain where the Ann Bonnet fictional backstory may have originated, given it was not referenced in his book.
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I have enjoyed watching the series. As a history buff, I am fully aware that these sorts of shows almost always embellish or distort for entertainment purposes. Sometimes, when information is sparse, what “ought” to have happened is good enough. Only a historian should feel queasy about it. Part of the fun is discovering what the reality is behind the portrayals, even if reality is sometimes disappointing. Usually, though, reality actually exceeds the fictive imagination.
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I actually thought/imagined that the Netflix series was made in order to exploit the interest that Black Sails generated.
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How did I not know this existed? Netflix algorithm has failed me again.
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That could very well be - they are covering most of the same characters.
Jack Rackham ended up being my favorite in Black Sails despite the fact that Charles Vane was played by one of the best built actors I’ve ever seen. ahem.
I loved Black Sails and really was sorry when it was over.
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Shiver his timber…
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Got to love the gay channel. Starz usually provides. And it provided in large measure in Black Sails. hahahahahahaha
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Thank you for this. I’d enjoyed the series up to the point where Blackbeard sold his crewmates, which seemed out of the character presented of him up to that point and soured the rest of it for me. Nice to learn that part didn’t happen and that there is no evidence of his having syphilitic madness, which was also a new and unwelcome part of the story for me. Good stuff.
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Loved Black Sails. A rich cast of characters in a ceaselessly tense highstakes existence.
Anny Bonny came into her own over the course of the series and had some excellent action scenes. Hats off to Clara Paget.
The series had no standout actor, which made the impression of the whole sprawling cast that much stronger, but may have led to it being overlooked and, thus, underrated.
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Gave it a try, but the pirate movies I grew up on were filled with sea fights and sword fights. This thing seems to be five minutes of a capture and then endless talk about loot, plots and plans. I’ll stick to Captain Blood.
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It’s too bad Black Sails was underrated, since everyone I know who watched it loved it. It was interesting to check their stories against more formal history and find they had it close. I also liked how it tied into “Treasure Island”.
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I read your book and really enjoyed it.
One of my all -time favorite shows. So good. I have 't watched this documentary. Now I have to.