The thing about Black Sails is that it ends on a high note. This is what you need to keep in mind before starting to watch it, and experience has shown that it is very important an achievement for any series; not to mention not as common as you may think. Black Sails tries (and largely succeeds) in taking a period and place in history where exact, verifiable historical evidence is sketchy, decorating it with (mostly) likable and (mostly) convincing characters, mixing it all together with a hefty dose of exceptional representations of naval combat, all to serve you a full plate of delicious please-let-me-watch-the-next-episode pirate ratatouille.
Does it deliver through and through? No. There are deviations from reality that should (and could) have been avoided. There are 18th century pirates, prostitutes and slaves with 20th century morals and social sensitivities, that were probably meant to snake the series around several "issues" – such as the fact that nobody really had a problem with slavery back then and that the "evil" empires of the series were the ones that historically, actually, set forth the initial rules on the "rights" of slaves and how they were to be treated. Feminism is also a bit too present, making the series more palpable to an audience that has gotten used to the idea of equality between the sexes – even though things were, obviously, a bit different back in those days. There is also probably a bit too much psychoanalysis, soul-searching and love between pirates going on.
The above, doesn't extinguish the series' flame though. To a large percentage of the extent that it was possible, the beginnings of the later Treasure Island story of Captain Flint has been nicely woven into historical events. Most protagonists are likable in their own way, and their personas develop a lot during the series. There are no monoliths, going on and on with an unchanging face through the series; everybody gets their fair share of tragedy, elation, happiness, pain and many more emotions – and chances to change or show their true colours. Pirates are pirates and especially these ones will always hold an appeal in fiction because of their law- defying, devil-may-care attitude, the fact that combat between sailing vessels is just awesome to watch and of course, because it all happens in the wonderfully pristine waters and lush vegetation of the Caribbean. If you're into this sort of stuff, Black Sails will grip you in it's first season, keep you asking for more in it's second one, sag somewhat in it's third one and, finally, will make want you want to stop watching in the middle of it's last season (because of those 20th century morals and overdose of psychoanalysis I mentioned earlier) – just before ending high, sealing probably all gaps and leaving you with a smile on your face at having watched one of the best pirate series ever.
Oh, it also has the absolutely best ever opening credits sequence and music – ever – in all of time – of all series – I mean it!
Does it deliver through and through? No. There are deviations from reality that should (and could) have been avoided. There are 18th century pirates, prostitutes and slaves with 20th century morals and social sensitivities, that were probably meant to snake the series around several "issues" – such as the fact that nobody really had a problem with slavery back then and that the "evil" empires of the series were the ones that historically, actually, set forth the initial rules on the "rights" of slaves and how they were to be treated. Feminism is also a bit too present, making the series more palpable to an audience that has gotten used to the idea of equality between the sexes – even though things were, obviously, a bit different back in those days. There is also probably a bit too much psychoanalysis, soul-searching and love between pirates going on.
The above, doesn't extinguish the series' flame though. To a large percentage of the extent that it was possible, the beginnings of the later Treasure Island story of Captain Flint has been nicely woven into historical events. Most protagonists are likable in their own way, and their personas develop a lot during the series. There are no monoliths, going on and on with an unchanging face through the series; everybody gets their fair share of tragedy, elation, happiness, pain and many more emotions – and chances to change or show their true colours. Pirates are pirates and especially these ones will always hold an appeal in fiction because of their law- defying, devil-may-care attitude, the fact that combat between sailing vessels is just awesome to watch and of course, because it all happens in the wonderfully pristine waters and lush vegetation of the Caribbean. If you're into this sort of stuff, Black Sails will grip you in it's first season, keep you asking for more in it's second one, sag somewhat in it's third one and, finally, will make want you want to stop watching in the middle of it's last season (because of those 20th century morals and overdose of psychoanalysis I mentioned earlier) – just before ending high, sealing probably all gaps and leaving you with a smile on your face at having watched one of the best pirate series ever.
Oh, it also has the absolutely best ever opening credits sequence and music – ever – in all of time – of all series – I mean it!
