Black Sails Season 2 [Blu-ray]
DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:
HOW TO UNDERSTAND THIS DARKER, GRITTIER PIRATE TALE, OR ASSESS IF IT’S NOT FOR YOU
***WARNING TO THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SERIES*** This show has cinematic level production values, but also a great deal of adult content. This is the rum addled, opium hazed, violent and sexualized depiction one might expect of a more realistic (though still fantasy) pirate drama. It is understandable that it just won’t fit everyone’s tastes. Please accept this attempt to explain the show so others can decide for themselves. There is a connection to the novel “Treasure Island” that is confusing people, but this IS NOT a children’s tale. This program is also not all action for those hoping for sea battles in every episode. Those hoping for all action will find a substantial amount of focus on political struggle, drama, relationships and sub-plots. This is precisely the strength for those who seek it, and a weakness for those who don’t wish to spend the time.
INTRO: It is truly amazing that for such a dark topic as pirating, there has hardly been a show that avoids the normal clichés and depicts a gritty life more like it would have been. We have always had these semi-sanitized versions meant for adventure telling and children’s stories. Until now. This intricate tale borrows characters and places from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island to form its structure and mythology, while starting 20 years earlier to set up the tale. Woven together with that is a few real characters based loosely on their actual history. From the opening credits featuring undulating strains of hurdy-gurdy music, camera panning over the intricate bone carved art piece shaped somewhat like the back of a sailing vessel – It is clear this is going to be a quality show with intricate plots and very dark undertones.
SEASON 2 (no spoilers): The first season laid a meticulous foundation of conflicts, personalities and mysteries. Many characters now must atone and mitigate the fallout of dark deeds committed previously. Season 2 picks up where it left off as Captain Flynt and John Silver seek ways out of the predicament that befell them and their crew. All that groundwork laid in season one can flourish as we are given huge chunks of backstory illustrating how Flynt (once known as LT James McGraw) left the British Navy and ultimately became a pirate. His close relationship with Lord Thomas Hamilton and his wife Miranda is given life. This past, working with the brilliant Thomas Hamilton, will affect Captain Flynt’s actions as he finds himself in a position to fulfill Hamilton’s work and realize a dream they once thought dead. Meanwhile, a ruthless new pirate captain named Ned Low (a historical figure) arrives in Nassau and threatens the natural order. He becomes a direct threat to Eleanor Guthrie. Pretty much everyone’s allegiances will be put to the test. Almost every faction has come into possession of a powerful weapon or bargaining chip. The question is, who is willing to sacrifice the most and still maintain power. Who will sacrifice everything for a dream.
OUTSTANDING CHARACTER & STORY DEVELOPMENT: The character development and complex storylines are part of what really enrich this story. Toby Stephens leads the cast as Captain Flint and displays the capability and charisma needed to inspire the support of a crew. He also projects the vulnerability of someone who knows that support can evaporate at any time. Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) is the foul mouthed but oddly cultivated woman who acts as fence (sells the stolen goods to more reputable markets on behalf of the pirates). Behind it all, she is the one that makes it all work and is one of the real powers. Clara Paget plays Anne Bonny (who was a real pirate), a kick butt female pirate with a somewhat assassin quality about her that’s fascinating. The political winds that must be channeled to control each ship, or the island power structure itself, are legion. The complex interrelationships of characters are constantly shifting. This is what really makes the story substantial and full of sub plots. In the end, they create an amazing cast of humanized and deeply fleshed characters that are also some of the nastiest people to have ever sailed… “Under the Black”.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Like some other sensationalized shows on STARZ, this is not a family show. It is not literal history as it is a historical fantasy after all. However, the historical elements they bring in, the monumental detail on ships and sets, character development and plot structure all add great flesh to a skeleton of real pirate history and literary reference. The emphasis on the oddly democratic counter-culture of pirate life, which contrasts the practice of conscription (forced servitude on sailing ships), is a key to understanding the psychology of pirates of that day. They were partly rebelling against this sea culture and ill treatment in real navies (plus the outlawing of privateers that served during wartime). If you are not offended by its darker side, and you appreciate complex story and character development at a literary level, you may discover something special in this show.
-MyD — The Viewpoint
DVD Wholesale Main Features:
Actors: Toby Stephens, Luke Arnold, Zach McGowan, Hannah New, Jessica Parker Kennedy
Directors: Robert Levine, Jonathan E. Steinberg
Format: Blu-ray, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region A/1
Number of discs: 3
Rated: NR-Not Rated
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
DVD Release Date: November 3, 2015
Run Time: 450 minutes
ASIN: B00W6669U6
