After the hype surrounding Our Flag Means Death and One Piece, MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus indulged in nostalgia. Many years ago he watched his absolute favorite pirate series: Black Sails. Unfortunately, the series is hardly available anywhere unless you want to buy it directly.
What kind of series is this?
- Black Sails is a historical drama set in the 18th century that tells the story of the most famous pirates of the Caribbean. The series is reminiscent of Game of Thrones.
- Those interested in the history there will find many well-known names like Edward Teach (“Blackbeard”), Jack Rackham, “Long” John Silver, Anne Bonny, and more.
- The pilot episode premiered in January 2014, and the last episode aired in April 2017. The series consists of four seasons with a total of 38 episodes.
What makes Black Sails so good: Unlike many other pirate series and movies, Black Sails does not try to win over viewers with excessive romance or comic relief. Instead, it tells the story of the most important pirates over many episodes.
It’s also less about simple plundering or treasure hunting, but about the pirates’ struggle for their freedom and their own city, Nassau. The series is dramatically structured and culminates in the infamous pirate war between the pirate republic and the British Empire.
Just because of Black Sails I want to visit Nassau, the current capital of the Bahamas. The series shows the architecture of the city from earlier times and how pirates might have lived back then. For years I’ve wanted to walk down the same street as Blackbeard and Hornigold did back then.
Although the series had a rough start, it now holds a rating of 8.2 out of 10 on IMDb. Personally, for me, Black Sails is the best pirate series ever, only surpassed in the field by Johnny Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean.
What makes Black Sails better than any other series I know is simply the grandiose intro. I know no more epic one. You can find the trailer for Season 1 here:
Black Sails is a mix of Game of Thrones and Pirates of the Caribbean
Who is Black Sails worth it for? Anyone who is interested in pirates should have seen Black Sails or at least be familiar with it. Even if you just think pirates are “cool”, the series will surely captivate you.
Action fans will also get their money’s worth. In addition to naval battles, there are also fights on land and plenty of sword fighting. The series is not as bloody and brutal as Game of Thrones, but it does not hide the fact that things were quite harsh back then.
However, if you are hoping for fantasy and voodoo in the style of Pirates of the Caribbean or adventures like those in Treasure Island, you will be disappointed with Black Sails. The series is thoroughly a drama.
Where can I watch Black Sails? Black Sails is produced by STARZ, a US company known for rarely working with large streaming services. Accordingly, you have only a few options to watch the series “for free”:
- directly on STARZ
- on Freevee (with ads)
- on Amazon Prime, but only if you subscribe to MGM+ as well
Otherwise, you can only buy or rent Black Sails. I simply bought the Blu-ray box with all seasons including bonus material, so I have the series at home and do not have to rely on a good internet connection. Also, the quality is often better. Unfortunately, you have to choose either the English or the German box.
For pirate fans, we have another hot tip on MeinMMO:
Stream One Piece in German: Here’s how you can watch the anime legally online
