BLACK SAILS // A PIRATE’S LIFE FOR US

BLACK SAILS // A PIRATE’S LIFE FOR US

After the huge buzz for the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, the legend of pirates took over the airwaves, and suddenly the swashbuckling sea farers were on everyone’s minds-and television screens. Joining in on this ship is “Black Sails”, a surprising hit that brings forth some classic literary characters.
“Black Sails” is the story of Treasure Island’s Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his crew of scoundrels. Set in 1715, before the story of “Treasure Island” takes place, Flint has a reputation for being the most brilliant and feared pirate captain in all of England. To protect his livelihood and home from the English and Spanish government, Flint teams up with Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New), a pirate’s daughter, and together they fight and hunt to protect the land. The seas are choppy, however, as other captains, soldiers, and even crew members-John Silver (Luke Arnold) in particular-stand in their way. Along with the mail three, other actors include Jessica Parker Kennedy, Zach McGowan, Toby Schmitz, Clara Pagent, Hakeem Kae-Kazim,
Louise Barnes, Rupert Penry-Jones, Sean Cameron Michael, Tadgh Murphy, and Nick Boraine.
The show first aired on January 25th, 2014, on STARZ, and became a hit. It was one of the most widely watched premiers, generating almost 2.6 million viewers from just the first episode, and increased steadily after. racking up 3.5 million combined in online and on air views. Season two has just aired its first episode, but the show has already been renewed for a third season.
Along with the amazing views, the show garnered some impressive awards. Instead of awards for acting, as is usually customary, “Black Sails” has been hailed for it’s amazing visual effects, as illustrated by its Primetime Emmy win for Outstanding Special and Visual Effects in a Supporting Role, and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series. It was also nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music and Outstanding Main Title Design.
Along with the major wins and nods at the Emmy’s, it had also racked up nominations at theAcademy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films US, Australian Cinematographers Society, Online Film and Television Association, and the Visual Effects Society.
Season one was a short one, with only eight episodes, but quickly it got picked up for a second season, and then a third. Season one received raving reviews, with EW.com saying that STARZ hit a home run in a genre of show that hasn’t been touched very much and is hard to pull off, the genre of the pirate world. IGN praises its actors, saying that leading men Toby Stephens andLuke Arnold pull off the characters amazingly.
Season two has already begun, with the first episode having aired on January 24th of this year. Slated for ten episodes instead of eight, STARZ has a hit on their hands. Let us see if they can keep it sailing, or if “Black Sails” will get lost at sea. The next episode, “X”, will air on the 31st of January, and audiences can find Black Sails on STARZ every Saturday at 9/8 central.