Queer shows have become more prevalent and accepted in modern media, and Our Flag Means Death was one of the prime examples of a queer story told right. If you’re looking for a show with an engaging story, interesting characters, and a dark plot, the first season of Our Flag Means Death is perfect for you. The main leads of the show, Edward Teach (played by Taika Waititi) and Stede Bonnet (played by Rhys Darby), known on the seas as Blackbeard and The Gentleman Pirate respectively, develop a complex relationship filled with ups and downs. The show treats the nuance of their relationship with care while still managing to keep comedy weaved between serious plot points. The first season was so well received that it was greenlit for a continuation. While the first season builds up the large cast of diverse characters and treats them with care and respect, the second season does everything in its power to destroy the characters it set up so well.

Our Flag Means Death is left on a cliffhanger that left the fanbase wanting for more, and with their persistent cries for more content about their beloved characters, the show was greenlit for a second season. The second season starts off with a bang, the stakes and tensions high right off the bat. The first three episodes dive into how the difficulties in Stede’s and Edward’s relationship cause discourse and tragedy amongst the crew they once shared. These first few episodes develop the supporting cast of characters, especially the tense relationship between Izzy Hands (played by Con O’Neil), the right-hand man, and Edward Teach. Every scene between the two leaves a pit of anxiety in the watcher’s stomach, as it’s clear the relationship they have is abusive. More characters are introduced with amazing first impressions to fluff the story up with more stakes. With tense relationships, longing, and wonderfully written new supporting characters, the second season seems to be heading in the right direction. After the third episode, things crash and burn harder than Stede’s and Edward’s relationship. The show, while a romantic comedy, took a serious tone at the end of season one and the start of season two. Everything built up in the first season and perfectly crafted three episodes of season two is thrown out the window to pursue the comedy tag of the show. The sudden shift to comedy ruins any chemistry between Stede and Edward and destroys the well-set-up morals and values of the supporting cast. Characters both new and old are reduced down to their more basic personalities to let the leads get an unneeded spotlight. The show spends too much time on having Stede and Edward bonding, and not enough time addressing the abuse and suffering Edward caused his crew. This shows most in the finale of season two. The whole cast comes together in an action scene, which is the only positive aspect of the last episode. The good feeling the scene leaves doesn't last for long, as the writers make an odd decision to suddenly forgive Edward for all the abuse he put his crew through, especially his right-hand man. A serious scene follows the action, one that feels undeserved and completely unnecessary to the progression of the story. Any sorrow this scene tries to portray is ruined immediately as the scene switches back to comedy.

While Our Flag Means Death started as a thrilling new queer show, it ended up being nothing but a disappointment to the fanbase. The first season was a promising attempt at showing complex relationships through media, but untimely the second season ruined any attempt to display the ups and downs of a relationship.