HBO Max's Our Flag Means Death was an instant success. After luring in viewers with its interesting plot and refreshing humor, the absurdist pirate comedy became something truly special when it dove into its characters. As the first season progressed, it revealed more and more of its characters and their inner workings, often in surprising ways. It even gave audiences a full-blown romance between Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard.
The show steadily found its footing as its world grew and the characters became more clearly defined. Moving into its second season, that learning curve suggests the best episodes are yet to come. Many of the series' greatest elements came once the show had time to discover what it was -- and now there's been even more time for the creative team to perfect those strengths.
Series creator David Jenkins surprised audiences in the first season by slowly revealing his plans. Our Flag Means Death resonated with audiences because it succeeded as a comedy first before layering in its groundbreaking character takes and portrayals of queer relationships. Blackbeard's emotional arc and transformation from Ed back to the cold pirate, intertwined with Stede's struggle of identity, was the highlight of the first season. Their storyline was earned by the journeys they went through -- making the emotional moments hit the viewer harder.
Since Season 1 clearly establihed what works, Season 2 is bound to have more complex plots and character arcs that define the series as a whole. The audience has invested so much in the characters that Season 2 is free to experiment with further interesting twists. That creative freedom will lead to memorable episodes and satisfying payoffs as the viewers follow these characters on the next steps of their emotional journeys.
Our Flag Means Death succeeds among a slew of HBO Max hits because of the amazing creative talent behind the series. The first season did an incredible job at proving it knew how to get a laugh before proving it also knew how to dig deeper. The series got better as time went on, so the time between seasons should work in its favor.
With an engaging cliffhanger to resolve, Season 2 will hit the ground running as audiences are thrown back into the pirate world world. If the track record established by Season 1 is anything to go by, there will be a lot in store. Our Flag Means Death has high expectations to live up to after its early success, but getting the second season is exactly what's going to make it an even more popular show.
Our Flag Means Death premieres on HBO Max in 2023.