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One of the greatest pirate shows of all time will hit Tubi next month. The fan-favorite Black Sails debuted for free on January 18, 2014, on YouTube, several streaming platforms, and video-on-demand services before arriving on Starz a week later.

Black Sails will be available to stream on Tubi starting December 1. Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, the historical action-adventure series is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's iconic 1883 novel Treasure Island. Black Sails, set in the 18th century during the Golden Age of Piracy and about twenty years from the events in Stevenson's novel, follows the dreaded Captain Flint, ably portrayed by Toby Stephens, as he attempts to protect the pirates' way of life and New Providence.

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Black Sails includes a blend of historical figures and original characters, but historical accuracy is not its primary objective. The show takes liberties with the deaths of real pirates Charles Vane, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, Benjamin Hornigold, and the interactions between Charles Vane and Ned Low. Black Sails inaccurately portrays the lives of Anne Bonny and Calico Jack Rackham, including the timeline of their relationship.

Black Sails may tell a fictional story, but many of its characters are based on historical figures, which makes it worth analyzing the historical accuracy of the series. The show is written as a prequel to the famous Robert Louis Stevenson novel, Treasure Island, though it is careful to craft its own version of the characters from the novel. Black Sails also includes historical pirates, distancing itself further from the novel throughout its four-season run.

With that in mind, Black Sails' cast ends up being a...

When we look at it through a certain lens, Black Sails is a show that is all about power. First and foremost, of course, the series concerns itself with the power of a great story. Its ending, in particular, is entirely dedicated to how art shapes our perception of history and how, when push comes to shove, all we have is a bunch of disjointed tales that may or may not be true and a flag that says a lot more than a few words. Plot-wise, though, Black Sails is also a story about power in the sense that it focuses on who has the power over the island of Nassau. Is it the pirates? The British? The soon-to-be-independent Americans, through the hands of the Guthrie family? Or is it someone else entirely? On a smaller scale, Nassau begins as the property of Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New), then changed hands...

Black Sails blends fiction and history by weaving real and fictional pirates, connecting with Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Characters like Long John Silver, Captain Flint, and Billy Bones serve as key figures in both Black Sails and Treasure Island's storylines. The series showcases a diverse cast of characters, ranging from lovable rogues to feared pirate captains, with prominent roles in both stories.

Black Sails primarily serves as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, meaning several characters from the book appear in the show. Despite some characters being fictional, Black Sails includes several real pirates throughout the story. From characters like Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny to Charles Vane and Blackbeard, real historical pirates are interwoven with the fictional seafarers from Stevenson's original novel.

This allows Black Sails' cast of characters to be incredibly varied, with some taken directly from fictional stories, others based in real-world history,...

Charles Vane's death in Black Sails season 3 was a significant event that sparked a revolution in the series. While Black Sails dramatizes events, the real Charles Vane was also hanged. Charles Vane's death influenced the stereotype of pirates.

Starz's Black Sails features several characters based on real-life pirates and their untimely deaths, including Captain Charles Vane, played by Zach McGowan. The historical adventure series, created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, is meant to serve as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 book, Treasure Island, and chronicles the lives of pirates on New Providence Island in the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century. Steinberg and Levine's show ran for four seasons before it came to an end, seeing as Black Sails' timeline had caught up to the events of Treasure Island.

Black Sails is available to stream on Netflix.

While the cast of Black Sails is large,...

When Black Sails first reached our screens in 2014, it was operating on that Game of Thrones logic that many shows of its time were trying to emulate, for better or worse. Episode 1, in which there was no shortage of bloody deaths, made it clear that the series wanted viewers to get into that "anyone can die" mindset that made the HBO medieval fantasy show so popular. And, indeed, by downright drowning a fan-favorite and crew-favorite character in its final moments, Season 1 seemed like it was about to fulfill that very promise. However, because Black Sails eventually changed its course or was never meant to be a main character killer, audiences soon found themselves watching a much more traditional adventure story. One in which protagonists always live to see another day, no matter what kind of horrors befall them. Sure, Black Sails has its fair share of traumatizing deaths, from Charles Vane...

When it comes to ships, Starz's Black Sails is full of possibilities. And no, we're not talking about the kinds of ships with the titular black sails that roam the Atlantic Ocean. While the show is indeed full of those, our concern here is with the romantic relationships between its characters. Whether you're one of those fans who prefer to adhere to canon or the kind of person who likes to make up your own dynamics, the series offers a myriad of pairings, from Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) and Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) to Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and Lord Thomas Hamilton (Rupert Penry-Jones). Some of these couples are pretty obvious from the moment you first lay eyes on the show, while others you have to work through at least a handful of episodes to finally see. But the very best romantic relationship or perhaps the very best relationship,...

Black Sails is a Netflix hit in the U.S., ranking ninth on the most-watched English-language shows chart for the week. This streaming success has come seven years after the Starz show originally went off the air. This success may be attributed to the cast members landing prominent roles in popular streaming shows post-Black Sails.

Black Sails has become a Netflix hit. The show, which premiered on Starz in 2014, is a prequel to the iconic 1883 novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, incorporating many real-life pirates of the early 1700s into the story including Blackbeard, Jack Rackham, Charles Vane, and Anne Bonny. The show, which was co-created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine (who would later collaborate on FX's Jeff Bridges show The Old Man), eventually ran for four seasons and 38 total episodes before going off the air in April 2017.

Netflix has now calculated their most-watched shows...

Black Sails season 4 was the last due to the co-creators' planned ending, but the series finale seemingly set up potential spinoffs. The co-creators considered a season 5 based on Treasure Island but decided to keep the show and book separate. There are no plans for a Black Sails continuation.

While Black Sails season 5 won't be setting sail anytime soon (seeing as Starz ended the show after season 4), here's what it could have been about. Black Sails is an epic historical adventure series made by Starz and follows the bloody misadventures of a crew of pirates. The show also acts as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, providing an origin story for Long John Silver. The first season of Black Sails focused on a treasure hunt, with later seasons following the battle for control of New Providence between the pirates and the British Empire.

While the show could be dark and violent,...

Charles Vane in Black Sails is portrayed as violent but honorable, deviating from his real-life ruthless persona. Vane's story with Blackbeard and Governor Rogers adds depth, though many events in the series differ from historical accounts. Despite being a fan-favorite character, the real Charles Vane was executed for piracy in 1721 after a tumultuous past.

Black Sails dramatizes the true story of the famous real-life pirate Charles Vane to create an exciting story. This prequel to Robert Louis Stevensons novel Treasure Island follows Captain James Flint, a pirate fighting to save New Providence Island from the British and Spanish forces during the Golden Age of Piracy. Like the original novel, Black Sails weaves together fiction and history to create compelling characters and storylines.

One of the best examples of this is the character Charles Vane a fictional version of the actual Golden Age pirate. Charles Vane was introduced in the...

Black Sails is a detailed example of historical fiction, featuring real historical pirates in its main cast. The fates of historical pirates such as Anne Bonny, "Calico Jack" Rackham, and Charles Vane are depicted with similarities to history. Black Sails hints at the further adventures of real historical pirate Mary Read with Bonny and Rackham.

The TV show Black Sails is a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel Treasure Island, following the adventures of Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his crew of pirates. While the show is led by fictional characters such as Flint, the main Black Sails characters include real historical pirates like the infamous Long John Silver (Luke Arnold) and the mysterious Billy Bones (Tom Hopper). The historical pirates who appear in Black Sails operated in the Caribbean in the early 18th century, better known as the Golden Age of Piracy.

Most of the Black Sails...

Thomas Hamilton's brief presence in Black Sails had a lasting impact on the show's central story. The show may have taken creative liberties with historical figures like Blackbeard and Calico Jack. Thomas Hamilton's relationship with Captain Flint is a key storyline that drives the entire series.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for Black SailsBlack Sails, the acclaimed pirate drama, has left many lingering questions about one of the series' most important characters: Thomas Hamilton, who only appears briefly but is secretly crucial to the show's entire story. Black Sails is a prequel to the famous and beloved adventure novel Treasure Island, written by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1883. Black Sails' characters include Captain Flint, Long John Silver, and other pirates (both real and fictional) as they battle against England for control of the island of New Providence.

Some of the real-life pirates featured in Black Sails, which has been praised for its accuracy by experts,...

The fictional ending of "Black Sails" gives Calico Jack and Anne Bonny a much happier fate than in real history. Real-life pirates like Charles Vane and Blackbeard are integrated into "Black Sails" with slight deviations from history. The show's creators intentionally left the fates of Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny open-ended, letting viewers speculate as Treasure Island did.

Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny, two of Black Sails' pirates who are based on real people, have a much happier ending in fiction than in reality. Starz's pirate show was conceived as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, meaning Black Sails' cast includes actors playing fictional characters like Captain James Flint and Captain John Silver. Black Sails not only changes Treasure Island as a result of this, but it also marks some deviations from real-world history.

The reason for this surrounds Black Sails' involvement of real pirates in a fictional story,...

Black Sails is a must-watch prequel to Treasure Island with fascinating characters like Tom Hopper's Billy Bones. The Umbrella Academy gives Hopper a meatier role as Luther and is a better display for his range as a performer. Both Black Sails and The Umbrella Academy are strong showcases for Tom Hopper as a performer.

Tom Hopper's Billy Bones is an audience favorite from Black Sails, and there's a certain Netflix show fans of the character should seek out next. Black Sails acts as a prequel to Treasure Island and was produced by Michael Bay, so it was always going to either be a total mess or must-watch entertainment. Thankfully, the pirate saga (which ran from 2014 to 2017) proved to be the latter, with the historical action series following Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his not-so-merry band of pirates.

Black Sails' cast of characters is a colorful one, and viewers who...

Black Sails filmed all episodes in Cape Town, South Africa, not the Caribbean, for realism. The show is a prequel to Treasure Island, focusing on Captain James Flint's pirate origins. Multiple TV shows and movies, including Outlander, have used Cape Town Film Studios to capture their stories.

Black Sails was set in tropical places like the Bahamas and Tortuga as the characters searched for treasure and fought over control of New Providence — but the Black Sails cast and crew filmed the show's entirety on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine created the Starz historical adventure series as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 book Treasure Island. While most pirate movies were Doa (before the success of Pirates of the Caribbean), Black Sails led to the genre's revival on television by portraying the grittier, nastier side of pirate life.

As a prequel to Treasure Island,...

A pirate expert reveals that the pirate who shaved down his teeth in Black Sails is accurate, and pirates often did things to make themselves look more scary in real life. The speed at which the merchant vessel is captured is also accurate, with pirate battles often concluding rather quickly. Black Sails' features a mix of accurate and inaccurate elements, but it's primary goal is to tell an entertaining story.

Black Sails' early season 1 battle sequence earns praise from a pirate expert, with the series employing some accurate pirate tactics. Premiering in 2014 and serving as a prequel to Treasure Island, Black Sails depicts real-world pirate figures and fictional characters alike in a story that takes place around 1715. The show features a number of battle scenes and fight sequences, with season 1, episode 1, opening with Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) taking over a merchant vessel.

In a recent video for Insider, pirate historian...

According to a pirate expert, Black Sails accurately depicts the real-life pirate of Anne Bonny during one of its battle sequences. The series features real-life pirates like Blackbeard, Jack Rackham, and more, and the show is correct in showing Rackham and Bonny sailing together. Black Sails presents a gritty, more mature take on pirate life, and another such show should take its place.

A battle sequence from Black Sails gets put under the microscope by a pirate expert, and she finds that it's fairly accurate. First airing in 2014, Black Sails was a Starz series that serves as a prequel to Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. The show, which concluded in 2017 after four seasons, followed Toby Stephens' Captain Flint as he and his crew clash against the British Navy and other notorious pirates.

In a recent video for Insider, pirate historian Rebecca Simon analyzes how historically accurate Black Sails is, taking a look at one battle sequence,...

Captain Henry Avery, though never physically seen, played a significant role in Black Sails, with characters having mixed opinions and emotions about him. Captain Avery, also known as Henry Every, was a successful and notorious pirate during the Golden Age of Piracy, with his raids and escapes inspiring other famous pirates. The true fate of Captain Avery remains unknown, with theories ranging from squandering his riches to living out his life in obscurity. Still, his legacy was respected and admired throughout Black Sails.

Since it debuted on Starz in 2014, the pirate adventure series Black Sails has received high praise for its portrayal of the Golden Age of Piracy. Set in the 18th century, Black Sails serves as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's popular novel Treasure Island and follows a young Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his crew members, as they fight for the survival of New Providence Island.

Yo ho ho! The pirate comedy "Our Flag Means Death" is back for a second season, and we couldn't be more excited to catch up with Stede, Ed, and the rest of our favorite criminal misfits. The quirky show actually has more in common with real history than you might expect, with several characters loosely inspired (emphasis on the "loosely") by real-life pirates and miscreants. Sure, the real Stede and Ed probably didn't have a romance that was both devastating and adorable - but there's at least a kernel of truth to their portrayals on the show.

Is Stede Bonnet Based on a Real Person?

Yes! While Stede Bonnet (played by Rhys Darby) might not be a name most people know, he was, in fact, a real person. Born in 1688, he was a young landowner in Barbados who inherited his family's holdings at the age of six after his father died.

Zach McGowan Set To Play The Lead Role In Ni’ihau Black Sails star Zach McGowan has been cast as the protagonist in first-time director Gabriel Robertson’s planned film Ni’ihau. In addition to his role as Charles Vane on the aforementioned Starz series, McGowan has had prominent roles in other high-profile programs like Shameless [...]

Continue reading: Ni’Ihau (2018): Zach McGowan Cast In WWII Drama...

For all you gentlemen who just watched Black Sails Season 4 Episode 6 in real time with your strong, independent wives, how long did it take for her to tell you: "You see that? That's what he gets for not listening to his wife."

Gov. Woodes Rogers missed that memo — but it's not too late for you, gentlemen.

All Rogers had to do was listen to his better half, Eleanor Guthrie and right now he'd be laying back in Port Royal, sipping a piña colada, under British protection, away from the war with the pirates and waiting for her to show up with a ton of loot.

But no. Instead, the Spanish navy and its ornery sailors — which he invited into Nassau to burn down and rape and pillage as they pleased — killed Eleanor at a supposed safe house.

Rogers rolled up on horseback, hoping to be her savior and instead was...

Black Sails may be the testosterone-fueled prequel to an equally male-centric tale of Treasure Island, but make no mistake — a couple of beautiful Nassau women in the cast are bosses in the series, which ends its swashbuckling tale this season. Hannah New as Eleanor Guthrie and Jessica Parker Kennedy as Max have commanded fantastic action-filled scenes in this series, which sees the rise of Long John Silver, the continued counsel of Captain Flint and the demise of pirate legends Blackbeard (Edward Teach) and Charles Vane. Despite the preponderance of these meaty male roles, their characters have stayed integral to...read more...

It was yet another powerfully dark hour, with high drama, tension and suspense. The action was fast, furious and fun on Black Sails Season 4 Episode 3 with tons of these surprising, “Oh Snap!” moments:

Flint and company knifing Redcoats just when it looked like Silver was cornered; Rogers (with help) out-dueling Blackbeard; Rackham raising the white flag; Billy Bones saving Flint and Silver when all appeared lost; and finally, Israel Hand whacking Berringer.

But the biggest lesson, if you watch Black Sails online or on TV?

Don’t write checks with your mouth that your ass can’t cash.

Bet on Gov. Goodes Rogers learning that one soon. As in, probably-next-episode soon. Oh yeah, Rogers puffed his chest to Capt. Berringer, about how back in the day as a privateer, he killed 73 Spanish sailors and let one live to tell about it, after they killed his brother with a cheap shot in battle.

Avast looking just on the surface or the horizon, landlubbers!

Look deep beneath the surface, into the complicated characters and complex plot, as you watch Black Sails online or on TV. That's where you'll find the real buried treasure.

Black Sails Season 4 Episode 2 is characteristically compelling, while still packing action punches.

On the surface, the passionate pirates battle the fuddy-duddy British Crown for control of Nassau.

Five key pirate honchos — Captains Flint, Teach (aka Blackbeard), Jack Rackham and Flint's proteges Long John Silver and Billy Bones — battle to be the rogue king of Nassau and restore it to an unholy, hedonistic den of debauchery. And who wouldn't want that?

On the horizon, pirates could soon liberate thousands of slaves.

And European heavyweights Spain and England could soon throw down on the high seas.

Spain is still missing that bling pirates heisted from its vessel, the Urca de Lima. Spain has warned Goodes Rogers,...

Sneak Peek Nsfw footage, plus images from producer Michael Bay's impressive Starz 'pirate' drama series "Black Sails", with music by "The Walking Dead" composer Bear McCreary, now available on Blu-ray and DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment:

"...in 1715, 'The Golden Age of Piracy' in the Caribbean is at its apex. The former British colony of New Providence Island is now lawless territory, controlled by the most notorious pirate captains in history.

"The most feared among them is 'Captain Flint'.

"But as the British Navy returns to these waters, threatening to exterminate Flint and his crew, another side of him emerges.

"Driven by deep, complicated, even romantic motives, Flint allies himself with the formidable 'Eleanor Guthrie', daughter of the local smuggling kingpin who turns the pirates’ loot into profits.

"Together, they forge a plan to hunt the ultimate prize, and by winning it...

"...stave off reclamation of their home to ensure their survival.

Sneak Peek footage from the Starz original 'pirate' drama TV series "Black Sails: The Complete Second Season", executive produced by Michael Bay, now available in a 3-disc set on Blu-ray + Digital HD, Ultraviolet and DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment:

"...in Season 2, the 'Walrus' crew is stranded with an army of Spanish soldiers standing between them and their precious 'Urca' gold.

" And with their crimes against their brethren no longer a secret, 'Flint' and 'Silver' must join forces in a desperate bid for survival.

"Meanwhile, 'Eleanor Guthrie' struggles to maintain her grip on Nassau, as a new breed of pirate arrives in the form of 'Ned Low', a man for whom violence isn’t just a tool, it’s a pastime.

"As blood is spilled and tensions mount, 'Charles Vane' must decide which he values more: Eleanor’s life or the respect of his men.

"And unbeknownst to all of them,...

Star Toby Schmitz (Jack Rackham) and executive producer Jonathan E. Steinberg explore the real-life pirates their Starz series Black Sails is based on, in our exclusive preview from Black Sails: The Complete Second Season. Before you can relive the entire season on Blu-ray and DVD starting November 3, our preview sheds some new light on the actual pirates who controlled Nassau, which inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. This series is set 20 years before the events in Treasure Island, but it also explores the historical nature of the pirates that inspired the classic tale.

Black Sails: The Complete Second Season begins where we left off, as the Walrus crew is stranded with an army of Spanish soldiers standing between them and the precious Urca gold. And with their crimes against their brethren no longer a secret, Flint (Toby Stephens) and Silver (Luke Arnold) must join forces in a desperate bid for survival.

Disney

A pirate’s life is more dangerous and adventurous than Hollywood would have you believe.

The real pirates of the Caribbean were more sinister, brutal and complex than Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew of hapless henchmen. All the stories, books and movies you have lived with have failed to offer any true experience into the plundering, lawless nature of pirates, the struggles they faced against an empire and the tragic nature of their fates.

The lives of Captain William Kidd, Edward ‘Blackbeard’ Thatch and Mary Read offer an adventure quite like no other…

10. ‘Calico’ Jack Rackham – The Charismatic Coward Behind Captain Sparrow Ubisoft

Often hapless, drunken and cowardly at once, Calico Jack is famed for his flamboyancy as much as his exploits at sea.

As the original inspiration behind the similarly characterised Captain Jack Sparrow, Calico Jack was an extravagant dresser and possessed the famed desire for gold and treasure,...

Starz has announced that its Emmy-winning original series "Black Sails" is officially set to return to the network with a ten-episode second season starting January 24th 2015. They've also released an official synopsis:

"Season two begins where we things off - The Walrus crew is stranded, with an army of Spanish soldiers standing between them and the precious Urca gold. With their crimes against their brethren no longer a secret, Flint (Toby Stephens) and Silver (Luke Arnold) must join forces in a desperate bid for survival.

Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) struggles to maintain her grip on Nassau, as a new breed of pirate arrives in the form of Ned Low (Tadgh Murphy), a man for whom violence isn't just a tool... it's a pastime.

As blood is spilled, and tensions mount, Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) must decide which he values more: Eleanor's life, or the respect of his men. And unbeknownst to all of them,...

Starz

Starz’s Black Sails has now arrived for UK audiences on Amazon Instant and it has proved a largely enjoyable romp. The show combines the high seas adventure of Pirates of the Caribbean with the political backstabbing and gratuitous violence and nudity of Game of Thrones (albeit with a much lower budget than either) and, if it has thus far failed to quite hit the lofty heights suggested by that combination, there are certainly enough elements in play that could be built on and improved in future. Sure enough a second season has recently been commissioned.

A large part of the selling point of Black Sails lies in its mixing of existent fact and fiction. The main narrative arc interweaves a prequel story for characters from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island – Captain Flint, Long John Silver, Billy Bones – with stories involving real, historical pirates – Charles Vane, Jack Rackham,...

John Malkovich makes a daring entrance in the first trailer for “Crossbones,” the upcoming pirate series on NBC. The show clearly follows the treasure hunting pirate Blackbeard doing what he does best, killing and looking for gold. He captures one Tom Lowe (Richard Coyle) to help him find his precious treasure, when really, Lowe was hired to kill Blackbeard, but begins to question his task. Chris Perfetti as Fletch, Claire Foy as Kate, David Hoflin as Charles Vane, Tracy Ifeachor as Nenna and Yasmine Al Massri as Selima round out the cast. Written by “Doctor Who” scribe Neil Cross, the [...]

The post TV: First Trailer for NBC’s Pirate Drama ‘Crossbones’ appeared first on Up and Comers.

We got a look at the individual characters, and today we have the first episode stills from “Crossbones,” NBC’s new take on the pirate Blackbeard, as played in this incarnation by John Malkovich. Malkovich is joined on the show by Chris Perfetti as Fletch, Richard Coyle as Tom Lowe, Claire Foy as Kate, David Hoflin as Charles Vane, Tracy Ifeachor as Nenna and Yasmine Al Massri as Selima. By these stills, it looks like treachery, struggle, maybe even murder is already afoot from the very first episode. “Crossbones” will premiere on Friday, May 30th at 10pm. It’s 1715 on the [...]

The post TV: First ‘Crossbones’ Episode Stills Offer a Glimpse of High Seas Intrigue appeared first on Up and Comers.

NBC has released individual and a group portrait of the cast of their new summer series “Crossbones,” which – if you didn’t already know these photos should make pretty clear – is about pirates. John Malkovich makes a rare TV appearance to play the notorious iconic pirate Blackbeard, and the show follows his adventures on the high seas in the 18th Century. The portraits include Malkovich’s Blackbeard, Chris Perfetti as Fletch, Richard Coyle as Tom Lowe, Claire Foy as Kate, David Hoflin as Charles Vane, Tracy Ifeachor as Nenna and Yasmine Al Massri as Selima. “Crossbones” will premiere on Friday, [...]

The post TV: First Look at NBC’s Pirate Series ‘Crossbones’ in New Character Portraits appeared first on Up and Comers.

Review Sean Marland 7 Apr 2014 - 06:45

All 8 episodes of Black Sails are now available on Amazon Prime Instant Video in the UK. Here's what Sean made of the first episode...

When Netflix creator Ted Sarandos commissioned House Of Cards as the streaming site’s first project he used a very simple formula. Essentially he knew people liked The West Wing and Kevin Spacey, so figured a fusion of both would be a banker.

Amazon couldn't get Kevin Spacey but maybe the way people continue to lap up the increasingly bloated Pirates Of The Caribbean film franchise got them thinking.

Piracy has been a risky venture for TV bosses of late, with Sky's Treasure Island and Sinbad adaptations running aground – as it were - in recent years, yet Black Sails will probably flourish where those expensive and confused shows floundered. As a format, getting a whole series as one online lump...

On the third episode of "Black Sails," Max (Jessica Parker Kennedy) leaves the safe haven of Eleanor Guthrie's (Hannah New) brothel and is immediately taken captive by Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) as punishment for losing his chance at the logbook schedule that points the way to the treasure.

Once captive, Max endures several rapes at the hands of Vane's crew members, with Eleanor eventually freeing her, only to be rebuffed because Max blames Eleanor for all of the plans going awry. New tells Zap2it that Max will recover from her attacks because the show wants its female characters to own their sexuality.

"It's interesting the way certain characters respond to [the rape]. There's a sense of reappropriating sexuality and trying to take hold of it. It becomes something the person is giving rather than what is taken, that's important to understand," says New. "The show really does try to put power back to women,...

Black Sails, Season 1: Episode 2 – “II.”

Written by Jonathan E. Steinberg & Robert Levine

Directed by Sam Miller

Airs Saturday nights at 9 on Starz

Following last week’s premiere of Black Sails, it was clear that the toughest obstacle the series was going to face in its first season was making such a large group of characters interesting enough that we have stakes in the landlocked portions of episodes. “II.” largely begins to address some of those concerns, and while there is still a lot of work to be done with central figures like John Silver and Charles Vane, the rest of the group members are starting to become much more recognizable as characters and not just people who are on the screen.

“II.” begins by focusing on what is currently the love story in Black Sails – the relationship between Hannah New’s Eleanor Guthrie and Jessica Parker Kennedy’s Max.

The race for the Spanish treasure heats up on "Black Sails" Saturday (Feb. 1), with John Silver running to and fro in Nassau trying to get a quick payday for the schedule that will point the way to the bounty to whomever will pay him.

It's Captain Flint and Jack Rackham who are pursuing Silver, with Rackham willing to pay 5000 pesos in pearls for the information. Charles Vane cautions Rackham at making such a hasty trade, but Calico Jack doesn't listen.

The original plan is for Silver and Max to make the deal for the log sheet and escape to Port Royal, but there's a problem --  Eleanor Guthrie gets excited about the tale Flint spins for her of cultivating Nassau by planting crops, arming the city against all comers and making a civilization instead of a pirate shanty town.

Eleanor demands the schedule from Max to give to Flint but...

Black Sails," Starz's sweeping series about pirates, initially captivates because it's stunning. A hotter group of aquatic baddies never roamed the blue waters of the West Indies or cavorted on the white sands of New Providence.

The series is so promising that the station renewed it even before the pilot's Jan. 25 premiere. Watching the first four episodes about tough men and the even tougher women they meet in 1715 Nassau, it becomes clear "Black Sails," blessedly, lacks pirate cliches. There's not an "arrrr" or "yo-ho-ho" to be heard.

"At the first meeting we had," co-creator and showrunner Jon Steinberg tells Zap2it, "we said, 'No patches. No peg legs. No parrots. No hooks.' We overcorrected early on, deliberately, in terms of trying to strip out anything that felt expected from the pirates movies that had come before."

This leaves the pirates feeling truer to their essences, more fully drawn than...

"Black Sails" premiered Saturday (Jan. 25) on Starz, kicking off a pirate adventure as these sailors of the high seas search for treasure in an elusive Spanish galleon.

But pirates are not all viewers encounter on and around the island of New Providence. Hannah New is Eleanor Guthrie, who basically runs the island and who New says she was excited to play because Eleanor is "a proper ball-breaker."

As viewers will see in the first couple episodes, Eleanor has an on-going relationship with Max (Jessica Parker Kennedy) and there are references to Eleanor's previous relationship with Charles Vane (Zach McGowan). New says that the show hasn't felt the need to define Eleanor's sexuality, though it does play an important role in her life on the island.

"Obviously we define the specific relationship between the two people, but I don't think the show in any way defines sexuality or defines the notion...

Starz is setting sail with a new drama when "Black Sails" launches Saturday (Jan. 25). 

The swashbuckling adventure combines real-life pirates from the 18th century, like Charles Vane (Zach McGowan), Calico John Rackham (Toby Schmitz) and Anne Bonny (Clara Paget) and characters from Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "Treasure Island," like Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and John Silver (Luke Arnold), with new fictional characters like Nassau proprietor Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) and her right-hand man and woman, Mr. Scott (Hakeem Kae-Kazim) and Max (Jessica Parker Kennedy).

At first glance, the high seas adventure might appear to be more along the lines of former Starz program "Spartacus," which often seemed like a pornographic movie with fighting and a large budget. Like its predecessor, "Black Sails" does not shy away from violence and sex.

But four episodes in, "Black Sails" is actually spinning a cleverly-crafted tale of intrigue, secrets and deceit surrounding a...

Starz is about to launch a new swashbuckling, high-seas adventure in "Black Sails," a sort-of prequel to "Treasure Island" that sees literary characters Long John Silver and Captain Flint plus real-life pirates Captain Charles Vane, Anne Bonny and Calico Jack Rackham living and working (as it were) in and around Nassau, Bahamas, which is overseen by proprietor Eleanor Guthrie.

Zach McGowan, formerly of Showtime's "Shameless," is Vane, one of the captains determined to find the gold by any means necessary and very much at odds with Silver and Captain Flint. But he tells Zap2it that he doesn't see Vane as the villain of the piece.

"He is definitely not a villain in his own mind," says McGowan, "and I do not see him as a villain. I see him no more as a villain than a lion who eats a gazelle is a villain. This is very much a...

Black Sails may be a prequel of sorts to the swashbuckling classic film Treasure Island, but there couldn’t be a larger dissonance in tone. Take that romanticized pirate mythology you grew up on as child and chuck it out of your memory. You won’t be seeing hooks for hands, mimicking parrots, wooden legs and whatever else fantasy pirate lore has accustomed your senses too. This isn’t your standard and traditional portrayal of pirates. Instead, Black Sails offers something far more violent, bloody, and savage that’s more in line with well, real pirates.

Set during the golden era of pirating, the series’ premiere lays the groundwork for the premise by introducing us to a slew of characters, grounded in both history and fiction. The golden age is currently under pressure as the Royal Navy begins cracking down on pirate export operations, and at the worst possible time,...

Starz is bringing a new drama to life when "Black Sails" premieres next weekend. But if you don't want to wait that long, the channel has released the first episode early. The video above is the premiere episode in its entirety.

The swashbuckling show chronicles the adventures of pirates in the early 1700s, or what is referred to as the "golden age" of piracy. A prequel, of sorts, to the events of literary classic "Treasure Island," the show has real-life pirates like Charles Vane (Zach McGowan), John Rackham (Toby Schmitz) and Anne Bonny (Clara Paget) joining fictional characters like Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) and Long John Silver (Luke Arnold) in the Caribbean in a race for an enormous treasure, and it sounds as though the actors loved making first season as much as we've enjoyed watching it so far.

"This is the project you hope comes along your whole career,...

If you're not excited about Starz's new drama "Black Sails" yet, it's time to start getting there. The pirate drama isn't your typical bodice ripper, but instead combines fiction with history in creating arguably the most fun pirate story in current pop culture.

"Pirates of the Caribbean," this is not. Starz brought out the cast and producers of "Black Sails" to the TCA 2014 winter press tour to promote its Jan. 25 premiere date. Though it's not yet premiered Season 1, the second season has started production.

The Season 2 renewal was announced over the summer, but Starz says the decision was as much about capitalizing on time as much as it was a vote of confidence in the show. Two episodes of Season 2 have been filmed in Cape Town, South Africa, because it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

"Black Sails" explores the "golden age of piracy," and combines real-life pirates like Charles Vane...

Today, Ubisoft® announced that Assassin’s Creed® IV Black Flag™, the latest installment of the award-winning franchise set in the gritty and exotic Golden Age of Pirates, leaps into the next-generation of video games and is now available on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system in North America – rated M for Mature. Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag tells the story of Edward Kenway, who falls from privateering for the Royal Navy into piracy as the war between the major empires comes to an end. Edward is a fierce pirate and a seasoned fighter who soon finds himself embroiled in the ancient war between Assassins and Templars. Set at the dawn of the 18th century, the game features some of the most infamous pirates in history, such as Blackbeard and Charles Vane, and takes players on a...

Last year’s Assassin’s Creed III forced fans of Ubisoft’s throat-slitting series to slog through several hours of tutorial-heavy handholding before they could dig their blades into the best parts of the game. Within seconds of firing up Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, those same fans will pilot a pirate ship through a wicked storm while unleashing broadsides and exploding barrels at swarms of enemy craft; moments after surviving this cinema-rivaling opening, they’ll swim through its fiery aftermath, engage in a free-running foot chase through a breathtaking Caribbean jungle, and filet a foe from behind dual swords.

The latest installment in the Assassin's Creed gaming franchise focuses on the golden age of piracy and is scheduled for release October 29th, 2013, on Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, PC and Wii U. Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag tells the story of Edward Kenway, who falls from privateering for the Royal Navy into piracy as the war between the major Empires comes to an end. Edward is a fierce pirate and seasoned fighter who soon finds himself embroiled in the ancient war between Assassins and Templars. Set at the dawn of the 18th Century, the game features some of the most infamous pirates in history, such as Blackbeard and Charles Vane, and takes players on a journey throughout the West Indies during a turbulent and violent period of time later to become known as the Golden Age of Pirates. In this...

If your current mental image of a typical pirate is an eyepatched, peg-legged, hook-handed swashbuckler, Vice has decided to set you straight. The popular online video destination has teamed up with the upcoming Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag video game for Rum, Guns, and Gallows, a three part web series exploring the true nature of the plundering seamen who ruled the Caribbean in the early 18th century. Each episode focuses on the life of a particular pirate, but Rum, Guns, and Gallows captures its subjects with a pretty wide lens. Rather than lecturing viewers on the specific exploits of Charles Vane or Blackbeard, host Will Kiersky instead takes to the Caribbean himself to try out some of the activities common to pirates of the Golden Age. There be swimmin' with sharks, there be bottles of rum, and there be shootin'. Aye, there be plenty o' shootin' in this here web series.

The latest installment in the Assassin's Creed gaming franchise focuses on the golden age of piracy and is scheduled for release October 29th, 2013, on Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, PC and Wii U. Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag tells the story of Edward Kenway, who falls from privateering for the Royal Navy into piracy as the war between the major Empires comes to an end. Edward is a fierce pirate and seasoned fighter who soon finds himself embroiled in the ancient war between Assassins and Templars. Set at the dawn of the 18th Century, the game features some of the most infamous pirates in history, such as Blackbeard and Charles Vane, and takes players on a journey throughout the West Indies during a turbulent and violent period of time later to become known as the Golden Age of Pirates. San...

Trailer Aaron Birch 27 Sep 2013 - 09:20

Assassin's Creed 4's latest trailer looks at the pirates and other persons of note who sail under or after the Black Flag...

There's much more to a pirate than cheesy sound bites and quest for buried treasure, and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, will take a good, long look at the pirate life, and at those who stood up against greedy, often cruel empires.

In the latest game protagonist, Edward Kenway, won't be the only seafaring ruffian out to make a mark for himself, and he'll be accompanied by a selection of infamous pirates. This latest trailer looks at roster of such pirates and some other important characters that'll pop up in the adventure, beginning with more back story and detail of Kenway himself and his right-hand man, Adewale, before moving on to the likes of Benjamin Hornigold, Blackbeard and Charles Vane.

Assassin's...