REVIEW: Our Flag Means Death takes a comedic spin on the life of a Pirate

It is the year 1717. Wealthy landowner Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) has a midlife crisis and decides to blow up his cushy life to become a Pirate. It does not go well. Based on a true story.

The pilot episode is co-directed by Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows, JoJo Rabbit and Guardians of the Galaxy) and Andrew DeYoung. The impression I get from the first episode is that it feels a lot like Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows. It has the same oddball charm to it and instead of vampires exploring the 21st Century, it is an entitled man of the gentry navigating the world of piracy.

The humour of the first episode comes from Rhys Darby. He provided the stand-out performance from the pilot. His naivety and panic add a comedic twist to the ruthlessness of the pirate way of life. The character tries to add a motherly touch to the crew, but is rudely awakened to the brutality and savagery of Pirates. A particularly funny moment of the episode was when he reads the children’s story Pinocchio to the crew.

Two other performances worth mentioning were Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting) performance as Buttons, whose straightforwardness added to Stede Bonnet’s woes, and Joel Fry (Plebs) performance as Frenchie, who played the role of the bard on ship.

Most of the episode took place on Stede Bonnet’s ship, which was where most of the gags were had.

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If you are a fan of Pirates and goofy comedies this might be the show for you. All episodes are available on the BBC iPlayer.