Black Sails Deserves Another Look, and TV Needs More Pirate Dramas Like It

There was a time when television wasn't afraid to give us ruthless pirates, bloody battles, questionable loyalties, and characters who could betray someone before breakfast. From 2014 to 2017, Starz delivered exactly that with Black Sails, a series that deserved far more attention than it received during its original run. Nearly a decade after its finale, it's hard not to look at the current television landscape and wonder why nobody has managed to give us another pirate drama quite like it.

Now, no disrespect to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies or MGM+'s new adaptation of Treasure Island. There's plenty of room for different interpretations of pirate adventures. But Black Sails offered something that felt different: a gritty, mature drama that understood pirates weren't simply adventurous people sailing around looking for buried treasure. They were dangerous, desperate, ambitious individuals fighting for power, freedom, survival, and, in some cases, revenge. And television could use another series willing to explore that world without watering it down.

Black Sails Was More Than Just Another Pirate Adventure

Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, Black Sails served as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, mixing fictional characters with historical pirates during the Golden Age of Piracy. Across four seasons, the show transformed what could have been a straightforward treasure-hunting adventure into a complicated story about civilization, rebellion, loyalty, and the cost of freedom.

At the center was Captain James Flint, portrayed brilliantly by Toby Stephens. Flint wasn't exactly someone you'd want to cross, and he certainly wasn't interested in winning any popularity contests. He was ruthless, manipulative, and willing to sacrifice almost anything to accomplish his goals, but the series gradually revealed the pain and personal history driving his decisions.

That complexity made Flint fascinating. You could understand his motivations without necessarily agreeing with his methods, and there were plenty of moments when the show challenged fans to decide whether he was a revolutionary, a villain, or some uncomfortable combination of both.

Then there was John Silver, played by Luke Arnold, whose evolution from an opportunistic newcomer into one of the most influential figures in Nassau became one of the show's greatest achievements. His relationship with Flint was built on necessity, mistrust, reluctant respect, and an increasingly dangerous struggle over what their future should look like.

Watching those two navigate their partnership was every bit as entertaining as the battles at sea. They could be allies one minute and appear ready to destroy each other the next, yet somehow their complicated friendship remained one of the emotional foundations of the series.

The Women of Black Sails Were Just as Dangerous as the Men

One of the things that made Black Sails so compelling was that the women weren't simply standing around waiting for pirates to return from sea. Eleanor Guthrie, Max, and Anne Bonny had their own ambitions, loyalties, and survival strategies, and they were more than capable of causing problems for anyone who underestimated them.

Eleanor spent much of the series attempting to maintain control over Nassau, constantly navigating a world where powerful men wanted to dictate what she could and couldn't do. Her decisions weren't always smart, and her shifting alliances certainly didn't make her the most trustworthy person on the island. Still, she was determined to survive in an environment that rarely rewarded weakness.

Max might have undergone one of the most interesting transformations of the entire series. Initially vulnerable to the brutal power structures surrounding her, she gradually learned how to use information, relationships, and political influence to secure her own position. By the end, she understood something many of the pirates never quite figured out: sometimes controlling the people in power is more effective than trying to become the most feared person in the room.

And then there was Anne Bonny, who had absolutely no interest in making anyone comfortable. Her complicated relationship with Max, alongside her loyalty to Jack Rackham, gave the series some of its most emotionally layered moments. Anne was dangerous, unpredictable, and fiercely protective of the people she loved, even when she struggled to understand those feelings herself.

These women weren't interchangeable characters written simply to support the men's stories. Their choices mattered, and the consequences of those choices often reshaped the entire political landscape of Nassau.

Madi Deserves Her Flowers, Too

And we certainly can't discuss the remarkable women of Black Sails without mentioning Madi, portrayed by Zethu Dlomo. Introduced as the daughter of the Maroon leader known as the Maroon Queen, Madi quickly proved she wasn't simply another character brought into the story to serve as someone's love interest. She was intelligent, courageous, fiercely principled, and willing to challenge powerful men who were accustomed to getting their way.

Her relationship with John Silver became one of the show's most compelling love stories, but Madi never allowed that relationship to define her. She believed in something bigger than their romance: freedom for her people and the possibility of building a future beyond the control of colonial powers. While Silver increasingly struggled with the cost of continuing the fight, Madi understood exactly what surrender could mean for those who didn't have the luxury of walking away.

That's what made their relationship so fascinating. Silver loved Madi, but loving someone and sharing their convictions are two very different things. Their conflicting priorities became central to the series' emotional conclusion, particularly when Silver made decisions he believed would protect the woman he loved, even if those choices threatened everything she had been fighting for.

Madi was never a damsel in distress, and she certainly didn't need Silver to tell her what was worth fighting for. She had her own voice, her own convictions, and the courage to stand by them. Zethu Dlomo brought tremendous strength and dignity to the role, making Madi one of the series' most memorable characters.

Even the show's conclusion refused to offer a simple answer about their future together. Silver believed he was choosing love over war, but Madi had every reason to question whether his decision was really his to make. Their final moments left room for interpretation, and that emotional uncertainty made their relationship even more memorable. That's exactly what made Black Sails so good. Even a character introduced relatively late in the series could become essential to its emotional and political stakes.

The Betrayals, Battles, and Relationships Actually Meant Something

What separated Black Sails from a typical action-heavy adventure was its willingness to slow down and let its characters scheme, argue, negotiate, and occasionally make spectacularly terrible decisions. Yes, the naval battles were impressive, and the sword fights could be brutal. But some of the show's most compelling moments happened when two characters sat across from each other, each trying to determine whether the other was lying.

There was also something refreshing about a series where almost nobody had completely clean hands. Charles Vane could be terrifying one moment and surprisingly principled the next. Jack Rackham could provide some much-needed humor while proving he was considerably more intelligent than people gave him credit for. Even characters who initially seemed easy to dislike could become surprisingly sympathetic once their motivations came into focus.

The series also understood that love could be just as destructive as greed or ambition. Flint's past, Silver's relationship with Madi, and the tangled emotional history between Max and Anne weren't just romantic distractions. These relationships influenced decisions that affected entire communities, fleets, and political alliances. Flint's story, in particular, became even more heartbreaking as the series revealed his relationship with Thomas Hamilton and the devastating consequences of a society unwilling to accept their love. What initially appeared to be a story about a power-hungry pirate captain gradually became something much more personal, giving his rebellion an entirely different meaning.

And when those personal relationships collided with larger ambitions, things rarely ended peacefully. Black Sails understood that sometimes the greatest danger wasn't the enemy waiting across the water but the person standing beside you.

Why Haven't We Gotten Another Black Sails?

With MGM+'s Treasure Island now streaming, there's renewed reason to talk about pirate stories on television. The six-part adaptation features David Oyelowo as Long John Silver, Hayley Atwell as Bess Hawkins, and Tom Sweet as Jim Hawkins, offering a fresh interpretation of Stevenson's classic adventure.

There's certainly room for that kind of storytelling, just as there's room for the humor, fantasy, and blockbuster spectacle of Pirates of the Caribbean. Those productions have their own identities, and they don't need to become Black Sails to justify their existence.

But wouldn't it be nice to have another series aimed squarely at adults, one that embraces the uglier realities of piracy while giving its characters complicated motivations and relationships? A proper pirate drama doesn't need supernatural creatures or an endless search for mystical artifacts to be compelling. Give us competing captains, dangerous alliances, corrupt colonial officials, battles for territory, and people willing to destroy one another over power. More importantly, give us writing strong enough to make us care about what happens when those people inevitably betray each other.

That was the beauty of Black Sails. The show didn't depend solely on spectacle to keep fans invested. It created a world where every alliance felt temporary, every victory came with consequences, and even the characters you loved were capable of doing something unforgivable.

And let's not pretend the show's production values weren't impressive. From its massive ships to its elaborate battles and meticulously designed version of Nassau, Black Sails looked and felt like an expensive cinematic production. Yet all that spectacle never overshadowed the characters or the story being told.

Perhaps that's part of what makes another series like it such a difficult proposition. Pirate dramas require significant resources, particularly when they're attempting to recreate naval warfare and life at sea. But if television can continue pouring money into elaborate fantasy worlds, surely there's room for another ambitious drama set during the Golden Age of Piracy.

Black Sails Also Knew When to End

Another thing worth appreciating about Black Sails is that it didn't drag its story out indefinitely. After four seasons, the series reached a conclusion that brought its central conflicts to a head while leaving certain character fates open to interpretation.

Flint's ending remains one of the show's most fascinating storytelling decisions. Silver claimed to have reunited him with Thomas Hamilton, offering the possibility that Flint had finally found peace after years of anger, loss, and violence. But because the series never independently confirmed every detail of Silver's account, fans were left to decide how much of that story they believed.

The ambiguity worked because it reflected everything the series had spent four seasons exploring. Stories become legends, the truth changes depending on who's telling it, and history doesn't always preserve what really happened. Silver's ending with Madi was similarly complicated. There was love between them, but there was also a fundamental disagreement about the future they had been fighting to build. Their reunion offered hope without pretending that the damage caused by Silver's choices could simply disappear.

Meanwhile, Max and Anne's final chapter offered another example of the series allowing its characters to evolve beyond where they started. Their relationship, complicated by years of pain, affection, and difficult choices, remained an important part of the story's emotional landscape. Not every character received a happy ending, and not every conflict was wrapped up neatly. But Black Sails understood that a satisfying conclusion doesn't necessarily mean answering every question.

Sometimes leaving fans with something to debate is far more interesting.

It's Time for Television to Set Sail Again

Nearly ten years after Black Sails ended in April 2017, its four-season run still feels like something television hasn't fully replaced. And while the series wasn't perfect, its combination of ambitious storytelling, complicated characters, and unapologetically adult drama made it stand out in a genre that doesn't get nearly enough attention on the small screen.

We're not necessarily asking for a Black Sails revival, either. The series told its story and gave its characters an ending, even if some of those final moments left room for interpretation. Sometimes it's better to leave a completed series alone rather than risk revisiting it without a compelling reason.

What we need is another show willing to take the same creative risks. Another pirate drama where the stakes extend beyond finding treasure, the characters have something meaningful to lose, and nobody is guaranteed to survive simply because they're popular. Until someone delivers that, perhaps it's time to revisit Nassau, Captain Flint, John Silver, Madi, Eleanor Guthrie, Max, Anne Bonny, Charles Vane, Jack Rackham, and the rest of the wonderfully dysfunctional characters who made Black Sails such an unforgettable ride.

Because if there's one thing television could use right now, it's another pirate series that isn't afraid to get its hands dirty.