1 Black Sails (2014 – 2017) This Michael Bay-produced pirate series ran for four seasons of swashbuckling adventure and was actually written as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island book. As a piece of historical fiction, the show found fictional characters crossing paths with real-life pirates (like Blackbeard, played here by Ray Stevenson). Much in the way that Deadwood featured real figures of the old West (like Wild Bill Hickok), Black Sails features plenty of prominent pirates, including lead character Captain Flint. Stream It Here2 Our Flag Means Death (2022 – ) Another pirate show! Albeit this one is quite different from Black Sails, particularly in that its an adventure-comedy that leans heavy on the comedy (and with some romance for good measure). Our Flag Means Death tells the story of an aristocrat Stede Bonnet who decides to abandon his wealthy life and take to the sea, hiring a crew and taking on the moniker of “The Gentleman Pirate.” He eventually runs into Blackbeard (played here by Taika Waititi), and the series takes on some of the most unique sitcom beats of the last several years (and all of the writing and performances are great). Season 2 is coming soon, Stream It Here3 Cowboy Bebop (2021) Back in 2021, Netflix tried to adapt another anime into live-action: Cowboy Bebop. And while this space Western was cancelled after only a single season, I tend to think it got a bit of a raw deal. This show was a fun… Click below to read the full story from Men’s Health
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