Pirates and Podcasts

[schneefink]

I was recced "Black Sails" multiple times (most often by rydra_wong) and always thought that I would watch it one day, but it sounded a bit too dark for my current preferences. But DD decided she wants to watch it, so I started watching it with her. We were both told that season 1 is bad (but at least short) and that the show gets a lot better later.

We're now halfway through season 1 and we both like it? I don't think it's bad at all so far. Now we're both very nervous about how the second half of season 1 may screw things up. I already want so many of these characters to succeed but there are so many things that could go very wrong.

A new TAZ:Balance live show was put online, and man I missed these characters. Even though I tend to forget how often they are jerks, and sometimes (like this entire episode) it's just silly, they're also so much fun. My favorite parts of the Dallas show were Taako immediately burning someone and later casting Irresistible Dance on a driver, Travis remembering magic items Magnus has and Griffin being so surprised, Merle being generally competent including casting Gate (I'm almost sure he shouldn't be able to, it's a ninth-level spell and I'd be surprised Merle can cast those but whatever) and sending someone straight to the Astral Plane, "and then the T-Rex explodes", and Magnus using a grappling hook like Batman and then taking over a plane.
I'm not listening to TAZ:Amnesty yet because in my experience TAZ works better for me when I binge it, but I'm planning to catch up soon.

I'm also not caught up with Critical Role, I'm a few episodes behind (in the middle of 15) because the episodes are long and I don't do as much other stuff where I could easily listen to it in the background and it's (unsurprisingly) not as captivating yet as the finale of a multiple year campaign was, but it has a lot of potential.

I am caught up on "The Bright Sessions", which seems to alternate between really emotional episodes and those that are a bit lighter/quieter.
Ep 52: aww, Caleb and Adam :)
53: Mark how about you give her more time to think about moving the place where she lived her entire live.
Sam trying to travel back to see her parents again, but it doesn't work :(
Mark and Sam never time-travelled together? Mark being afraid makes a lot of sense, but I was focused on Sam finally having someone she can share her ability with.
The AM wanted to change the past?!! Uh-oh.
Uh, yeah, Sam you spying on the past is kind of problematic. Calling Damien, also not a great idea.
Sam confessing to Mark that she watched the AM was good, but, uh… Of course Mark needs some time to think it over.
Ep 54: We finally heard from Chloe again, good to hear she's doing well. She even had a civil conversation with Damien, who apologized for hitting her, huh.
I hope Mark is okay :(

Comments

[rydra_wong]

Yay, so glad you're enjoying Black Sails season 1! If you're enjoying it now, you have SO much wonderful stuff ahead of you.

I already want so many of these characters to succeed but there are so many things that could go very wrong.

Yup, afraid so. Though the show is ultimately a lot more hopeful and less grimdark than you might fear. Some people even get happy endings!

Who and what are you liking/enjoying at this point? (Excuse me, I am always greedy to hear people's responses to the show.)

[schneefink]

I'm happy to talk about it, though at this point I have more questions than anything else ^^

Luckily I've seen almost no spoilers, just a little about what happened to Thomas Hamilton and that they'll find him again, which makes Flint a lot more interesting, and that there'll be a treasure at some point, which means almost anything is possible. So far there are more characters that I find interesting than those I actually like (that would be... pretty much only Billy at this point, and maaybe Eleanor.) I hope that I'll like Miranda, I hope she gets something to do and I have no idea what she's thinking at the end of episode 4. I'm curious what role Vane will get, I hope not a completely antagonistic one. I hope things will get better for Max (and I low-key ship her with Anne already.) I hope Eleanor doesn't get a bad ending though it seems like she's facing a lot of difficulty; she makes mistakes but she's very young and in a very difficult situation and doesn't have many people and no wonder she can be emotional and impulsive.
I want someone to punch John Silver in the face. I was told I'll probably end up liking him but I suspect that would take a long time.

I'm impressed what a complicated tapestry of relationships and loyalties we have already seen and also seen change in the first four episodes! I really look forward to seeing how that develops further.

[rydra_wong]

I will refrain from spoiling you any further (because I gather that seeing the show unspoiled or minimally-spoiled is a beautiful thing), except to say that I think you're going to get quite a few of the things you want. \o/

she makes mistakes but she's very young and in a very difficult situation and doesn't have many people and no wonder she can be emotional and impulsive.

Yeah, I like Eleanor because she's flawed and she fucks up and makes bad decisions, but in ways that I find very believable. Female characters don't often get to do that.

I want someone to punch John Silver in the face. I was told I'll probably end up liking him but I suspect that would take a long time.

This is exactly how a LOT of people feel about him at this point in the show.

I adore this recent post from someone watching S1 for the first time: http://andhumanslovedstories.tumblr.com/post/173440467916/how-john-silver-doesnt-exist-in-a-constant-state

though at this point I have more questions than anything else

I would be curious to know what your questions are at this point, even though I probably won't be able to answer them because spoilers. *g*

[schneefink]

Yep, that John Silver description sounds accurate ^^

Well, most of my questions boil down to "what happens next", and especially what Eleanor's father's plan is and why Miranda appears to help him, and at least that I hope to find out next episode. I also want to know why Eleanor trusts Flint so much, what Miranda did in the past several years (surely not just sit around in that small house?), and what Anne's deal is. I kind of hope that one day Eleanor and Max can become if not friends then at least develop an understanding, but I'm not optimistic.

[rydra_wong]

and what Anne's deal is.

A friend of mine commented that at this point in this show, "Anne is like 90% hat."

Hopefully it's not too spoilery to promise that you will get to see much more of what's going on under the hat ...

[schneefink]

That seems very accurate xD

Nah, it's Anne Bonney, it would be weird if we didn't see more of her.

[dr_zook]

(This could be a good place to mention that I never watched more of Black Sails than the very first episode and all my knowledge about that show is nurtured by the tumblr peeps I'm lurking around who contribute to that fandom with their magnificent works. It's really weird how much this show I never saw defines my current interests-- for at least two years now. Wow.

Anyway, not to spoil a thing, but as far as I am concerned Silver is probably my favourite character. However much this weighs due to my lack of experience with the show, ahem! XD Also his hair and outfit development throughout the seasons is very satisfying. :3)

[rydra_wong]

If you don't mind my asking, why did you never watch more? I know sometimes there can be things where the fandom's so satisfying you don't want to risk ruining it with canon ...

Anyway, not to spoil a thing, but as far as I am concerned Silver is probably my favourite character.

*whispers* Mine too.

[dr_zook]

Heh, I can give you the long version if you don't mind! :)

When the show started I couldn't watch it (I think it was distributed in Germany via Amazon Prime, but I'm not sure; and I didn't have/want an account for Amazon sucks), and then later when the DVD box came out I really had no money to spare for these luxuries. That was during my apprenticeship with the lousy income; during that apprenticeship I also had to commute for hours twice a week and Black Sails fanfic saved my life. My journey level income now could provide for the DVDs, but very obviously the phlegm is strong in my humors... ;) I really should donate some bucks to AO3.

I guess I'm just looking forward to have something to look forward to, if that makes sense? :D It isn't the fear of disappointment, though.

Also: unnngh, Silver. ♥

[rydra_wong]

I guess I'm just looking forward to have something to look forward to, if that makes sense? :D It isn't the fear of disappointment, though.

It will not disappoint, I think, when you get round to it! I was heavily heavily spoiled, and I knew the show gets way better after S1, but I was still shocked by just HOW good it gets. S2 is good, S3 is better, S4 blew my mind, and the finale is genuinely some of the best TV I've ever seen.

Also: unnngh, Silver. ♥

I went through the full gamut of Silver responses during my viewing, starting out with "This guy??? Nah."

So I can witness that his character development is even better than his hair and outfit development. *g* ETA: it's a really fantastic emotional journey that the character goes on, and Luke Arnold knocks it out of the park.

[schneefink]

Huh. I'll keep an open mind about Silver, but does that character development start soon?

[rydra_wong]

It snuck up on me! I went through:

Season 1: "This guy??? Nah. Maybe miscast? Clearly not going to be able to do any of this epic emotional journey stuff I have been promised by the many many spoilers I have consumed. Oh well, at least I can enjoy Flint."

Tweets I can relate to at this point:

https://twitter.com/Hello_Tailor/status/854095037520637953
https://twitter.com/philistella/status/902325612374872068

Most of S2: "Okay, tolerable now, kind of enjoying him."

End of S2: "HOLY SHIT."

S3: *muffled screaming*

S4: I cried, which is a thing I generally do not do.

[schneefink]

Okay, that means it should get better in just a few episodes, I look forward to it :)

[rydra_wong]

EVERYTHING gets better when you hit 2.01 (though to be fair, 1.08 is pretty good too). It feels like they've worked out how the show works, and you can practically hear the engines go vrrroooom.

[schneefink]

We just watched 1x06 and it is already pretty good, so all these promises are at once promising and a bit suspicious ^^ Ah well, we'll get there soon :)

[rydra_wong]

Yeah, it does get better towards the end of S1 (I am very fond of Eleanor and Anne teaming up to murder all the rapists in 1.06!). But there's still a distinct vrrrooom at 2.01. *g*

[schneefink]

My favorite scene in 1x06 was at the end between Anne and Jack, when, after Jack explicitly told Anne not to act against Hammond(?) and the others of the crew and she went and did it anyway while making him go along with it, Jack asked her how she convinced Eleanor that Jack would play along, and Anne said matter-of-factly that she knew Jack would pick her over the others. I'm very curious about their relationship now.

[rydra_wong]

I'm very curious about their relationship now.

I believe I can say in an un-spoilery manner: I LOVE ANNE AND JACK AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP (AND HOW IT EVOLVES AND WHAT WE FIND OUT ABOUT IT) SO MUCH. IT'S SO SO FASCINATING. I LOVE THEM.

(Also Toby Schmitz and Clara Paget are consistently great.)

ETA: and yesss, I love that moment so much. She's so certain that of course Jack will pick her.

[schneefink]

Having now seen 2x01: I enjoyed it a lot - I didn't find it to be that clearly superior to season 1, but I liked season 1 so that's fine :)
"Person I most want to see punched in the face": John Silver has been replaced by Ned Lowe(?).

[dr_zook]

ICONLOVE!! :D

I'm completely spoiled already, that's no problem for me, heh!

[rydra_wong]

Icon by efficio, whose gorgeous Black Sails icons can be found here:

https://bungalows.dreamwidth.org/tag/tv:+black+sails

[schneefink]

Good to hear that Silver's hair and outfit get better as well - I didn't pay much attention to it, but DD found it very distracting ^^ I'll keep an open mind.

So when I'm done with the show I'll definitely ask you for recs for fanworks and tumblrs to follow :)

[dr_zook]

I hope it's not too spoilery when I say that his outfit development goes along with his character development. I swear, there are some really fantastic meta posts about that alone. *sniffles*

I'll happily provide you with those! I guess it's safe to say: there are shoals ahead. ;) Are you watching it via a streaming provider? Last Christmas I tiptoed around the 4 seasons box set, I don't know why I didn't bought it yet, ungh.

[schneefink]

We bought the entire series on iTunes (after watching the first few episodes to see if we hated it.) It looks like there are extras too, I hope they are interesting. And it's great when a fandom has interesting meta posts :) I look forward to it. If the show keeps getting better it won't take us long to watch it - we're only in season 1 and I already managed to persuade DD to stay up longer ;)

[tassosss]

I really liked season 1 when I watched it too. I think it has that reputation because so many folks got turned off (justifiably) to what happens to Max in ep 3, so the narrative changed to It Gets Better Stick With It. And, it does get better, so it's not wrong, but imo, season 1 gets dumped on more than it should.

[schneefink]

That makes a lot of sense. If you watch it while it's being broadcast for the first time and don't know yet how that narrative will develop it'd likely be even harder to stomach.