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.