Crossbones

:

Season 1
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: May 30, 2014
Metascore
56

Mixed or average reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 23
  3. Negative: 4 out of 23
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Critic Reviews

  1. The Huffington Post
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    May 30, 2014
    60
    Everything around Malkovich is workmanlike and rather predictable, if competent.
  2. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    May 30, 2014
    60
    [John Malkovich] makes this cartoonish romp a lot more fun than Starz's Black Sails--which admittedly isn't saying much.
  3. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: David Hinckley
    May 29, 2014
    60
    As it threads through a maze of sometimes shaky plot turns, you could say the script gets tortured--along with most of the characters. But there is a payoff, in the high-stakes cat-and-mouse game between pirate Blackbeard (John Malkovich) and Tom Lowe (Richard Coyle), a British crown agent who represents law and order.
  5. Uncle Barky
    Reviewed by: Ed Bark
    May 29, 2014
    58
    All in all, Crossbones is about as believable as Casanova in a seminary. But there’s some fun to be had and some Malkovich to behold.
  6. Denver Post
    Reviewed by: Joanne Ostrow
    May 30, 2014
    50
    While it's enjoyable enough watching Malkovich sneer and gloat and threaten torture, the overall adventure isn't as enticing as recent frontier/mob/dirty-cop outings.
  7. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Emily VanDerWerff
    May 29, 2014
    50
    The show is worth watching once to sample what Malkovich is up to, but it ultimately suffers from not following his performance to its logical conclusion and making the whole series a completely bonkers Blackbeard experience.
  8. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Lori Rackl
    May 27, 2014
    50
    The only buoy that may keep you holding on week-to-week is the entertaining interplay between Blackbeard and honorable spy-surgeon Tom Lowe.
  9. People Weekly
    Reviewed by: Tom Gliatto
    May 22, 2014
    50
    Even this adventuresome idiosyncratic actor [Malkovich] doesn't seem to be having much fun. [2 Jun 2014, p.46]
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  10. Slate
    Reviewed by: Willa Paskin
    May 30, 2014
    40
    At certain moments, when Coyle and Malkovich banter about god, the devil, and England, Crossbones is almost the kicky fun it was meant to be.... But a few sentences later, Blackbeard returns to growling clichés.
  11. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    Reviewed by: Rob Owen
    May 27, 2014
    40
    Crossbones doesn’t offer compelling enough drama to complement its banal brutality.
  12. RogerEbert.com
    Reviewed by: Brian Tallerico
    May 27, 2014
    40
    Every time Crossbones threatens to completely disintegrate, Malkovich brings some of his talent to a show that doesn't really deserve it.

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Discussed TV Season of 2014

User Reviews

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User Score
7.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 55 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 55
  3. Negative: 9 out of 55
  1. Charlemagne
    Jun 2, 2014
    0
    Unwatchable show trying to leach the success of Black Sails. Where Black Sails attempts authenticity, this has hip looking people forcingUnwatchable show trying to leach the success of Black Sails. Where Black Sails attempts authenticity, this has hip looking people forcing cheerfulness during battles and people with modern trendy hairdos pursuing a sci-fi 'MacGuffin'. The show actually has techno-babble... in a pirate show! I can't believe how bad this is. Some marketeers thought they could cash in and no doubt thought spending serious money on Malkovich would cinch it. It even has an Eleanor knock off that looks and acts a lot like her. I cringe.… Full Review »
  2. Smee
    May 31, 2014
    0
    John Malkovich's acting is pathetic.He talks like wearing dinosaur dentures.So Pilot episode mad with limited funds and lousy script.CastingJohn Malkovich's acting is pathetic.He talks like wearing dinosaur dentures.So Pilot episode mad with limited funds and lousy script.Casting also pretty bad ,bunch of mediocre actors and actresses This can't out run Black sails tv series.It's a joke someone think they can make PG13 pirate TV series,without having sex violence and foul language.This will surely face axe after first season ,or highly doubtful that they may even air the shooted episodes in Season 1.… Full Review »
  3. BogKid
    May 31, 2014
    7
    First rate production values. Acting ranging from good to excellent. Malkovich's Blackbeard (more precisely Greybeard) draws its own newFirst rate production values. Acting ranging from good to excellent. Malkovich's Blackbeard (more precisely Greybeard) draws its own new picture of the villain with oddly likable characteristics. Some professional critics have said that the show (I've seen only the pilot) is not as much fun as it should be. I tend to agree with that, but there is enough fun compared with some of the current summer network/cable offerings to make it worthwhile watching. And, of course, there is Malkovich!… Full Review »
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