Critic Reviews
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With a series so well-anchored by these two men, the range of the ensemble in place to support them also happens to be a wealth of comedic riches. ... Here, too, lies an example of something that Our Flag Means Death pulls off so well: the blending of comedy and sincerity, especially between the type of people who are still trying to discover the truest versions of themselves.
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We recommend you stay for the voyage, because once the easy gags about a progressive pirate captain several fathoms out of his depth have all been used up, Our Flag Means Death charts a slightly different course. ... The relationship between Stede, the gentle man who wants to be a tough guy, and Blackbeard, the tough guy who wants to be a gentler man, is developed with surprising tenderness. There’s even an element of Mad Men’s fixation on how everyone wants something in their life.
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None of these characters proves an immediate standout, but they each become more amusing as we get to know them better, which bodes well for their voyage’s future. ... Darby and Waititi’s bonkers rapport is the mirthful wind in Our Flag Means Death’s sails, propelling it into ludicrous mismatched-buddy-comedy territory.
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Fine, funny, oddly sweet and surprisingly fact-based period comedy.
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Jenkins embraces a mishmash of genres for his ruminations on self-discovery, and what it means to find happiness through the unexpected. Season 1 doesn’t quite unearth buried treasure, but by the affecting finale, Our Flag Means Death charts its course in the right direction.
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In “Our Flag Means Death,” the farcical humor is more of the subtle, knowing variety than it is playing for big belly laughs.
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Cast dynamics have yet to coalesce, though the supporting players — especially Samson Kayo, Joel Fry, and Vico Ortiz — establish distinct, enticing personalities. For an ensemble workplace comedy, the HBO Max original comes out of the gate with a confidence befitting a much more seasoned series.
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Although Our Flag Means Death isn’t laugh-a-minute, it’s got a good-enough story to set up a unique workplace comedy. It may take a few episodes, but the funny stuff will come once the ensemble is well-established.
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The most interesting thing about “Our Flag Means Death” — if also what might disappoint fans hoping for something more patently ridiculous — becomes how it ends up more gently introspective than outright funny in its hunt for comic treasure.
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It is the chemistry between the two leads, who are old friends from New Zealand, that keeps this lark afloat.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 15 out of 25
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Mixed: 5 out of 25
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Negative: 5 out of 25
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Mar 3, 2022So unfunny and bland, i feel bad for the actors who had to carry such a lazy and dumb writing.
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Mar 10, 2022
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Jul 19, 2022