one of the newer arrivals worth your time, Our Flag Means Death is currently streaming in Australia on Foxtel Now and HBO Max, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV with a 8/10 audience score that speaks for itself. 18 episodes — the right length to tell the story it is telling. Television that earns its era label is rarer than the number of shows attempting it suggests — most of what gets called prestige TV is really just expensive TV. Our Flag Means Death is one of the genuine examples: the craft is there in the writing, the performances, and the way it handles its subject matter. Rhys Darby's involvement signals the kind of production that attracts serious talent and uses it properly. Available now on streaming — no excuses left for not watching it.

Part of the current wave of streaming-era originals, Our Flag Means Death follows a path that stands out in a crowded field. After trading in the seemingly charmed life of a gentleman for one of a swashbuckling buccaneer, Stede Bonnet becomes captain of the pirate ship Revenge. Struggling to earn the respect of his potentially mutinous crew, Stede’s fortunes change after a fateful run-in with the infamous Captain Blackbeard. Stede and crew attempt to get their ship together and survive life on the high seas. Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. The series ran for 2 seasons (2022–2023), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Our Flag Means Death holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-season curiosities.

The kind of show you put on in the background and find yourself actually paying attention to. It earns every laugh across its entire run — no coasting on goodwill. The comedy comes from character rather than situation, which means it holds up on rewatch in a way that pure farce never does. Rhys Darby sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. If Black Sails is already in your rotation, Our Flag Means Death fits naturally alongside it.