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Reviews
Los Espookys: El exorcismo (The Exorcism) (2018)
Glorious weird horror-comedy
Los Espookys is such a bizarre, fun, weird horror-comedy- I love it!
The story of a group of Horror-obsessed friends who decide to begin a group devoted to providing Bespoke Scares on a freelance basis.
The show is set in a candy-colored world where the supernatural is often as real as their Fake Horror set-pieces, which they orchestrate for wealthy and eccentric patrons. (A fake haunted house to scare potential inheritors away from a fortune? A fake sea monster to increase tourism? Hell yeah!)
The costumes, props, and bizarre situations are delightful, gorgeous, surreal, hilarious. This show is something special!
Our Flag Means Death: Wherever You Go, There You Are (2022)
Phenomenal, stirring, beautiful
"Wherever You Go, There You Are" is a beautiful, beautiful end to the first season of this gorgeous and unique story.
The title alone says so much about Stede's arc: he is running away from his life; from himself, to pursue adventure and glory... all the while desperately wanting love and belonging. In this episode he has to grow up, and to face the cold truth that... well... "Wherever you go, there you are."
He can't run from himself, and he comes to grips with this bitter truth and completes an astonishing transformation in which he... well, you've got to watch it!! But it's SUCH a satisfying and exciting conclusion to his season 1 arc: this man grew and changed so much, and the show sets up a tantalizing cliffhanger leading into Season 2.
I cannot express how much I love this show, and how beautiful it is: funny, compassionate, warm-hearted, hilarious, thrilling, and queer.
Our Flag Means Death: Act of Grace (2022)
Beautiful, poignant, emotionally devastating
"Act of Grace" marks another huge shift in the tone of the show, as our heroes face grave losses and an emotionally devastating betrayal.
There are plenty of hilarious moments throughout, but the drama is on a different level now as the circumstances worsen, and Stede and Edward are forced to make impossible choices.
The twist ending, and the emotional torment that occur in the last half are startling-
I am so invested in these characters and their relationships, that I honestly felt like it was ME going through the pain of the last few minutes of this episode. I had to do some laps to get right after watching this episode; it was that serious!
Our Flag Means Death: We Gull Way Back (2022)
Chaos, hijinks, and a vengeful seagull
Now THIS episode is a bacchanal of chaos and hijinks.
Will Arnett is amazing, and barely-recognizable, as Calico Jack, a former crew-mate of Blackbeard's. He comes in like a cyclone and throws the status quo aboard the ship into disarray and chaos, forcing Stede and Edward both to take a stand.
This episode is so absurd in many (hilarious) ways, but packs a real emotional gut-punch for me because of how REAL Jack feels-- that old friend who is "the life of the party," but who bullies and belittles you, and views your achievements in the light of "What, you think you're better than me now? You've changed..."
An amazing episode that marks the beginning of the disaster that will unfold over the remaining two.
Our Flag Means Death: This Is Happening (2022)
Warm, poignant, hilarious
Now THIS is a legendary episode of television!
Hilarious! The charming adventure in this ep has an A-plot and B-plot that come together at the end in the show's signature mix of warmth, joy, and humor, mixed with melancholic sadness.
And underneath it all is an ever-greater suspense and danger drawing ever-closer to our heroes (unbeknownst to them)!
This episode reveals the tragic origin story of one of our main characters, and explains their epic quest for revenge (while furthering the show's meditation on the very concepts of violence and revenge), and has several absolutely beautiful and heartwarming moments of romance and love.
Our Flag Means Death: The Art of F**kery (2022)
Such a lovable and fun ride
The Art of Fuckery is perfection from beginning to end-
The action and foreshadowing are set up from the jump, and come together in delightful and surprising ways by the end of the episode.
As always, the show mixes an absurdity and hilarity with poignant and moving moments, an underlying uneasy suspense, and then tops it all off with thrilling action that makes the heart soar.
This show puts me in the mind of something like "The Princess Bride;" Joyous and anarchic and silly and able to bring you to tears of joy and emotion.
I love this episode for its playful and ridiculous concept, and the joy of all the characters getting to play and celebrate together.
Our Flag Means Death: The Best Revenge Is Dressing Well (2022)
Chaotic fun and touching drama
The Best Revenge is Dressing Well! What can I say? The absolute genius of the two complimentary plot lines which come together in the end, and the multiple levels on which the story is working!!
Without giving away too much, this episode deals with the topics of identity, race, sexuality and class as our main characters attempt to "mingle" with white aristocracy in the 1700s.
There is a LOT going on, and the layers of meaning and commentary that is present in such a rollicking comedic episode blows me away.
This episode is also the start of the main romance of the series, which is gentle and sweet, and wholly unexpected.
Our Flag Means Death: Discomfort in a Married State (2022)
This episode is when I knew this series was something special
"Discomfort in a Married State" is when when I realized that this show had something really SPECIAL and unique about it.
The episode combines the show's signature absurd and witty comedy with real dread and suspense, as enemies close in around our heroes, and we aren't sure WHO is an enemy and who is a friend.
The action and adventure in this episode are absolutely THRILLING, and everything from the costumes, to the acting, to the set design, to the music, is gorgeous.
Screenwriter Eliza Jiménez Cossio absolutely knocked this episode out of the park... out of the atmosphere!
Before this episode, I loved Our Flag Means Death for its humor, its characters, and the breezy adventure... after this episode I was absolutely HOOKED.
Our Flag Means Death: A Gentleman Pirate (2022)
The stakes get higher for the Gentleman Pirate!
Our Flag Means Death has The Range!
This episode is absurd and silly in all the best ways, and has some absolutely hilarious lines and memorable scenarios.
At the same time, episode three takes a shocking turn as the stakes become REAL for our heroes, and as a new character is introduced who will dramatically change the trajectory and the tone of the show.
No spoilers, but looking back at Episode 1, 2, and 3, it is astonishing to me that the writers were so confident in their story, and so trusting of the audience, that they only introduced the co-star of the show in episode 3-- choosing to establish the ensemble crew and setup the comedy before REALLY getting off to the races on the adventure and drama aspects of the show.
Our Flag Means Death: A Damned Man (2022)
Hilarious and adventurous fun
An action packed and hilarious caper, the second episode of the series is such a FUN and satisfying adventure for those of us who love a good time swashbuckling and Odysseus-like outsmarting of stronger-than-you foes.
In "A Damned Man," Stede deals with the fallout from episode 1, while (as always) trying to prove himself as a pirate captain to his dubious crew.
Our Flag Means Death establishes its anti-colonial and anti-racist point of view, deftly subvert common racist tropes common in other, similar Adventure/Pirate Genre stories.
This episode contains some of my favorite back-and-forth banter between the crew members, who are constantly arguing about what "Real Pirates" do or don't do...
And we see the chain of events begin which will lead to the heart of the story.
Our Flag Means Death: Pilot (2022)
Hilarious, fast-paced, with deep emotional warmth
The first episode of Our Flag Means Death starts with a bang. We are introduced to a cast of hilarious and eccentric characters quickly. After a few scenes of silly and light-hearted "Pirate Workplace Comedy" fun, the suspense and action are ramped up to a deadly no-turning-back point, while establishing heavy emotional stakes for the protagonist.
The pilot establishes the tone of the entire show, which is dizzying in the RANGE of emotion and tone it deftly encompasses. We know that we are in for an absurd comedy-adventure with ridiculous settings, slapstick humor, and gleefully violent action... and we know that the characters, for all their initial dislike, are on a course to become family.
...At the same time, the show takes the emotional depth of the characters with complete seriousness and compassion, and I find myself laughing, crying, and feeling the wistful longing of Stede as he sails into his dream of an adventurous Pirate's life.
Rhys Darby gives the clueless Stede Bonnet a warmth, humor, sincerity, and loveableness that is impossible to resist, as much as the character might exasperate everyone around him, and the ensemble cast is BRILLIANT, with comedic perfection from each of the motley crew of pirates (and the genuinely frightening villain, played by Rory Kinnear.)
The beginning of this incredibly unique and special comedy is confident and masterful from the start.
Our Flag Means Death (2022)
AMAZING
It's SO GOOD!!
The show is hilarious, weird, and ridiculous, with genuinely thrilling action and adventure, brilliant plots, and wonderful characters...
...and it was also poignant, meaningful, and heartbreaking to a degree that completely knocked me out
Multiple gay & non-binary characters existing, being hilarious and interesting and multi-faceted... and to have those stories and relationships centered in an adventure setting...
Man... it HEALED something in me- it felt SO amazing to see.
Honestly, it really floored me; I've never seen anything quite like it.
Do yourself a favor and go in spoiler-free; it's so delightful to watch unfold, and I'm craving season 2.