Created by David Jenkins, “Our Flags Means Death” is a period comedy series. It revolves around Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), a man from a wealthy landowning family, who leaves behind his wife, children and wealth and embraces the life of piracy. He even has a ship built and names it Revenge. However, as his crew discovers, he is a terrible pirate and an even worse captain. There is a significant possibility that he will have them all killed. If you like “Our Flag Means Death” and are interested in similar shows, here is a list of recommendations. You can watch most of these shows similar to “Our Flag Means Death” on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
7. Galavant (2015-2016)
While the short-lived ABC series “Galavant” has a fairly generic fantasy plot, its execution is refreshing and innovative. “Galavant” is part traditional fantasy, part comedy, part action-adventure, part musical. The series follows the eponymous knight who lost everything when the woman he loved was taken from him by the evil King Richard. Desperate to reclaim his destiny, Galavant embarks on a grand journey with his squire Sid and Princess Isabella “Izzy” Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia. “Our Flag Means Death” and “Galavant” parody more traditional shows of the respective genres, but their approach is pretty lighthearted.
6. Another period (2013-2018)
Created by and starring Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome, “Another Period” is a satirical series that revolves around sisters Lillian Abigail and Beatrice Bellacourt. Daughters of a wealthy fur trapper, Lillian and Beatrice are superficial, selfish and narcissistic. They’re meant to be parodies of not just the Kardashians, but various characters from shows like “Downton Abbey.” “Another Period” has a very straightforward approach to satire and almost never holds back its punches. What it has in common with “Our Flag Means Death” is that both use a historical setting to satirize certain aspects of modern society,
5. The Great (2020–)
“The Great” doesn’t care much about historical facts and has been described as “unhistorical”. It follows Catherine the Great as she comes to Russia to be the wife of Emperor Peter III. But circumstances change, prompting her to wrest control of the empire from her unstable husband. The complex relationship between the two protagonists develops over the course of the series, until they fall in love with each other in spite of themselves. Like “Our Flag Means Death” and most of the other entries on this list, “The Great” is a satire, and its narrative is known for using modern tropes to contextualize the comedy.
4. Black Viper (1982–1983)
Very few parody sitcoms have had as much impact as “Blackadder”, which is a series of four comedy shows. Each series is set in a different time period but still revolves around characters of the same name, Edmund Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson). During its original run, “Blackadder” served as a launch pad for several future stars, including Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. “Our Flag Means Death” is an integral part of the comic lore started by projects like “Blackadder.”
3. Black Sails (2014-2017)
Some of the historical figures that appear in “Our Flag Means Death” also appear in “Black Sails”. Both shows are set during the Golden Age of Piracy and set in and around the Caribbean. The Royal Navy of England is a major antagonist in both shows. “Black Sails” is the prequel to “Treasure Island”, the 1883 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson and focuses primarily on the voyage of James McGraw/Flint.
2. Stranger (2014–)
While “Outlander” is initially set in Scotland, the show expands and encompasses a larger world in recent seasons. In season 4, Stephen Bonnet (Edward Speleers) is introduced as an antagonist. Pirate and sociopath, Stephen was almost sacrificed at the age of 17. He has since made his living at sea. The show is based on the book series by Diana Gabaldon, who said Stephen may be an illegal descendant of Stede Bonnet, the historical figure who is the protagonist of “Our Flag Means Death”.
1. What We Do in the Shadows (2019–)
Created by Jemaine Clement, “What We Do in the Shadows” is set in the same world as the 2014 film of the same name and is the second consecutive TV series after “Wellington Paranormal.” “What We Do in the Shadows” tells the story of three traditional vampires and one spiritual vampire living on Staten Island in New York, depicting their eccentric personalities and hilarious interactions with the world around them. “Our Flags Means Death” and “What We Do in the Shadows” both have the same brand of nonsensical humor. Additionally, while the former is a parody of the pirate genre as a whole, the latter pokes fun at urban fantasies like the ‘Twilight’ series.
Read more: Where is Our Flag Means Death filmed?
