Raise the BLACK SAILS

Article first published as BLACK SAILS Review on Seat42F.

Starz’s BLACK SAILS, a prequel to Treasure Island, opens exactly how one would expect such a show to begin – with a high-octane battle on the high seas. It’s exciting, with lots of fighting and bloodshed, explosions and combat. Basically, it kicks things off as a pay-cable pirate program should, reeling in the viewers with a flashy sequence that will hook those tuning in for just such a scene.

Because this is Starz, there is gratuitous violence and nudity. However, it’s not so much so that it distracts from the story. Instead, it’s the sort of enhancement subscribers have become accustomed to, and are typically used in the correct manner, not being a hindrance to the writing.

Underneath that, there are real characters and story that unfold over the hour, titled “I.,” perhaps a reference to its literary roots. Captain Flint (Toby Stephens, Vexed) is the leader of this pirate ship. His reign is threatened by a man named Singleton (Anthony Bishop, District 9) when Flint’s power seems to waver, with smaller and small hauls. Flint’s right-hand-man, Gates (Mark Ryan, The Prestige), does his best to sway opinion back the other way, but it may be too late.

This struggle is best illustrated through the part of Billy Bones (Tom Hopper, Merlin), whose loyalty to Flint is wavering, but whom still accompanies him on a mission to see their business partner, Richard Guthrie (Sean Cameron Michael, This Life), offering protection and counsel. Billy wants to keep the faith in his superior, but because he thinks the captain has grown weak, he considers turning away. Yet, he’s noble enough to give Flint the chance to win back his authority.

BLACK SAILS is not a story of noble people, by and large, but there is a certain honor code among a number of the characters. Flint seems intelligent and has a legitimate beef against those who would make the rules. Viewers will root for him to succeed in his quest to become king of the pirates, even as that goes against the law of the land. I supposed any series starring pirates, though, must strive to make them likeable characters.

Somehow, the pirate myths have taken on an air of romanticism over the years. These were hard men, outlaws who would slit the throat of an innocent man to steal his treasure without batting an eye. But there’s also an attractive, rebellious quality, a hint that they might stand for something and are acting out for good reason. Plus, they seem to lead a life of fun, and so we cheer their accomplishments.

The character in BLACK SAILS I found hardest to like is the one with the familiar name recognition, John Silver (Luke Arnold, Winners & Losers). We know he’s a treacherous fellow with a selfish streak, someone who will earn Flint’s trust and fear. This dynamic is set up right away in “I.” for Silver, though Flint is barely aware of the younger man’s existence. It’ll be interesting to see when Silver makes his move and in what way.

The rest of the cast is packed with a variety of interesting parts. Captain Vane (Zach McGowan, Shameless) seems like the villain of the piece, at least in its first season, while the motivations of Rackham (Toby Schmitz, The Cookes), another pirate, are more murky. We have Mr. Scott (Hakeem Kae-Kizim, 24), who seems to act more important than he is, and Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New, El tiempo entre costuras), who may do the opposite.

Eleanor does feel like a stock character, the strong woman in an era that didn’t have many of those. Yet she also has a role to play that’s more than two dimensional. There are two other girls in the main cast, too, Max (Jessica Parker Kennedy, The Secret Circle) and Anny Bonny (Clara Paget, Fast & Furious 6), prostitutes with business acumen, who can be described the same way. The women in this show are not wasted or subservient when they don’t want to be, and whether they are historically accurate or not, they will be compelling parts.

There is a lack of suspense in the fates of certain characters because the story of Treasure Island takes place about twenty years after this starts, ensuring the survival of John Silver, Captain Flint, and Billy Bones. We also know this crew will eventually amass a large fortune, so their victory is guaranteed. That is, unless BLACK SAILS decides to toss out its source material and go in a completely original direction, which would be a refreshing surprise, sure to be delivered with great effect.

The challenges BLACK SAILS faces are the same as any prequel, admittedly, but the argument about being disappointed because the lack of stakes figures more prominently here than in other stories because it is such a dangerous tale. There is inherent risk to the pirate life, and we see people killed in the first hour alone. By removing any real threat to the lives of multiple main players, it waters down their story, as well as makes the other main characters more disposable, perhaps leading viewers to be less invested in those who aren’t around for Treasure Island.

Apart from these things, though, BLACK SAILS is an enjoyable and well-made show that I look forward to watching. Its characters and story are better developed than other recent Starz efforts, and the production looks terrific, using physical sets more than CGI (though there’s some of that, too), and building on a grand scale.

BLACK SAILS airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

Shameless still not blushing

Grade: 94%

Showtime’s SHAMLESS comes back this weekend with “El Gran Canon,” airing Sunday at 9 p.m. ET. While the Gallaghers may be the same old family they’ve always been, the stakes of season three have definitely been amped up, with real life-and-death danger threatening them all.

I refer, of course, to Steve / Jimmy’s (Justin Chatwin) father-in-law. Estefania’s (Stephanie Fantauzzi) dad blows into town, and, after watching Jimmy for awhile, takes him to Estefania’s apartment and murders Estefania’s boyfriend, Marco (Thierre Di Castro). Then he tells Jimmy that he expects him to watch out for Estefania, and keep his nose clean to avoid trouble with the law, meaning Jimmy will have to get a legitimate job.

Marco’s death is disturbing in that Jimmy is forced to witness it. But Marco is known to be abusive, so despite Estefania’s protests, it’s probably not a bad thing that he is dead.

The point of this really appears to be to put serious fear into Jimmy so that he will do what Estefania’s father wants him to do. This looks to be very effective. Jimmy is noticeably shaken, and while he would have probably helped out Estefania without the threats, he definitely will do his best now.

The thing that goes unspoken between Jimmy and his new “boss” is that Jimmy can continue to live with Fiona (Emmy Rossum) and her family, as long as he puts Estefania’s needs first when she needs him. This is all well and good for Jimmy, but the thing he should consider is, he is putting his new family, the Gallaghers, in danger by hanging around them. If Estefania’s father would kill Marco so callously to manipulate Jimmy, it is likely that he would not be above hurting one of the Gallagher children to continue to do so.

Fiona, for her part, remains oblivious, but she wants to be. As “El Gran Canon” begins, she is bored of Jimmy acting as the house mom, helping with the responsibility, seemingly being a normal, though not legal, husband. The danger presented by Estefania’s father’s surveillance of the house and Jimmy’s disappearance for a day excites her, and she’s soon hopping into the sack with him, whereas before, she made excuses to avoid sex.

Fiona has always seemed the normal, responsible member of the family. It’s a little disappointing when SHAMELESS reveals that she is not much better than the rest. Is her attraction to the danger around Jimmy a character flaw, or just a method to blow off steam? Either way, she is jeopardizing her charges, putting them at unnecessary risk.

Other than that, though, Fiona is doing good, finally moving up in the working world. She has a chance to do a promotion night at the club, and she hands over her last paycheck from a crappy job to do so. Her irresponsibility in not paying the property tax could come back to bite her in the butt, but hopefully, by then she will be making enough money to fix things. One can wish, anyway. At least she might be able to break even, and keep the status quo.

The rest of the Gallaghers are doing what they normally do. Lip (Jeremy Allen White) is getting into trouble with the law, misusing his formidable brains, but never far away from taking the right path. Ian (Cameron Monaghan) continues his affair with Jimmy’s dad, Lloyd (Harry Hamlin), though he is starting to pull away, a good decision, even if Ian may do it for the wrong reason.

Debbie (Emma Kenney), alone, has put her life on hold. Frank (William H. Macy) has been missing for over four months, and while the older children know enough now to worry about him, maybe even hope that he won’t return, Debbie prays at an altar set for Frank, and looks for him every day. It’s sad, knowing that she will be disappointed by her father soon enough. Yet, it’s cool that SHAMELESS lets us see a kid not yet cynical and spoiled by reality, the way the rest of the family is.

Frank is actually down in Mexico, without identification, unable to cross back into the United States after a really bad bender. While this could spell trouble for most, Frank is a conniving sleaze ball. It doesn’t take him long to find passage home, using his anal storage talents, and setting a record in the cocaine smuggling world. This is the comic relief of “El Gran Canon.”

While there is definitely real danger for many of the characters presented in this episode, it’s hard to believe that Frank will ever come to real harm. The good die young, but the bad don’t. Frank always stumbles into something to save himself. His family would be better off without him, but as Fiona promises Debbie, Frank will always find his way home.

Speaking of homes, Sheila (Joan Cusack) seems to be building one with Jody (Zach McGowan) and the baby. I wonder how long Sheila can possibly be happy with her daughter’s immature, hippy ex-boyfriend? At least Jody cares, and appears willing to take on the responsibility of fatherhood.

Lastly, Kevin (Steve Howey) and Veronica’s (Shanola Hampton) latest venture is performing racist, historical, live sex shows on the internet. It’s funny because it’s so wrong. The only complaint I have about this sequence is, how come their “fictional” sex is so much less raw and dirty than their real intercourse? This couple’s passion is renowned, but it’s not very evident here. However, maybe they think of this as a joke as much as viewers will, thus why they aren’t giving it their all.

Because the stakes have been raised, this season of SHAMELESS should grow in ways that will be exciting and feel fresh. Yet, the characters remain true to themselves at their core, bringing the same sensibilities they always have. “El Gran Canon” is a fitting season premiere, and is tantalizing enough to get fans pumped for the rest of the run.

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Article first posted on Seat42F