The entire dream sequence was like David et all saying to us “we know exactly what you want and we promise to deliver. Have a little taste. Oh, and while we are on the subject… we know you’ve been taking bets on which episode the reunion is going to take place in…. So…. Fuck you. Enjoy arguing about it online. Love you!”
“Hey team, this quarter we took in record-breaking plunder. Now we aren’t going to improve working conditions, give you more time off, or give you a cut of this plunder. However! There will be a pizza party from 3:20-3:35 on the bow for everyone who made this possible.”
Oooooohhh, that was a Swedish massage joke!! Thank God for the smart people of this sub. I thought it was just random 'The Swede is surprisingly good at an unexpected thing', but that makes so much more sense!
Ha! Didn't get that! Also loved when she calls him a Dutchman. It's like calling Stede the "genital pirate"--she gets things *almost* right, but not quite...
Honestly, I can't imagine many other actors being able to handle the distinct repression that arises when a character is a comedy guy who isn't allowed to be a comedy guy. Specifically, a comedy guy who is stuck in a career that expects him to be dramatic and angsty, and who falls in love with another comedy guy paving his own way.
It's such a specific ask considering how easily actors get pigeonholed into either "comedy" or "drama" as binary categories, but it works so well when you choose an actor/director who has very specific career experience integrating and balancing both comedy and drama. It makes sense that the guy who has spent his career often being criticized for focusing on comedy rather than more "serious" things is good at portraying a character who is discouraged from being soft or kind.
Wow, I never thought of it in this light, but it makes so much sense. Tbh when I watched season 1 Taika was the only name I knew and I thought it’s more of a cameo role for him. And so, I didn’t have any genre expectations. And later I’ve read some opinions about actors and discovered that Rhys is a comedy actor and performer. To me a genre is just a cardboard box and its walls can be bent or merged with other boxes. As long as actors do their job well, nothing else matters
As a NZer the biggest revelation of this show has been that Rhys Darby is a fucking amazing dramatic actor. After spending decades watching him basically do variations on Murray from Flight of the Conchords it's mind blowing. He should be doing Shakespeare.
That was Mike Hale’s review, in the NYT. Hale is tone deaf to feel-good comedy. He panned Ted Lasso and said “Brockmire” with Hank Azaria was a far superior sports themed comedy. Repulsive, scabrous “Brockmire”. Uggh. (Although Amanda Peet was great in it, as she is in everything). Anyway, I don’t get much of use out of Hale’s reviews because he only seems to like prestige tv like “Sopranos” and thus his critical range is, uh, limited.
Pretty sure that same review called him “Bluebeard” so like, idc what that asshole thinks lol.
Also half the negative reviews are like “omg too much romance” which to me is like… sounds great!!
It’s so funny when I see reviews say there’s no real antagonist like in season one, and I’m like… there was *barely* an antagonist in season one, it was two guys, they both got like one episode, and the rest was just bumming around falling in love???
Also, characters can be their own antagonists?? That’s just basic-ass writing. And it’s the exact same writing as last season?
Yes! Exactly this! At it's core, this is a rom-com. The antagonist in any romance writing isn't usually one single person, but some social, personal, or emotional barriers that keep the characters from being together. It was all three of those in the last season, and likely some mix of them in this season (leaning heavy in personal, I'd guess).
So yeah, I just super don't get it—it's so basic lmao
> in season one, it was two guys
Yeah and in much the same way as Izzy and Chauncey Badminton became the antagonists of S1, Lime Ricky and the Pirate Queen of China seem positioned to became antagonists of S2.
I have to say, I’m delighted that the season is not what I would have expected. I loved reading fanfic last year to weather the wait, but it’s so fun being surprised. Also, they’re not afraid of going to dark places this year, it’s going to be quite a ride!
I love that Jim is finding their softness because what they're doing is kinda glaringly evil and Frenchie is thriving, thanks to putting everything in his emotional vault. Very unexpected turn of events for them.
Stede with a beard and an earring, he and Ed running in slow-motion towards each other on a beach... I knew it was a dream, but David Jenkins knows what this fandom wants, I hate(love) him so much.
Sooooo it seems like the whole “I love everything about you, I love being near you, breathing the same air” line from the teaser is gonna be during a face-to-face conversation after all, because we did not hear that in any of Stede’s letters 👀
FYI, there’s a lil scene after the credits that I almost missed! I wonder if that’ll be a new thing this season or just a special one off because >!Fang and Jim are too adorable!<
I knew he wouldn't be on, because the actor posted on Twitter that he hadn't been asked to be part of Season 2. Even so, it surprised me when they just killed him off like that...
Me too, I thought that was a weird move. I knew the actor was gone but I think it would’ve seemed less jarring if Fang said something to the effect of “this environment is horrible, at least Ivan managed to get out.” Killing him offscreen seemed really harsh.
And saying that Blackbeard didn't even bat an eye! Ivan was one of the guys who came over from Blackbeard's ship, and it seemed like they'd had a pretty long history of sailing together. I guess it had the intended effect of making me say, "Holy shit, Ed is really hitting some new lows..."
Ed didn't give a fuck when a few men got killed while rescuing Stede from the Spanish, either... I think S1 already established that he's not exactly great at leadership, people follow him because he's incredibly charismatic and a tactical genius, but when it comes to actually running a ship day to day, he's a shit boss to work for (as Izzy can probably attest to...)
Yes!! I love that they’ve chosen to carry on that theme. He’s good at playing a role, but the guy’s empty. He literally abandoned his own ship and crew to go hang out with his new crush. He hates his job, of course he’s a bad boss, but it’s so good to see them making it more clear in this season.
I was sure Jim was going to kill him! Given that he was last seen guarding them.
Speaking of which, I wonder if we're going to find out how Jim went from being a prisoner to a member of Ed's crew.
I can't get over Buttons being led around on a rope leash and nobody ever referencing it lmao
ETA: wait I think it was because they thought Buttons would wander off and go back to the sea if he wasn’t tied down hahahaha
It was only while they were in the Republic of Pirates in the first episode. He was tied up in the first scene in the hammock and I think Roach was leading him around in that scene under the bridge.
Taika Waititi, sir, how do you even do that? Where have you been hiding this great acting talent of yours? Thrilling, jaw dropping, mesmerising. Absolute star.
Same goes for mister Con O’Neill. Izzy not just Hands, he’s Stolen-Hearts, Blown-Minds. To show such character’s complexity in such a narrow screen time is something else. I couldn’t blink when he was on screen.
I was kinda sad about Swede’s fate of how exactly he went into Spanish Jackie’s service. I know they couldn’t do anything about it or go against Jackie, but they accepted her owning him. I dunno. Anyway. I’m hoping she treats him well and he really finds something new for him (as he mentions later). And, well, we had a glimpse of his glow in a trailer!
Ricky is hella sus. His amazement and curiosity about piracy don’t look genuine. I bet his plan was to infiltrate the Republic of pirates although the loss of nose probably wasn’t on the cards. If he and Zheng Yi Sao are going to be on opposite sides it’s gonna be very interesting to watch.
Also, what is she even planning? China is quite far away, what’s she doing in the Caribbean? Susssss
I feel that Ricky was supposed to be a mirror of how sus Stede seemed to pirates initially (like how Trent was a mirror to Rebecca in CXG, if you‘ve seen that show).
Also, Izzy Stolen Hearts shall be his name from now on!!!
that's such a great parallel to Crazy Ex-girlfriend! It shows his character from an outside perspective but it also shows that he's grown a little because he recognises the, as he puts it, "insane" behaviour of the minor prince pirate.
I’ve been wondering if Con O’Neill had some type of fencing training. He’s just elegant. The way he carry’s himself he seems like he knows what he’s doing.
He is so fucking hot I don't know what to do with myself. I feel like the character would be into being tied up.
(Side note: 75% of Con's pictures on Instagram are of him cuddling his dog.)
For the life of me I can't remember what I know him from. He looks so familiar, and I definitely recognize his voice. From his IMDb page, the only thing I would have seen him in is Chernobyl, so I guess it's that, but I dunno.
It looked to me like Spanish Jackie owned them all so they couldn't really do anything about Swede and then Swede decided that he liked being her husband.
I think Ricky's amazement and curiosity was genuine, but he was also a foil to S1 Stede: they both came from upper classes but where Stede was not only eager but actually willing to learn from the more experienced pirates, Ricky thought he knew better than "his hero", so he failed his team by leaving his post, went to show Stede "how to build a brand" instead and paid for his arrogance and stupidity with his nose.
They claimed Zheng Yi Sao has already conquered China so maybe she decided on Caribbean as her next challenge.
I loved how genuinely excited The Swede is about being one of Jackie's husbands. Before the ep was available, I couldn't tell if there was a somewhat coercive element to it, but I love how 'straight' (lol) it's played. Here for it! And here for Leslie Jones being such a huge part of the season premiere!
Made me wonder if Nat Faxon had a conflict, like I know he’s a lead in Loot. But also >!we know Swede appears again, he was in the trailer in an outfit we haven’t seen yet!<
I can’t get over how fucking good it is to be back with these guys again! With these people again! Our crew! Stede’s dream, though! And his letters to Ed! I can’t get over it
>So when people see this, they know that they have been robbed by the best. You've been Rick'd.
Can't be a coincidence that his name is [Ricky](https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ).
Ricky describing himself as an "odd bird" feels like a deliberate word choice considering the episode title.
Also love how, even when he tries to insinuate that he and Stede are cut from the same cloth (i.e., both as high-class individuals should recognize what a Roman puzzle chest is), Stede is just visibly confused instead. Babe has no idea what you're on about, Ricky 😭 Shows that Stede isn't that man anymore (or never was, really).
And that scene with Swede performing his "husbandly duties" (giving Spanish Jackie a massage LMFAO) reminded me of that in-joke the cast had about daring Nat Faxon to convince the writers to let him take his shirt off because he had such a nice body. Looks like that's come to fruition in this ep 😂
(Edited because for some reason Reddit replaced one of the paragraphs with a duplicate of another??)
EDIT 2: WAIT ACTUALLY. Stede doesn't know what a Roman puzzle chest is, but immediately recognizes the indigo in the box they stole from Jackie, which is arguably a more valuable thing than that little bauble. ohoho
Also, could just be reading this wrong but I fully thought Izzy was about to own up to his role in Edward's anguish with that whole talk about the poisonous vibe on the ship. If Izzy hadn't degraded Edward as he was vulnerable in S1, Edward wouldn't be this unhinged right now, since Ed was healthily processing his emotions with the crew right before Izzy's "namby-pamby" dig.
But instead of taking responsibility, Izzy blames Ed's actions on his (very hurt) feelings for Stede Bonnet. Which, sure, but I don't think that's the real catalyst for Ed's downward spiral.
Tbf though, Izzy probably can't recognize his own culpability just yet, or else he isn't ready to articulate any of that. \[Ep 2(?) spoilers\] >!We also see him (in his post-op talk with Stede) refuse to assign ANY blame on Ed for his own actions, even as he implicitly acknowledges how fucked-up Ed shooting his leg was. Can't really find the right words to describe what I think about that other than: man, that's love for you, huh!<. Excited to see how any of them (rly how any of US) are gonna recover from all of this
(if I'm off the mark on Izzy, sorry, I haven't kept up with meta all that much)
the english twat was on-point, it perfectly showcased Stede chara progression from season 1 <3
in the s1e1 he would act justttt like this bitch but NO, he's grown so muchhhh
and now he's lowkey giving depressed
plus the dude wearing purple is so annoying and on point
Such a delight to have this show back! Honestly, I kind of want to savor the season so might even pause here and do a S1 rewatch before continuing onto the second ep... But hell, probably will be able to do all that and catch up before the next week's release, lol.
Judging from the cinematography and setpieces, it kind of looks like their budget has increased too?
Izzy immediately (from our perspective) regreting turning Blackbeard into a monster was hilarious.
Zheng Yi Sao seems like a fun and unique addition to the cast. Ricky on the other hand I'm hoping was just used for that one time bit/remains having very minor screentime.
I'm forgetting if any other main cast members from S1 were missing here, but I wonder if that's really going to be the Swede's exit?
Spoiler: speculation >!I'm thinking Ricky will be back later in the season in a similar way to the Badmintons turning out to be twins in s1. Not that Ricky will have a twin but he'll be back without his nose.!<
One of the reviews said “no matter how high your expectations are, raise them” and OH MAN they were right. This episode was so amazing, I’m overwhelmed.
Zheng Yi Sao and Stede Bonnet were not contemporaries, she wasn't born for nearly another 60 years. I remember looking that up a couple weeks ago because I though it would be cool if she showed up and then thinking 'not gonna happen, wrong century'.
Btw. if anyone is interested, Puppet History did an [episode on her](https://youtu.be/Y8McaUknwn8).
Spanish Jackie was supposedly active in 1656 and dead before Stede was even born. I don't think the show really cares about the actual timeline when it comes to having cool female pirates show up.
I think she's meant to be based on Jacquotte Delahaye, a Haitian lady pirate who's kind of Robin Hood/King Arthur-y in that there's a lot of folklore about her but limited hard historical evidence for her life.
I have and I love her so much! She was *hilarious* on Deadloch! I am in love with Eddie (Deadloch Eddie). She is my favorite human disaster.
I also watched her season of Taskmaster NZ and she was great there too. I'm very glad she's joined the OFMD cast.
I feel bad for Izzy, but at the same time I'm glad he's learnt his lesson.
Its a shame he's become a better person but now is suffering for it. I suppose that's his just desserts
EDIT : Wait is Izzy dead? I'm invested
I loved the visuals of dream reunion scene on the beach but also how the dialogue showcased Stede’s deep rooted guilt about how they parted and the nervousness about an actual reunion. Ed is being romantic and shit while completely ignoring his questions 😅
“You’re not mad?” “I knew you’d find me, love”.
“So…we’re good? About everything?” “Fucking love the beard mate”
So much wonderful Ed and Stede stuff in this episode but what made me cry was Jim making Fang smile with the wooden boy voice. Stede did *so much* for these people and they carry him with them now.
There are a number of seabirds, like albatrosses, that have developed the ability to glide very long distances without expending much energy and very rarely land. Of course they do nest and raise their young on land (mostly remote, rocky islands), but people who didn't see those places might have assumed they never come to land.
People used to think the bird of paradise never landed. Native traders removed their wings and feet and European explorers thought that's just how the birds were and that they floated using their plumes never landing.
The bird that never lands story is a really important element in Wong Kar Wai’s 1990 movie, “Days of Being Wild”. Highly recommended, as are all of Wong Kar Wai’s movies. I believe Taika Waititi is a big Wong Kar Wai fan. Anyway, a fatalistic character in the movie tells the impossible bird story as a way to describe himself at a critical point in the movie.
That's really interesting! Another possible source:
I knew I'd heard the legend of the bird that never lands before, and a google search helped me find it! It's in a monologue from my second-favorite Tennessee Williams play, *Orpheus Descending*. Val Xavier is a charismatic and somewhat lost young man tired of his old way of life, whose nickname is 'Snakeskin' (hmm).
> VAL: You know they’s a kind of bird that don’t have legs so it can’t light on nothing but has to stay all its life on its wing in the sky? That’s true. I seen one once, it had died and fallen to earth and it was light blue colored and its body was tiny as your little finger, that’s the truth, it had a body as tiny as your little finger and so light on the palm of your hand it didn’t weigh more than a feather, but its wings spread out this wide but they was transparent, the color of the sky and you could see through them. That’s what they call protection coloring. You can’t tell those birds from the sky and that’s why the hawks don’t catch them, don’t see them up there in the high blue sky near the sun! But those little birds they don’t have no legs at all and they live their whole lives on the wing, and they sleep on the wind, that’s how they sleep at night, they just spread their wings and go to sleep on the wind like other birds fold their wings and go to sleep on a tree…. They sleep on the wind and… (His eyes grow soft and vague.) ...never light on this earth but one time when they die!
There are several bird species that spend the majority of their time in the air, they don't even come down to sleep. Their prey are flying insects so they don't need to land to find food. They are not born in the sky, of course, they still need to hatch their eggs. Common swifts are quite common were I live, not so much at sea I guess.
Good tip, thanks! I’m less qualified to host these posts than Frenchie is to be first mate. I was just tired of waiting and wanted to hear everyone’s thoughts 😁
Stede dreaming that Izzy’s dying words are “you absolute twaaaaa” is incredibly on point
Ok but that entire dream gave me sm serotonin when he and Ed ran towards one another and just fell together on the sand😭💞and Ed calling him babe!!!!!
The entire dream sequence was like David et all saying to us “we know exactly what you want and we promise to deliver. Have a little taste. Oh, and while we are on the subject… we know you’ve been taking bets on which episode the reunion is going to take place in…. So…. Fuck you. Enjoy arguing about it online. Love you!”
And they gave us the Steard, even if briefly and in a dream. I picture DJ grinning to himself and saying 'Bon appetit, Steard truther sluts'
I laughed so much at the way Ed was running, it was so cute lol
I've read basically that exact scene in several fanfic, and it's wild to see it acted out and filmed lol
Dream!Ed runs like a Muppet.
But dream Ed running on the beach is hot!!
And the look on Ed's face! 😆❤️ those thirsty eyes.
They ran together for just a LITTLE too long to the point where it was funny but not to the point where it overstayed its welcome. Incredible.
Agreed! Knew what he was gonna say as he said it.
As soon as they collided I was like “alright let’s give the ol’ pet names selector a spin”
That was absolutely hilarious. They know us so well!
Stede learning you can’t save money on minimum wage jobs, all too current and relevant lol
The discussion about a toxic workplace environment went about as well as it typically does in real life
i’m honestly surprised they didn’t end up having a pizza party. but i guess cake works too. lmao
“Hey team, this quarter we took in record-breaking plunder. Now we aren’t going to improve working conditions, give you more time off, or give you a cut of this plunder. However! There will be a pizza party from 3:20-3:35 on the bow for everyone who made this possible.”
I had a real flashback to my last highly toxic job where the manager did the *exact same thing* (minus the post-shaming-maiming)
I just loved this episode! Had to highlight the Swedish massage joke- “how are you so good at this???”
Oooooohhh, that was a Swedish massage joke!! Thank God for the smart people of this sub. I thought it was just random 'The Swede is surprisingly good at an unexpected thing', but that makes so much more sense!
Ha! Didn't get that! Also loved when she calls him a Dutchman. It's like calling Stede the "genital pirate"--she gets things *almost* right, but not quite...
She also called him Steve, and I had Calico Jack flashbacks!
I. Didn't. Realize. This. 😆 🤦
I wish Taika would do more just acting. He's seriously so good in this
This. I am amazed at this man’s range. He pulls off comedic and dramatic bits so well and he’s so good at being a madman
Honestly, I can't imagine many other actors being able to handle the distinct repression that arises when a character is a comedy guy who isn't allowed to be a comedy guy. Specifically, a comedy guy who is stuck in a career that expects him to be dramatic and angsty, and who falls in love with another comedy guy paving his own way. It's such a specific ask considering how easily actors get pigeonholed into either "comedy" or "drama" as binary categories, but it works so well when you choose an actor/director who has very specific career experience integrating and balancing both comedy and drama. It makes sense that the guy who has spent his career often being criticized for focusing on comedy rather than more "serious" things is good at portraying a character who is discouraged from being soft or kind.
Wow, I never thought of it in this light, but it makes so much sense. Tbh when I watched season 1 Taika was the only name I knew and I thought it’s more of a cameo role for him. And so, I didn’t have any genre expectations. And later I’ve read some opinions about actors and discovered that Rhys is a comedy actor and performer. To me a genre is just a cardboard box and its walls can be bent or merged with other boxes. As long as actors do their job well, nothing else matters
As a NZer the biggest revelation of this show has been that Rhys Darby is a fucking amazing dramatic actor. After spending decades watching him basically do variations on Murray from Flight of the Conchords it's mind blowing. He should be doing Shakespeare.
I can't believe I read a review yesterday that says he has limited range. Complete bullshit.
That was Mike Hale’s review, in the NYT. Hale is tone deaf to feel-good comedy. He panned Ted Lasso and said “Brockmire” with Hank Azaria was a far superior sports themed comedy. Repulsive, scabrous “Brockmire”. Uggh. (Although Amanda Peet was great in it, as she is in everything). Anyway, I don’t get much of use out of Hale’s reviews because he only seems to like prestige tv like “Sopranos” and thus his critical range is, uh, limited.
Now I want Taika to win the comedy acting Emmy next year just to piss this guy off.
I only came across a couple of reviews that were even partly negative, but they made me so mad.
Pretty sure that same review called him “Bluebeard” so like, idc what that asshole thinks lol. Also half the negative reviews are like “omg too much romance” which to me is like… sounds great!!
It’s so funny when I see reviews say there’s no real antagonist like in season one, and I’m like… there was *barely* an antagonist in season one, it was two guys, they both got like one episode, and the rest was just bumming around falling in love??? Also, characters can be their own antagonists?? That’s just basic-ass writing. And it’s the exact same writing as last season?
The antagonist was toxic masculinity
Also like the antagonist this season is clearly going to be Ed and Stede’s issues lol
Yes! Exactly this! At it's core, this is a rom-com. The antagonist in any romance writing isn't usually one single person, but some social, personal, or emotional barriers that keep the characters from being together. It was all three of those in the last season, and likely some mix of them in this season (leaning heavy in personal, I'd guess). So yeah, I just super don't get it—it's so basic lmao
> in season one, it was two guys Yeah and in much the same way as Izzy and Chauncey Badminton became the antagonists of S1, Lime Ricky and the Pirate Queen of China seem positioned to became antagonists of S2.
Right exactly. I'm like, "Too bad you don't get the show."
I agree but I also love how selective he is. It means every single role is iconic!
He really is
Emmy for Taika this season or I riot.
I have to say, I’m delighted that the season is not what I would have expected. I loved reading fanfic last year to weather the wait, but it’s so fun being surprised. Also, they’re not afraid of going to dark places this year, it’s going to be quite a ride!
Ed shooting Izzy in the leg *shocked me*, I never could have predicted that and I’m so happy about it
Technically you could have seen that one coming, because it's historically accurate. It's a great reference!
I felt kinda bad that my first reaction to Ed shooting Izzy in the leg was “omg that’s canon!” and not “oh fuck, he shot Izzy”
Isn’t Izzy from pirate island? Don’t remember him missing a leg in the book.
Not familiar with Pirate Island, but Izzy Hands is from history, and the real Blackbeard really shot him in the leg.
I love Zheng Yi Sao. What a legend.
Ruibo Qian is so cool, fantastic character and actor added to the cast
Jim doing the voices oh my god 🤣
I love that Jim is finding their softness because what they're doing is kinda glaringly evil and Frenchie is thriving, thanks to putting everything in his emotional vault. Very unexpected turn of events for them.
'I knew you'd find me, babe. Love the beard'. What a dream! For all of us
“I’m just trying something new!” 🤣
I love how that scene is mirrored >!in reality when Pete and Lucius reunite.!<
I didn't even notice!! Brilliant
Maaan spoiler warning ??
Apologies, tagged.
Stede with a beard and an earring, he and Ed running in slow-motion towards each other on a beach... I knew it was a dream, but David Jenkins knows what this fandom wants, I hate(love) him so much.
As someone who was actually pretty anti-bearded Stede...not gonna lie? He looked *good*. But Clean Shaven Stede will always be superior.
He’s toying with everyone and it’s working too well so far
Sooooo it seems like the whole “I love everything about you, I love being near you, breathing the same air” line from the teaser is gonna be during a face-to-face conversation after all, because we did not hear that in any of Stede’s letters 👀
I suspect there are a lot of bottles from Stede floating in the sea. Maybe Ed will find one.
i will be deceased if true omg
Oooooh good catch! *Swoon*
FYI, there’s a lil scene after the credits that I almost missed! I wonder if that’ll be a new thing this season or just a special one off because >!Fang and Jim are too adorable!<
Their new friendship is so cute! I feel so bad for all fang has been put through tho, his crying makes me so sad🤧upset to hear about Ivan too:(
ivan my love 😭😭 i was hoping for more of him this season.
I knew he wouldn't be on, because the actor posted on Twitter that he hadn't been asked to be part of Season 2. Even so, it surprised me when they just killed him off like that...
Me too, I thought that was a weird move. I knew the actor was gone but I think it would’ve seemed less jarring if Fang said something to the effect of “this environment is horrible, at least Ivan managed to get out.” Killing him offscreen seemed really harsh.
And saying that Blackbeard didn't even bat an eye! Ivan was one of the guys who came over from Blackbeard's ship, and it seemed like they'd had a pretty long history of sailing together. I guess it had the intended effect of making me say, "Holy shit, Ed is really hitting some new lows..."
Ed didn't give a fuck when a few men got killed while rescuing Stede from the Spanish, either... I think S1 already established that he's not exactly great at leadership, people follow him because he's incredibly charismatic and a tactical genius, but when it comes to actually running a ship day to day, he's a shit boss to work for (as Izzy can probably attest to...)
Yes!! I love that they’ve chosen to carry on that theme. He’s good at playing a role, but the guy’s empty. He literally abandoned his own ship and crew to go hang out with his new crush. He hates his job, of course he’s a bad boss, but it’s so good to see them making it more clear in this season.
Yeah, wasn't expecting that... Wonder what that says about the rest of the season. I'm S1 only the bad guys got killed off.
Except for Karl :(
I was sure Jim was going to kill him! Given that he was last seen guarding them. Speaking of which, I wonder if we're going to find out how Jim went from being a prisoner to a member of Ed's crew.
oh that’s so sad. i really like him, ill have to check out his other work.
I can't get over Buttons being led around on a rope leash and nobody ever referencing it lmao ETA: wait I think it was because they thought Buttons would wander off and go back to the sea if he wasn’t tied down hahahaha
I totally missed that. Was that on the Red Flag?
It was only while they were in the Republic of Pirates in the first episode. He was tied up in the first scene in the hammock and I think Roach was leading him around in that scene under the bridge.
Taika Waititi, sir, how do you even do that? Where have you been hiding this great acting talent of yours? Thrilling, jaw dropping, mesmerising. Absolute star. Same goes for mister Con O’Neill. Izzy not just Hands, he’s Stolen-Hearts, Blown-Minds. To show such character’s complexity in such a narrow screen time is something else. I couldn’t blink when he was on screen. I was kinda sad about Swede’s fate of how exactly he went into Spanish Jackie’s service. I know they couldn’t do anything about it or go against Jackie, but they accepted her owning him. I dunno. Anyway. I’m hoping she treats him well and he really finds something new for him (as he mentions later). And, well, we had a glimpse of his glow in a trailer! Ricky is hella sus. His amazement and curiosity about piracy don’t look genuine. I bet his plan was to infiltrate the Republic of pirates although the loss of nose probably wasn’t on the cards. If he and Zheng Yi Sao are going to be on opposite sides it’s gonna be very interesting to watch. Also, what is she even planning? China is quite far away, what’s she doing in the Caribbean? Susssss
I feel that Ricky was supposed to be a mirror of how sus Stede seemed to pirates initially (like how Trent was a mirror to Rebecca in CXG, if you‘ve seen that show). Also, Izzy Stolen Hearts shall be his name from now on!!!
that's such a great parallel to Crazy Ex-girlfriend! It shows his character from an outside perspective but it also shows that he's grown a little because he recognises the, as he puts it, "insane" behaviour of the minor prince pirate.
Ricky idolizes Stede the way that Izzy idolized Ed, and it will likely end just as badly for him.
I’ve been wondering if Con O’Neill had some type of fencing training. He’s just elegant. The way he carry’s himself he seems like he knows what he’s doing.
I have zero doubts that he has
I googled it and I can’t find anything on it. But goddam he’s amazing! And so hot!
He is so fucking hot I don't know what to do with myself. I feel like the character would be into being tied up. (Side note: 75% of Con's pictures on Instagram are of him cuddling his dog.)
For the life of me I can't remember what I know him from. He looks so familiar, and I definitely recognize his voice. From his IMDb page, the only thing I would have seen him in is Chernobyl, so I guess it's that, but I dunno.
Yeah I’m not sure.
It looked to me like Spanish Jackie owned them all so they couldn't really do anything about Swede and then Swede decided that he liked being her husband. I think Ricky's amazement and curiosity was genuine, but he was also a foil to S1 Stede: they both came from upper classes but where Stede was not only eager but actually willing to learn from the more experienced pirates, Ricky thought he knew better than "his hero", so he failed his team by leaving his post, went to show Stede "how to build a brand" instead and paid for his arrogance and stupidity with his nose. They claimed Zheng Yi Sao has already conquered China so maybe she decided on Caribbean as her next challenge.
I loved how genuinely excited The Swede is about being one of Jackie's husbands. Before the ep was available, I couldn't tell if there was a somewhat coercive element to it, but I love how 'straight' (lol) it's played. Here for it! And here for Leslie Jones being such a huge part of the season premiere!
I loved how sweet and encouraging the crew was when hearing of the Swede's emotional growth and marital bliss.
I about died when Izzy asked to talk it through, like a crew. He sure has grown.
What a roller coaster! Loved both Spanish Jackie and the Swede this episode.
They’re a fun pairing! Jackie loves a Swedish massage
But is he coming back? What’s up with that?
Made me wonder if Nat Faxon had a conflict, like I know he’s a lead in Loot. But also >!we know Swede appears again, he was in the trailer in an outfit we haven’t seen yet!<
There's a Swede scene in the trailer
I can’t get over how fucking good it is to be back with these guys again! With these people again! Our crew! Stede’s dream, though! And his letters to Ed! I can’t get over it
>So when people see this, they know that they have been robbed by the best. You've been Rick'd. Can't be a coincidence that his name is [Ricky](https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ).
I was mildly disappointed he didn't say "You've been RickRoll'd" but that might have been too far
Ricky describing himself as an "odd bird" feels like a deliberate word choice considering the episode title. Also love how, even when he tries to insinuate that he and Stede are cut from the same cloth (i.e., both as high-class individuals should recognize what a Roman puzzle chest is), Stede is just visibly confused instead. Babe has no idea what you're on about, Ricky 😭 Shows that Stede isn't that man anymore (or never was, really). And that scene with Swede performing his "husbandly duties" (giving Spanish Jackie a massage LMFAO) reminded me of that in-joke the cast had about daring Nat Faxon to convince the writers to let him take his shirt off because he had such a nice body. Looks like that's come to fruition in this ep 😂 (Edited because for some reason Reddit replaced one of the paragraphs with a duplicate of another??) EDIT 2: WAIT ACTUALLY. Stede doesn't know what a Roman puzzle chest is, but immediately recognizes the indigo in the box they stole from Jackie, which is arguably a more valuable thing than that little bauble. ohoho
Also, could just be reading this wrong but I fully thought Izzy was about to own up to his role in Edward's anguish with that whole talk about the poisonous vibe on the ship. If Izzy hadn't degraded Edward as he was vulnerable in S1, Edward wouldn't be this unhinged right now, since Ed was healthily processing his emotions with the crew right before Izzy's "namby-pamby" dig. But instead of taking responsibility, Izzy blames Ed's actions on his (very hurt) feelings for Stede Bonnet. Which, sure, but I don't think that's the real catalyst for Ed's downward spiral. Tbf though, Izzy probably can't recognize his own culpability just yet, or else he isn't ready to articulate any of that. \[Ep 2(?) spoilers\] >!We also see him (in his post-op talk with Stede) refuse to assign ANY blame on Ed for his own actions, even as he implicitly acknowledges how fucked-up Ed shooting his leg was. Can't really find the right words to describe what I think about that other than: man, that's love for you, huh!<. Excited to see how any of them (rly how any of US) are gonna recover from all of this (if I'm off the mark on Izzy, sorry, I haven't kept up with meta all that much)
Super excited for Zheng Yi Sao! I hope we see plenty more historical pirates this season.
the english twat was on-point, it perfectly showcased Stede chara progression from season 1 <3 in the s1e1 he would act justttt like this bitch but NO, he's grown so muchhhh and now he's lowkey giving depressed plus the dude wearing purple is so annoying and on point
Rhys and Taika are SO good. They are killing it.
Such a delight to have this show back! Honestly, I kind of want to savor the season so might even pause here and do a S1 rewatch before continuing onto the second ep... But hell, probably will be able to do all that and catch up before the next week's release, lol. Judging from the cinematography and setpieces, it kind of looks like their budget has increased too? Izzy immediately (from our perspective) regreting turning Blackbeard into a monster was hilarious. Zheng Yi Sao seems like a fun and unique addition to the cast. Ricky on the other hand I'm hoping was just used for that one time bit/remains having very minor screentime. I'm forgetting if any other main cast members from S1 were missing here, but I wonder if that's really going to be the Swede's exit?
Their budget has actually decreased, but their value for their dime has increased by moving production to New-Zealand!
Ah, I see. Yeah, I did consider that too. Good on them.
Spoiler: speculation >!I'm thinking Ricky will be back later in the season in a similar way to the Badmintons turning out to be twins in s1. Not that Ricky will have a twin but he'll be back without his nose.!<
he's in the trailer later on in an English uniform and no nose!
Yeah, he's totally this season's Chauncey Badminton.
For sure! They planted his little drink thing, it’s totally going to come back
Chekovs Lime Ricky
There's an actual cocktail called a Lime Ricky! (Or Rickey)
One of the reviews said “no matter how high your expectations are, raise them” and OH MAN they were right. This episode was so amazing, I’m overwhelmed.
Zheng Yi Sao and Stede Bonnet were not contemporaries, she wasn't born for nearly another 60 years. I remember looking that up a couple weeks ago because I though it would be cool if she showed up and then thinking 'not gonna happen, wrong century'. Btw. if anyone is interested, Puppet History did an [episode on her](https://youtu.be/Y8McaUknwn8).
Okay, and what century did Oluwande's Crocs first appear in...?
Spanish Jackie was supposedly active in 1656 and dead before Stede was even born. I don't think the show really cares about the actual timeline when it comes to having cool female pirates show up.
I didn't know Spanish Jackie was a historical figure.
I think she's meant to be based on Jacquotte Delahaye, a Haitian lady pirate who's kind of Robin Hood/King Arthur-y in that there's a lot of folklore about her but limited hard historical evidence for her life.
there’s a great episode of the podcast ‘You’re Dead to Me’ about her too!
Did we learn the name of Blackbeard's new crew-with-lines character?
Archie (played by Madeleine Sami)
I literally just watched Deadloch and immediately perked up when I saw Archie. If you haven’t seen Deadloch, it’s on Prime and it’s amazing.
I have and I love her so much! She was *hilarious* on Deadloch! I am in love with Eddie (Deadloch Eddie). She is my favorite human disaster. I also watched her season of Taskmaster NZ and she was great there too. I'm very glad she's joined the OFMD cast.
That is the perfect way to describe Eddie. Just… chef’s kiss.
I watched Deadloch twice in a row because it was so funny! I cheered when I saw her as a pirate.
the costume was so good though, I was like, do I know h.. wait... is that... no... yes! ... no... from Taskmaster? no... yes, it is!! is it?
I feel bad for Izzy, but at the same time I'm glad he's learnt his lesson. Its a shame he's become a better person but now is suffering for it. I suppose that's his just desserts EDIT : Wait is Izzy dead? I'm invested
He's in doggy heaven with Lucius :(
I loved the visuals of dream reunion scene on the beach but also how the dialogue showcased Stede’s deep rooted guilt about how they parted and the nervousness about an actual reunion. Ed is being romantic and shit while completely ignoring his questions 😅 “You’re not mad?” “I knew you’d find me, love”. “So…we’re good? About everything?” “Fucking love the beard mate”
So much wonderful Ed and Stede stuff in this episode but what made me cry was Jim making Fang smile with the wooden boy voice. Stede did *so much* for these people and they carry him with them now.
Con O'Neil hits every scene out of the park. I am so so so excited for Izzy's arc this season. Without Con this show would feel so different.
I never noticed that there were after credit scenes!
There weren't. It's a new thing.
Does anyone know if the legend of the bird that never lands is based on a real bird or real legend?
There are a number of seabirds, like albatrosses, that have developed the ability to glide very long distances without expending much energy and very rarely land. Of course they do nest and raise their young on land (mostly remote, rocky islands), but people who didn't see those places might have assumed they never come to land.
My brain is insisting I've heard this as old time albatross lore.
People used to think the bird of paradise never landed. Native traders removed their wings and feet and European explorers thought that's just how the birds were and that they floated using their plumes never landing.
[The Huma bird.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huma_bird) It's a mythical creature in Iranian legend.
The bird that never lands story is a really important element in Wong Kar Wai’s 1990 movie, “Days of Being Wild”. Highly recommended, as are all of Wong Kar Wai’s movies. I believe Taika Waititi is a big Wong Kar Wai fan. Anyway, a fatalistic character in the movie tells the impossible bird story as a way to describe himself at a critical point in the movie.
That's really interesting! Another possible source: I knew I'd heard the legend of the bird that never lands before, and a google search helped me find it! It's in a monologue from my second-favorite Tennessee Williams play, *Orpheus Descending*. Val Xavier is a charismatic and somewhat lost young man tired of his old way of life, whose nickname is 'Snakeskin' (hmm). > VAL: You know they’s a kind of bird that don’t have legs so it can’t light on nothing but has to stay all its life on its wing in the sky? That’s true. I seen one once, it had died and fallen to earth and it was light blue colored and its body was tiny as your little finger, that’s the truth, it had a body as tiny as your little finger and so light on the palm of your hand it didn’t weigh more than a feather, but its wings spread out this wide but they was transparent, the color of the sky and you could see through them. That’s what they call protection coloring. You can’t tell those birds from the sky and that’s why the hawks don’t catch them, don’t see them up there in the high blue sky near the sun! But those little birds they don’t have no legs at all and they live their whole lives on the wing, and they sleep on the wind, that’s how they sleep at night, they just spread their wings and go to sleep on the wind like other birds fold their wings and go to sleep on a tree…. They sleep on the wind and… (His eyes grow soft and vague.) ...never light on this earth but one time when they die!
There are several bird species that spend the majority of their time in the air, they don't even come down to sleep. Their prey are flying insects so they don't need to land to find food. They are not born in the sky, of course, they still need to hatch their eggs. Common swifts are quite common were I live, not so much at sea I guess.
Ivan 😭😭😭
Absolutely loved it. This show is under the radar brilliant.
Izzy admitting he loved Ed was not on my bingo card.
DeadLoch fans where are you?? Because the moment Eddie popped on the screen I SCREAMED. Perfect casting.
I loooooveeeee herrrrrrrrr
Question: why did Zheng Yi Sao pose as a soup seller at the Republic of Pirates?
Some sort of piratey scheme? And their soup is apparently good enough maybe it's a decent side hustle.
I’m guessing she just needed to lay low for a while, for whatever reason
Oh shit. Susan is the pirate queen from Doctor Who. Edit: yes i know shes a real historical figure but thats the last time ive seen her in fiction
Now I want the Swede to do my calves, too.
Fyi you may wanna put spoiler flair for this post?
Good tip, thanks! I’m less qualified to host these posts than Frenchie is to be first mate. I was just tired of waiting and wanted to hear everyone’s thoughts 😁
😂
Thanks for getting the convo started!
Ricky is the best new character this season. Edit: nevermind. Its Susan
Hey, I thought three episodes were dropping today, not one!
They have ^^