Black Sails

Set two decades before Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, Black Sails follows Captain James Flint and his crew as they contest control of the Caribbean underworld. Flint is a sharp, feared commander who brings a smooth-talking newcomer, John Silver, into his circle, and their uneasy alliance alters local power balances. The story centers on New Providence Island, a chaotic port where pirates, traders, smugglers and fortune seekers mix commerce with brutality. As rival captains, colonial forces and shifting loyalties close in, Flint and Silver juggle raids, diplomacy and personal debts to hold their position, while attempts at building order collide with greed and violence.

Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, Black Sails premiered on Starz in 2014 and ran for four seasons. The show draws on Robert Louis Stevenson for inspiration and was produced with cinematic scope across multiple locations.

Over its run Black Sails received attention from awards bodies, earning several nominations for technical work such as production design, costume, makeup and visual effects. Industry guilds frequently highlighted its craft and worldbuilding, even as major mainstream awards for acting or writing were limited.

Black Sails helped reframe pirate stories for adult television, giving Long John Silver and Flint moral complexity and political ambition. Its mix of sea action and statecraft influenced later period dramas and renewed mainstream interest in the prehistory of Treasure Island, shaping how modern pirate fiction treats power and governance.

Critics usually praised the show's production values, layered plotting and performances, and audiences gave it a solid 7.6/10 average. Lead actors, notably Toby Stephens and Luke Arnold, were often singled out. Recurring themes include power, legitimacy, loyalty and the human cost of creating order inside violent, profit-driven systems.