Good start to the series, sets the scene for the cultural climate of the time and introduces the main historical figures. Re-enactments are good quality and the interviews are relevant.
2 Reviews
Arr Matey
Calicodreamin15 March 2021
Another docu- drama that looked promising, but wasn't great.
Purple-cookie8728 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I was quite disappointed by this series. Maybe I'm becoming a bit cantankerous in my 30s, but I'm not a fan of the docu-drama trend, I don't think it does either genre justice.
You have 6, 40 - 45 minute episodes, so more than enough time to delve into the fascinating history of pirates, but this show just doesn't seem to hit the mark. In summary: the drama scenes are pointless, make-believe dialogue that add nothing to the narration. The historical information is thin and repetitive. Some of the experts offer their opinions as facts, and there are a few inaccuracies within other 'facts' which make me question the credibility of it all.
In more detail: Approximately half of the content is what you would call 'documentary' but it seems to be full of filler information. It's so incredibly repetitive, each episode you are hearing things you're already been told in previous episodes as though it's the first time (e.g. Blackbeard's syphilis, Anne Bonny's motivations)
There is also some slight romanticism being applied to the history by experts, they actually refer to them as 'Robin Hood' or slave liberators. One of the historians calls Mary Hallet the heroine of the story. Mary Hallet does absolutely nothing other than get pregnant out of wedlock and go crazy. Also the way another historian talks about Anne Bonny's decision to wear male clothes is ridiculous! Applying an assumed social justice motivation when it was just more practical for her. Pirate law and culture is fascinating as it is, no need to embellish the truth in order to appeal to the need for everything to be progressive. I say this as a lefty feminist too. I can handle the dark side of history thank you.
The dramatised scenes don't add any value to the content. It's all fictional dialogue expanding on what has already been said, I don't understand the need for it. The inaccuracy of Blackbeard's death scene does make me question the accuracy of everything else in the series too. I get they may have shortened this particular drama scene but none of the experts or narration clarified this and said what actually happened. Poor Blackbeard.
I noticed a lot of reviewers complaining about this not being a fictional series, it literally says it's a documentary!! Don't watch a documentary then moan about it not having enough fictional drama.
I appreciate I moaned about this being a docu-drama, but it's more that I just don't think the balance is right. I've yet to see a docu-drama series I think gets it right, but there have been some where at least the history was accurate. Unfortunately this series couldn't even get that right. Truth is, I learnt more about Pirates watching the bonus material on Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean DVD. I was a teenager don't judge me! But tells you all you need to know.
It's frustrating because it feels like they had all the right tools to make something really interesting here. I'm not sure if it was rushed or not properly researched, but it just doesn't deliver.
You have 6, 40 - 45 minute episodes, so more than enough time to delve into the fascinating history of pirates, but this show just doesn't seem to hit the mark. In summary: the drama scenes are pointless, make-believe dialogue that add nothing to the narration. The historical information is thin and repetitive. Some of the experts offer their opinions as facts, and there are a few inaccuracies within other 'facts' which make me question the credibility of it all.
In more detail: Approximately half of the content is what you would call 'documentary' but it seems to be full of filler information. It's so incredibly repetitive, each episode you are hearing things you're already been told in previous episodes as though it's the first time (e.g. Blackbeard's syphilis, Anne Bonny's motivations)
There is also some slight romanticism being applied to the history by experts, they actually refer to them as 'Robin Hood' or slave liberators. One of the historians calls Mary Hallet the heroine of the story. Mary Hallet does absolutely nothing other than get pregnant out of wedlock and go crazy. Also the way another historian talks about Anne Bonny's decision to wear male clothes is ridiculous! Applying an assumed social justice motivation when it was just more practical for her. Pirate law and culture is fascinating as it is, no need to embellish the truth in order to appeal to the need for everything to be progressive. I say this as a lefty feminist too. I can handle the dark side of history thank you.
The dramatised scenes don't add any value to the content. It's all fictional dialogue expanding on what has already been said, I don't understand the need for it. The inaccuracy of Blackbeard's death scene does make me question the accuracy of everything else in the series too. I get they may have shortened this particular drama scene but none of the experts or narration clarified this and said what actually happened. Poor Blackbeard.
I noticed a lot of reviewers complaining about this not being a fictional series, it literally says it's a documentary!! Don't watch a documentary then moan about it not having enough fictional drama.
I appreciate I moaned about this being a docu-drama, but it's more that I just don't think the balance is right. I've yet to see a docu-drama series I think gets it right, but there have been some where at least the history was accurate. Unfortunately this series couldn't even get that right. Truth is, I learnt more about Pirates watching the bonus material on Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean DVD. I was a teenager don't judge me! But tells you all you need to know.
It's frustrating because it feels like they had all the right tools to make something really interesting here. I'm not sure if it was rushed or not properly researched, but it just doesn't deliver.
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