Our Flag Means Death (TV Series) Fun and Games (2023) User Reviews

Intense. Con O'Neill delivers an Emmy worthy performance

[traceyseier · 10/10 · 16 October 2023]

This episode delivers comedy, tragedy, and healing love.

Con O'Neill, as Izzy Hands, has delivered intense pathos in all the episodes up till now and this one is the culmination of his character's arc. O'Neill absolutely chews the scenery, and then brings it home with an absolutely moving scene of deep vulnerability and healing.

Meanwhile Stede (Rhys Darby) and Ed (Taika Waititi) get a dark view into what their life as a couple could be if they don't learn how to be better to each other.

As always, the show veers between comedy, tragedy and magical realism. But it always lands on this theme: Love Wins.

beautiful continuation, great performances all round

[rayintheshadows · 10/10 · 12 October 2023]

I was so giddy this morning, getting up to see the two new episodes of my favourite show. Sitting there with my breakfast on the couch, I already had to put it aside because I just got too excited to eat. I am so far gone for this show. I absolutely LOVED to see Anne Bonny and Mary Reed since I have been dying to see them on the show ever since there were rumours. And what performances Rachel House and Minnie Driver gave!!! I hope we'll see them again (since they're taking on the pirate's life again?).

The way Ed slowly softens up to Stede again, first lying upset under a blanky on the couch like the babygirl he is, and then Stede sAYING I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU TO HIS FACE AND THE WAY HE SMILES SOFTLY AT HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME AGAINNNNN

Also Buttons was so good this season, I will miss him so much but I respect his choices.

This episode was hilarious.

[genanetherwood · 10/10 · 12 October 2023]

This episode was SO fun, so hilarious, and even magical! Taika and Rhys' acting and chemistry continue to absolutely blow me away. They're so natural together due to their long friendship, and it brings so much authenticity to these character's story and relationship with each other. I am not sure I have seen anything portrayed by two actors so well. Rachel House and Minnie Driver were so good. They were off the wall and just so funny. I cannot wait to watch this episode again. The crew also, have their own issues they are trying to work out and it's hilarious but I love that they are trying to approach it... as healthily as possible. Such a fun episode.

Fantastic episode!

[c-15384 · 10/10 · 18 October 2023]

This amazing episode continues the emotional story of the series. It has a lighter tone than the previous episodes, and this is well-balanced with the highly affecting ongoing story. Minnie Driver and Rachel House are incredible as Anne Bonny and Mary Read. They are exciting to watch and highly entertaining characters. I also really enjoyed seeing the crew's development; how they learn to care for each other after their traumatic experiences and become closer. This episode is served well by a brilliant script, excellent acting and a great soundtrack. This is another fantastic episode in this wonderful series!

The Boys Are Back!

[penniellington · 10/10 · 19 October 2023]

MY BOYS ARE BACK!!!!

Ed may hate Stede, but they're back in the same room. The humor was back and man, I laughed and cried. From the headbutt, to the shock of the bunny getting gone, to Anne and Mary's toxic love, every note was pitch perfect. I loved seeing them unite over Anne & Mary being awful to each other.

BUTTONS BECAME A SEAGULL!! Will he and Livvie give it a go?!?

Izzy is becoming more loveable per episode and I am the absolute last person who ever thought I'd see the day. Con O'Neill is stunning in his scenes of desolation, anger, humiliation, despondency, determination, humility, kindness and strength. He's had the biggest arc of all and we're only 4 eps in! Go Izzy!!!!

Relationships are messy and that's what makes them real

[babybonnet · 10/10 · 5 November 2023]

Fun and Games is my favorite episode of the second season. In true OFMD fashion, it offers entertainment and funny moments, but also touching conversations and symbolic events that give these characters and their journeys so much depth.

This is, I think, one of the only episodes where Ed and Stede truly sit down and talk about their relationship and it also goes to show how well their dynamic works when they just "talk it through"! That scene at Anne and Mary's house is a moment where Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi's acting skills and on-screen (as well as off-screen) chemistry work their wonders, and it's easy to forget these are actually fictional characters that we're watching, because their conversation feels so real.

Rachel House and Minnie Driver's performances are also a delight!

If that soup was anything like this episode, I get the hype

[blueruvy · 10/10 · 5 November 2023]

One thing I love about this show is as soon as a plot beat gets too big and heavy, it undercuts it, subverts our expectations and goes with something else. After the emotional whirlwind of the end of ep 3, we don't get a big tearful blubbery reunion, we get a headbutt and Stede's indignant whingeing. Hilarious. Immediately reassured me we're all gonna be okay, because this is still the show we know and love.

Ewen Bremner is effervescent in this episode. This is the last we see of him this season and I'm glad his exit was so poetic and narratively important. Ed is still dealing with a lot on uncertainty, apparently, and needed a boost of hope that better things are possible. (Hilarious design choice to use a Mason Cash bowl that I could literally order right now, 1717 who??).

Music choices knock it out of the park, again. At the beginning of the season Ed -- deeply hurting -- declares he'll never touch land again, and here we are now with a song that literally says "fly home, like a lonely seabird, you've been away from land too long." And sure enough, Ed goes 'home'.

A little kiss on the forehead to whoever in costuming gave Ed his silver octopus ring, it's my favourite tiny detail of the season (but I miss his knee brace dearly, it was valuable representation).

The crew shenanigans - and there is no better word for it - back on The Revenge are sooooo funny in this ep. The furious scrubbing, Roach holding a knife for no reason (comfort cleaver?) holding weapons so long in a stalemate that their arms hurt, the use of modern therapy talk on a pirate ship, Black Pete somehow ending up the might well adjusted of them all. And of course the way they come together. The found family prevails!

The tension between Stede and Ed in this episode is dELICIOUS. Rhys and Taika play it so well. And Ed has since mastered passive aggression, apparently. Their eventual cards-on-the-table conversation (or confrontation) could have happened thousands of ways but the way the writers settled on was satisfying, sincere, and established that these guys are going to leave much unsaid, so we have to pay attention and read between the lines. As such, though the episodes are so short the emotional depth is vast.

Now, the obvious piece de resistance is Minnie Driver as Anne Bonny and Rachel House as Mary Read. Of particular delight is the chemistry between Taika and Rachel, as long time friends and coworkers. But Anne and Mary continue Calico Jack's job of showing us that 'traditional' piracy leaves you messed up in varied wondrous ways, contrasting to the terrarium of the Revenge and the 'space that is safe'. Of course, their presence acts as a (very effective) foil to the progression of Ed and Stede's relationship. But they themselves are a sitcom all their own. The dinner party is so much fun, so madcap and WEIRD and hilarious, but in a way that holds space for deep sincerity. Their little arc ultimately ends on a note of hope - that the corners we back ourselves into can be escaped if we dare to make a change.

Izzy Hands, after being dragged through hell, is getting the deluxe writing treatment this season, and treated again by being portrayed by Con O'Neill who is an incomparable master of his craft. It's beautiful. It's captivating. He teaches us in this episode that if you hang around long enough, purpose in life might come to find you.

banishment, unfortunately

[larakelland · 10/10 · 26 November 2023]

Ed doesn't want his sammie. He's not really sure what he wants, matter of fact. But he knows that he's hurt, and that he hasn't been able to trust anyone recently. This episode gives his the opportunity to explore his inner darkness with a bit more breathing room and some old friends who hold up a mirror of sorts. Through a riff on WHI'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLFF, this episode offers us an introduction to two more historical characters, namely Anne Bonny and Mary Reade, both comedic genius and a providers of a narrative device that let Ed and Stede work through some of their deepest tensions. Personally, this is one of my favorite, if not my favorite episode of the entire series.

a long-awaited reunion

[madra_rua_ · 10/10 · 13 November 2023]

At long last, Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi are finally able to act together in the same scene again, and it's a huge relief for those of us who've been waiting for their reunion since their tragic and upsetting breakup in the cliffhanger that ended season one. I'm thankful that the show wasn't interested in dragging things out any further than that, though - it's eager to get back into the messy work of repairing their relationship by pairing them with a couple of Blackbeard's old friends, who show them a distressing portrait of how a long-term relationship can end up. Meanwhile, back on the ship, the crew is doing the equally messy job of coming back together and recovering from the trauma they've been through - and showing that for all his silliness, Stede's ideals really have had a profound effect on them, forging them into a community strong enough to reach out to someone who's done nothing to deserve it and transform him by that act of grace.

An absolute blast of an episode

[everyatom-49100 · 10/10 · 28 October 2023]

This episode is one of my favourites from this overall fantastic season. It's where the darker, more dramatic tones of the first three episodes are tied up beautifully with the crew's still tentative reunion and we meander seamlessly back into the comedy vibes we loved so much in the first season.

Minnie Driver and Rachel House couldn't be more perfect as Anne Bonny and Mary Read, serving as (quite unhinged) mirror for Stede and Ed's relationship that is still in undefined territory at this point of the story. The perfectly paced jokes don't take away from the moments where this episode slows down to deliver the more serious moments between characters which we have been waiting for since the end of season one.

The beautifully employed metaphor of Buttons turning into a bird at the end to show Ed that change is both possible and perhaps necessary in order to have a mature relationship is also representative of what I love most about this show.

i'm not the same as i was before

[adgarcia-95438 · 10/10 · 12 November 2023]

This episode literally made me ill i watched it at 2am and had to take the day off work because i was throwing up over it. (affectionate) it's possibly my favorite episode of the show ever (bolddd statement for a girl who is soooO horrendously down bad for every episode of this show) and possibly my favorite episode of tv ever period and it's because it's got it all. The couch scene! Stede and ed bickering like an old married couple. Anne and mary toxic yuri delight giggling at the door while snooping on their love confession! The couch scene!! Anne and mary poisoning and stabbing each other plus their costumes. Bunny/wolf. Buttons my beloved! The crew trying to talk it through. Searbird!!, The couch scene!!!! I had to pause and skip a lap around the house because of the magnitude of their love. Anne and mary should have kissed and i expect them to be back in s3 to rectify this one error in an otherwise perfect episode of television. I watched it 7 times in 24 hours post release and i lost count of how many times i rewound the couch scene (infinity). If i could i would give this episode a big ole sloppy kiss.

My favourite! Both fun and super sweet

[anabeingbored · 10/10 · 17 November 2023]

I love how this episode gets a bit more lighthearted and fun from the previous few, and also contains an important and touching conversation between Ed and Stede.

We finally see them interact again and their couch talk is such a sweet way to start repairing their relationship. Taika and Rhys have such good chemistry, from bickering to the sincere talk and to then standing together, judging the dysfunction that they see in their hosts.

Despite the messiness and slight insanity, Anne and Mary are charming and entertaining, and accidentally provide a push that Ed and Stede need. My favourite moment is Ed politely smashing a chair into the wall at dinner.

Buttons had been one of my favourite characters, so I was sad to see him "go" in a way, but he was a delight this episode as always, and had a nice send off by showing Ed the possibilities of change.

Hilarious and Heartfelt

[penguindreaming · 10/10 · 17 December 2023]

This episode really exemplifies what OFMD does best - in the same scene you can be laughing hysterically and suddenly you're feeling moved. And it never feels abrupt or awkward.

Minnie Driver and Rachel House were perfect picks for guest stars. Their chemistry is immediately fantastic from their first scene and they play off each other well throughout the episode. They work very well opposite Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby, who also have great chemistry and play off each other well, and could have easily overshadowed another duo.

Ewan Bremner is at his unhinged best here, taking Buttons to new levels of what seems to be off-the-rails behavior- only to ultimately demonstrate a crucial lesson to Ed about change.

Beautiful character development and a glimpse into adult relationships

[papaya-10808 · 10/10 · 26 December 2023]

Coming off the back of the intensely emotional finale of episode 3, I presume that episode 4 must have been an extremely delicate matter to get right tone-wise. Ed and Stede's relationship doesn't continue as smoothly as they might have hoped, and with the crew together again, at least some of the recent trauma has to be addressed, while the show still remains a comedy at heart. For me, this balance act worked very well. I greatly admire the importance that David Jenkins and the writers attach to the tone of any scene and how they master subtle and sometimes also extreme tonal shifts.

Stede is in a very painful situation that he handles with quite a remarkable dignity. Initially elated by Ed being returned to him, Stede is now torn between his love, who at best barely acknowledges him, and the crew, who very understandably wants Blackbeard punished for his deeds. Stede tries to understand Ed's altered state of mind with Button's help. I like that it is left to the viewer to decide in the end to what extend Ed's behavior in this episode is due to still being partially tethered to the gravy basket or due to his resentment towards Stede in the real world. I had seen the headbutt in the teaser, and really disliked it for fear of a cheap comedic device. But I should never have doubted David Jenkins and his crew, because even a broad comedic moment like this is used for the purpose of storytelling rather than ridiculing a character.

The episode takes inspiration in its theme and tone from the 1966's Film 'Who is afraid of Virginia Woolf'. I concede that I didn't get the references at first, as I was not familiar with the film or the play. It certainly gave the episode a hitherto unfamiliar, strained kind of feeling during the scenes with Anne and Mary. Having watched the film since (which I considerably enjoyed) I am glad that the OFMD version felt more optimistic in the end. But I appreciate the unexpected inspiration and the costumes and set decoration even more now.

This different kind of dark mood is paired with some of the silliest jokes so far, making the episode all in all still a joy to watch. The relaxed and very Taika-esk version of Blackbeard who talks to the rabbit is another unforeseen and very entertaining addition. So far, I've adored Ed and Stede's tender moments, but I also enormously enjoy their squabbling. It is a hilarious kind of behavior that we haven't seen before, and Rhys and Taika's chemistry is spot on.

The gentle, pivotal scene on the couch is maybe my favorite scene of the whole season. Both Taika and Rhys' performances are beautifully vulnerable and natural, and the nuanced shift in the dynamic between the two characters is very touching to watch. I love the pacing of the scene. It feels satisfying in the end, precisely because the conflict between Ed and Stede isn't resolved yet, as it should be, in a big argument like this. Ed is too hurt to forgive Stede, but his heart has clearly begun to thaw, and both have taken a tentative step toward reconciliation.

We also see Izzy struggling with his new circumstances, very movingly portrayed by Con O'Neill. But most of all, we see a major turn in Izzy's relationship with the crew. What an amazing character development for Izzy. Although the show has been wacky before, nothing could have prepared me for the conclusion of the Buttons storyline. I'm still laughing about it now. Who could have thought that Buttons could provide such an emotionally important moment for Ed?

Even though Anne and Mary's games could be a bit too grim for some people, the bickering scenes between Ed and Stede as well as the mini reunion between them, in terms of emotional connection, makes me love this episode. It is the one I return to most often.

Messy and Glorious

[ablackstar · 10/10 · 9 November 2023]

This is the one with Anne Bonny and Mary Read! And a very significant rabbit (Stede Bunnet, we hardly knew ye!). This is a masterfully done episode, a pirate-take on "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf", and has some of the sweetest moments in the season so far.

Ewen Bremner is at his best in this episode, he's absolutely 100% committed to the BIT and I lose it laughing at him every time. The episode passes like a whirlwind and ends on a beautiful, hopeful note. I love the change in tone from the start of the episode and this is actually a pivotal shift in the show, tonally.

Of course, I always wish for more Con O'Neill, but that's life.

A thoroughly enjoyable episode of a fabulous series

[carolynrosser · 10/10 · 19 November 2023]

This is one of my favorite episodes of Our Flag Means Death, and that's saying a lot, because I adore the show. It includes all the elements that the show is great at: comedy; poignancy; fun but loose relationship to historical details; just a tiny bit of magical realism; great writing; strong performances from the regular cast; and memorable performances by surprising guest stars (Minnie Driver and Rachel House).

One of the most stirring narrative arcs of Season 2 is the emotional journey of Izzy Hands (played in a standout performance by the always stellar Con O'Neill), and this episode illustrates a pivotal moment in his journey to absolute rock bottom before beginning to allow others to help pull him back up.

In the other storyline, Ed and Stede (who still haven't worked through their problems from Season 1) attend a hilarious and awkward dinner party with Ed's old friends (Driver and Read as the historical pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Read). Inspired partly by "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", the dinner party is one of my favorite sequences in the entire series.

They! Get! To! Talk!

[bellaschnellara · 10/10 · 11 January 2024]

Okay, first of all, "You're no f--- mermaid" is probably my favourite line of all times. Taika Waititi's delivery and Rhys Darby's reaction - priceless!

But then. Then! They finally get an opportunity to spend time together and talk a bit about all the things that happened. If there was something missing from the last three episodes, it was Ed and Stede being together, on screen, with their chemistry and their love for each other. I enjoyed every second.

Of course, OFMD being the show that it is, has this entire reunion take place in the house of a meddlesome, slightly deranged, hilarious pirate couple. Oh, and it also takes Button's along, because he has an important side quest. Only in this show...

Chaotic

[mylifeiskindaok · 10/10 · 9 January 2024]

The chaos of Mary and Anne was fantastic. I love the way their relationship was represented and the way they drew parallels to Ed/Blackbeard and Stede. The emotional scene on the couch between Stede and Ed/Blackbeard was pivotal for this season, finally airing out everything the audience already knew. The set design was gorgeous, and the callback of the yellow blanket to Stede's golden robe in season 1 makes the scene all the more romantic. Stede knows Ed/Blackbeard is vulnerable, and he takes his time, listening to him and not overwhelming by saying things he's not yet ready to hear. Their commitment to each other and their shared fear of being like Anne and Mary gives us the feel again that we had before their breakup.

Great character-driven episode

[daeodonsanddragons · 10/10 · 10 January 2024]

Intense and real in its own way. This is definitely an episode that stuck with me. Every episode of this show is unique, but this one stands out amongst the best.

It was lovely to see Anne Bonny and Mary Read in this show. They're such interesting historical figures with crazy life stories and it was real neat that they added them into Our Flag (I mean, how couldn't they?). They also contrast really nicely against Stede and Ed.

Izzy's whole arc in this episode is, well, a lot. But his actor does such an incredible performance. Buttons also is wonderful. Fly high, seabird.

Overall, this episode is just wonderfully put together, in performance, story and set design.

One of my favorite episodes of OFMD

[lauraesner · 10/10 · 11 January 2024]

I watch this episode almost every night. Most nights of the week I am rewatching OFMD episodes 4 & 5 but definitely episode 4. It's heartfelt, tender, and absolutely hilarious. The set design is out of this world. Incredible detail and artistry. I love how Ed and Stede's relationship evolves on land, all while the crew back on the ship are basically giving us a case study of the symptoms of PTSD in a way that is somehow deeply comedic. Anne Bonny and Mary Read are to die for - fantastic characters played by outstanding actors. Buttons being his fullest self as a foil to all this is a delight. The Izzy journey?! The last several minutes of this episode have me on the edge of tears but Izzy at the end completely sends me. Con O'Neill is on fire in this one. And Seabird! Music choice of the gods. I love tf out of OFMD and this episode hits all my favorite notes.

A chance to start over

[jclarraga · 10/10 · 12 January 2024]

This is probably the episode that I revisit the most. It's one of those episodes where the chemistry between the actors/characters is particularly resonant. The subtle facial expressions, the sincerity in tone, the raw emotion in their acting. It's all there. Taika and Rhy's long friendship supplements their performances and makes their fictional romance all that more believable. This episode is satisfying because it is all about forgiveness and letting go of pain for the sake of moving forward. Anne Bonny and Mary Read were great, short-term additions to the show, as their strained relationship works to foreshadow what is to come for Ed and Stede years down the line.

Lives up to the episode title for sure!

[CrazyMRFan · 10/10 · 12 January 2024]

Possibly my favourite episode of the season thanks to the complete chaos of Minnie Driver and Rachel House as dysfunctional retired pirate couple/dinner-from-hell hostesses Anne Bonny and Mary Read! While Stede and Ed are on shaky ground trying to find their way back to each other, Anne and Mary do their best to make the ground even shakier, to some pretty hilarious extents. But even as Anne and Mary serve as a potential warning sign for what our heroes may become once the honeymoon phase wears off, Stede and Ed's relationship - blessedly, as always - remains the heart of the show, and their reconciling moments in this episode are some of the most heartwarming and romantic I've seen on tv, performed with wonderful sincerity by Rhys and Taika.

In a fitting parallel, back on the ship the crew has to figure out how to find their way back to each other as well, dealing with the aftermath of what Blackbeard put them all through. The spirit of it is a great throwback to the first season where Stede's motto of "talk(ing) it through, as a crew" has to be put into motion, to a lovely effect.

I loved everything they did in this episode, and once again Our Flag Means Death leaves you humming their excellent song choices long after the episode is over.

Favorite episode

[elphia · 10/10 · 16 February 2024]

This episode is my favorite from this season for a lot of reasons--the guest stars (Minnie Driver and Rachel House have fantastic chemistry with each other, great dialogue, and perfect costumes), the plot (loosely based on Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), the balance of trauma and comedy (occasionally slapstick-adjacent), the unexpected twist in Buttons personal romantic relationship with the sea. But the main reason that I love it is that, as far as I can tell, it has the most interaction of the season between Ed and Stede. I love everything about their relationship developments in this episode. The rollercoaster emotional arcs involved with Ed returning to Stede (and life). The partial resolution of baggage from Stede's betrayal and all of their misunderstandings. The hope and love. As much as there is going on in the present moment, the episode also forecasts what their future relationship might look like if they don't work on communicating clearly with each other, with Anne and Mary providing a cautionary tale about how long-term "adult relationships" can go wrong (I loved Mary's14-year-old boys comparison). The B-plots are great too--Con O'Neill's and Ewen Bremner's respective transmogrifications as Izzy and Buttons. Wonderful writing and acting. 10000/10.

Fun and Games Indeed!

[suzanne-karrschmidt · 10/10 · 24 February 2024]

One of the best episodes of the season, this one sees the reunited Ed and Stede still working out their differences. Traumatized, the crew banishes Blackbeard, who finds his old friends Mary Read and Anne Bonny on a nearby island, and ends up at dinner with them, Stede, and oddly, Buttons. The latter is looking for a bowl for the rites to turn himself into a bird, while the lovely lesbian pair get off on increasingly dangerous games, one of which is pestering Ed and Stede, trying to seduce the latter, and calling them emotionally immature, which is absolutely fair. Just as Ed starts warming back up the Street, the house catches fire...

Fun and Games is right!

[angelamguzman · 10/10 · 14 January 2024]

"Don't you want your sammie?" I just...I love these guys. Everyone was spot on in this episode. Each beat was brilliant and heartfelt and perfect. And oh my goodness, the complete and total chaos of the dysfunctional retired pirate couple Anne Bonny and Mary Read was fierce and fun and I'm here for it. Minnie Driver and Rachel House were phenomenal. Stede and Ed finding their way back to each other seems like a difficult task with Anne and Mary serving as a flashing neon warning sign for what could be their future. Regardless, our boys finally have that much needed talk, and it's wonderful. Also, "Buttons turned into a seagull!"

#saveOFMD #renewasacrew.