Key Takeaways
- Black Sails is a gritty pirate series that offers Game of Thrones fans similar drama and intensity.
- With detailed characters and a captivating storyline, Black Sails is a well-rounded show that boasts quality visuals.
- Black Sails’ realistic world, action-packed scenes, and strong female characters make it a captivating alternative to Game of Thrones.
Game of Thrones is one of the greatest fantasy television shows of all time, and because of that, people are constantly looking for the ‘next’ version of it. While spin-offs have been set within this franchise, with others due to be released in the future, Westeros hasn’t enough content to keep everyone entertained forever.
That has led Game of Thrones fans to look for alternative shows to watch in a bid to evoke feelings similar to those of the iconic television series. One series that ticks that box is the Pirate-themed Black Sails, a swashbuckling adventure that Game of Thrones fans will likely appreciate.
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What Is Black Sails About?
Black Sails is all about pirates, but this television series showcases them in a different way compared to the jolly and lighthearted versions often shown in movies like the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Instead, Black Sails is gritty, raw, and serious, with these pirates out for business and pleasure in the most dramatic of ways.
The series acts as a prequel to the beloved Treasure Island story, which many people will be familiar with. It means there are plenty of characters, such as Long John Silver, that audiences are aware of immediately, as this story has been adapted countless times for movies and television purposes. In the early 1700s, the focus is on Captain Flint and the life he leads on land and sea with his various connections from a business, romantic, and friendship perspective. He brings Long John Silver onto his crowd, and they battle the high seas for New Providence Island.
The series originally aired on the Starz Network from 2014 to 2017 and featured four seasons with 38 episodes, meaning it doesn’t outstay its welcome but also has enough content for Game of Thrones fans to sink their teeth into and get lost within. The world is detailed and vast, and there’s plenty of range in terms of the characters, meaning there will likely be someone for any possible audience member to gravitate towards. Plus, Black Sails’ ending was met with positive reviews, which isn’t something that Game of Thrones experienced, meaning viewers can expect not to be disappointed when the series reaches its all-important crescendo.
Why Would Game Of Thrones Fans Enjoy Black Sails?
These two shows have been compared to each other for a while, and with good reason, as there are many similarities between them. The fact that Black Sails is a period show instantly helps as that setting feels familiar, even though Game of Thrones is set in a fantasy world. There’s a clear period setting feel to Westeros from the clothing, the buildings, and the manner in which the characters interact, and Black Sails is no different. That environment creates some beautiful landscapes, and the visuals created throughout this show certainly push
Game of Thrones in terms of quality.
Game of Thrones is primarily set on land, but there are many moments at sea within the franchise as well, including some epic battles that help to shape the show. That’s an aspect of the show that many people enjoyed, so Black Sails will tick boxes in that regard because the show has no shortage of high-seas adventures. However, the fact that Black Sails doesn’t just focus on that aspect is what makes it such a well-rounded show. Similarly to Game of Thrones, Black Sails has an ensemble cast that all have individual storylines that play into the main plot simultaneously an connect everything that’s happening.
It allows audiences to connect with everything that’s going on, and there doesn’t feel like there is wasted time. With violent action scenes and characters that don’t feel like they’re being dumbed down for the sake of television, as is so often the case, it’s easy to connect with what’s happening. Black Sails also perfectly blends great dialogue, twists and turns, and romance with the action setting. As Game of Thrones did, the show is notorious for its nudity, but it also boasts very powerful female characters too, covering a wide range of ideas within one memorable world.
Ultimately, these two shows are different enough to feel unique, which allows for crossover within the audience as there’s something for everyone, but they still boast enough similarities that audiences are sure to enjoy. Black Sails might have a pirate setting and is based in a more realistic world that doesn’t allow for the levels of fantasy that Game of Thrones does, but it more than makes up for that with its gritty action, incredible dialogue, and engaging storyline. Game of Thrones fans are constantly looking for something new, but stepping slightly outside the fantasy world can provide people with exactly what they’re looking for as this is one adventure that would be guaranteed to keep hooked just as well as Game of Thrones did.
