Black Sails IV (Starz 15 Feb 2014, with Hannah New)

In Black Sails IV With Gates due to take charge of Vane’s ship Billy Bones takes over as Quartermaster, meanwhile Bones is proving less than capable as a cook leading several of the crew to come down with food poisoning. With the ship beached for careening (which is where the ship is pulled into position almost on it’s side to scrape it free of barnacles) and for the men to get some R&R Billy finds himself very much thrown in at the deep end. One of the crew, Morley is keen to spread dissent about Flint (and shares a story about Flint and the enigmatic Mrs Morley) and Silver himself hinks there may be a chance to work his way up the ranks by undermining Billy’s work.

Eleanor needs the guns from her fathers biggest supply ship, helmed by Captain Bryson, to equip Flint’s ships but persuading Bryson to give them up will be no easy task.

Eleanor’s father Richard, who is still recuperating at the home of Miranda Barlow. He has realised who she really is and in the telling we get to learn some back story about Flint too, he was once a promising young officer in the navy who became embroiled in an affair with Lady Hamilton, the wife of Thomas Hamilton, one of the English navy’s most prominent officers. Sensing how tired Miranda is of her life on the island, Guthrie offers her a way out – a new life with his family in Boston.

An episode of preparation more than anything, the scene where the ship nearly topples over after the palm trees holding it in place for careening give way is brilliantly realised. One of the crew, the eccentric Randall, gets trapped after trying to rescue his cat and Flint (along with Morley) and Flint has to chop his right leg off to save him.

production details
USA / Starz / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 15 February 2014

Writers: Brad Caleb Kane / Director: Sam Miller

Series: Black Sails Season 1 Episode 4

cast
Toby Stephens as Captain Flint
Hannah New as Eleanor Guthrie
Luke Arnold as John Silver
Jessica Parker Kennedy as Max
Tom Hopper as Billy Bones
Zach McGowan as Captain Charles Vane
Toby Schmitz as Rackham
Clara Paget as Anne Bonny
Mark Ryan as Gates
Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Mr. Scott
Sean Cameron Michael as Richard Guthrie
Louise Barnes as Miranda Barlow
Jeremy Crutchley as Morley
Patrick Lyster as Captain Benjamin Hornigold
Lawrence Joffe as Randal
Jannes Eiselen as Dufresne
Langley Kirkwood as Captain Bryson
Andre Jacobs as De Groot
Mark Elderkin as Pastor Lambrick
Tony Caprari as Noonan
Dean McCoubrey as Hayes
Garth Collins as Albinus
Karl Thaning as O’Malley
Richard Wright-Firth as Muldoon
Winston Chong as Joji
Frans Hamman as Slade
Geoff Kukard as Froom
Jarrid Geduld as Crisp
Greg Parvess as Gruenwald
Joel Lurie as Gladwyn Boy