Black Sails XXX (Starz 5 Feb 2017, with David Wilmot)

In Black Sails XXX Blackbeard is sitting just outside the harbour with Revenge, his Man O’War, he is making sure that no ships can enter or leave the harbour. He wants Eleanor Guthrie, holding her responsible for everything that has happened. He wants Anne to sneak on to Nassau and take her by force if necessary. Anne doesn’t want to, knowing if she does she will also have to confront Max over lying to her about the safe return of Jack Rackham.

Eleanor believes that her grandfather, who is a man of great influence and wealth, could be the key to helping Rogers repay his debts and at the same time rebuild Nassau. Now that she has become Mrs Rogers, wife of the governor, it’s just the kind of power that her grandfather would be interested in.

Rogers plans to take out a sloop to lure away Blackbeard whilst another ship takes Eleanor to Philadelphia where it’s hoped she can secure aid from her grandfather. When they do go Rogers will leave Captain Berringer in charge – Max is not sure that is a good idea.

Flint and Bones move on taking over Underhill’s plantation as part of the push back towards Nassau itself as well as gathering valuable supplies. Ruth, the Underhill’s slave housekeeper tells Madi that the plantation owners have split up all the slave families and that if any settlements are attacked there will be serious repercussions. Flint and Madi know they need to stage a tactical retreat, Bones disagrees. It leads to a dangerous stand off and Billy is determined not to stand down. In a move we didn’t see coming he order his men to fire on Flint and those who have sided with him and a massive fight ensues broken up only by the arrival of the militia. For all of Bone’s contempt for Flint it seemed he would stick with him for the sake of the ideal of a free Nassau.

Meanwhile Silver is still languishing under the capture of the man he discovers is Israel Hands, a former protege of Blackbeards. Eventually he persuades Israel to side with him and he arranges a secret meeting with Max but it doesn’t go quite as he’d hoped. She attempts to take Silver into custody but Israel quickly steps in and helps Silver wipe out her men. Max gets away but only just…

It’s an interesting plot strand, similar to season three when Flint was separated from the main action. But at least Silver now knows that Flint is still alive and at liberty along with Blackbeard and Rackham.

production details
USA / Starz / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 5 February 2017

Writer: Robert Levine, Jonathan E. Steinberg / Director: Lukas Ettlin

Series: Black Sails Season 4 Episode 2

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
Toby Schmitz as Rackham
Clara Paget as Anne Bonny
Luke Roberts as Woodes Rogers
David Wilmot as Israel Hands
Ray Stevenson as Blackbeard
Zethu Dlomo as Madi
Chris Larkin as Captain Berringer
Craig Jackson as Featherstone
Lise Slabber as Idelle
Anna-Louise Plowman as Mrs. Hudson
Laudo Liebenberg as Dooley
Chris Fisher as Ben Gunn
Aidan Whytock as Jacob Garrett
Tinah Mnumzana as Ruth
Andrian Mazive as Kofi
Winston Chong as Joji
Russel Savadier as Underhill
Mary-Anne Barlow as Margaret Underhill
Luka Goodall as Audrey Underhill
Dale Jackson as Lieutenant Utley
Craig Hawks as Reuben
Sizo Mahlangu as Obi
Mike Westcott as Judge Adams
Wilson Carpenter as Ellers
Rory Acton Burnell as Colin
Rhys Williams as Terrified Redcoat
Noah Brogden as Boy Runner
Jason Delplanque as Lieutenant Werth
Milton Schorr as Lieutenant Burrell