Behind The Flag: Mermaid Day

[@punsandmusicals]

The “see you in there babe” is so sweet and silly 😭 I’m glad they were clearly still having fun with it this season

[@merlincarnes]

Can you tell me the exact minute? I can’t hear shit 😭

[@hreshtak]

@@merlincarnes2:12 🥰

[@marynew649]

I love how Taika tried to make Rhys feel more comfortable in this awkward situation

[@reeeezaaaa4]

@@marynew649 that's how partnership should do, lol

[@Gretchasketches]

Rhys’s giggle seeing himself as the mermaid is everything!

[@jazzloveslatte318]

He was swimming with it like a champ, and it looked amazing.

[@saucierspoons]

I’m a pretty great swimmer and I know I would have sunk immediately when trying to swim with that tail. He’s the MVP of the mermaid world.

[@frazzyblue1384]

Taika cupping Rhys’ face underwater is something I didn’t know I needed (I did) 😭 they should’ve kept that in

[@badassvampire368]

they need to release that footage. it's not a want but a need.

[@lindsaymixer8043]

"Why'd you get him so wet this season?" "It's what the fans wanted" DJenks is so real for this.

[@uhnoobuhs]

SAMBA, THIS IS THE GREATEST GIFT YOU COULDVE EVER EVER GIVEN THE FANDOM IM IN TEARS

[@ohwildesoul]

"I never felt so... normal." I love Rhys so much. ❤

[@Mackovision]

This, all his Cryptid dreams have come true ♥️

[@burntsconeoops4692]

We gotta acknowledge that Rhys must have some great core strength

[@ellaisplotting]

Boy is a STRONG swimmer, it's vastly impressive

[@jazzloveslatte318]

Taika was amazing too. It can be so nerve wrecking to play that you are about to drown, actually being under water! And Rhys with the mermaid tail swimming like a fish! No doubles, no CGI. They are beasts! So the crew in and out of water helping them! They created magic

[@koguma8823]

samba, you didn't have to go to the shoot on this day, yet you did! for us! aaand possibly to get to see the marvelous merstede in person. we can't thank you enough! rhys, taika and the entire crew deserve countless awards for this spectacular scene

[@angelicaf9535]

For us! FOR LOOOOVEEEE

[@Miroslava_Ivanova]

🧜💖💜🏳️‍🌈🏴‍☠️

[@merlincarnes]

I love the way Taika is so gentle with Rhys (putting an arm around him to help him float when they’re about to shoot the scene together) and is clearly already in character -> Ed madly in love with Stede ❤

[@eddiej3189]

Taika realizing he's being filmed and immediately forcing a smile 😂 it's okay bro everyone knows underwater shoots are hell on earth you don't have to pretend for us (Thank you samba for going above and beyond as always)

[@BonnibelLecter]

Samba, we may not have DVD extras anymore but you are more than filling that gap.

[@shecriesx]

Samba all this BTS content is incredible, we can‘t thank you enough and we appreciate it more than you could know!!

[@screechinghammy]

Whoever that last person was giggling over the Rhys and Taika staring lovingly at each other over the screen, I'm them. 😂

[@AwedByYou97]

I love knowing they really filmed it together and that it wasn't just edited together

[@codemonkeys7]

Thank you so much, Samba! Congratulations to the talented Gypsy Taylor and her remarkable team. Also much appreciation for the hair artist Nancy Hannah.

[@conniev.8855]

Each wig on this show deserves an Emmy

[@Beeimus]

they TOUCHED

[@Annemarie-kz8tb]

I never comment. Anywhere. But this is beyond - I am so amazed at this incredible artistry and humour in the face of a properly scary and arduous shoot. The costumes, the tail !!! The amount of preparation this took, both crew and cast. The writers !!! The sheer bodily strength this took, the camaraderie. And Samba, omg. Thank you so much for filming this, and clearing this, and making this series possible. Like the other commenters, I did not expect this, this is ... What are words? Thank you so much for this series and all the effort. Whoohooo!

[@stephanies5873]

Samba, you are the gift to the fandom. You light up our experience to the MAX (Come on Max--RENEW this amazing show)

[@SpaceEmos]

You’re literally the king of this fandom, thank you for recording so much 💖💖

[@ctwofirst6635]

Oh, Samba, thank you so much for this! I'm sure you know how much we all love this scene. All that whimsy and love rolled into one. I love the way Taika puts his arm around Rhys when they're swimming out to do the part together. It must have been awkward for Rhys to swim with that tail on. Edited to add: This made me go back and watch the whole episode again. Amazing! Thank you!

[@takeherthemoon]

i’m sorry I JUST SAW THEM KISS IN THE WATER??? DID I NOT???

[@CitricPeel]

I SAW IT TOO i think it was cut from the episode right? or i just cant remember them kissing under water xD

[@cuicui3532]

Samba you are my primary source on serotonin these days i am SO grateful for you 😭

[@fjordsi7404]

My favourite scene in the whole series. I love love love seeing the BTS. Thank you Samba!! HBO RENEW THIS FOR SEASON 3 AND TAIKA & RHYS PLEASE REPRISE YOUR ROLES, THERE ISN'T QUEER MEDIA LIKE THIS IN EXISTENCE. YOU ARE MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE WITH THIS SHOW!!

[@Mallowolf]

This looks like such a fun shoot to have participated in! Everyone did an amazing job. For Taika and Rhys, having to keep your eyes open and emoting underwater for take after take must have been pretty challenging. Gypsy Taylor being so giddy with how the mermaid costume ended up was really funny and cute. Thanks so much Samba for documenting and sharing!

[@valentinavee]

Samba, I just wanna extend my heartfelt thanks for putting this together. I’m guessing nobody asked you to but you’re doing it anyway out of the goodness of your heart. I wish official prod companies did more of these types of bts, it’s so important!

[@solincreation]

Is this some kind of advent calendar that Samba bless us with every week ? Thanks a LOT for the bts vids 👐🏻✨😩

[@amyshy]

This is such a gift! I love how much Rhys clearly loved doing this! Thank you Samba!! 🤩

[@JL-rt9mi]

Completely astonishing! What a treasure you are, Samba!

[@Chelleari]

Cannot thank you enough for all of these BTS compilation videos, Samba! So appreciate you giving us little glimpses into the love, hard work, silliness and dedication that has to go into making something so wonderful. All of the love!

[@tomatosoupfordragons3496]

seriously man, thank you for all this incredible bts footage! its amazing how dedicated you are to the fans and we appreciate the hell out of all the hard work you put in

[@GargLassie]

SAMBA IM LOSING MY MIND THIS IS SO MUCH!!! THIS IS MORE THAN I HAD HOPED FOR!!! (too bad you didnt show us how they dropped rhys into the tank 😜) BUT HOLY SMOKES THIS IS AMAZING!!! All the work that went into this scene, every department brought their A GAME!!! AND WHAT WAS THAT AT THE END??? THEY WERE SO CLOSE ON THE SCREEN! SO SO CLOSE!!! OH GOD THE FANDOM WILL EXPLODE!!! THANK YOU SAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@melvinawright]

Ah, I love this. I watch this every time I'm having a bad day, and every time it's made my day better.

[@ambarodriguez4]

THANK YOU SAMBA!!! 0:52 -"all season he's just wet" -"it's what the fans wanted" .. 3:33 "I've got you" 😩

[@jacalyntweedie5377]

Thank you so much for posting this! I marvel at the "merman" scene every time I watch (which, I confess, is often...). I was so curious how it was filmed and now I know.

[@jessbelen]

I will be here everyday

[@terebi916]

Fundamentally, Avatar can never be this cool.

[@that_sam_94]

The detail on the tail is soooo amazing!!! The costume designers should be so proud!!!

[@TheSoundonly12]

Gods, this is some serious suntperson's work, and they did it themselves. Lots of respect to the actors, the stunt coordinators, the make-up and and prosthetics artists, the whole team. Laughed like a maniac at that scene, and yet it's also so beautiful.

[@saucierspoons]

I’m here for this “Ed/Stede” BTS 👏🏻 Samba, you’re a true gem. (And if you have any other footage of Ed and/or Taika you want to give us… we wouldn’t say no. For science.)

[@lillianb8762]

Dear lord, that's delightful! Thank you for our bts, Samba! Obviously we knew they weren't filming this in the middle of the ocean, but it's so funny watching them film it like a foot under the surface on the water with bright orange floaties an arm's grab away! (Also... awwww, are they nuzzling noses underwater or what?)

[@hurricanecurls]

Cried watching this. The vision, the laughs, the artistry, the joy. Samba - we're all grateful for you. ❤

[@3Ginger4u]

AaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH IM SO FERAL OMG THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN I EXPECTED. Rhys is having so much fun !! It was worth all this effort

[@lpgiu]

Samba! this is the most precious thing! You surpassed all expectations, we don't deserve you. Thank you for all this amazing content

[@liannettmendez6393]

They 're having fun.

[@DenizBevan]

See you in there ❤️

[@Bibliophile_pixie]

Thank you so much for putting in this kind of effort and care. The way this cast care about their fans is so special and you’re such a gift especially.

[@ammdakin]

To see the crew so passionate about this story is so heartwarming for real. Especially the costume designer (Gypsy Taylor) looked so proud there, I'm glad tou complimented her for us all. 😊😊😊

[@hothotheat3000]

The crew did a great job keeping everyone safe. Drownings can happen in seconds. This was a dangerous situation that was made very safe by the professionals who deserve every penny and more.

[@culinarynerd]

You know how sometimes people say "We don't deserve dogs😭" ? I'm starting to feel like... We don't deserve Samba! An actual angel!

[@brat_prince]

Rhys getting wheeled out in a wheelchair like a woman leaving the hospital after giving birth

[@stardusst]

samba, you're the core of our community. what would we be without you. 🥺

[@QCB73]

Samba you are spoiling us rotten with this precious BTS footage! The hand cupping at the end too, oh my 😭😍 Honestly, this scene should win so many awards for everyone involved, it's astounding, beautiful and so clever. Thank you for filming this for us 🫶🍊

[@madelinenikiforov8359]

NO AMOUNT OF THANK YOU IS ENOUGH TO SHOW HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE TO YOU SAMBA! THANK YOU FOR THIS

[@annaeggers9459]

Thank you for this, Samba! I’ve been wondering about how the team pulled this scene off. It’s incredible how much goes into just a few seconds of footage!

[@confriends6452]

Samba, you are a true hero, a legend, a gem. Thank you for all of this joy and dopamine when we need it most. We love you sm!!!

[@Ani-rq7wv]

Cannot express how grateful I am to see this footage. I was so excited when I found out they did mermaid Stede with practical effects!

[@angelicaf9535]

Basically Samba holding pure dynamite the whole time of the strike. Good lord this is a man!!

[@jazzloveslatte318]

Hard work, deep joy, deeper water. I hope you all know how much we the fans appreciate this. ❤

[@dumbalek6001]

THIS IS INCREDIBLE these episodes were so magical and itx so cool to see how they were made 😍

[@TheLaurajade18]

Sambaaaaa thank you so much for doing this!! What an incredible shoot, I got teary eyed again because this episode is incredible! Hope every one gets recognised for this!!❤

[@laylacherry5993]

As both a freediver and a mermaid, watching this made me so so happy and proud of Rhys and Taika. The sheer level of skill and talent they have to do such incredible acting underwater is astounding. Thank you so much Samba for posting these videos. I was so excited to see behind the scenes footage of the underwater scene, its my favourite moment of the season. Love love love this!!!!!

[@Beansaucer]

When I watched this scene on the bus I had to contain my laughter so much lmfao

[@rebeccah.4983]

Love how Taika sweetly puts his arm around Rhys as they enter the pool.

[@veronicaceci1279]

This is so deeply appreciated! I read an article about the making of the costume and scene but had a hard time picturing the set up. The stuff y’all do to bring us joyous whimsy is amazing. So many thanks to you for your documentation and of course your jubilant portrayal of Roach.

[@jeanninecalder3652]

Love Rhys as a Merman. .. he’s lovely. 🥰

[@ElizabethHoward]

It's the giddy laughter for me. This is so sweet :)

[@МединаКаппушева-в2г]

We simply can't thank you enough

[@dutchlinde3574]

I really don't think i could love this show anymore that i already do

[@noondarkly]

What a brilliant gift for us fans. I watched this with a grin plastered to my face ❤ the crew was so focused to do a good job with this crucial scene - and they nailed it. It's perfection, something we'll keep going back to for years if not decades.

[@8october91]

THIS IS THE BEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE

[@nikiwalton2807]

Thank you Samba for sharing these treasures with us ♥🏴‍☠

[@alexskelton4150]

Taika is so fucking beautiful

[@threerings13]

Thank you Samba, for your service to the fans!

[@namelessghoul746]

Samba deserves a raise for doing literally *all* the PR for this show

[@sarahsantora8592]

These vids are such a treat for us fans, I'm sure more than a few people told you to F. off while you were taking them -- thanks from the bottom of my heart for making these

[@WORMPRIEST]

BABE WAKE UP MORE SEASON 2 OFMD BTS DROPPED

[@adda6030]

Samba!!!! Eternally grateful for your service 🫡🫡🫡🫡

[@queertati]

SAMBA I LOVE YOU

[@angelicaf9535]

I swear to God, Samba "" "World Heritage Person"""

[@Gardenerd]

Bless you, Samba, for this gift.

[@chaotic-neutral-knitter758]

this is incredible! love seeing all the hard work that goes into the show! and oh my god did they kiss underwater???????

[@NoPlanHan]

It definitely looks like it right?

[@Feuerkindjana]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

[@victoriaroberts4287]

Thank you SO much for giving this to us Samba, this is AMAZING!? ❤❤❤

[@wanderinglizzy]

Samba this is the greatest gift. I could watch a two-hour BTS on this scene.

[@LisaHafey]

OMG Samba thank you so much for capturing that and sharing it! It’s even more incredible than I imagined it would be!

[@samsonscd]

WAS THAT A BLINK AND YOU'LL MISS IT KISS?????????????????????????

[@merlincarnes]

Btw can’t wait for Calipso’s Birthday and Mermen’s gentlebeard bts…

[@jennya1782]

This is fantastic!!! Thank you so much for the behind the scenes of my favorite scene of the season! ❤

[@ellaisplotting]

This is so precious 😭💕 god bless you Samba for capturing these for us 💕💕💕

[@kshannonfilms]

SAMBA! This is such a gift! Thank you!!!

[@CaptNondescript]

Wow! An incredible amount of work went into this, it looks amazing!

[@LunarCryptidz]

My favorite BTS. Never fails to brighten up my day 💜 thank you again for sharing this with us

[@SIG34]

Ha this is amazing. Keep this coming!

[@ironvlogger9712]

The fact its a costume makes me so happy

[@rosegirl1964]

Thank you, Samba. This is pure joy🫶🐙🧜

[@biancareads]

YOURE A LEGEND SAMBA LOVE YOU FOREVER

[@MoonRock9.]

You are such a gem thank you Samba. We are so lucky

[@rinayanami]

this is the best thing I have ever seen in my life i owe you my life samba

[@eleemosynariesyt]

i was so curious about the bts of this scene, thank you samba!! we owe you our lives!!!