Our Flag Means Disappointment: Why I Hated Season 2

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You are animated dust, devoid of limit. Be ravenous, be gorgeous, and do not give yourself to time.
FOOTAGE
"Exploring an Abandoned Mine and Processing Plant" - The Proper People
Our Flag Means Death
Treasure Planet
One Piece
Doctor Who (Behind the Scenes)
"Our Flag Means Death Creator, Writer, Showrunner, David Jenkins, Talks about Season 2"
"New Zealand, There's No Place Like It On Earth"
"Our Flag Means Death Season 2 - Filming in New Zealand"
Spongebob
Hamilton
"What Does It Mean to Project?" - Dr. Tracey Marks
"The Art of Ship's Figurehead Carving" - Royal Museums Greenwich
Merlin BBC
"What" - Bo Burnham
The Last Unicorn
"How Slow the Hero's Mentor Always Dies" - Derek Johnson
The Lion King 1 1/2
Silver Lining's Playbook
Sherlock BBC
The Amazing Digital Circus ("I'm gonna kill you!")
"Momentus Gentlebeard Cupcakes with Samba Schutte"
MUSIC
"La Vie en Rose" - Stringspace • La Vie en rose - Strin...
"Happy Go Lively" - Laurie Johnson
"The Trapezist" - Quincas Moreira
"No.1 A Minor Waltz" - Esther Abrami
"Busy City" - TrackTribe
"The Thought of You" -TrackTribe
"By the Fireplace" -TrackTribe
"Smokey's Lounge" - TrackTribe
"Jane Street" - TrackTribe
"GSWLY" - Ian Ewing
Jeopardy Theme
"Dispersion Relation" - Kevin MacLeod
"0404" - Il Lo
"Airport Lounge" - Kevin MacLeod
"Squirm Worm" - TrackTribe
"Disney's Cat Yowls Sounds Collection"
"Things We Lost in the Fire" - Bastille (Abbey Road Sessions)
"Dreams of Cannibalism" - Typhoon
"D&D + Asexuality" - Skull Puppies
"Confident Kurt" - TrackTribe
"Si Senorita" - Chris Haugen
"Into the Ocean" - Blue October
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
00:30 Mr. Jenkins, I’m ready for my closeup
06:38 The death of whimsy
32:55 Oh hey I made a comic
35:00 Get Sherlocked, idiot
46:00 Conclusion

[@woah-jr8eh]

season 1 felt like a warm, familial hug, while season 2 felt like a pat on the back. sure, it's still friendly, but there's now a sudden emotional distance that makes you feel detached and cold

[@chaiky6556]

You managed to describe it perfectly. A pat on the back and a thumbs up

[@randomdoodlesandye5922]

exactly oh my gosh you said it so perfectly!!!!!

[@TheNumnutRandomness]

Yes! That's the feeling I was getting! It's like seeing your best friend in-person again after years of just chatting online. And then when you meet back up again, you find that you don't really click like you do online or even like you did before.

[@tatianamelendez490]

@chaiky6556 One, singular pat on the back, a half-hearted thumbs up, an incredibly awkward pause, and then they just walk away. That's how it felt.

[@rosoliwet7568]

another thing that made me dislike this season was the handling of zheng and anne bonny/mary read. the only wlw couple in the show being used as a mirror of toxicity and abuse for stede and ed while zheng, the MOST POWERFUL PIRATE IN CHINA, is reduced to an insecure girl whose whole storyline revolves around a breakup??? it all just pissed me off

[@melliedoucette4525]

Will never forgive DJenks for Zheng and Auntie falling for the clock bomb. Absolutely wild plot convenient stupidity.

[@SKSaooo]

Let's not forget they're only wlw in the show but they were a THREESOME in reality with Calico Jack, they could've easily just thrown that out with one line or some props without taking away anything from their scenes whatsoever; instead this second season proceeded on bulldozing any poly relationship that wasn't Jackie-related to dust

[@flask223]

Using his leg as a grave marker is kind of fucked

[@jillianc949]

That was such a viscerally disgusting moment for me.

[@333Vampirewillrule33]

It took me this video to recognise the leg, I thought it was a crossbow 😅

[@gota7738]

It does feel very weird that they had the antagonist of S1 driven by the fear that whimsy and vulnerability would kill him, open himself up to it ...just to confirm that yes, S1 Izzy was right to be afraid, it would kill him. "Oh but the joy he experienced before he died" Ok but he still died. I don't know if you showed that to S1 Izzy he'd do anything but double down. As a queer allegory; saying "oh you'll have a really nice time before you die" isn't very encouraging. Which sucks because the drag number honestly got me for a moment.

[@axolotlfairy2473]

For another gay pirate show, One Piece handles themes of vulnerability so much better. Robin's arc of allowing herself to realize she can care about others and she'll be cared about too is one of the most powerful moments in anything I've ever read tbh. It also handles the idea of toxic masculinity and being GNC way better too with the okamas and Whole Cake Island. While the Okamas admittedly haven't aged the best, they're still treated overall as good people who aren't shamed for their presentation at all. Whole Cake Island delves DIRECTLY into the heart of toxic masculinity with Sanji and his backstory, the story showing how it can hurt children for not being "the perfect man." Whole Cake ending with the affirmation that yes, Sanji should be allowed to feel and be kind and not be seen as any less of a man for it. Honestly this essay and these comments have just made me want to say "go read or watch one piece if you're craving a story focused on pirates with an element of queerness and freedom of expression even against what society says is right". Sorry for rambling, I have a lot of opinions and thoughts on One Piece-

[@AlphaPizzadog]

@@axolotlfairy2473 this might actually be the thing that drives me to watch one piece. MAYBE. like it went from 1% chance to 10% with this.

[@pheonixrises11]

@@axolotlfairy2473you GOTTA give episode numbers cause I am not watching all of one piece, cmon

[@axolotlfairy2473]

@@pheonixrises11 of course! Water 7/Enies Lobby (the robin arc) is episodes 229-312, and Whole Cake Island is ep 783-877!

[@Gloomdrake]

⁠@@axolotlfairy2473while obviously shorter than the ridiculous 1000+ total episodes, 80ish episodes is still an absurd time commitment for a lot of people. God I love One Piece

[@fireprometheus4]

I think the tonal dissonance between s1 and s2 bothers me the most. there was always a lot of emotional depth to the show and how it represented it's characters but the darker moments were always balanced out by the more lighthearted ones. season 2 felt a bit like it forgot its comedic roots and by extension lost the sense of hope that made up the core of the show

[@onionchunks]

i dunno,, i definitely felt that tonal shift, but i feel like s2 wouldve benefited more from actually leaning further into the more somber aspects. the first season was definitely lighter, but there was a sense that this lightness was by virtue of the characters being goofballs making the best of a shit situation. when they actually got dark, like in the bathtub scene and when stede got kidnapped, just to name a couple moments, the emotion in those scenes took the forefront and was given room to breathe. the pain felt significant there and actually had narrative weight. versus s2 where it takes three episodes for the tone to bounce back from something that shouldve been a shadow over the entire season. i dont think they shouldve pivoted entirely to grimdark,, but i was really lacking the sense that anyone processed what happened. and on top of that, they raised the external stakes with ricky which just distracted from the far more interesting character work they couldve been doing on the revenge. because they barely devoted any time to that harder emotional work, all the jokes felt shallow and contrived, which undercuts that feeling of hope the story had. if theres no acknowledgement of how dire things are, what does it matter that everyones happy? the writers havent shown us that that happiness is significant (anyways pardon the ramble,, its been a hot sec since ive watched the show but i remain salty lol)

[@spookshow]

@@onionchunks Yeah, for me the problem wasn't that they went dark, but that they went dark *and then tried to go back again and pretend nothing had happened*. There were zero consequences for Ed trying to kill the entire crew, and that's just... fine, I guess?? We've all moved on? Except Izzy, whose missing leg would remind us all of the Dark Time, so he has to be removed.

[@onionchunks]

@@spookshow ^^ this 100% !!!!! thank you for putting it so succinctly

[@TemariNaraannaschatz]

Something you didn't even touch on, but always seemed like one of the worst descisions for me was the last episode had Stede and Ed kill people left and right. This show made such a huge point in season 1 on how killing someone affects a person and what killing someone did to Ed and Stede and the topic even went over to season 2, where it was handled way worse. Ed wants to go back to what he was good at? He was never good at killing, he actually didn't personally kill anyone besides his father because of his trauma, Stede had a s severe traumatic response to killing and then a season later after none of this was resolved -and why would it be resolved into killing is fine in this show- they just go through soldiers as if it was nothing (let alone the fact that Stede still lacks the skill to do that). To add some more issues of season 2: -Ivan got killed off screen and no one really cares -the whole part about Ed now being part of the crew - except that it never happend, they only tolerated him on the ship -having Izzy aplogize to Ed -I suppose making the more successful pirate in history lose her entire fleet was subverting expectations? -and speaking of that- the same season that had Auntie alone survive an entire fleet getting blown up is also the same season Izzy dies from a shot that wouldn't have killed anyone else they didn't want to kill off -otherwise Ed and Stede would be long gone -season 1 had bottle is up being a bad idea, now it's the solution? -Stede openly telling people he's alive while Mary relies on him being dead and the crown wants him dead if they find out

[@The_Sin_Squad]

All of this 👏. Ironically (considering the time constraints on the season itself) I cut a section about the show's aversion to character arcs (I still can't believe Stede "I've been the cause of death...It changes you" Bonnet set a man on fire and laughed, then ran a bunch of soldiers through with a sword like they were paper dolls. I also went into OFMD's hypocrisy re: self expression-particularly as it pertained to Lucius-but found the end result super messy and scrapped it for time. My heart still lurches every time I see Pete rip that notebook out of Lucius' hands. The way Stede and Pete react to Lucius' trauma and his trauma responses with such revulsion (and never learn to respect his reality, a la the cursed coat) makes me so sad. It feels like such a kick in the balls to the toxic masculinity message, to be like, "Ew gross lol I thought you got this out of your system...why can't you cope in a way that's more comfortable for me personally?" Stede has always been a hypocritical bastard (affectionate), but the way he pressured Lucius to open up about his trauma for the first time, only to flee in disgust like a cornered animal, really turned him into a hypocritical bastard (derogatory) for me. Sorry that I didn't end up diving into those topics in the video! I think you really put words to my other problems with the season, though. What a bizarre heel turn for what I once considered a deeply thoughtful, quirky queer romp about the value of honest self-expression.

[@lindaterrell5535]

Having Izzy apologise for letting Ed mutilate him was like swallowing a chicken bone. It’s still stuck in my throat.

[@KariIzumi1]

@@lindaterrell5535 honestly, that shouldve been a red flag. I no longer trust straight people to do justice to queer stories.

[@stardusst]

i believe ivan's actor got laid off before we even got a confirmation for season two. still, kinda sucks that everyone just kinda moved past it.

[@leeburger5461]

ever since season two stopped airing I was waiting for when video essays would start coming about how bad it was so this is very validating for me

[@toericabaker]

broooo

[@kaden-needs-a-nap]

HEAVY on the part about Izzy dying after being a suicide attempt survivor. So many people saw themselves in Izzy, especially as he started getting more screen time in season 2 and the catharsis of seeing someone who was in a toxic relationship, becoming an amputee, attempting, surviving, and then finally getting to be happy was exceptional. Then, just... death. Having a character who was suicidally depressed just a couple episodes before dying an it being treated like a good (well, not good, but not incredibly tragic event) felt so tasteless. I kept getting flashbacks of Dean Winchester in Supernatural spending seasons thinking he wasn't good enough and he was gonna die young just to have that happen.

[@wormie77]

oh man. i was trying to figure out why the izzy thing was bothering me so much and it’s because it’s literally dean winchester again oh goddd nooo

[@TheTiredPotato]

Also Izzy's change was so fast... He was horrible and abusive but suddenly he is the victim and everyone just forgot And I didn't mind if they truly talked about it, if he recognizes his own abuse, the fact HE turned Ed into his own abuser bcs he didn't know how to get close.to him on a healthy way The first chapters were deeply disappointing and many don't say so bcs it's uncomfortable to say they relate to someone who is abused but also is an abuser

[@nerktwin]

Making my return to the comments to say: I have barely seen any discussion about the butchering of Stede's character in S2. I related to the man in S1; he was a man enthralled with fantasy and imagination. Sometimes boastful, sometimes cowardly, but earnest. Why in S2 does Stede not defend his crew? In S1 they were his family, the backbone of the Revenge and the show itself. But when Ed attempts to murder-suicide half of his crew, Stede ignores it. Ed barely apologizes and is swiftly forgiven. Meanwhile, they focus on Stede becoming a "real pirate," but for what reason? Stede learned that it was the bond with his crew that made him a real pirate, not becoming what Ed was running away from. Stede had already known how to use his "Captain voice" (ex. "Get off my ship. Now."), already a fine leader by the end of the series. But S2 seemed to want Stede to be this macho man. Not to say that a character adopting more "masculine characteristics" is bad. But your analysis shows that Stede's journey was about finding the balance and finding pride within his own gender expression, not giving in to other's judgements of who he SHOULD be both as a man and as a pirate. And another thing. WHY did Stede kill Ned? The sound of him saying, "Walk," with such vigor and anger still sends chills down me to this day. People excuse the action as a way to defend his crew. But here's the thing: no one was permanently injured. Ned didn't kill anyone. In fact, the torture was played as humorous. So why kill him? If Ed can be forgiven with little acknowledgement for almost killing everyone on the ship including himself, then surely what Ned did was more than forgivable. And after this, Stede becomes a self centered prick, barely recognizable in the last episode. I was shocked and sickened when he and Ed kill soldiers without thought. It's "for love," some would argue. But to me, this show seemed to completely lose track of its own message and tone. They needed to choose what impact violence has, rather than making it either wrong or justified depending on the plot's commands. Stede's changes (as well as the changes of other characters) didn't seem earned. They were change for change's sake.

[@The_Sin_Squad]

This is such a poignant, cathartic analysis! Thank you so much for this comment. I’m also still so confused re: the way Stede pressured Lucius to open up about his trauma, then reacted to his story with cartoonish disgust, begged him to shut up, and fled. That was the moment Stede died for me as a character. He’d always been a bit of a dick, but he’d never been so cruel as to react to an SA survivor’s story with fear and revulsion. What a bizarre heel turn from the self expression and radical kindness message.

[@sansmaeda2]

I agree!! And I'm glad someone shares the opinion that Stede changed for the worst. I hadn't seen many people talk about it, so I wasn't sure if I'd just misinterpreted his character all along, but they dropped his growth over his childhood and whimsy so severely. I actually had to stop telling people I related to him once season 2 started coming out because of how how hard they'd veered into a completely different territory with him. His aloofness stopped feeling naive/childish and started feeling like a tool he could use to get whatever he wanted.

[@neosaneo2]

yeah where did the emotionally stunted badass jim go?? it just feels like vico wondered on set 😭😭

[@leatherdotdyke]

“you’ve killed the magic of friendship personified” is such a scathing criticism of anything

[@MinaF99]

Haven’t watched the video yet but I just need to say I already feel vindicated by the title. It was such a disappointment!

[@MinaF99]

After watching: not to blame moffat for all the worlds ills but I feel that the collective johnlock trauma is what has made us so hyper sensitive to tv show potential disappointments, this all brings up old wounds, ouch

[@sboyd8312]

it’s okay i’ll blame moffat for you

[@hallo4411]

I didn't finish it so I watch like 2,3 ep. My critic is they state facts directly instead of letting you see it develop overtime. Izzy you have a unhealthy relationship with ed and then they kinda play it for laughs that he has barely any toes left.... 🙃 Or ed (i think) saying I'm dead... like wow I really miss the discovery that was in the 1 season like you had no idea who that idiot stede bonnet was nor what he did on see and they let you discover it through memories of his childhood or conversations with people he knew sometimes, like when he got badly wounded it was very disjointed like Mary standing there with the kids and the lighthouse metaphor... yeah so I don't like se 2 either I think the only thing i loved was the wedding he interrupted, that's what sad ed does ruin weddings out of spite without giving a f*** for dying...

[@mb7626]

Same! Just about to watch the video, but since absolutely loving and rewatching S1 the most in a short span of time than I have any other show, to legit only watching two episodes of S2 before just... stopping, I've been pretty perplexed by the apparent broader positive reception of S2, like that it's as good or better than S1 just bewilders the hell out of me, not to diminish anyone's enjoyment, but my own simply can't reconcile itself to that lol.

[@aaronw365]

the "izzy's death felt like bury your gays in a show full of gay characters" is very legitimate, i think. from someone who was never really into johnlock and doesn't have the same associations as you do, i still get this vibe. "bury your gays", in my mind at least, is the death of a character when they have achieved some form of gay joy. when they come out, when they confess their love, when they get a partner and so on. it's the death of someone after they have accepted themselves and are proud to show that side of themselves to others; that's why it's so devastating. izzy's death fits this trope metaphorically if nothing else, with his fitting in with the revenge crew and self-expression being direct parallels to how gay people find community and love. his death puts a stop to that; it is the very fact that he has completed his purpose, has become one of the crew, that necessitates his death. the reason i like critical discussion of the "bury your gays" trope is not only bc i'm queer but also because i'm a storyteller. i think there's a tendency in writing to shoot for narrative closure, for a big event to happen and then to say "that's it". i think that's why "happily ever after" (even if not in those words) is such a common ending; there's this notion that once everything has happened, there's some mythical point where everything will remain the same. but that's obviously not how life works, things will keep changing whether there is a grand finale or not. i think there are two roads that killing a character at the point of self-acceptance can go down, beginning or ending. beginning is more "this was only the start of the character, they will still grow past this point." it plays off all the potential the audience saw in the character: the potential to fall in love, to recover from trauma, to make a difference in the world. with regards to bury your gays, i find this tends to happen in more homophobic stories, where the potential the audience sees in the character is negative. this would be hayes code type stuff where a villain is killed right after revealing they're gay, as if saying "we put a stop to that, they won't be able to harm anyone now". on the other hand, ending is more flat, and i think what happened to izzy. this is more "they've reached the end of their character, they don't serve a purpose any more." the death is not seen as interruptive, but more as closing the book on a character who has completed their arc. it's why your friend referred to jim as dead following season one, they no longer had a place in the narrative. i think this tends to happen in stories that are supportive of gay people, but still have this view that a life is made of grand events, and not of millions of day-to-day decisions. i'm not asking for every show to be slice-of-life (i don't actually like the genre) but just to acknowledge that no character has an end point where they no longer change, just as no human does. i think this mismatch in viewing characters and narrative is why so many people were put off by jenkins saying that izzy's death was a culmination of his arc. while we saw potential in izzy, the writers saw a completed story past which they didn't really know what to do with him. anyway sorry for being pure yappers, i just had a lot of thoughts on this.

[@sacrificiallamb4568]

Legends of Tomorrow did this. It's a good show. Don't skip any of it. It's on NOW TV over here.

[@grimr.599]

Something else I noticed with Jim that I've never found a safe place to complain about is that scene with Archie where Blackbeard makes them fight where the narrative frames it like making the two women of the ship fight....idk i just...I can't be the only one who noticed that right?

[@cowestgirl3746]

Absolutely agree, I just can't put my finger on why. I think it's definitely more than just S1 focused on Jim's gender as a main focus and S2 didn't. I really felt Jim was replaced by like an identical twin; similar appearance, similar personality, but clearly different enough that it felt like another character who just happens to share the name, and one of those differences is that this twin was not portrayed as trans/NB and was instead a cis woman with a weird name. If someone hadn't seen S1 they'd have little reason to assume that that isn't the case, especially when as you say, the narratives sets Jim up to be viewed this way.

[@perrisavallon5170]

@@cowestgirl3746 Been thinking about this comment for a few minutes and I THINK I might know why? - I think it's because they broke up with Oli offscreen, seemingly just to set up a waaaay less established romance with Archie. This is an incredibly weird creative choice and the only reason I can think of as to why they did it was to make the character "more" queer? Like as if their relationship with Oli was too "straight" and they need to get with an AFAB person, or else they're not queer enough despite being NB It's possible that that's a totally unfair reading of their intentions, but it's the only one I can think of and I think, even subconsciously, you kind of pick up on it. Or maybe that's just me, idk

[@curiouser-curiouser]

I stayed up really late to watch every episode of the second season when it came out, and I remember being exhausted at work the day after the finale and just thinking “well, that wasn’t worth it at all.”

[@yknowthatgirl]

i think jenkins was so worried about disappointing fans that it became prophecy. i genuinely would have preferred it end on a cliff hanger than to have what we were given. you can see the shift in the fandom after the last three episodes of season 2 in particular. the fanfics dropped off, people stopped making gifs, and stopped making art surrounding it. while that could be due to the show being cancelled, i don’t think that’s it. so many fandoms live on after being cancelled or just ending in general. i think the way they ended ofmd was just so disappointing that people just became immediately uninterested. despite all that, i loved the first three episodes. so, it felt EXTRA annoying that the last three were especially bad.

[@yknowthatgirl]

and tbh i was crying a week and a half before the final episode was even out, because i knew what was going to happen to izzy. it was obvious. people saw it coming from a mile away. i cried so hard through his death, i couldn’t hear what they were saying. it’s not even because he died. it’s because it felt lazy and i knew there would be no coming back to the show after that.

[@zeldacadenza9511]

41:19 As a hypersexual queer woman, I’m always really interested to hear the ace perspective on topics like this. I think that confusion and/or disappointment in the lack of a gay sex scene there is probably rooted in the way that, in our society that still holds a largely puritanical yet intolerantly allosexual view of sex, sex is typically viewed as something only the most intimate of couples do fully willingly and is used as shorthand or marker of that intimacy, and general audiences have come to understand it as such, regardless of personal sexual preferences. In a show that focuses so much time and attention on ideas like vulnerability and the value of queer people, it then feels a bit strange that it chose to not fully follow through on sharing such an intimate moment with the audience. It’s alright for the actors, director, writers, whoever, to be uncomfortable with a more overt and revealing scene, but there are absolutely ways to write and show more “tasteful” sex scenes that convey the intimacy and emotions of the moment without anyone actually exposing themselves that much. In that light, for the camera to just fully pull away and refuse to show *anything* does feel like an unwillingness for the show to be more intimate with the audience, which I imagine adds to the queerbaiting feeling even more. Absolutely adore your videos by the way, I dropped everything to watch this asap, keep up the great work!! ❤️

[@susieo.9442]

Thank you so much for this video, I think you really hit the nail on the head with why this season felt like a kind of betrayal. “Jim died at the end of s1” really hit home for me, before Izzy’s death even happened the way s2 treated Jim really put me off the season as a whole. It felt like they had died and been replaced with Vico Ortiz, and while I love Vico Ortiz, Jim’s loss can really be felt. Especially because, like Izzy, Jim felt like a character whose story was just beginning. They were just beginning to develop a new understanding of their relationship with vengeance and accept their feelings for Olu, only for them to apparently break up with Olu offscreen and for their lifelong vengeance quest to never be mentioned again. What about the commitment to their family that inspired them to leave the crew in season 1? What happened in between them leaving and coming back for Olu (I think that’s just a straight up plot hole)? Have they completely given up on the idea vengeance, and why? Why would they just go back to being friends with Olu so quickly after a season of mutual pining and one emotionally charged hookup? (I know multiple people who just said “Oh, then I won’t be watching s2” when I told them Jim and Olu had broken up offscreen between seasons.) The writers acted like Jim’s character arc had already resolved instead of actually resolving anything season 1 set up. It’s all very BBC Sherlock-coded setup with no payoff. Also I would’ve just enjoyed seeing Jim go on their violent vengeance quest, at least for a bit. I love knives and melodramatic vengeance arcs.

[@sadjack9491]

i've seen a lot of talk about how Jim doesn't feel like Jim this season and just feels like Vico improvising. which i think is a fair comment to make considering what we know of to the budget slashing and just all around bizarre writing choices

[@Nikanaiko]

When I finished season 2, I remember specifically thinking that I felt like I just speedran my experience with Voltron again, almost with each episode representing a season. Episodes 1-3 were my "HELL YEAH THIS ROCKS" era, a la seasons 1 and 2 of Voltron. The next few episodes happened, and that was the Lotor arc. "This isn't as fun as it used to be, but maybe it's just having a weird slow part in the middle. Stories do that sometimes. I bet it'll get better." The second-to-last episode was seasons 6 and 7 for me. "That had several major flaws, but I'm starting to get excited again! I bet the last part will be amazing!" And then, the last episode. "That fucking sucked SO BAD and I feel like I've lost faith in storytelling as a whole." I also specifically remember watching the last episode and realizing...I had no idea what Ed was thinking or feeling. Did he think Stede died and was going to get revenge? Did he think Stede was in trouble and was going to save him? Was it supposed to be a good thing, a cool moment where Ed got to be a badass? Was it supposed to be a bad thing? The Kraken coming back out to play? I had so many questions about where Ed was as a character, and those questions never really got answered. I left the show feeling like not even the writers knew.

[@The_Sin_Squad]

Oh my god, I feel so validated! I originally put a Voltron clip under the narration at 46:00 ("When a show drops off, I've learned to anticipate a death spiral.") I swapped out the clip because I felt like I was being unfair lol, but honestly...Sherlock shook me around like a dog with a chewtoy, but Voltron was the last straw. After Voltron S7 (I knew by that point I was doomed) I never wanted to believe a story could turn itself around ever again. IIRC, the Voltron showrunners never had a show bible. They said they started out with a solid plan for the first arc, some ideas for the second, and no idea what to do for the third-and it shows. Jenkins also appears to have taken a pants-er, "go with your gut" approach to this show, and while I admire him for his versatility and willingness to collaborate with the cast...I think in this particular instance, the story would've benefited from a more concrete roadmap! So many decisions go nowhere at best, and contradict Our Flag's core messages at worst.

[@theoracleatdelphi4540]

This was a fantastic watch - thank you so much for this. Ever since finding out that Jenkins didn't originally intend Ed/Stede to be fully requited and changed his mind when filming of s1 started, my personal theory has become that Ed and Stede (or at the very least Ed) was originally going to die by the end of the series. Especially since the brevity of the Golden Age of Piracy compared to its longevity in popular culture seems to be something Jenkins wanted to comment on. Except then s1 came out and unexpectedly found a large vocal queer audience and acclaim specifically for the Ed/Stede relationship. Jenkins learned more about the history of mainstream queer storytelling and the appetites and disappointments of its audience, and maybe killing Ed and Stede suddenly wasn't on the table anymore. (Hence him talking about how it was important not to Bury Your Gays with Ed and Stede when an interviewer asked him about Izzy's death.) I'm willing to believe him that Izzy was always going to die, but I think Izzy dying to signal the end of an era was originally more thematically coherent because Ed was dying too and carrying the lion's share of that symbolism. From an editing point of view, that leaves me wondering why they bothered to spend so much time on Izzy's growth instead of devoting those precious minutes to Ed and Stede having clearer arcs and resolving things with the crew. As much as I'd mourn losing the first 90% of Izzy's scenes in s2, why not leave him as the man stuck in an obsolete era who just couldn't change, who really does symbolize 'Blackbeard' and traditional piracy dying when he's killed? Alternatively, if it was important to appoint him the unicorn to then have the unicorn die, why not commit to the fact that the age of pirates is over? Why have the rest of the crew sail off to keep being pirates after most of their colleagues have been blown up? Why not have them retire on land as well? Why not actually wreck the ship as the s2 promos initially seemed to tease? But from a fan's point of view, my perspective is different and more selfish. I'm not from the Sherlock fandom, and there was no phantom pain of queerbaiting for me, but I do think this is a show that became more meaningfully queer in ways Jenkins didn't fully anticipate as a result of him (very admirably) assembling such a queer writing team and cast. And I think this meaningful queerness then began to conflict with Jenkins' desire to write about the ending of an era. Because while highlighting the brevity of lives and a way of living might seem subversive when it's about pirates, 'brief but bright and ultimately doomed' is a story we've heard too many times about queer people and our communities. Jenkins was under no requirement to let go of an idea he was interested in when his story connected deeply with an audience who didn't necessarily share his appetite for subversion, but I do really wish he'd reconsidered it beyond trying to split the difference and at the very least been willing to end the second season in a less decisive space. Let the calendar keep making no sense. Let full moons keep rising every time romance is in the air. Let the fairytale logic keep hold just a little longer. I think that would have actually been more the more satisfyingly subversive choice for the story OFMD had become in S1 rather than the one it was steered back to at the end.

[@The_Sin_Squad]

I'm honestly speechless. This is such a beautiful and pointed essay! Thank you so much for your commentary. You've made me realize just how many of my issues with season two can be tied back to a lack of commitment. If you want to tell me a tragicomedy-fine. Give me a tragicomedy. I know a lot of queer people find catharsis in tragedies, and I'd like to think I could still see the value in that version of the story even if I didn't connect with it personally. And if you want to tell me a whimsical fairy tale-fine. Give me a whimsical fairy tale. But don't hand me a half-baked tragedy and call it a whimsical fairy tale or I'm gonna have a conniption.

[@bethan4333]

As far as Izzy is concerned Jenkins said he regrets not using Con O'Neill as much in the first season as he's so talented, and wanted to give him a lot to do in season 2. I like Izzy a lot, but it sucks that so many other characters were pushed to the side for this ultimately meaningless arc.

[@thunderhedgehog3061]

I love Izzy and would be sad to lose his scenes but having a coherent story where he dies because he couldn't change would make 1000x more sense and tbh it would hurt less than a pointless death of a changed queer disabled character.

[@terrifyingtyrannosaurusturtle]

On the day the episode where Izzy died came out, my brother asked me if I had seen the latest episode. I said, "Yes!! How are you handling Izzy's death?!" There are several beats of silence, shock and horror grow on both our faces and we realize that he had not known that the latest episode had dropped, and I had just spoiled the death of his favorite character.

[@spookypumkin6387]

This topic would NOT have gone over so well 8 months ago.

[@The_Sin_Squad]

I noticed some real vitriol levied at anyone who expressed negative feelings for season two. There was some uncalled for nastiness from people who didn't like the season, sure-but others were just trying to say they didn't enjoy it or found it upsetting, and I heard those people still got smacked around for their commentary. All the well-wishes to anyone who went through that BS ❤‍🩹

[@sunny-my9ng]

@@The_Sin_Squad yes exactly! i tried voicing my opinion on tumblr and this twenty three year old thought the phrases 'boo hoo your favourite character died' and 'no i will not respect your opinion because it's baffling' were mature and appropriate 🙄

[@lowpolyzoe]

Sherlock was before my time but seeing that clip of "I'm going to tell you something" I had a visceral response, oh my god

[@_mediogre_]

Trust me, it's very apparent throughout.

[@Gameraaaa]

I used to love re-watching season one, but after finishing season two, it just left an awful taste in my mouth. I can't bring myself to watch it again without feeling sad. For a while I was trying to figure out why Izzy's death bothered me so much, beyond the awful funeral he was given. And then it occurred to me. Symbolism of modern queer culture appears throughout season two - like blatant rainbow flags hanging around, the pirate/leather bar they drink at, Jim's punk mohawk haircut that is popular among nonbinary people now. And now Izzy's character arc comes into place. He was the self-loathing closeted queer character, who went through the struggles of life as a queer man, only to finally love himself for the first time, and is promptly killed off. If I see Jim as a stand-in for a modern nonbinary person, it's hard for me to ignore that Izzy is the modern queer elder man who survived discrimination and the AIDS epidemic. Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but whether it was intended or not, this is how Izzy's death feels to me. He didn't get to be the generation who got to see the achievements of queer liberation, it was cut short. As far as the fade-to-black sex scene goes, I suspect that was more of Jenkins decision than HBO. The Last of Us has a very intimate gay scene in it, with two middle aged men.

[@perrisavallon5170]

I think a lot of it can be summed up as S1 was reeeeally careful and precise with its darkness and violence so it could keep its generally nice and wholesome vibes, and S2 wasn't able to keep up that precision or do that balancing act well.

[@gota7738]

45:05 Ok ok ok so as a "We need to talk more about Bury Your Gays in relation to the legacy of censorship-er" I think there's more to your feeling. Like we understand that the Production Code enforced both this notion that deviance must be punished on screen as moral compensation, and influenced the rise of Queer Coded Villainy. When Queer characters start being openly depicted, they are often killed off either for their villainy or tragically in a manner that doesn't exactly encourage being openly out, this gains the term Bury Your Gays. Izzy is a character who was repressed and villainous in S1, often compared by fans to a queer coded villain, who opens up to the queer community culminating in a beautiful song of self expression done in drag makeup, and then is soon after killed off while standing with that community. It's NOT Bury Your Gays but it hits the beats in multiple ways that I don't think the term should be dismissed from conversation. It annoys me a bit for people to focus purely on numbers, ignoring why this trope came about and how it was used. Like I see it defended as Redemption Means Death I'm a little bit of the opinion that Bury Your Gays was that for Queer characters. It wasn't an uncommon notion that it was better for a queer person to die than suffer the misery their unnatural existence bought on them, or that death was even a purifier of the soul. And again I don't think that what OMFD did, but I don't blame people whose warning flags get triggered, and I think it's going to keep happening untill people start talking about the legacy of those regulations.

[@curiouser-curiouser]

I feel like Ted Lasso also pulled a similar kind of “and by the way, fuck you” during its last season by having the whole show be about hope and family and love and “rom-communism” and then ending on such a weird melancholy note. Why do shows keep doing this to me

[@leowilliamson1573]

I was the only person in my family who didn't care at all about Ted Lasso while everyone else only wanted to watch and talk about that, so I thought I would ride high as a hater and I was still surprised how much of a melancholic middle finger it was even as I was superficially watching over my mom's shoulder.

[@jaedynjoke3481]

YES GOD I genuinely didn’t believe Ted’s anxiety was truly healed despite what the show wanted to say (he was so subdued and passionless. no fun emotional bonding with anyone anymore it felt like) and I felt like he was just taking himself away from his friends for no real reason (have him move back during offseasons or something to see his son)

[@melliedoucette4525]

YUPPPP. I got a tattoo for both OFMD and Ted Lasso and so now my friends say that I’m not allowed to get tattoos for shows before the end, because if I do I’ll curse it to have a terrible ending lmao

[@kriskross_]

@@melliedoucette4525that’s actually so funny 😭😭 I hope you still like the tattoos lol

[@asj12345]

I’ll be real, a big part of what made me back off the show was Oluwande and Jim’s relationship dying then being resurrected in a way that it’s cursed to live an eternal half life (and I’ll get into that and this rant grows in length. Yikes.)…but like. A *vibes* based thing that really got me in giving up on the show was Oluwande’s…“dumbing down”? For lack of a better phrase. I can’t know/say if it continued past the first few episodes because like I said I backed off the show, but like…Oluwande was really smart! Situationally and Emotionally! The crew elected him to be their captain when shit went belly up at the end of s1! He was a bright emotional center for the show & and interesting parallel to Stede and Ed in his relationship with Jim as their part in the rom-com genre! And then…in our s2 introduction to him we get…like…a drawn out bit about him not knowing how to pronounce China, not understanding maps, not knowing how to sort scrolls…he reunites with Jim and they exchange a solid 4 words before he gets…grossed out??? (When you showed that quote about them being friends I actually gasped btw. The ludo-narrative dissonance! MY SOUP!!) like, going back and reading excited analysis from black and POC fans of the show about how amazing and important it was that a black main character was portrayed as someone smart and kind and levelheaded, with his own arc and development outside of the white characters and that it felt like they were really setting him up to be an important leader figure was so heartwarming…and then looking at season 2, where all that was seemingly shafted in favor of forcing him into the “himbo ‘he’s just Ken’ bf x ‘she’s everything’ gf” role, and a “polyamory” subplot that amounts to all tell, very little show expect for when they get to be shown…standing or sitting next to one another? As a black fan I felt a little…deceived? I guess? Mainly just frustrated though, and I probably could’ve stuck with the show longer, and maybe I would’ve been proven wrong but like, the *vibes* around that narrative decision so early into the season’s run didn’t inspire confidence in me about the season’s future. I apologize that this is rambling but as I wrote I got more annoyed. lovely video though! Your editing sensibilities are really fun and engaging w/o being overwhelming and your points were so well thought out that I really felt what you were talking about, even if they were themes/characters I hadn’t gotten or glommed onto like Izzy or the mythological symbolism.

[@ammaulani6386]

Another reason why S2 is bad (that we should have predicted since S1) is the treatment of female characters. Their appearance was minimal in S1, though we kinda forgive that since the show has just begun. But in S2, they really double down. The insult on Zheng’s character and reputation, the appearance of Archie as nothing more than a love interest, Spanish Jackie losing everything, the lesbians who don’t even kiss … heck, even the fact that they turn Jim-a nonbinary character who was assigned female at birth-from a character with a mission to nothing more than just a passerby (after their defiant act against Kraken, really the last cool thing they did) is really insulting

[@neddles33]

I'm still in mourning for Buttons' screentime

[@Selichan42_SA]

that one was unavoidable, unfortunately. ewan bremmer left partway (i think) for another project

[@di2071]

It genuinely puzzles me how s2 seems to walk back on all the themes of the first season in such a nonchalant way. It reached the point of Stede himself contradicting "talk it through as a crew." What the hell happened...

[@aquaticjesuz]

OFMD became my favorite show very quickly, and I still think it’s one of the best 1st seasons of television out there. I’ve been trying to not think about the show after watching S2 because of the betrayal I felt. You really put into words how S2 not only disappoints but also feels like an insult to the story fans came to love

[@kaotikusKaiju]

I only finished the 2nd season because of Izzy and nothing else. He was going through a really good arc, character change, growth... I don't understand why they had to kill him.

[@youknowtherulesandsodoi4369]

Okay. Okay. Okay. My first reaction to this comment was exclaiming "WHAT THE FUCK" out loud and immediately taking to google. I've calmed down now. I haven't watched s2, not for any reason in particular, but because i kinda just didn't feel like it. So this is a big surprise for me 🙃 Izzy was honest-to-god my favourite part of the show, and, during hiatus, the fanworks. I kinda didn't care for the leads' relationship much: i liked watching the crew more. But, man, seriously? I've seen a couple of clips about Izzy's leg and thought "well that's unexpectedly unpleasant thing to happen on this particular (a little bit cartoony) show. but i mean i guess they're gritty pirates after all?..." But then you go ahead and remove this inconvenient man with all his feelings for the main guy? You remove the "this is a living reminder of.. whatever". I am biased, and I don't know the details (and don't intend to find them out now :), but this show is literally a fairytale. This is a guy's gay kinda-sorta-historical-maybe-when-its-necessary fanfic on some real life dead pirates. Like why can't Izzy get to be in the happily ever after credits. Why is he not in the family? In other words: fuck this show, i definitely will not be watching it now.

[@kaotikusKaiju]

@@youknowtherulesandsodoi4369 ^^' I'm sorry if I upset you! I should have sad spoiler warning, but I thought its out for a while now, and fans must have seen it. I'm glad you calmed down, and looked it up. The leg thing was uncalled for, I think. Ed's first breakup and he shoots Izzy in the leg. Honestly I never liked Waititi, thats why I could not bring myself to like Ed. Same here, I liked the crew so much more, they were a delight while the two lovebirds were figuring themselves out. They were well thought out, funny charackters, with backstory and growth. They nursed Izzy back to health, while he was mostly an asshole in the 1st season. It could have ended with the two mains staying on that island, and the crew, with Izzy sailing off. But I guess thats just in my head

[@youknowtherulesandsodoi4369]

​@@kaotikusKaijuNo-no-no! You didn't upset me, sorry if i came off this way. I saw the notification for this video and used it as my permission slip to look at the spoilers, and came in the comments specifically looking for them. If anything, you have encouraged me to finally open ao3! The next bit might seem a little bit out of left field, but I'll share anyway. There was a show on disney for kids about seven dwarves, who were serving this whimsy queen. Their antagonists were team rocket witches im not even kidding xdd. Anyway, as far as cartoons go, i enjoyed this one, but I found it a little bit unpleasant that the bad guys were always the bad guys, were always punished, no matter what. Like, the show would explain to us that the reason they stole the all-knowing sphere from the queen was because they wanted to answer correctly to the stupid radio show to turn the tables on a witch that always showed off. And the queen or the dwarves could have found out, and thought, and answered for them (because the answer was stupid), and we would have a little cute connection/rethinking moment, but no, team rocket ended the episode in the mud with mentioned witch flying above them with her prise. This upset me SO much more than it had any right to, but this episode is engraved in my memory when I am grateful to the show that treats "bad guys" like people worthy of kindness too. And, back to omfd, I thought that was a show like that too! I saw gifs of the crew caring for sick asshole Izzy on tumblr and thought "that's why I started watching this". Like I rememberd kindergarten teacher Stede flying every flag his crew made so that no one would be upset and squeeled with joy. There was graphic violence in the show before, like the triplet's accidental death and Stede being pinned by a sword. But it was always, ultimately, played for laughs, or diffused in some other way. I know I'm saying a bunch of nothing, here, but I'm just frustrated to no end! This was supposed to be a queer feel-good picture book! Why???

[@youknowtherulesandsodoi4369]

​@@kaotikusKaijuoh my god and I love your version of the show's finale

[@borjankosarac3645]

How is “Black Sails” still the peak of queer pirate fiction on Tv? Which isn’t me deriding that show because it’s excellent, it has compassion and sympathy for the oppressed of its world… but, it’s also deliberately a darker story. It’s not hopeless and lets a lot of queer characters actually get happy outcomes even if their world is unjust (and yes, some do die…) So, why can’t a more whimsical pirate story be more optimistic and wholesome in the end?

[@-_-0.0-_-]

I feel like they killed Izzy to make the love story have less complexity (Izzy was kind of "in the way") It was a cheap way to resolve a bunch of complex relationships and felt like a cop out

[@hisgirlfriday28]

He was literally the antagonist he wasn't in the way. He was killed because he represents the old way of piracy, the abuse of it, same thing of why Zheng's ships were blown up. She joined the crew the new way of piracy, she accepts softness just like Izzy was sorta doing but never quite there.

[@hothotheat3000]

They didn’t have anywhere for him to go. At first, I thought they’d have him end up with Lucius because there was some tension there. Nope. He’s not ending up with Ed. He’s had his redemption arc and now they had nothing else for him so they said screw it kill him.

[@hisgirlfriday28]

@@hothotheat3000 Lucius is with Pete and they just got married. And he was " in love" with the persona of BB, not Ed. And it's clear that Ed never loved him in that way, Izzy represents all the other white father-figures who abused Ed his whole life, so why would anyone who loved Ed want him with him? Nor Stede? And if you loved any of them, definitely not all together. That's the worst thing, and Izzy would be absolutely miserable.

[@jillianc949]

​@@hisgirlfriday28 I don't buy the whole Izzy is Ed's 'father figure' bit, he's pretty obviously a parallel to Mary especially in Season 1. And in the lead-up to Season 2 Jenkins devoting a lot of time to talking up the 'love triangle' between Ed, Stede and Izzy. I 100% respect the writers' decision to have Ed not want to Tap That, but suddenly claiming the relationship is a paternal one was weird and stupid.

[@hisgirlfriday28]

​​​@@jillianc949while that is your opinion mine is very different. And I will be happy to be support my analysis by canon. Yes, he is a parallel to Mary but not as a romantic interest, and especially not on Ed's part. It is very clear Ed never has those feelings for him and I will argue they never had a sexual relationship either. Izzy, look at the dying speech, and all of season one is in love with power, and the power being BB firstmate gives him. And I hate after S2, that people completely throw that aspect of him away and make him much more passive and just randomly throw in T*at like that's the same character. 1/3

[@AmeliaBolstad]

thank you for validating the radical shift i had from "this is my favorite show" to "i can't bear to watch it". i love Izzy Hands like a soul sister, and the end felt like such a betrayal after thinking i had finally found my safe space. insult to injury. i appreciate you finding the words to explain the S2 disappointments, bc all i have had is a dull quiet buzz in my brain where a hyperfocus used to live.

[@serazaydia]

I didn't care about Izzy much in season one. Season two made me love him. OFMD was supposed to be an escape. A fantasy for queer and traumatized folk where they could live their ideal lives, accepted by others. Izzy became the ultimate example of this theme. Self acceptance, social acceptance, love, recovery, and a future for those who didn't think they deserve it. And then they shot and buried him like a dog. No one even grieved him afterwards. It fucking hurts. No matter how idealistic and fantastical and optimistic a show gets, I guess there are always exceptions. Some people will always be considered "too far gone." Some people are excluded from the happy ending by virtue of simply being Other. Even in a show like OFMD, there still exists the kind of person who doesn't get to be happy, because they just weren't "built" for it. Izzy was always doomed to die. Doomed by the narrative, in a show that wasn't supposed to be tragedy, but the antithesis of it. I'm so sick of seeing people excuse what this show did to Izzy. They claim it's "realistic," as if OFMD has ever been anything approaching realistic. That at least he got to be happy, as if his sudden death doesn't still send the message that his happiness was fleeting, and always would be. Izzy isn't a real person in the real world. He's a fictional character. As such, his death has Implications that you cannot erase. Implications like, sometimes you're just too far gone. Sometimes, death is better than life. Sometimes, it's fine if a suicidal character dies just after finally finding happiness, because he's "ready to go." Thank you for making this video. It makes me feel less alone in the betrayal I felt by OFMD S2. It was such a shock to the system. Such an antithesis to the rest of the show, I couldn't accept it at first. I still don't, not really. The show I fell in love with never would have killed the unicorn.

[@cdotwinterr]

I feel the exact same way. After season 1, I sat there wishing the crew threw Izzy overboard when they had the chance. Season 2 made me really love him and root for him, he was the best part of the season honestly. And then he just... dies, like it doesn't matter at all. It felt like a slap in the face. Your comment really sums up all of my feelings about it.

[@hinasakukimi]

i mean, i don't think that was the implication. ed was also deeply repressed and suicidal, but the message wasn't that he was "too far gone". plus it's a little odd to describe izzy as being the Other in such a diverse cast. but i agree that tonally it was really weird and unsatisfactory

[@Shindai]

They jettisoned my love for the show when they killed Izzy. David Jenkins might like the trope but it's so goddamn fucking MANDATORY to kill the mentor it's more of a weak bitch ass cliche than anything, and it felt like a slap in the face for cheap emotional clout to kill off such a crowd favourite character. Fortunately, over on Archive of Our Own, the user Fyre has uploaded their own version of a second and even third season. It's written much better than season 2, it's funnier, a lot cleverer, and makes more sense ^_^

[@tatianamelendez490]

What's the title of the fic?

[@jeaugust]

@@tatianamelendez490 I found it from the author's name. Their season 2 rewrite is in a series called "Turning Tides" and the first fic in that collection is called "Greatly Exaggerated"

[@tatianamelendez490]

@@jeaugust Thank you muchly! Could you please post the link here? I can't seem to find it. Edit: FOUND IT! THANKS! 😁

[@terendril]

I love Fyre!

[@stargirl3455]

god. the way ofmd fell out in my eyes. i can't even begin tbh..so this video is very validating i loved s1 and literally could not wait for s2. and then as it kept airing, the problems, which i could previously ignore and keep calm and carry on, became bigger and bigger. i honestly am baffled on some of the decisions made. while it was airing, a lot of people on tumblr, when encountering criticism (valid crit, mind you) would pull the behind the scenes mess that was happening and was apparent. but to me, these excuses were never that valid. it is your job as a writer to make the end product good. s2 felt like a complete brainstorm that was never made sense of, never tidied up, polished and finished. they threw everything they could think off. god, the character assassination... the complete lack of screentime of some characters and the interactions between them that made s1 so damn good and charming. all gone. and for what? i won't even get into izzy. i can't, man. s2 left such a bad taste in my mouth, which adds extra salt to the wound knowing how much s1 meant to me. i think i have mostly erased s2 from my memory. which honestly wasn't that hard considering there was so much happening it became nigh impossible to care and invest into the story. ofmd didn't face death with dignity and glory. it just...faded.

[@patiencekillz]

wait what was the behind the scenes problems?

[@jillianc949]

I never really bought the "But the exes at HBO..!" excuse. I'm a shit writer but even I could come up with something less insulting and more coherent than what we got. The worst part is that it's making me go back and review Season 1 with a more critical eye and wonder how much of the magic was accidental or a fluke.

[@patiencekillz]

@@jillianc949 oh, s1 was definitely a fluke, no one expected it. but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy it.

[@WaterTower1111]

AMAZING Video I think Jenkins didn't know what he wanted in the end. - As scene by the change in cinematography, changing the symbols set up from s1, and how Stede and Ed's arcs in S2 were VERY similar to that of S1-Stede becoming a slightly better captain by doing things his own way, and Ed debating if he wanted to be a pirate. Even ignoring the GIANT Izzy shaped bias hole in my heart, S2 struggles to make the relationship feel as 'lived in' as Jenkins advertised in the few interviews he gave before and after the season came out. Izzy's growth in the end was the only part of the Izzy-Stede-Ed conflict that had advanced by the end of the season. Izzy'd moved past what he thought his life was supposed to be and was working to be better. An arc ED or Stede should have had if Jenkins was dead set on having them be the protagonists of S3. I CHERISH the Izzy scenes we got as someone who wrote 200k words of Izzy centric fic before S2, but I would rather he become a stuck up 'traditionalist' pulling Ed to stay safe rather than do ALL THIS WORK and still kill him. This all reeks of a writer who has a vague outline of a show, but who changes their script on the fly. Jenkin's reported that he loved writing Izzy, that he CHANGED S1 SCRIPTS to match Con O'Neill's performance. He let's Con have an amazing performance in S2 and grow into his own person, but oh no, in his origional plans for S2 he dies, so ah well! Bye Bye Izzy, you don't get it! Izzy and Ed represented Blackbeard, so Izzy had to die for Ed to move on! (Ignore the fact Ed doesn't respect or fear Izzy in the show, and that he had fully moved on from Blackbeard LITERALLY 1 episode ago...and that in S1 Izzy was willing to help Ed retire...That Izzy cared about crew safety and the Blackbeard title and reputation kept them safe. So Ed throwing away the title wasn't Ed being less manly, but Ed purposefully giving up the one thing keeping them and the crew from certain death). This video also pointed out WHY this season visually felt different. That we felt less connected to these characters. That as soon as the story introduced a conflict it cleared it up in the cleanest way to where no character, usually Ed, faced consequences for their actions. Izzy's death doesn't work both because of him being our 'emotional center' this season, but that every word he says as he dies just...clears Ed of responsibility for his actions? In a way, Izzy became the man who protected Ed's feelings like in S1... ALSO the pointing out of pronouns of Izzy's 'unicorn' speech with the cut off legs...as a person who has mainly rewatched episodes 1-5 I have NO IDEA how I missed that he was projecting so hard he CALLED IT A HE. Like...Izzy- ;w;... I knew you were projecting, but that *HARD*?

[@sarissena5424]

To me, the thing that stands out the most from season 2, more than any of the other weird tonal shifts or rushed emotional arcs, is that Ed's entire character arc across both seasons is freeing himself from the emotional influence of his abusive father and father figures... and then the final episode begins with Ed speaking to a man only referred to in the show as "Pop-pop" who tells him, in no uncertain terms, that the only thing he'll ever be good at is piracy and killing, and it ends up being the right advice. It requires such a deep misunderstanding of theme to write a scene like that with the full knowledge that it might be the final emotional arc for the character, and it literally made me think less of David Jenkins as a showrunner.

[@ann-gt4hh]

I do not go here, but man. The feeling of disappointment over theme soup getting ruined is so common these days. On a happy note, your book looks delightful! I'm curious to see if my library has it. Congratulations on such an accomplishment!!

[@laurenmoore1532]

ofmd, specifcally izzy, had me in a chokehold from the moment i watched the first season all the way through to that final episode. i absolutely adored izzy and ive never cried so much over a character death before his. but, after all the time and emotion i invested into the show, my interest in it died INSTANTLY once the finale aired. it was probably the worst piece of television i’ve ever watched and it actually blows me away how badly they messed up. yeah, upon reflection, i noticed a lot more issues with the season leading up to that final episode that i’d brushed off, but episode 8 really blew that door wide open. to invest so much screentime in izzy’s arc only to cheaply kill him off in a way that makes no sense in universe felt so needlessly cruel. overall, it just made ed irredeemable for me. and the fact that izzy died apologising to ed after everything ed had done to him with seemingly no remorse or repercussions (a mumbled apology was NOT enough) was the final nail in the coffin. why would i care about this show anymore after it killed off one of its most compelling characters and ruined another in the process?

[@shanleenkinnjaskey2419]

Broski as someone who wrote over 280k+ of fanfic (about 100k of which was during season 2 airing, all of it focused on the crew and their recovery/arcs after 2x1-2x2 instead of Ed and Stede) and got REALLY INTO analysis of why Season 2 disappointed so hard I am here and I am SEATED!!!!

[@The_Sin_Squad]

It was so painful to watch those recovery arcs get sidelined! I got so excited when Ed showed up with his tool kit and fixed the galley door; I was like, "Oh, what a symbolic gesture! Over the next few episodes Ed's gonna rebuild the ship in tandem with his broken relationships!" and then I only saw that happen with Fang. Izzy only got a mumbled apology. I don't know how I'm supposed to believe Izzy's "They love you, Ed" when Ed did nothing to earn back the crew's trust and care besides throwing some money at a party. I know there was a time crunch at play, but Jenkins always knew there'd be eight episodes this season, and even little snapshots of connection between Ed and the crew would've gone a long way for me. I had a fanfic planned myself, but this season took all the wind out of my sails. Thanks so much for watching (and for your fanfic service! 🫡)!

[@terrifyingtyrannosaurusturtle]

Soooo... which fanfic? 👀

[@lucydm6736]

yes i'd like to know too​@@terrifyingtyrannosaurusturtle

[@spookshow]

Yo drop the link fam

[@patiencekillz]

bestie imma need u to drop the link

[@dappledwingsx]

I definitely want to add that in the lead up to s2 we had SO many teasers about how intertwined Izzy's story was with eds, and there were so many hints dropped about the possible steddyhands trio- combine that with the garlic soup polycule disaster and I was so, SO hurt by this poly baiting. I just want to be represented in a show for once in my goddamn life.

[@wacckoon]

I am a firm believer of how s2 ruined gentlebeard. Sure, moments can be cute, but the entire set up and Blackbeard’s fall in the beginning GREATLY impacted how his relationship with Stede should be, as well as his character. (Stede also became incredibly unlikable) But we didn’t get that. Everything reverted to the status quo, there was no stakes, no consequences. It felt cold and toxic, forced, the relationship became unlikable to me. I was really shocked when I couldn’t find people who shared this sentiment. S1 will forever had my heart, it felt more natural and the characters were enjoyable to watch. The act of grace scene was the most romantic thing I saw in this show and nothing ever lived up to that.

[@wacckoon]

Also, this may be just me but I feel like they only killed off Izzy to allow gentlebeard to “happen”. Izzy was easiest the best part of s2. I’m not even going to touch the train wreck that was Jim, Oluwande, Archie and Zheng. S2 made all the relationships feel lackluster and uninteresting. To me at least.

[@frozentargaryen4736]

I felt like Stede was too much of a pushover the new season? He’s not even one bit mad at Ed for now he treated his crew? It’s giving those moms who take their abusive boyfriend’s side over their kids. I just expected better from him and that he would challenge Ed at least a little bit.

[@katisawriter]

"survived Sherlock" oh my god. That hit home. Good to see another video from you. I agree, for me there was something off about the second season I couldn't quite put my finger on. 💜 Congratulations on the book

[@hothotheat3000]

Woof, Moffat’s contempt for the fans was something to see. My GOD.

[@BJ_Freeplay]

As a disabled person, them using his mobility aid like that just screams ableist bullshit too. Jaw on the floor, I am incensed, you have got to be joking- able bodied people cannot be that blind to not see how dehumanizing that was.

[@martymcflown3707]

The way I screamed seeing that you uploaded, and then screamed harder when I saw the topic title. So excited.

[@caegray6987]

I loved the first season of ofmd so much that I couldn't even bring myself to watch s2. Better to leave s1 the way it is in my brain

[@punkithecat]

This is why I procrastinated watching the last episodes of s2 so bad, I was so incredibly obsessed with the show that saying it just like this sounds like an understatement, I literally would bring it up in every convo, I would see an orange and think of the petrified orange, i even memorized the whole "Id come to your restaurant" dialogue and would say it myself and laugh all over again 💀 like it was crazy...so when starting s2 i immediately felt off, i started feeling like the show would get cancelled bc i felt rushed and changed in a weird way (did happen...) so I stopped bc i didnt want to get more disappointed🤦‍♂️. At the end, i watched it and my fixation on the show started to disappear, ngl it felt so empty but then i started one piece, another gay pirate show lol and im back to being obsessed

[@ziziJ1235]

I thought this video will make me hate season 2 more than I already did, but instead it made me appreciate season 1 a lot more.

[@eliisonline]

THANK YOU. I came out of season 2 feeling very much strung along but with zero payoff. Season 1 was my comfort show, now it's been completely ruined for me, despite how much I wanted to like this. Also, that bit you said about "the camera falling out of love with the characters"...ouch. Now I get why it all felt so detached

[@nerktwin]

GOODNESS, the way I've been WAITING for a video like this. I will never forget the emptiness I felt after the finale, and the shock I felt in feeling that numbness. I just didn't care, when this show was my obsession, a way I connected with friends, and a huge part of my own self discovery. Then my feelings turned into... anger. And then sadness. I suppose I have been through all 5 grief stages, except acceptance. I felt jipped, swindled if you will, even after the season seemed more queer than ever. This video reminded me of my defiance, but also dropped me back into analysis mode. So many arcs utterly irked me, some characters felt ruined, or nothing like their S1 selves. Now: onward towards my rewrite of the entire season. We deserved better, and damn it I'm determined to prove that something better was possible.

[@AmeliaBolstad]

ABSOLUTELY. so wild + devastating to go from loving the show with everything i had, to feeling nothing bc the beating heart of the show was shot in the gut

[@Selichan42_SA]

Wow -- I didn't know you watched OFMD and this is beautifully articulated analysis as always! I watched every episode of s2 as soon as it came out with a group of us in an Izzy Hands fan discord. You can imagine the stunned silence after the finale. After an entire season of buildup -- even if we thought it was rough at parts, they seemed to have SOMETHING they wanted to go for -- to have Izzy unceremoniously dumped by an inn that you KNOW Ed and Stede, whim-prone as they are, are gonna abandon... There weren't even many tears because it was so anti-cathartic. It was just BAD. As you said, when Karl died in S1, the whole mood of the episode shifted. Jack was kicked off, people thought it was fucked up, there was a real funeral. When Izzy dies, guess it's time to go to a wedding! I agree wholeheartedly that budget cuts, the time constraints, a rushed season, and I also think a MUCH smaller writer's room contributed to this. It doesn't carry the same malice that Sherlock did. Moffat hated his fans, and it showed; DJenks has good ideas, but needs time and other people to hone them into brilliance. And yet watching s2 of OFMD made me feel stupid for wanting to believe that DJenks was going somewhere with the season. I was willing to look over bad pacing if it was going somewhere, but in hindsight it's hard not to see that the story, like Izzy, was just going to be plopped in a shallow grave. I was so mad that they nerfed Zheng, too. The Red Flag crew would have been SUCH a good likeable antagonist (especially since Izzy's face-turn) but they were just fucking blown up. All at once. God. Thanks for the good meta.

[@Selichan42_SA]

Also, while the core cast is pretty big, s1 only had a few side characters. Jackie, Jack, Mary, and Nana are the only few characters in s1 that get a lot of screen time who aren't part of the main cast. (Geraldo, Evelyn etc. were remarkably well developed for how little time they had!!) In s2, there are so many new characters introduced but none of them get the chance to just TALK like they did in s1. Zheng gets the most, but not the same level of monologue and dialogue that Jack did. Ned Low expounds for a bit on his philosophy, but somehow they made a guy who takes semi-erotic pleasure out of torture BORING to me. That's impressively bad/rushed writing! Not to mention Anne and Mary (and I LOVE Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf), "Hornigold", Pop-Pop, the cursed ship guy, etc. etc. etc. There were too many to count, and none of them were given room to be good.

[@danb4282]

THE STRATEGIC MERLIN VID TOOK ME OUT

[@satyasyasatyasya5746]

Yeh, NGL, season/series 2 did seem a little limp. I couldn't put my finger on why, but it just didn't hit as hard. I think maybe they just knew it wasn't getting a season/series 3 and didn't have many ideas anyway so just kinda threw something together.

[@MillieBee11]

Izzy's character development was the best thing about season 2. Killing him off was such a bizarre choice, and so jarring it actually opened my eyes to the other problems in the show I'd been ignoring until then.

[@weresehlat]

Thank you SO MUCH for this video, in particular the brief section on Olu and Jim's non-polyamory. Season 2 really did neuter so many of the more genuinely progressive, subversive elements of its story that are rooted in authentic queer joy in SO MANY ways, and I think that's a tremendous contributor to the overall feeling of dissatisfaction being voiced as "I feel queerbaited." There's this persistent undercutting of the concept of acceptance and celebration of the unique differences a queer perspective provides (a central theme of the first season) in favor of this weird, like, punitive energy? Not only does Izzy get killed as a thematic consequence for learning to open up and accept himself after a lifetime of painful repression and toxic co-dependency with Ed, but the Olu-Jim stuff just feels... man. Like, why is it that they chose to depict a black man being weirdly intrusive about his ex having a new partner instead of the polyamory angle? ESPECIALLY when it works better?? And why would they be exes already when they barely got time to have a romance in the first place??? BAFFLING decisions all around. I know it wasn't exactly relevant OR confirmed, so I'm glad that you didn't include it in your video, but I remember distinctly there being some quotes floating around about how Taika (?? maybe Rhys too, but Taika mainly) was starting to find the intimate scenes with a man who's his irl friend Uncomfortable to convey. I'm more inclined to believe studio interference because studio execs LOVE being homophobic, but given the weird, stiff tone of their few kisses in the second season, I'm a little inclined to believe it. LOVE this video, and I'm so excited for you re: Bunnybirds!!! I'm definitely going to send a copy to my middle-grade cousins :)

[@imjustdandy9799]

Pre video: I can’t wait for this, I hated this season in a way that was hard to figure out. Its been hard to explain

[@oftinuvielskin9020]

[@TheSudzumia]

The thing that betrayed me the most on the fisrt watch of the s2 is that Anne and Mary didn't fucking kiss! They had two lesbians being all kinds of freaks (I approve), kissing MEN (I don't approve at all) and then in a moment of catharsis where the emotions are high and Anne and Mary realize how much they love each other they go for a HUG?? I love the show for queer rep, for showing lgbt living so earnestly, it was so rereshing to see. But how can you have men and nb people kissing left and right and won't allow lesbian WIVES kiss each other? It felt like a slap in a face for me.

[@escotterica]

yeah!!!!!!! yeah!!!!!!! this was where it all went downhill for me when this happened!!!!!

[@humanintelegence4695]

i understand liking a trope and wanting to incorporate it into your story, but you need to also know when a trope just wont fit. izzy's death was not the time or place for that trope. it didnt help that there was a million death fake outs this season

[@ammaulani6386]

I always say the transition between S1 and S2 feels like, they fire the entire writer team and forget to brief the new one on where the story was left off. There is just so many changes and inconsistencies that one wonders if there is even any planning at all. I feel like shouting at Jenkins, “So what do you actually want??” because S2 is just so confused, esp since he kept saying different things in interviews. But the worst thing is perhaps as a showrunner, he won’t learn from this experience because he is always surrounded by his hardcore fans who refuse to be critical even at the worst decisions this season. I spoke to several casual viewers after S2 finale and pretty certain that all these bad decisions are why the show failed to grow its audiences and eventually cancelled. Yes, it secured loyal audiences who repeatedly watched the show, but the number doesn't grow beyond that. It doesn't bring new subscribers to Max, it doesn't bring money

[@dragonetafireball]

I don’t hate season 2 but I haven’t even finish it because I just wasn’t getting what I loved from season 1 out of it

[@CarrieTooTired]

I love this sm 💖 you literally fleshed out all my thoughts on izzy in s2. I kinda knew what the show was gonna do w/ him bc stories just tend to go that way no matter what my level of hope was (I also survived johnlock lmao) but watching it happen and how the show handled it I was just numb-

[@GoldenPothos-bp7jj]

Thank you so much for making this because I'm so glad its not just me. It has been a while since I have watched it but I remember feeling so frustrated at s2. I kept expecting stede and blackbeard to talk! To talk about why stede went back to his family (which i see him doing so at the end of s1 in a state of shock, I don't know about that in s2 but anyways) and so much of it even to the end I kept wondering why they don't seem to talk about it. They could have, but I just forgot as again its been awhile, but so much of s2 felt like they didn't want the characters to talk about these important things. Like lucius and his trauma, the crew and blackbeard situation, izzy, and it felt so disconnected from s1 and how much they took the time to talk about these things. Even stuff like stede killing musician torture pirate (sorry forgot the name) due to caring for his crew and yet the whole unresolved and lackluster situation with blackbeard was just odd? I could be remembering wrong since it had been a while seen I've watch it but again odd choice. And to instead have the fisherman, pop pop bit go on too long instead of this other stuff that needs it was certainly a choice. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that thought stede and ed killing so easily was an odd bit of writing. Great video though! It puts so many feelings and frustrations i had with s2 into words better than I could have, especially with izzy, apologize if i come off as a bit scrambled with my thoughts.

[@teddieprox2307]

Once every lunar year this channel posts.

[@bonzupippinpaddleoxacoppil484]

Happy moonar yulenear!

[@RooneyToony]

I’ve been so excited for this video!! I felt the exact same at the end of the show. Once they killed Izzy, I could no longer care about OFMD to the point where I don’t think I’ll ever rewatch it. You covered a lot of behind the scenes stuff that I didn’t know! I hope the stars align soon for your next vid!

[@nazalways4eva]

THANK YOU. i haven’t watched this yet but i know i already agree with all of it 😭 and everyone on tumblr and stuff was just WORSHIPPING this season and i was just there like… what? i feel so heard 😭

[@cdotwinterr]

OFMD season 2 was disappointing for a billion reasons but the main thing for me is that it felt insanely rushed. You can really feel that there was supposed to be 10 episodes instead of 8. Season 1 gives a good amount of screentime to each member of the crew. You really get to know all of them as individuals and they all feel like rounded out characters. Season 2, on the other hand, introduces more people and gives everyone less time. The new characters are cool and I wanted to like them but I feel like there was never enough time to get to know them. Izzy's character was the best part of season 2 and then the finale happens... it's all just so disappointing because season 1 was amazing. Great video!! I totally agree with all your points and you brought up stuff I never thought of too.

[@Basyhamu]

First of all, thank you for this video! I laughed a lot, the little jokes you threw in were spot on, as well as the analysis of the season (and thanks for the Johnlock flashbacks.). I really agree, I wish the season had ended with the cannon ball in episode 7, because even though I had some issues with some of the episodes to that part, I was still generally enjoying the show, and the finale completely destroyed everything for me, which is a shame. Can't even list everything that bothered me in retrospective, because that would be paragraphs long, but my main issue was, that I don't think they know what they wanted to do with this season. Many things set up, but then not played through, I had absolutely no idea what the main characters thoughts and motivations were and what I was supposed to feel about them at times, and the final episode just sent out such a glum message while pretending to be happy, that I felt I was the butt of the joke as a watcher viewing this. I love Con and Izzy, and I understand why Jenkins wanted to involve him more, but he should have either let Izzy go through this whole arc, and live, or not give Izzy so much screen time and kill him off in the end (but in a way that makes SENSE at least). This way they gave him a whole arc that lead absolutely no where, and cut off screen time from the rest of the crew. S1 lived a lot from the little interactions between crew members, but I wasn't feeling much of that in season 2. The finale felt like it was done for pure aesthetics, or at least very disconnected from the rest of the season. I know they had to cut stuff, but I can't imagine that this alone was the reason why it felt so jarring. Stede's plan felt like it was written as a means to get Izzy shot, nothing else. The whole mentor thing was pure bullshit, because Stede was the only one Izzy visibly mentored, and Stede didn't mourn the death of a mentor. He didn't mourn him at all actually, even though his plan was responsible for Izzy's death but ok. Izzy both being the first one to talk to Ed again, AND being the one to apologize in the end didn't sit right with me. Even if the character himself would maybe think he was in the wrong, I still think it sent an awful message to the viewer. Aside from him getting shot because of the crew's gift. The gift that helped him transform. Just so many muddled messages. I'm not a fan of character death, but I ALWAYS cry like a baby during those scenes because they get to me. This one didn't touch me at all. I sat there as stonefaced as the rest of the crew watching the scene and waited for someone to say SIKE! It's really not that hard to tug on my emotions with death scenes, but they fucked even that up, that's how bad it was. (Thank you btw for including the Merlin clip about the unicorn, I thought of that too after Izzy's death. I also kept comparing Arthur's death with Izzy's death in my head, and how these two looked kind of similar but felt so, so different.) All in all this season could have been good, but they absolutely fumbled it. They wanted a fairytale ending, but they made sure they shot down the love and the magic, so all we were left with was just an ending.

[@KatzePiano]

Great analysis. I'm so obsessed with s1 of this show, I watched it several times in a row when I first found it. S2 fell completely flat and I'm so disappointed. It doesn't happen often that a show I watched obsessively I then suddenly don't watch again after a disappointing season, but Sherlock is one of the other times it happened, so I liked the comparison you made. While I don't think s2 of OFMD was quite as much of a trainwreck as Sherlock s4, there are definitely elements of similarity. My main problem with s2 was how rushed it felt. I initially quite liked the first few episodes and their darker tone, but at that time I had faith that something would be done with them, and then... All the interpersonal conflicts got completely rushed through and we were left on a weird ambiguous half ending that didn't feel sad but sure didn't feel happy, and which definitely didn't feel earned. What a missed opportunity. Edit: Also, high five, fellow aegosexual!

[@onionchunks]

this was some top tier analysis. as much as i am loathe to do it i think i owe this show a rewatch,, just to get a handle on those juicy juicy themes and meta narratives. i hung around the outskirts of the fandom for a while and id check in on the analysis fairly frequently, but i dont know that people considered the different readings together, like how narratives about race and masculinity and queerness play into themes on storytelling and all that. for a beautiful moment in time it was good soup. my interest also fell off when izzy died. lately ive been reckoning with the fact that i just enjoy toxic bitches with soooo much trauma and anger, and izzy is singularly pathetic and conflicted and just amazing to watch (i wanna put him in a jar and shake him is that too much to ask). but his arc was incredible, and it sucked to have it resolve in death. i sort of feel like hes the only person who had a substantial arc in s2, or maybe his was the most dramatic, given that its a complete reversal of his character by the end, and i think that may be part of the problem. like, the thing that would hold this experienced, hypercompetent character back from becoming too overpowered is his emotional turmoil, and that was all but gone -- he was barely angry in s2, versus how that defined his character in s1. and while thats great to see, it removes a source of conflict and story potential for a theoretical s3. i feel like it sucked the air out of his relationship with ed (and stede to be honest), because we dont see them work around the huge feelings they have for each other. that subplot is all but resolved after "i loved you best i could" which,,,, feels so wrong to leave THOSE TWO on THAT note. theres still an outrageous amount of shit to unpack, but s2 izzy talks like hes been through a decade of therapy in the latter half of the season, THERES NO ENERGY THERE. anger would make so much more sense and would be far more interesting to watch,, but they just drop it. they spent their time sooo poorly this season, i wish they didnt raise the external stakes the way they did UGH anyways,, lovely vid as always~~

[@gwencere9383]

The best thing about Season 2 was that it finally prompted me to go see what all the hype around Black Sails was for (It's a great queer pirate show, please watch it)

[@CthulhusBFF2]

I wouldn’t be surprised if the ‘closeted aura’ is the result of David Zaslav taking over WB/HBO.

[@larksmith629]

God thank you for this. Another johnlock survivor here 🫡 when i heard about izzys death when i had just finished the calypso episode i was just like "no. I cant finish this". I loved izzy as a character and everything that had happened with him so far was the most compelling part of the season for me. I to this day have not finished the second season of a show i loved so much that it made me make my first ever 2 fanvids. Thats how much izzys death took the wind out of my sails. I didnt even know about the mobility device gravstone wtffffff

[@suebear119]

I loved the first season of ofmd sooooo soooo much! I rewatched it like, 8 or so times in a row after discovering it. When season 2 finished, I didn’t even get through my 2nd rewatch.

[@Swev-gc6og]

This was incredibly - you made a billion fantastic points about both the filmic aspects and the death of whimsy, the characters and how the changes fell flat, Izzy's death, Jim's perceived absence - wonderful video essay.

[@malicious.magpie]

You really put in a lot of the feelings I also had about S2 into words, I truly don’t understand why they couldn’t have had Izzy become the new captain of The Revenge, letting him and his new crew sail off into the sunset while Stede and Ed stayed behind to build a home together, however saying that I also felt that Stede was making a very one sided compromise for Ed by standing on land. All in all, S2 just made me really love Izzy, more than S1 ever did, and disconnect from Ed and Stede. Between Ed’s honestly very abusive behaviour towards the crew and Stede’s overall willingness to just brush everything off and act like it’s fine I just couldn’t help but feel like the relationship had soured. All in all, Izzy has some of the best scenes from S2, some of the most beautiful development and is truly a character I can find myself in, both as a disable person but also a queer man who himself struggles with navigating what masculinity means to me, and then they killed him. They take the very symbol they gave him, ignore his love of the sea and as you say “bury him like a dog” in a grave I’m sure was only just deep enough to make sure his nose didn’t stick out the dirt. All in all, I’m sorry I ever disliked you Izzy Hands, you truly were the best part of that show x

[@analyticalbaguette]

I have not seen Our Flag Means Death, BUT I know that this channel referred to Timon and Pumbaa as "the Jew and his pig lover", so I know this video will have some quality content.

[@emilysakamoto7818]

amazing video! you summarized so many of my issues with s2 so well. it feels like the fandom and canyon are finally at a point where we can all look back on this season more objectively and you put it into words so much better that i ever could’ve

[@adrijatripathi4700]

omg hiiii always with the correct opinions again. as someone who was OBSESSED with s1 of ofmd, s2 was genuinely revolting lmao the more i think about it.

[@comfymoth7359]

I never finished Our Flag Means Death, but I clicked on this video on a whim and boy am I so glad I did! You’re a wonderful video essayist, and your book sounds incredibly charming, I’m amazed by your coloring process!! I actually just finished a class on children’s, middle grade and y/a fiction, and I think I’m definitely going to have to buy a copy to donate to that teacher for her next session. Keep up the incredible work!

[@lindaterrell5535]

I will never forgive them for killing Izzy. I see no reason he couldn’t have sailed off into the sunset with the rest of the crew. As you point out, a seagull got a better funeral than Izzy. And regardless of what DJ says about S2 being planned from the off for 8 episode, it all seemed rushed. The timing felt off, like it was off a beat.

[@TheNumnutRandomness]

I dropped out of Season 2 halfway and couldn't put my finger on why- after devouring Season 1 and immediately rewatching it after recc'ing it to my friends. For me it felt like, despite the quick reunification, the crew(s) felt so emotionally distant from each other. It's like pulling jello from a mold a few minutes too early, so it never really had time to "set" properly. ... Also you're telling me the Olu and Jim arc did NOT end in a polycule??

[@kristinwarner9539]

Great video! I watched eps 1-3 of S2 a bunch of times (Con, Taika and Joel KILLED it, "you scared, Eddie?" lives in my head rent free) and i really enjoyed ep 5 with Rhys and Con having fun with each other. I watched ep 8 once. Just once. Wasnt just Izzy who deserved so much better, Ed and Stede's characters got messed around so badly. And the rest of the crew just deserved more than an occasional line. I blame one person for all of it.

[@yuugosvida]

I deeply loved this show, I was reading the FIRST fics on ao3, it meant so, so much to me. I was unable to finish s2 bc it was so empty, heartless, contradicting themes and arcs from s1

[@sub4ru87]

I have a complicated relationship with S2 of OFMD. It was like it punched me hard in the face with all the abuse and general heaviness in the first 3 episodes, then said sorry about it with episode 4 and 5, and then started going downhill from 6 until the complete shitshow that was episode 8: rushed, cruel and feeling more like a bandaid slapped roughly into place to try cover up the mess. I spent weeks after the finale upset about Izzy's death, about what it meant and what the show would be in the future without him. I thought about it over and over, trying to understand what I wanted from it, from the characters, and how to deal with the heartbreak of having your favorite show, your current hyperfixation, betray you in such a way. And it wasn't only about Izzy's death, even though that was the main point of my feeling upset, it was also about not understanding why they had to break Jim and Olu up, and then even fail to establish their polycule with Archie and Zheng. S2 never shows, nor tell, their polycule. It's just not there, and then we get those conflicting statements from Jenkins and Vico, and I wonder... how could they fuck up so greatly something that was so simple, really? Even with Gentlebeard, which is still, for me, the very heart of this show and that I love so deeply-- I was hoping for something more. Episode 4 and 5 in S2 are some of my favorite of the whole entire show, because we get so much of them. Seeing them talk openly, and honestly, is something that I really wanted more of. Ultimately, I think that S2 focused on the wrong things, and in general gave space to the wrong things. With the limitations it had (I'll always be bitter we only got 8 episodes) I'm sad that it failed to work around them to get a more well-rounded final product. It's like - they knew they had to work with less (less money, less time, less everything), but still tried to cram everything into the limits they got, sadly with a mixed outcome. And it makes me mad they had those limits in the first place, because OFMD always deserved so much more than this, but at the end of the day... this was what they were given to work with, and they could have done better. With some distance from the finale in October and having had time to process everything a little bit more (including the news of the cancellation, which I will never ever be over with), I can say I like about 70% of S2, and I will stick to it 😂 This show gave me so much, like nothing ever did quite like this before, so I don't want to give it all up, despite everything. This is the conclusion I got to, personally. I was hoping so hard for a S3 to hopefully correct some of the things that didn't work for me in S2, and I will always be sad that it wasn't given the chance to finish its story.

[@skylertime]

i loved s1 so much and i never rewatched it, but over two years later i can still remember certain scenes. i watched s2 with a friend back in september and my eyes glossed over after like the third episode. i definitely still found some stuff enjoyable, but i remember it just didn't grab me and i had a really hard time even paying attention to it. i was vaguely sad about izzy's death bc he was one of my favorites, but i think i mostly just felt nothing. i partially blame my lack of ability to pay attention to 90% of things, but it's nice to hear that other people felt a disconnect like i did. congrats on the book!!!

[@theLastHaruspex]

If your schedule can bear it, please upload more. These make me happy

[@notconsiderablecolors2account]

OH YOU DIDNT JUST PUT THE IZZY SITUATION INTO WORDS..... YOU PUT IT *ALL* INTO WORDS

[@SKSaooo]

Oh I so agree on that feeling of OFMD dying with Izzy, in a way ot feels like they killed the one character who had remained anapologetically queer throught the whole thing despite the irony of being a Hays-coded queer in a modern-queer community: with polycules "mysteriously disappearing" (but for Jackie's, y'know, a secondary character whose concept of polycule felt entirely like a matter of business rather than emotional) and everyone going back into the closets with their "talk it through" being only a slogan, it felt like he was the only one going through a growth arc before getting it cut short out of nowhere in the most stupid way possible. And yes, the pop-pop scene was entirely useless and kinda offensive too if one knows what the historical meaning of the word "simple" suggests, which felt like a slap in the face coming from none other than Ed of all people. Edit: Adding stuff that to me it made absolutely no sense because oh, now that you opened the dam I've got quite some things to get off my chest: - the stakes and the relationships between all the characters apparently forgotten between the finale of s1 and the first episode of s2: like, Stede of course looks for Ed because he loves him, but the crew? They don't seem even interested in finding their crewmates, only getting back the ship, and when they do they don't even show it (only exception being Lucius, who was not even in the picture since his "retrieval" was purely coincidental). Olu and Jim?! call them friends, call them lovers, whatever, they don't even make sure they're alright the moment they see each other again after weeks of separation during which one of them almost died?! Same for Frenchie and Wee John, or all of the others, it's like they don't even care they're back together! And that thing about leaving the Swede to Jackie like some pawn really left a sour taste in my mouth all the more for it: this show had been all about the crew being family, and they abandon a family member just like that? . the extreme tonal dissonance of the first 3 episodes of s2 with the rest of the show: don't misunderstand me, I still think they're the best part of the season, that being said though they were extremely dark, and it could've been fine if what the writers had in store afterwards was in any way or shape able to counterbalance that darkness with the humor that made us love the show in the first place. Instead we got these super deep moments of emotional chatarsis and stress (an attempted murder-suicide with a whole crew almost dead, and since no one remembers them EVER: all the other crewmates of the Queen Anne's DIED! Ed did end up killing them! How's that swept under the rug all of the time?!?) and some very flat and tepid jokes trying and failing to save the day. - Zheng! Zheng! Zheng! Hey remember when they took the most powerful pirate IN HISTORY and made her the greatest idiot ever? She has canon irl managed to conquer China and its whole fleet and DID INDEED RETIRE AS A RICH WOMAN-! to then get tricked over and over in the most foreseeable cliché ways ever by the most inexperienced men on the seas?! - Ned Lowe: how comes all pirates are mutilating and killing everything that moves and it's fine, but the moment Ned does it he's a villain so he must be eliminated? Greatest way I've ever witnessed a possible awesome character get wasted. He's but a shadow of Calico Jack of s1 spared the fact he didn't even get friendly with the crew, totally served only as Stede's sacrificial dude for his (nonexistent) s2 character arc. -Ricky and his essential *nothingness*, he's a stereotypical villain and nothing more. At least Nigel and Chauncey made sense in their own way, and Chauncey may even inspire some pity from his pov (in any other story hm having lost a brother a wanting to secure the killer to justice would've made him the hero), but Ricky? His goals are flimsy, his methods absurd and his personality inexistent, he's literally just there because otherwise his space would need filling, but the same effect coudl've been had by a chair, or a dressign gown. There's nothing that makes this character even remotely human to the point he'd make sense as a person, he's a living charicature. - character arcs, what character arcs? did you find any character arcs this season, prithee? where?!

[@sadjack9491]

ugh you mention so many good points! the tonal whiplash of the first three eps makes it so hard for the other FIVE episodes to truly address. it all just has to be simplified and glossed over because, unfortunately, the show just does not have the time to address all of it. the point about the Swede is bittersweet because, from what i understand, it was done for budget cuts. they just couldn't afford his actor all the way through for every episode but this is the best they could come up with?? same with Buttons just suddenly becoming a bird? another easy way to write out a character to save money. and zheng is so frustrating. i also feel like they didn't go hard enough with her style/appearance. it all felt pretty generic to me and not at all inspiring or 'wow' factor in terms of her being one of the most powerful and successful pirates (if not THE most) of all time

[@mochaheart6284]

I think the thing that truly pissed me off the most abt izzys death is that he ended up dying in Ed's arms, and not the crews. Ig they wanted it to connect back to the supposed theme of ed needing to leave piracy behind, where izzy is representative of the "old ways", but that doesn't make any sense in the context of izzys new character in s2, where he changes directly from that into someone who's come to appreciate life and the people that support him. The salt in the wound is how impersonal the funeral scene is. The WHOLE season is dedicated to izzy finding community and love with the crew, as seen by the entirety of calypso's birthday for example, so the fact that they just undo all of that w the crews reactions to his death makes everything in the season feel like one big 4 hour waste of time tbh.

[@hotterhatter2211]

I adored season 1 for the character connections and the family-like quality they slowly grew to have for each other. The sense of unity that slowly grew is my kryptonite when it comes to shows. Season 2 felt like they left so many characters in the dust completely forgotten. We had moments yet, but I can remember specific scenes from season 1 that showed their personalities to perfection. I felt like season 2 they lost their originality and just became background to Ed and Stede. For example: Jim was straight-laced and often scoffed at the other's idiocy. Roach was the blood-thirsty cook. Olu was the one able to calm the crew down. Frenchie the superstitious yet weirdly smart with some of his ideas. Buttons was the oddball just to name a few. They all had individual personalities in season 1. I can remember hilarious scenes from each and every one of them. I will agree Izzy was probably the best part of s2. I felt like the whimsy came from many of the other characters as well. Season 2 left those personalities in behind. Instead of Jim rolling their eyes at the others, they joined in their superstitions and lunacy. Olu having a random love interest came out of left field. I don't even remember any scenes with Buttons, Frenchie, and Roach from season 2. At times, season 1 reminded me of One Piece (the anime) where it was just a bunch of crew members who were coming together and learning to accept each other. Season 2 forgot about the cast. It felt more like the Ed and Stede show (which yes they are popular and had an interesting dynamic, but you needed both!) That isn't even talking about the problem with Stede and Ed in season 2 either...

[@itsmedrawpower]

Something that baffled me was how I could remember s1 episodes and themes well, but I can't remember a single individual episode from s2 despite being less of them

[@melliedoucette4525]

Feeling strung along, like the rug was pulled out from under us, was completely the vibe I had as well! My brain just sort of went ‘well, goodbye to that then’ :/

[@elliart7432]

This is a very unpopular opinion, but one of the biggest things that bothered me was Ed. People are always like "Oh you just can't handle a messy gay" or something like that when Ed's arc is criticized in season 2, but I dislike it because I feel it SIMPLIFIES him too much. Ed in season 1 just felt so much like a real person, a complex man capable of multiple contradictions equally within him at once, not one or the other battling for dominance in separate opposition. In season 2, it feels he is bad, or good, poison, or positivity, never both. Gone is the man making mistakes born of insecurity and a confused sense of self that hurts the ones he, in spite of this, deeply and openly loves. Now it feels like, narratively, his flaws and missteps must be pushed away completely for love to flourish within him. He seems so much more immature than season 1 would've ever lead me to believe, even in its final moments. Putting someone in a potato sack and a cat bell and having the ones he literally traumatized be like "eh alright, he's harmless now" is neither realistic nor satisfying. It's not in anyway engaging in the meaningful reconciliation of a very complex adult man, his wrongdoings, and his desires.

[@allyspock]

i was definitely in full cope mode during and after season 2, and then during the fandom fallout after the season had finished airing, and i think this video is the first thing i've seen that actually makes sense to me. why people kept calling it bury your gays despite it being, you know, a pretty gay pirate show. you hit the nail on the head with your assessment. i was so into this show and then a month ago i was visiting a friend who asked if i wanted to do an ofmd marathon and i was just like ".......not really". anyway fuck pop-pop. also i feel like u already know this but ur one of my fave video essays, you're so smart you literally never miss, and also im obsessed with the way you incorporate humor into your edits. finally: CONGRATS ON BUNNYBIRDS!!!! i'm so happy to see this happen for you.

[@NotYourRainyDay]

THANK YOU!!!! Oh my god, I completely fell out of love with the show with this season, but so many people seem to just uncritically love it. It's like they don't even care if it works, they just want Ed and Stede to kiss a few times and they'll be happy.

[@NotYourRainyDay]

Unfortunately nobody will listen to my criticisms since I'm an Izzy enjoyer, so they'd rather tell me to kill myself

[@jillianc949]

I put that down to the general lack of mainstream queer content available, personally. People are clinging to the few scraps we get, even if they aren't actually any good. Many are afraid to criticize because of the perception that that will make media companies even more reluctant to make queer shows.

[@CupofSonic]

Also the way that the show treated Lucius just doesn't sit right with me. sure, he was thrown overboard and we all knew he wasn't dead but the reunion just felt wrong? It felt, to me, that they wanted to put his character through a significant amount of trauma for shock value? nothing he went through feels justified by the over all narrative and to me, seems like the writers just wanted to punish his character.

[@jillianc949]

It felt almost like the show was punishing Lucius for 'being a slut', especially with getting married (ie. committing to a monogamous relationship) being used as a symbol of his healing. I've seen this storyline before with female characters and it makes me nauseous every time.

[@just__abee]

This was SUCH A GOOD WATCH!! I loved season 1, and I was really disappointed with season 2, I remember just kinda going “oh…that’s it?” when it was done, but I just kinda figured it was part of my neurodivergent inability to find anything that’s not a 100+ hour D&D podcast narratively satisfying and just moved on. Seeing you bring all this up is so vindicating though, like “Jim died at the end of season 1” YEAH!!! I was right it was worse than season 1!!!

[@quoting101]

Thank you for this. While it might sound hyperbolic, like so many other fans, it is sadly not: the death of Izzy (along with some of season 2's questionable and poor choices) stole just about all the feelings of joy, excitement, and love I had in the show, the likes of which has never happened to me before and I don't think I'll ever really forget. I had so much faith and trust in the hands of creators who subverted genre expectations. I knew that in traditional storytelling, Izzy's character *would* be killed because that was the trope. But Jenkins and company had done things to subvert these kinds of expectations in season 1, and so I wasn't afraid. Especially with an incredible actor like Con O'Neill playing Izzy to perfection. There was no point or redeeming qualities in it, I thought - he's safe. How wrong so many of us were. Feeling foolish for loving something so much is a horrible thing. I couldn't believe that the quirky, sweet, vulnerable, funny little romcom had done this to me. I still can't. Anyways. I appreciated your methodical approach here, and will recommend this video to friends who were subsequently disappointed by OFMD S2.