Rhys Darby has lent his talents to many iconic TV shows, butOur Flag Means Deathmight be his most beloved work to date, making its cancellation all the more tragic. Airing for two seasons from 2022 to 2023 on HBO,Our Flag Means Deathstarred Darby and Taika Waititias two legendary pirates, Stede Bonnet and Edward Teach.
However,Our Flag Means Deathstood out because it was such a loose and contemporary take on the historical stories of the pirates. Since the series was cut short,it will be exciting to see Darby join the cast ofStar Trek: Strange New Worldsas a guest star since the newStar Trekhas found success on streaming, topping the charts on Amazon Prime Video.
While fans ofOur Flag Means Death’s historical storywill enjoy watching Darby in a new project, there are still lingering questions about the fate of the beloved series. John Orquiola interviewed Rhys Darby forScreenRantabout his guest-starring role inStar Trek: Strange New Worldsseason 3:
ScreenRant: I did want to ask you really briefly about Our Flag Means Death, which did not receive a third season. Would you revisit the show? Or if there was a revival, would you come back?
Rhys Darby: Oh, of course! Of course. But I’m pretty sure that ship has sailed. You know, we’ve been trying to rehoist those flags for a while, and yeah. It’s just the way the world is right now, I guess. It just doesn’t seem to be happening. But of course! I’m always open. That was a fantastic character that I enjoyed playing. So yeah, always open to anything.
What This Means For The Future Of Our Flag Means Death
There’s Little Hope That The Historical Comedy Will Return
When the news broke thatOur Flag Means Deathwasn’t renewed for season 3, it was devastating for fans who appreciated the LGBTQ+ representation, humor, and heartfelt character development of the series. However, Darby’s comments make it clear that even though there has been an outcry about the end of the show,it’s unlikely it will come back.
There have been significant fan campaigns to saveOur Flag Means Deathsince its cancellation, including everything from billboards to petitions (viaThe Guardian). Despite this clear demand for another season of the show, HBO has no plans to revive the series, and most of the creative team has moved on, as seen in Darby joining the cast ofStrange New Worlds.
Darby saying that he would be open to returning is a positive sign, but it’s not up to the performers whether a show is brought back after cancellation. It’s likely that many cast members feel similarly, asOur Flag Means Deathwas an exciting original show that pushed boundarieswithin its genre.
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Our Take On Our Flag Means Death’s Cancellation
Our Flag Means Death Is Only One Of Many Shows Canceled Too Soon
Since we’ll never getOur Flag Means Deathseason 3, audiences will have to dig into the other works by the cast and crew of the show. Darby’s appearance inStar Trek: Strange New Worldswill be a good place to start, and many of Waititi’s works have a similar sense of humor, even ifnothing could truly replaceOur Flag Means Death.
Today, fantasy and genre television in general have been on the chopping block more often than not, and fans of these series have noticed.Our Flag Means Deathis one of many TV shows that have suffered this fate despite strong reviews from critics and audiences alike. This sometimes comes down to budget restrictions, but that doesn’t make it hurt less.
As the fantasy and historical genres are continuously explored in the 2020s, it will be interesting to see what they learn from canceled shows likeOur Flag Means Death. There were many parts of the series that worked well and connected with audiences, which could have paved the way for the show to run for many years.
