Best of 2022 (Behind the Scenes): How Our Flag Means Death struck gold with Fleetwood Mac and a foot touch

When Our Flag Means Death first set sail in March, it was billed as many things. At first glance, this swashbuckling HBO Max show was your standard pirate adventure, following real-life 18th-century nobleman Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) as he pursued a life on the high seas. It was also a sort of tenderhearted workplace comedy, as Stede learns the basics of piracy and attempts to captain his misfit crew.

But as the show continued, Our Flag Means Death also took on an entirely unexpected genre: the romantic comedy. What starts as a seemingly goofy sitcom soon reveals itself as something far more amorous — and with far more heart. As the season progresses, Stede grows close to his fearsome pirate mentor Blackbeard (played by Taika Waititi in a glorious fake beard). The two eventually realize that they have feelings for each other, culminating with a delightful final sequence in episode 8, "We Gull Way Back." Blackbeard has seemingly abandoned the ship, and British officers are closing in. Stede and his crew are facing almost-certain death — until Blackbeard reappears and urges everyone to surrender. Chaos breaks out on board, and Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" starts to play. But even as the British invade, Stede and Blackbeard only have eyes for each other.

"You came back," Stede marvels.

"Never left," Blackbeard replies with a wink.

Aaron Epstein/HBO Max Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi in 'Our Flag Means Death'

It's a delightful sequence, filled with chaos, naked pirates, and one very romantic toe touch. Creator David Jenkins explains that even as he was first outlining the show, he knew he wanted a major action setpiece where the British raid Stede's ship. Despite creating a pirate show, he himself says he's not a huge fan of pirate movies. Instead, he found inspiration in a very different genre.

"I had initially wanted that end sequence to be like the FBI raid in a mob movie, where the feds come in, and they've got boxes of stuff, and everyone's running, and someone makes a dash for it," Jenkins explains. "So, it's like a mob movie or FBI raid story, and then it's also a story of Stede's lover coming back.'"

Our Flag Means Death has plenty of anachronistic needle drops, often mixing artists like the Beach Boys or Moondog with era-appropriate classical music (and an original score by Devo legend Mark Mothersbaugh). But "The Chain" is the show's centerpiece, and Jenkins says he only ever imagined that final boarding sequence with Fleetwood Mac. "That song is just badass," he adds with a laugh. "It's got like a cool, almost Western vibe to it, and it's got this metronome beat."

Alyssa Lane and Alex Sherman wrote the episode, with duo Bert and Bertie directing. Jenkins credits the two directors, known for their work on Marvel's Hawkeye, for meticulously bringing the sequence to life, adding key touches like the British grappling hooks landing in time with the music. The camera swings across every corner of the ship, capturing all the chaos in slow motion. (Joel Fry's Frenchie, still playing his lute as he's tackled! Ewen Bremner as Buttons, fully nude as he dashes about the deck!)

The scene's best — and most romantic — moment was also improvised. As Stede and Blackbeard are lying face down on the ship's deck, facing almost-certain death, the camera pulls out. Blackbeard slowly moves his foot to be closer to Stede, an on-set improvisation from Waititi and one Jenkins says he didn't even notice it until reviewing footage later.

"To me, that was like the height of romance in the whole season," Jenkins says. "I just like the camera being with them as they're looking at each other. They've been arrested, and the worst is happening, but they're happy because they're back together again. That always gets my heart beating."

As far as what the future might hold for Stede and Blackbeard? Season 2 of Our Flag Means Death has nearly finished filming, and Jenkins is remaining tight-lipped about exact plot details. But the showrunner says that fans should definitely expect some more dramatic soundtrack choices. "It's kind of the language of the show now," he adds.

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