Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Black Sails: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie Review

Smooth sailing.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 14, 2015

In a crowded adult TV market that threatens to drown out all but the best shows, Starz's Black Sails has proved itself more than a capable entrant into the dense and diverse field. While it certainly cannot be filed into the top tier where shows like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead reside as kings of cable, Creators Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine's swashbuckling show does comfortably fall into that next rank where the accolades aren't as high, the ratings are not quite so astronomical, the title may not be on the tip of every tongue, and the story and characters may not have made their way into the popular lexicon. Yet that's a level -- the rung right below the top -- at which there's no shame in topping. Black Sails, continuing on from an exciting, detailed, and raw eight-episode first season returns for another round, this time sporting ten episodes and some new characters and dynamics that are sure to satisfy anyone looking for a bit of precisely crafted high seas adventuring, blended, of course, with the usual barrage of colorful language, sex, and violence that are staples of today's TV landscape, and Starz's offerings in particular.

Season recap courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging: The Walrus crew is stranded, with an army of Spanish soldiers standing between them and the precious Urca gold. And with their crimes against their brethren no longer a secret, Flint (Toby Stephens) and Silver (Luke Arnold) must join forces in a desperate bid for survival. Meanwhile, Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New) struggles to maintain her grip on Nassau, as a new breed of pirate arrives in the form of Ned Low (Tadhg Murphy), a man for whom violence isn't just at tool...it's a pastime. As blood is spilled, and tensions mount, Captain Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) must decide which he values more: Eleanor's life, or the respect of his men. And unbeknownst to all of them, a prize of immeasurable value has already been smuggled onto the island...one whose discovery will alter the very landscape of their world, and force everyone in Nassau toward the ultimate judgment: are they men, or are they monsters?

Black Sails summed up in one word? Impressive. The show is more a product of its painstaking production design than it is dramatic depth and character considerations, but make no mistake that those attributes aren't significantly far behind. Black Sails is simply so good at building its world and nailing a specific look and organic feel that even its high drama, intense action, and quality character elements cannot fully compete with it. They're not overwhelmed, jut a bit overshadowed. Every episode looks like a movie and sounds like a movie. That this level of detail -- practical sets and effects for sure and, to a somewhat lesser degree, digital -- defines a TV show is quite stunning, placing it right up there with the Game of Thrones of the world in terms of pure production values. And it's not just that every plank, rope, and bit of cloth around the ship; every grimy and torn piece of clothing; every sweaty, bloodied, and grimy brow look the part. The smaller details -- flying splinters when canons strike a ship or background touches around port towns -- help sell the world as much as the more noticeable elements, and perhaps even more so. Audiences expect to see a great big pirate ship that looks and sounds like something straight out of the 18th century, but to get a specific atmosphere just right, something that doesn't look like a movie set but instead a sprawling, dangerous, lived-in, organic world, is part of what sets Black Sails apart, even from other historical TV dramas that, for the most part, just can't replicate this same sense of wide-open, lived-in world.

Even as Black Sails sprawls on sea and land with an impressively acute sense of time and place, the show proves almost equally impressive within its darker underbelly of double crosses, coercion, and physical violence. As with most of today's adult-oriented TV programs, there's no shortage of T&A but, more apropos to the series' strengths, plenty of intimate character details that reflect dark deeds and blackened hearts in an endless, and endlessly evolving, game of maneuvering for the upper hand, "leverage" as it's been more bluntly described elsewhere, in the quest to succeed in whatever endeavor(s) drive the series' multitude of characters. Season two introduces a particularly nasty villain in Ned Low, Captain of the Fancy, a scarred, evil-hearted man who finds amusement in bloodshed and is unafraid to achieve his goal by whatever means he deems necessary, which usually involves the business end of a firearm. The series' dark brutality meshes well with the deeply rooted dramatic pieces that, in season two, continue to shuffle around the expansive playing field by way of complex character interactions that can come verbally, violently, and with the clothes on or off. Season two's sweeping, exciting narrative with equally compelling character moments and epically staged and executed action makes it a worthy, and in some ways better and more polished, follow-up to a strong season one and portends even better things for season three.

Black Sails: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Black Sails: Season Two's 1080p transfer, sourced from a digital shoot, sports an obvious, and consistent, mild glossy sheen, but it never gets in the way of what is video excellence. Image clarity is stable, reliable, and unimaginable. Facial definition dazzles with depth and intricacy of pores, fine facial hairs, blood and grime, sweat, even fine makeup lines. On the boats, the wooden details are beautifully tactile, smooth where appropriate on deck and a little rougher below, and of course splintery sharp in the ravaged aftermath of battle. Sand and weeds on the shore are strikingly complex, while in town various stone and brickwork yield impeccable textures. Colors are bold and precise. Beautiful blue waters contrast wonderfully against the wooden ships. Blood is precise, fire is bright, colorful clothing stands apart, and small little accents around town make for a nice juxtaposition against otherwise predominantly gray and earthy shades. Black levels are perfect, whether at their shadowy and nighttime deepest or less inky when lit by only a flame or a slit of sunlight. Skin tones are heathy and natural. The image appears free of more than a trace of banding and macroblocking, though modest noise appears at times. This is a striking, near reference quality transfer from Anchor Bay for what is, arguably, TV's best-looking show shot on digital.

Black Sails: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Black Sails: Season Two sails onto Blu-ray with a detailed and immersive Dolby TrueHD 7.1 lossless soundtrack that's as impressive as most any studio film. The stage is endlessly alive with broad and intimate sonic details alike. Out on the high seas, listeners will practically get seasick from the rolling waves that (usually) gently rock the boats. Various wooden creaks, fluttering sails, background chatter amongst the crew, and other little bits are so realistically inserted and precise that one cannot help but feel immediately transported onto the deck. More violent clashes, whether on the boats or not, are epic. Gunfire is potent, hitting hard with a thunderous crack, and often coming from a multitude of speakers. Canon fire and explosions are impressively deep and detailed, and the violent results of shattering debris, screaming wounded, and other bits of chaos are precisely placed around the stage. Lighter land ambience is striking in immersive authenticity. Light breezes, insects and birds, crowded seaport din, and crowd cheers and chants play with astonishing realism. Music is robust and room-filling. Every note is precisely detailed, surrounds are engaged heavily but not overabundantly, and the low end is balanced and perfectly supportive. Dialogue comes with firm center placement, consistent accuracy, and perfect prioritization. This is an epic listen, one of the best on Blu-ray.

Black Sails: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Black Sails: Season Two contains a handful of featurettes on disc three. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Inside the World of Black Sails (1080p, 21:32): Co-Creators/Executive Producers Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine sit down to offer a season two episode-by-episode recap.
• Man O'War (1080p, 4:10): A short but detailed look at the season's most epic ship, including its place in the show and real-life construction that adheres as closely as possible to historical materials, and digital effects.
• Expanding Worlds (1080p, 4:06): A look at new characters Ned Low and Abigail Ashe, the show's attention to detail, and core story themes.
• High Seas Action (1080p, 5:08): A look at the cast's intense physical training, stunt work, character specific actions, and more.
• History's Influence (1080p, 4:35): A discussion centered on the disputed history of piracy, followed by a brief look at the core story details known to history and presented in the show.

Black Sails: The Complete Second Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Black Sails: Season Two only expands on the first season's sense of epic scope, production excellence, diverse character roster, intense drama, and epic action. The show may not be sailing into television history, but it's one of the better shows on right now, all things considered. While it can be argued that the show is more a product of its distinct overlay and less so its fairly routine (for today's TV landscape) character drama, the sheer excellence of the former and the satisfying ebbs and flows of the latter make it work very well. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release of Black Sails: Season Two delivers fantastic picture and sound. Supplements could stand to be a little more thorough -- some episode-specific commentary tracks would be nice -- but there's about 40 minutes of material to sift through as it is. Recommended.