Black Sails Reaches Top 10 on Apple TV Store 9 Years After Finale

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Almost ten years after it ended, the pirate drama is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, climbing to the top of streaming charts. The show, which first aired in 2014, is now a hit on the Apple TV Store, surpassing other popular series like The Righteous Gemstones, Twin Peaks, and Dark Winds to become one of the platform’s ten most-watched programs.

According to data from Flix Patrol, Black Sails became one of the 25 most-watched shows on the Apple TV Store on February 25th, landing in tenth place. It joined other popular titles in the top 10, such as Love Story, Spartacus, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – which is currently the most popular show on the platform.

Frequently mentioned as one of the best pirate shows ever made, Black Sails tells the story leading up to Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. The series follows Captain Flint, his crew, and the ambitious John Silver as they fight to defend their home, New Providence Island. With Toby Stephens as Flint and Luke Arnold as Silver, the show also features a talented cast including Hannah New, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Tom Hopper, and Zach McGowan, and draws inspiration from the lives of actual pirates.

The TV show Black Sails, which ran for four seasons, was consistently well-received. It earned high praise for its historical details, including authentic costumes and realistic pirate speech. Fans loved it, giving it an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and critics agreed, awarding it an 81% score.

Creator Jon Steinberg Did His Best To Steer Clear of Pirate Clichés

The remarkable realism of Black Sails wasn’t a coincidence. Creator Jon Steinberg shared at New York Comic-Con in 2013, before the show even premiered, that he intentionally aimed for a historically accurate portrayal of pirates.

He acknowledged that some common tropes exist for a reason – because they often reflect reality. However, he and his team worked hard to make the show feel authentic, specifically avoiding overused elements like eye patches and walking the plank. This commitment to realism, Steinberg explained, came from the show’s realistic starting point.

The story follows people who wake up each day and are forced to fight for their livelihood – it’s essentially their job, Steinberg explained. He added that this is a fresh take on the concept, requiring a complete reset of audience expectations. To achieve this, all familiar hints or clues suggesting the expected world must be removed.

Steinberg understood the established tropes from other pirate stories. He explained, “We’re drawing from the world of Pirates of the Caribbean, Errol Flynn, and Johnny Depp, but we’re intentionally simplifying things. We hope this will give the audience a fresh experience.”

You can currently watch Black Sails on a variety of streaming and on-demand services. These include Philo, Sling TV, and The Roku Channel, as well as Hulu. It’s also available to purchase through the Apple TV Store and other paid video platforms.

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2026-02-26 02:07