Our Flag Means Death has been canceled after just two seasons — but fans aren’t taking it lightly.
Creator David Jenkins confirmed on Wednesday that the LGBTQ+ pirate comedy won’t get a third season, and it didn't take long for fans to start petitioning to save the show.
The impressive website Renew as a Crew shot up within days of the show’s cancellation, and fans have already amassed 29,440 signatures to save Our Flag Means Death in just a couple of days. That’s a lot of love for the popular pirate show.
The petition reads: “The news of Our Flag Means Death’s cancellation is deeply disappointing. Creator David Jenkins envisioned a three-season saga, and if the production team is determined for another voyage, we stand by, ready to support. Time to retrieve our leathers and brace ourselves for battle!
“Now, more than ever, our voices need to be heard. There is a very small window of time to get WB Discovery to reverse their decision. Blast them with sheer volume and love! Keep it positive! Threats do more harm than good.”
Whether or not the petition will make a difference remains to be seen, but there’s certainly been a clear outpouring of love for the now-canceled show.
Our Flag Means Death debuted on HBO Max in 2022 and tells the story of real-life gentleman-turned-pirate Stede Bonnet (played by Rhys Darby) and his crew aboard the good ship Revenge as they cross paths with the infamous Edward Teach (Taika Waititi) aka Blackbeard.
Set during the 18th century in the Golden Age of Piracy, the show plots the misadventures of Bonnet and his crew as Bonnet and Teach fall in love. For many fans, the show is more than just a pirate comedy — it’s a means of LGBTQ+ representation.
“How does Max not understand that this is so much more than just a silly little TV show?” said one fan on Twitter. “It’s f**king groundbreaking and the stats are there to back it up.” “Let them have the wedding they deserve, please!!” said another.
Let them have the wedding they deserve, please!!#SaveOFMD #RenewAsACrew #RenewOurFlagMeansDeath #OFMD #SaveOFMD #RenewAsACrew #RenewOurFlagMeansDeath pic.twitter.com/TpfRXNktuO
— Mer (@mer_1099) January 11, 2024
IGN’s Our Flag Means Death Season 2 review gave it 7/10 and said: “Our Flag Means Death remains a unicorn show that is stridently made for the fringes – and the rest can bugger off. Darby and Waititi remain the charming fulcrums around which their very funny ensemble rotates. Even with a less purposeful narrative this season, Flag’s characters and a clever remix of pirate tropes continue to make this a singular watch.”
Want to read more about Our Flag Means Death? Check out what the surprising Season 2 anti-cliffhanger means and reminisce over the recent Season 2 trailer and posters.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
