Crossbones

I just watched the first episode and I didn't feel the need to go on. I don't care to know what will happen to Mr Lowe, Mr Blackbeard or the other characters of this hasty paced mess.

John Malkovich looks lazy, he just sits and glorifies himself. Richard Coyle on the contrary is hyperactive, trying to overshadow his real rival, Doctor Stephen Maturin, from Patrick O'Brian's 'Master and Commander'. The only pearl is the beautiful Claire Foy, to whom the authors reserved an intriguing role and some very good lines.

The other characters are taken from comic books of the 1930s.

Did you know that Longitude could kill pirates? Socks could harm too.

I watched "Crossbones" without any expectations, and only went to give the series a chance because Julian Sands was in it.

And now having stuck with the series for 9 episodes, I must admit that I have been adequately entertained so far, but the entire series is not outstanding. The storyline is interesting, but I had initially expected a bit more action and sea battles. The show is based more about pirates being people as well, putting swashbuckling and generic pirate themes in the background.

I will say that the production value to the series is great and that really helps the series along quite nicely. There is a lot of nice details in the costumes, the scenery (such as buildings and ships), and I thoroughly enjoyed that.

The acting in the series was great, and they had some nice talents put together for the various roles. While I was a bit unsure about John Malkovich as Blackbeard, then I must say that I was surprised, because he really carried the role nicely and brought a very unique quality to the show.

"Crossbones" has been entertaining so far and is well worth a watch.

As you read on the title, very bad imitation Black Sails. One or two scores higher if they replaced John Malkovich (I don't know if he's famous because he can say a long sentence in one breath, but I consider it dumb), another score if the story was a bit slower to make viewers catch up, and additional scores would be rewarded if actual pirate characters were played.

The ones acting as Blackbeard's henchmen look more like the rogues you see in pirate video games than ones acting out the reality of how pirates were.

I strongly suggest the whole crew leave their capes and gowns and look forward to another season of Black Sails; who knows, maybe they learn a thing or two!

Last but not least, I gave this one a 4 just because of the Caribbean colonial era theming; one of my favorite of all times !

My husband and I looked forward to each and every episode of Crossbones. We very much enjoyed the two part finale tonight. We wish NBC would have kept it going a bit longer. No, it isn't historically accurate but it's still fun to speculate about Blackbeard the Pirate. The scenery was filmed on location so that was a plus. Also liked the acting and period costumes. I surprised myself when I found myself rooting for the Commodore. It seems that people who saw Black Sails didn't care much for Crossbones in the other reviews, we never saw that one. This is the first time we have seen John Malkovich, we think he is amazing and hung on every word. We also have found some new favorite actors and actresses. Thanks NBC for filling the summertime void. Great entertainment.

I like John Malkovich and he doesn't disappoint in this series...his first time doing television. The production quality is excellent and it is filmed on location. The storyline is interesting and intriguing. I will continue watching this series. It is on Hulu+ . I've read some negative reviews here and they mostly centered on the issue of historical accuracy and authenticity. This show is based on a historical figure but the storyline is fictional. As for authenticity, I am not an expert on pirates, nor do I watch or have I watched much in the pirate genre. Perhaps for me ignorance is bliss because this is not an issue for me. Or perhaps the other reviewers were nitpicking. This does not seem to be a huge issue to me at least. It seemed authentic enough for me. The production is high quality. If the story is unbelievable to some it is not to me. This show is highly entertaining and there are any twists and turns in the plot. John Malkovich's portrayal of Blackbeard leaves me hanging on his every word and action. Good show.