The internet mourns 'Our Flag Means Death's cancellation

Max kills the queer pirate series, starring Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby.
 By 
Belen Edwards
 on 
Stede Bonnet standing in the rain.
Rhys Darby in "Our Flag Means Death." Credit: Nicola Dove/Max

It's a tough day to be an Our Flag Means Death fan.

After giving us two seasons of queer pirates, mermaids, and oceanic drag queens, series creator David Jenkins announced that the beloved pirate comedy will not be returning for a third season on Max.

"I’m very sad I won’t set foot on the Revenge again with my friends, some of whom have become close to family," Jenkins wrote in an Instagram post. "But I couldn’t be more grateful for being allowed to captain the damn thing in the first place."


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Jenkins also paid tribute to the show's passionate fan base, saying:

"The second season was made possible by the enthusiasm of one of the most likable fan communities in the history of this medium. Your voices made a difference, your art made a difference, your viewership made a difference in securing more [Our Flag Means Death]. Getting to share this show with you and watching you make it yours has been a dream come true."

Understandably, heartbroken fans took to social media to express their dismay and celebrate the community the show managed to build over its run.

Jenkins' announcement marks one of the first major TV cancellations of 2024. And although Our Flag Means Death will surely live on in fan art and fanfiction, it's always painful to lose a show that meant so much to so many people — especially after only two seasons. Here's hoping it isn't pulled from the Max library entirely in order to cut costs, a fate suffered by other canceled series like Infinity Train and Raised by Wolves.

Topics HBO Streaming

A woman in a white sweater with shoulder-length brown hair.
Belen Edwards
Entertainment Reporter

Belen Edwards is an Entertainment Reporter at Mashable. She covers movies and TV with a focus on fantasy and science fiction, adaptations, animation, and more nerdy goodness. She is a member of the Critics Choice Association and the Television Critics Association, as well as a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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