15 Shows To Watch If You Like Black Sails

Black Sails was an underrated but fantastic series about pirates that aired on Starz for four seasons. It is a prequel series based on author Robert Louis Stevenson's work before the story of Treasure Island took place. Black Sails followed the adventures of Captain Flint and his various crewmates, and the interesting, complex characters along with the intense and unique storylines made it a favorite among viewers. While the show concluded several years ago, for those looking for a new show to fill the hole Black Sails left behind, there are several options available.

Even though Black Sails has been off the air since 2017, fans continue to discover, watch, and rewatch the series for its engaging and complicated characters and storylines. The series takes place in the 1700s and centered on pirates living a life of debauchery but also well-developed and intriguing characters. There are several other historical drama and action shows that are somewhat similar, and although nothing will exactly be the same there are plenty of shows like Black Sails out there for fans to enjoy. While nothing is exactly like Black Sails, the comprable shows feature some incredible work.

15 Poldark (2015-2019)

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  Aidan Turner

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  Eleanor Tomlinson

One of the most popular shows like Black Sails comes from the UK, Poldark, and ran from 2015-2019 across five seasons. It is based on the novels of the same name by author Winston Graham, and the second time they were adapted (the first being by the BBC in 1975) Poldark follows Captain Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) as he returns home to Cornwall after the end of the American Revolution to find that things have gotten increasingly worse in his life back home.

Poldark returns to find that his father has died since he's been away and that the love of his life has married someone else. The British historical drama is filled with romance, action, and drama just like Black Sails. The story of Poldark wraps up nicely by the end of season 5, making it the perfect binge-watch for Black Sails fans hoping for a complete story to sink their teeth into.

14 TURN: Washington's Spies (2014-2017)

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  Jamie Bell

  Abraham Woodhull

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  Seth Numrich

  Ben Talmadge

Turn is another historical drama that's set during the American Revolution and tells the untold history of citizens during the war. Much like Black Sails, Turn is full of mystery and intrigue, with a plot that always keeps viewers guessing and contains many real-life figures. While the real characters in Black Sails include pirates like Charles Vane, Turn instead includes many of the founding fathers and is easily one of the most entertaining renditions of the American war for independence.

Turn delves into the stories of spies, double agents, and other covert operations during the war that was the foundation for modern espionage, and how it affected everyone from soldiers to civilians on both the rebellious American side and the British side. It's based on the 2007 book Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring by Alexander Rose.

13 Rome (2005-2007)

photo: Franco Biciocchi / © HBO / Courtesy: Everett Collection

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  Kevin McKidd

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When it comes to shows like Black Sails, the 2005-2007 drama Rome may be set in a completely different time period, but more than matches the levels of intense romance, violence, and twist-filled narratives that always keep viewers on their toes. HBO's Rome is a historical drama about the history of the death of the Roman Republic and the creation of the Roman Empire.

It centers on two soldiers — Lucius, played by Kevin McKidd, and Titus, played by Ray Stevenson — who live through war, assassinations, and dangerous political maneuvers throughout the height of the Roman Empire. Multiple well-known historical figures appear in the show including Mark Antony, Cleopatra, and Julius Caesar. While it may not contain much of the same swashbuckling action or high-seas set pieces of Black Sails, it still hits many of the same notes when it comes to satisfying period dramas — and the attention to detail in Rome is also something to behold.

12 Medici (2016-2019)

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  Richard Madden

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  Stuart Martin

The Italian-British series Medici series follows the Medici family who rose to prominence in medieval Italy as successful merchants. It's set several centuries before Black Sails, with the story taking place in 1429. The Medici family, known as the House of Medici, were financiers for the Pope in the Florence of the 15th Century. The Church of the 1400s was incredibly different from the Vatican of today, and the Medici family were involved in some activities so criminal and dangerous that even the pirates of Black Sails would have raised an eyebrow.

Medici follows various family members — including Cosimo de' Medici played by Game of Thrones Robb Stark actor Richard Madden — as they try to keep their position of power and relevance in their community, while many people and other families are trying to destroy them to take their power. It's another historical drama that focuses on deep and complex characters and has unique storylines like Black Sails.

11 Penny Dreadful (2014-2016)

The 2014-2016 horror-drama Penny Dreadful was a psychologically thrilling series set in Victorian London and had multiple characters inspired by classic literary characters like Dorian Gray and Dr. Frankenstein. It's not based on any one specific book, but instead draws from multiple sources, with the tone directly inspired by the 19th-century "penny dreadfuls", a specific variety of 19th century British literature known for their pulpy sensationalist stories filled with violence and erotic content.

While it's set about a century after the events of Black Sails, Penny Dreadful still manages to capture much of the historical drama that made the pirate show so beloved. The cast is also incredibly noteworthy. Penny Dreadful centered on Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton) trying to look for his daughter who was taken by the creatures that lurk around their city. Sir Malcolm works with a clairvoyant (Eva Green) and a hired monster slayer (Josh Hartnett) to try to save her.

10 Shōgun (2024-Present)

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  Hiroyuki Sanada

  Yoshii Toranaga

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  Cosmo Jarvis

  John Blackthorne

While Shogun may feature a vastly different story than Black Sails, it has a ton of the same themes, sharing what makes the historical drama special. Based on James Clavell's novel, the FX series takes place in 1600s Japan, where a Lord faces a dangerous struggle for survival after his rivals unite against him. When an English pilot arrives aboard a European ship, the series shifts gears, and the story takes flight.

With a strong sense of strategy, the series is built around an ambitious plot that tries to be both historically accurate and entertaining. Shogun explores how leaders use their alliances to their advantage, deceive others, and carefully calculate every decision in intense situations. Much like Black Sails, its commitment to the time period is impressive.

9 Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

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  Jon Snow

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  Isaac Hempstead Wright

  Brandon Bran Stark

While it's set in the fantasy world of Westeros, viewers who enjoy the period setting of Black Sails — the costumes, violence, and the sex — can find all of those things in Game of Thrones. It's true that Game of Thrones doesn't have any pirates to speak of, there are some ships and even some ship combat and adventures on the sea, with the characters from the Iron Islands representing the real-life medieval pirates who would one day become the cannon-firing buccaneers seen in Black Sails.

Overall, the sprawling fantasy saga is extremely popular for a reason. It follows the age-old battle for the Iron Throne from several different families all vying for power. It features a plot that's just as rich with intrigue as Black Sails, and those who haven't yet caught up with the cultural phenomenon that Game of Thrones was are sure to be satisfied.

8 The Tudors (2007-2010)

Taking place several hundred years before the events of Black Sails is another show that focuses on one of the most dangerous periods in history — 16th century England during the execution-happy reign of King Henry VIII. The Tudors is an epic historical period drama that focuses primarily on King Henry VIII's reign in England. It introduces famed historical figures like Anne of Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon.

Viewers will likely also recognize several familiar faces while watching The Tudors, as it helped launch Natalie Dormer and Henry Cavill's respective careers. Plus, it has lots of fun stuff like nudity and violence that fans have come to expect from period shows at this point. While The Tudors doesn't have any pirates to speak of, it has a similar tone to Black Sails and matches its commitment to turning history into a compelling and gripping drama.

7 Outlander (2014-2026)

• Jack Tarlton

  Kenny Lindsay

• John Sessions

  Arthur Duncan

Outlander is a Starz series that began in 2014 and is due to air the second half of season 7 in 2024. The show is based on the bestselling book series by Diana Gabaldon. For Black Sails fans who enjoy the romance and time period of the show, and also don't mind some fantasy elements like time travel, Outlander is sure to satisfy. What's more, Outlander is a unique series because it actually takes place in two different time periods.

In Outlander Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) is magically transported back in time to the 1700s in Scotland, but before that, she lived during the Second World War where she served as a nurse in the army. Claire falls in love with a highlander named James Fraser in the past, and she has to decide if she wants to stay there or return to her husband in the future.

6 Our Flag Means Death (2022-2023)

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  Rhys Darby

  Stede Bonnet

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  Edward Teach a.k.a. Blackbeard

A more comedic take on the pirate theme, Our Flag Means Death is a series that retains the historical setting of Black Sails, but approaches it from a different angle. The HBO Max comedy is loosely based on the adventures of Stede Bonnet, an 18th century aristocrat who abandoned his privilege to become a pirate. The series follows Stede as he captains a ship, Revenge, and struggles to earn the respect of his crew.

With both shows featuring pirate elements, Our Flag Means Death takes a wholly different approach to the genre, but it retains many similar notes. Both shows explore the challenges of commanding a crew, and they're both consistently dealing with what it means to be an authority figure. Despite many differences, Black Sails viewers would enjoy the comedic series.