There is no shortage of period drama these days, nor, especially pirate tales. May 30, NBC premiere’s the latest high-seas adventure series, Crossbones. Starring John Malkovich as the legendary pirate Blackbeard, the series is set in 1715 on the Bahamian island of  Santa Campana.
Blackbeard’s legend is the stuff of novels and odes, and the new series aims to dig deep into the notorious pirate, asking the viewer, is he pirate, leader, revolutionary or dreamer–or perhaps all of the above. For Blackbeard is Edward Teach, a man who rules over this small paradise, a “rogue nation of thieves, outlaws, and miscreant sailors,” according to NBC.
The series also stars Richard Coyle as Tom Lowe, an English surgeon-spy tasked with preventing Blackbeard from obtaining a long-sought-after device–the very first longitude chronometer. Such an instrument would change everything: from business and sea trade to society itself.Â
Blackbeard, based on the book, The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard, will navigate the murky nexus between being outlaw and hero. Who are the villains and who are the real good guys?
With the premiere a little more than a month away, please enjoy NBC’s official trailer:
You can follow Crossbones on Facebook, Twitter (#Crossbones), and Google+
I look forward to it.