# Crossbones (2014)

> An undercover assassin is sent to bring down the charismatic pirate Blackbeard on his lawless Bahamian island haven in 1715.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/52612

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 9
- Episode runtime: 42 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: drama, action, history
- Created by: Neil Cross
- Network: NBC
- Cast: John Malkovich, Richard Coyle, Yasmine Al Massri, David Hoflin, Claire Foy, Tracy Ifeachor, Chris Perfetti, Peter Stebbings
- TMDB rating: 6.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2400631/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: tense, morally complex, swashbuckling, gritty

## What critics say

Critics were mixed on the single season, praising John Malkovich's performance as Blackbeard and the pirate setting while finding the plotting uneven.

## Synopsis

Crossbones (2014) is an American historical adventure series created by Neil Cross for NBC. Set in 1715 on the Bahamian island of New Providence, it follows Tom Lowe, a highly skilled undercover assassin sent to take down the brilliant and charismatic pirate Blackbeard, played by John Malkovich. Lowe is dispatched to the buccaneers' haven, a shantytown and marauder's paradise that functions as a rogue democracy beyond imperial law, and he finds his mission far less simple than planned. Each episode unfolds through shifting alliances, political maneuvering and rival outlaws who threaten Blackbeard's rule, while Lowe grows to admire the ideals of the man he was sent to kill. Kate Balfour and Selima El Sharad add tension through romance and loyalty. The nine-episode single season is a tense, morally tangled period drama with swashbuckling action and grime. Fans of Black Sails and Spartacus will find resonance in its blend of pirate spectacle, political intrigue and charismatic antihero dynamics, all set against the sea and the sun-baked island.

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