Network: NBC
Episodes: Nine (hour)
Seasons: One
TV show dates: May 30, 2014 — August 2, 2014
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: John Malkovich, Yasmine Al Massri, Richard Coyle, Claire Foy, David Hoflin, Tracy Ifeachor, and Chris Perfetti.
TV show description:
This action drama is set in the year 1729 and takes place on the secret island of Santa Compana. Barbarous pirate Edward “Blackbeard” Teach (John Malkovich) reigns over a rogue nation of thieves, outlaws and miscreants.
Selima El Sharad (Yasmine Al Massri) is Blackbeard’s love interest and intellectual equal as they rule the island of pirates. Part shantytown, part utopia, and part marauder’s paradise, this is a place like no other.
Blackbeard has designs on the longitude chronometer, an invention that will change the world. During a massive attack on an English vessel, his most trusted pirates attempt to steal the device.
But on board is Tom Lowe (Richard Coyle), an English spy working undercover as ship’s surgeon. Lowe’s mission is to prevent the chronometer from falling into the hands of pirates — and to assassinate Blackbeard, should the opportunity arise.
Taken as prisoner to Santa Compana, Lowe must find a way to reassemble the precious chronometer, all while trying to uncover Blackbeard’s master plan. It’s a plan that includes a greater threat to the English throne than merely pirates.
Other characters include Kate Balfour (Claire Foy), Charlie Rider (David Hoflin), Nenna Ajanlekoko (Tracy Ifeachor), and Tim Fletch (Chris Perfetti).
Episode #9 — Blackbeard
To the shock of the island, Blackbeard returns from the voyage empty handed. Instead of trunks of treasure, his crew talks of injustice, spurned by the loss of Rider. They accuse Blackbeard of murder and demand he pay for the act, but their negotiation ends with a canon blast that rips through the wall – it’s Jagger, firing from offshore!
Fire rains down on Santa Campana as Jagger attacks with his full arsenal and decimates building after building. Despite Jagger’s men outnumbering the pirates by a significant ratio, Blackbeard rallies the island to fight off the invaders. An intense battle follows with high casualties on both sides, signaling to Jagger that he should reveal his secret weapon – Antoinette. While she screams the name of her former husband in an effort to lure him away, the war rages on, and the tide swings in Jagger’s favor. Lowe ends up surrounded by redcoats until an unlikely savior ravages through unannounced – Rider. The wounded warrior slices his way through the British forces, and suddenly Santa Campana has a chance to survive.
Jagger breaks away from the action to track down Blackbeard, and once they spot each other, both fire their weapons – and both bullets connect. While they limp and reload, Jagger mentions he brought Antoinette to the island, and they once again exchange bullets – with Jagger’s attempt ricocheting off Blackbeard’s nickel-sized head cap from his brain surgery. Unfortunately for the Governor of Jamaica, his enemy’s bullet hits its mark right between the eyes.
Meanwhile, Antoinette marches free across the island and locates Selima, who defends herself with a rifle blast that passes right through Antoinette’s shoulder… and merely slows down the ghost-like woman’s pursuit. Selima hides to no avail, and Antoinette disposes of her in short order, moments before the arrival of her true object of desire, Blackbeard. Covered in Selima’s blood, Antoinette walks to her former husband, smiling, transfixed… even as he plunges a sword through her body. She joins his second lover on the floor – both dead, both murdered in revenge.
With Rider’s help and Lowe’s leadership, the islanders defeat the redcoats and agree upon the final step to their own freedom – Blackbeard’s throne. Lowe finds the commodore in that very spot and challenges the weary pirate to defend the actions that slaughtered so many innocents. Blackbeard disagrees with Lowe’s assessment and refuses to relinquish his role, and thus fuels a brutal fight between the two. But Lowe now stands as an equal and outsmarts Blackbeard in the duel, leaving the legend bloodied and conquered.
Six weeks later, Lowe returns to Jamaica and confronts the new governor, threatening him with certain death unless he leaves Santa Campana alone. He offers a valuable item in exchange – the severed head of Blackbeard and, in turn, the promise of fame as the man who killed him.
Yet, on a deserted beach, a small sack in hand, stands a very alive Blackbeard, the deposed commodore, his eyes focused on a ship in the distance. The Reaver, perhaps? Was another deal struck between him and Lowe, a fake head for a real banishment? In any case, the world again believes the infamous pirate is dead, and so it shall seem forever… Or at least until his legend rises once more. Summary courtesy NBC.
First aired: August 2, 2014.
What do you think? Do you like the Crossbones TV series? Do you think it should have been cancelled or renewed for a second season?
I have really enjoyed this show and hope you won’t cancel it.The acting is just great and the leaves you wanting to no whats next.
I have really enjoyed watching this show, Crossbones. It is unique and different and holds your interests. I hope it is renewed!
NBC please do not cancel crossbones. This is the only show on nbc I watch. It would be a shame the only show on your network I watch would be canceled. Your network seems to take great shows with high popularity and ratings and cancels them…..yet you find shows like big brother air worthy. Please keep this on.
I really like the show Crossbones and it should be renewed.
Please renew this show. Great acting and plots. Have seen all episodes. Enough of the real lives of crap, big brother etc. too much reality and no quality shows.
According to an artical I found, Cross Bones had been officially cancelled! 🙁
“Sorry Blackbeard, NBC is sentencing you to the plank.
TV Line confirms the John Malkovich led pirate drama Crossbones has been officially cancelled by NBC. After Friday’s new episode at 10PM, the final two episodes of the series will air back-to-back on Saturday, August 2nd at 8/7c. Meanwhile, the series Friday time slot will be handed over to Dateline specials.”
Dateline Specials! Oh yes…we need more discouraging news about how the Middle Eastern countries are blowing each other up; how Putin is ******** yet another country and threatening other European countries; how China is STILL stealing USA technology and making it’s citizens become slaves…although not picking cotton.
If you read the original article, it doesn’t say that the show has been cancelled — officially or otherwise.
http://tvline.com/2014/07/24/crossbones-cancelled-final-episodes-saturday/
However, as I’ve written elsewhere, there’s essentially no chance that they’ll be ordering more episodes.
PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL CROSSBONES!!! Are you out of your mind? A really good series comes on and you want to cancel it? That is the dumbest idea I have ever heard of.
Why is it that every time some decent programming comes on a network (and I’m not just targeting NBC), that programming gets cancelled. But… The damn reality shows keep going year after disgusting year.
NBC: Try doing the right thing. Keep Crossbones and dump any reality show (you pick).
I totally agree with dps! I am so sick of reality shows. Crossbones was a very well acted show, with lots of great actors & characters. I looked forward to every episode with excitement. I may be 68yrs. old; but still enjoy swashbuckling adventure stories. John Malkovich was fantastic, as always; but my favorite was Richard Coyle. I will truly miss this show!
It’s a sad affair when the networks only care about cheap programming and disregard any chance of quality and entertaining TV. I have tons of channels but wear out batteries with my constant searching for anything that comes close to entertaining. It’s a good that that I have a lot of DVDs from shows that were produced with quality in mind…but have long finished its run or have been cancelled.
Let me run the networks…and Hollywood for that matter and I’ll give the viewers quality TV again!!
Looking at Comcast VOD top 100 shows and Crossbones is in the top third. some ones watching. I am. I enjoyed every minute and as the season progressed it got even better. Just preordered season one and hope that there is a second.
Can’t believe you are canceling this after one season. I have watched this show every week. True the time slot is same as another show I watch on another network but I record these shows. The story is a mystery and keeps you guessing, I love shows like shis. How about canning the reality shows, they stink to high heaven
I agree with the comments above. One of the best series to come along in a long time. We are not reality show people. Seems every time a really good show comes along, it gets cancelled. Most TV today is boring. Come on give it a chance in a better time slot.
Crossbones is an incredible show – loved the season finale. Don’t screw up again NBC – your politics are bad enough as is your newsroom but The Firm, Revolution, Harry’s Law, Crossing Borders and now Crossbones? You keep Parks & Recreation which hasn’t been funny since season three? We’re not all Reality Show “airheads!”
Do Not Cancel….Excellent Series!!!
This show is great, and was never given a fair chance, being slotted at 10:00 PM Friday nights. John Malkovich is brilliant as always as the fierce yet fair Black Beard. The writing is film quality, and all the actors are excellent. This show should be renewed in a better time slot, but sadly it probably will never happen, because the latest trend in network television is the one season TV series, like, “24,” the studios don’t care if we want more or not’ they believe that they can feed us what ever they like and we will just accept… Read more »
I totally agree and you can add TNT to that list as well. The major networks make money their primary concern and getting big advertisers. When ratings don’t show a great return, then it’s adios. So many good shows have been cancelled before their time.
Just watched 7 episodes im hooked!!!!