99 Words About … The historical debauchery of Starz
At this point, Starz should just rename itself History Channel After Dark.
Following the successful blood-and-breasts-from-back-in-the-day formula that launched “Spartacus” and, to a lesser extent, “Da Vinci’s Demons,” the pay channel is sailing the soft-core seas with “Black Sails” (9 p.m. Saturday).
Considering Michael Bay’s involvement, the “Treasure Island” prequel isn’t as over-the-top as it could, or probably should, be. And it looks far better than it needs to.
But the treasure-hunting machinations involving Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) aren’t exactly what you’d call timber-shivering.
And the first episode seems to exist solely as an excuse for some girl-on-girl-pirate action.
— CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE
