I'm afraid I come bearing bad news — Black Sails, the hit pirate TV series starring Toby Stephens, is leaving Netflix US on April 17.
All four seasons have been a mainstay on the streaming service since April 2024, hinting that a two-year contract for licencing the show could be drawing to a close.
It's not difficult to see why Black Sails has been so popular. It follows the feared Captain Flint (Stephens) as he fights to protect the lawless, cutthroat New Providence Island from British and Spanish invasion. There's also a huge political focus, treasure hunting, and the transformation of John Silver.
Basically, there's everything a pirate fan could want from a TV show. It's arguably enjoyed a new life on one of the best streaming services around after it aired on Starz between 2014-2017.
But while you absolutely need to binge it if you haven't, don't think you've missed your chance just because it's leaving Netflix. In fact, US viewers can still stream it at zero cost.
Stream Black Sails on Plex, Philo and more after it leaves Netflix later this month
Luckily, it feels like there are about 5 million options for how to stream Black Sails, even after it leaves Netflix. Let's start with our plentiful US options.
The obvious choice is to stream the show on Plex, which is hosting all four seasons of the show for free. It's also free on The Roku Channel, if you're prepared to sit through some ads.
Then there are our typical streaming service options. Starz hosts all four seasons, which you can subscribe to in a bundle with Apple TV. Philo is then your next best bet (especially because of the below streaming deal):
Prime Video also hosts Black Sails, but only the first season. If you want the other three on the platform, you'll need to buy or rent them.
In the UK, all four seasons are streaming free on ITVX, or you've also got the above options of Apple TV and Prime Video. For Australians, your first port of call is Stan.
Like I said, the options are endless — and the effort is worth it for a program that's still considered to be the greatest pirate TV show of all time (at least by me). Come for the streaming options, stay for the delicious drama at sea.
