‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Meets ‘Black Sails’ in Prime Video’s New 6-Part Series
MGM+’s six-part adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s *Treasure Island* brings a new high-seas adventure about shifting loyalties and a hunt for Captain Flint’s treasure. The series gives Jim Hawkins’s mother, Bess, a much larger role, making her a shrewd participant in the voyage and a key influence on Jim’s coming-of-age story.
Tom Sweet plays Jim, whose photographic memory helps him locate the treasure, while Hayley Atwell plays Bess, Jack Huston is merchant Aaron Graham and David Oyelowo is Long John Silver. Unlike in the novel, Jim and Bess already know Silver’s dangerous past before the voyage to Jamaica. Early critical response has been poor: the article reports an 11% Rotten Tomatoes score, though one review describes the show as a mixed bag and praises its production values.
In short
- MGM+ has adapted *Treasure Island* as a six-part series.
- Bess Hawkins has a larger role in this version.
- The series has an 11% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score.
Explained simply
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island is an adventure novel about Jim Hawkins, a boy drawn into a search for buried treasure after finding a map. The story helped shape familiar ideas about pirates, including the hunt for treasure and the dangers of life at sea.
The new series expands the part played by Jim’s mother, Bess, and brings the characters into a voyage linked to the pirate Captain Flint’s treasure. Long John Silver is a central figure in the story: he can be helpful, but his past and motives make him hard to trust.
The novel has been adapted many times for film and television, so changes to its characters and plot can shape how viewers recognise the story. Its themes of loyalty, trust and growing up sit alongside the adventure.
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