Pirates are thieves who traverse the Seven Seas looking for things to steal. While piracy is still very much a thing in certain regions of the world, when most people hear the word "pirate" they immediately think of the pirates that were prevalent during the Golden Age of Piracy from 1650-1730. These pirates were everywhere at the time, and there was no telling when one would decide to loot the ship you were on.

Pirates have been glamorized and made famous thanks to a handful of books which usually depict pirates as being adventurers seeking buried treasure. Of course, most of these books are far from historically accurate. Still, piracy has become a beloved theme and genre of media, which, of course, has made its way to the small screen for various different shows.

10 'Jake and the Never Land Pirates' (2011-2016)

Seasons: 4

Okay, so Jake and the Never Land Pirates is pretty obviously meant for pre-school children. It stars the titular Jake, a young pirate boy who lives in the same universe as Peter Pan. However, parents have praised the show for being educational and interactive all while taking place in a fun setting, making it a great watch for its young audience.

It became one of Disney's most successful Junior shows, attracting millions of viewers and even earning a place in Disneyland in California. Jake has been voiced by several different actors, including Cameron Boyce, Sean Ryan Fox, and Colin Ford. While adult consumers might want to skip this one, for kids, it's a great, adventurous show that helps them learn valuable and simple skills.

9 'Fena: Pirate Princess' (2021)

Seasons: 1

Fena: Pirate Princess tells the girl of Fena, a young orphan girl who makes the decision to reinvent herself and rebel against the people making her life miserable. Set in an alternate version of the Golden Age of Piracy, Fena makes a slew of unlikely friends and becomes an unassuming, yet successful pirate.

This Japanese anime only lasted one season, but it was a pretty good season, even then. While the writing could have been better, many critics were thoroughly impressed with its production value and meticulously-crafted scenes. It was also deemed to be nostalgic in a way--even though it's a pretty recent show, it's very reminiscent of late 90s-early 00s anime, visually speaking. Overall, you could skip this one if you're not into anime. But if you like anime and pirates, then you should definitely try it out.

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8 'The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack' (2008-2010)

Seasons: 3

The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack is a show that probably rings a bell if you grew up in the 00s. Created by Cartoon Network, the show commonly referred to as simply "Flapjack" features the titular character, a young sailor boy who was raised by a whale. Him and said whale befriend a washed-up old pirate named Captain K'nuckles (Brian Doyle-Murray). K'nuckles tells Flapjack (Thurop van Orman) about the legendary Candied Island, which, as the name implies, is an island made entirely of candy. With this being an alluring idea, they set about trying to find the island in the hopes of being able to enjoy its sweet candy terrain.

While the show wasn't very widely watched, it managed to score pretty well with critics, being nominated for two Primetime Emmys, two Annies, and a Golden Reel. Due to its relatively low viewership (in contrast to some other, more popular Cartoon Network shows), it didn't really last as long as it could have. The show proved to be perfect for fans of ridiculous, absurd cartoons, with humour similar to that of Spongebob Squarepants. Cartoon fans and pirate fans alike should definitely give this one a shot.

7 'Crossbones' (2014)

Seasons: 1

Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard was no doubt the most famous and feared pirate in existence. He has been a character in many movies and TV shows, mainly because he's such a well-known name in history. In Crossbones, Blackbeard is played by none other than the legendary John Malkovich. Sure, he doesn't exactly fit Teach's fearsome description as attested to by those who knew him, but Malkovich really delivers in terms of performance. He always does, after all.

Unfortunately, the show was canceled before it even had a chance to air its final two episodes. This is a real shame because it would have been nice to see more of John Malkovich as Blackbeard. Those final two episodes exist and are available, they just weren't aired on TV until later. The story offers a great "what if" take on history, as it occurs in 1729, ten or so years after the real Blackbeard died. Based on the book The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard, Crossbones details Blackbeard's journey across the Caribbean Sea after he comes out of hiding and turns an island into a pirate utopia. While it's definitely not the best pirate show out there, it's one that's worth a watch if you want to see more of the world's most famous pirate.

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6 'One Piece' (2023-)

Seasons: 1

Netflix's One Piece certainly doesn't come close to the original, but it offers a way for non-anime fans to access the same fun, action-packed story that the anime does without all the anime tropes. One Piece's reviews were mostly good, but still left much to be desired, especially by long-time fans of the franchise.

Iñaki Godoy stars as Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate upstart who has eaten the Gum-Gum Fruit, allowing him to stretch his body like an elastic. After making a few friends, Luffy becomes determined to embark on a dangerous journey to find a missing piece of a map, which will supposedly lead him to the world's richest pirate treasure. It's definitely more on the goofier side, which is great if you're looking for a goofier take on pirates and pirate culture.

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5 'The Pirates of Dark Water' (1991-1993)

Seasons: 3

The Pirates of Dark Water might strike a nostalgic chord for 90s kids. It was really something in its time, but unfortunately, it seems to have been all but forgotten in the 21st Century. This show was one of the more imaginative ones out there, taking place on the alien planet of Mer, blending sci-fi with classic pirate stories. The animation style and visuals were very reminiscent of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe which came out back in the 80s.

This was a show that had a lot of potential with its cast of memorable characters, bright visuals, and intriguing setting, but it sadly didn't do as well as it could have. Despite this, it has been met with critical acclaim, and even though it isn't the most recognizable 90s cartoon, it's still certainly one of the best and may be due for a revival.

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4 'Our Flag Means Death' (2022-2023)

Seasons: 2

Our Flag Means Death offers a fresh spin on the pirate genre, showing not just adventure, but romance and comedy, too. It stars Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet, a real-life pirate who was also known as "The Gentleman Pirate" because he was known to be pretty bad at his job and not very scary. This is a funny enough premise on its own, as it gives way to show many hilarious misadventures, but it also adds a twist to things.

Bonnet winds up falling in love with the infamous pirate Blackbeard (Taika Waititi), and the two wind up sharing a romantic relationship that is certainly unconventional given their professions, but is wholesome and oftentimes amusing, all the same. Ironically, in real life, Bonnet did actually sail with Blackbeard, but it was well-known that Blackbeard hated Bonnet because he thought Bonnet was an idiot and a terrible pirate. This extra layer of irony makes the show's premise that much funnier. The show has some gut-busting moments and offers a unique take on a real era of history, and it never really got the attention it deserved. If you're a fan of pirate movies or TV shows, it is definitely worth giving this one a chance.

3 'Vikings' (2013-2020)

Seasons: 6

Little-known fact: Vikings were actually pirates. According to Encyclopedia Brittanica, the word "Viking" originates from the Old Norse word víkingr, which loosely translates to "pirate." On top of that, Vikings do fit the standard definition of "pirate," in that they were thieves who primarily operated at sea. They're just not traditionally associated with the swashbuckling peg-leg-wearing pirates on account of the fact that they come from two totally different eras. With that out of the way, let's focus on Vikings... the TV series, that is.

The show was immensely successful in its six-season run, featuring the drama and intense, gritty action that was becoming very popular in the early 2010s thanks to the success of Game of Thrones. Vikings was such a smash-hit that it even spawned a spin-off show, Vikings: Valhalla, whiich is coming to an end later in 2024. The original show still reigns as the superior part of the franchise though, featuring action and adventure on high seas, with a historical touch.

2 'Black Sails' (2014-2017)

Seasons: 4

Black Sails is probably the most "piratey" show out there. It focuses on Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) in the events leading up to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic pirate adventure novel Treasure Island. The show also features other memorable characters from the book and its multiple movie adaptations, such as Billy Bones (Tom Hopper) and Long John Silver (Luke Arnold).

Aside from the fictional characters, the show also featured actors playing some real-life pirates, too, including Calico Jack (Toby Schmitz), Anne Bonny (Clara Paget), Charles Vane (Zach McGowan) and the infamous Blackbeard (Ray Stevenson). The show also featured stellar action, and exciting storylines, which is why it's a real shame that there were only four seasons of it. There's never a dull moment in Black Sails. It not only serves as a good binge-watching show, but you can also learn a thing or two about history's most notorious pirates, as well.

1 'One Piece' (1999-)

Seasons: 21