Quick answer: The clearest point of agreement across early reviews of Treasure Island is that David Oyelowo makes Long John Silver the series’ most compelling presence. Critics describe a performance built on charisma, menace and vocal authority—even when they disagree about the adaptation’s pacing, tone or changes to Robert Louis Stevenson’s story.
That distinction matters. A strong performance and a successful adaptation are not the same thing. In the six-part 2026 series, Oyelowo gives Silver a watchful stillness that can make a quiet exchange feel more dangerous than a sword fight. He is charming enough to draw people close and unpredictable enough to make that closeness feel like a mistake.
What critics are responding to in David Oyelowo’s performance
Three reviews published around the premiere point toward a similar strength, though they reach different conclusions about the series itself. RogerEbert.com calls Oyelowo the element that holds the ship together, highlighting his formidable charisma and thunderous voice. The Guardian argues that he seems to be acting in a more convincing adaptation than the one around him, describing his presence as mesmerising. Radio Times praises the force he brings to Silver, an antagonist who can intimidate people before he needs to draw a weapon.
Those are not identical reviews, and they do not amount to unanimous approval of the show. The useful common thread is narrower: Oyelowo makes Silver feel active even when he is not physically doing very much. The character’s danger comes from the sense that he is assessing every person in the room, looking for the point where trust can be turned into leverage.
Read the reviews directly: RogerEbert.com’s review, The Guardian’s review, and Radio Times’ review.
The real trick is balancing charm with menace
Long John Silver has always depended on contradiction. He can appear helpful, funny and practical; he can also be ruthless when his plans are threatened. If an actor plays only the villain, Silver becomes predictable. If he plays only the charming rogue, the danger drains out of the story.
Oyelowo’s strongest choice is to let both sides exist at once. His delivery can suggest warmth without promising safety. He does not need to announce every threat: a pause, a steady look or a sudden change in energy can make the audience question whether Silver is being sincere. That ambiguity is especially effective opposite Tom Sweet’s Jim Hawkins, whose youth and unusual memory make him both an asset and a target.
The result is not simply a pirate with a louder voice. It is a character who understands that influence can be more useful than immediate violence. Silver wants people to underestimate him at the right moment and take him seriously at another. That constant adjustment gives the performance its tension.
Why his voice and physicality matter
Several critics draw attention to Oyelowo’s voice, but the effect is bigger than volume. His vocal presence gives Silver authority; the shifts in rhythm and intensity help signal when the character is entertaining, testing or threatening someone. The performance also uses physicality to complicate the familiar image of the peg-legged pirate.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Oyelowo explained that Silver sometimes wants others to notice his disability and sometimes wants them to overlook it. He described the character as someone who can exploit assumptions about his physical limitations, allowing an opponent to misread where his real capabilities lie. That idea gives the familiar peg leg a dramatic function rather than treating it as a costume detail.
That approach also avoids making disability itself the punchline. Silver’s leg is part of how other characters read him—and part of how he manipulates those assumptions. The unsettling element is the gap between what people think they know and what Silver chooses to reveal.
The father-figure dynamic makes Silver more disturbing
Oyelowo has described the relationship between Silver and Jim as a mixture of father-son closeness and predator-and-prey tension. That duality is central to the performance. Silver can recognise Jim’s loneliness and curiosity, but he can also use those qualities to advance his own goals.
The relationship becomes more compelling when the audience can see why Jim might be drawn to Silver. A purely monstrous figure would be easier to reject. A charismatic adult who offers attention, confidence and practical knowledge is harder to read—and potentially more dangerous. Oyelowo plays the appeal without asking viewers to mistake it for goodness.
This is where the performance gives the adaptation some of its strongest psychological material. Silver is not just trying to locate treasure. He is managing people, weighing their vulnerabilities and deciding when to appear trustworthy. The more Jim wants to believe him, the more complicated their scenes become.
Can one standout performance rescue a mixed adaptation?
Not entirely. The reviews are divided on the series’ overall execution. Radio Times sees a handsome, traditional adventure with a strong lead performance, while The Guardian and RogerEbert.com are much less persuaded by the writing and the reinvention of the source material. Their criticism is a reminder that compelling acting cannot automatically fix uneven pacing, tonal confusion or story changes that do not land.
But that contrast makes the central point clearer. Oyelowo gives viewers a reason to keep watching even when the series around him becomes less convincing. His Silver has a readable internal logic: he wants the treasure, but he also wants control over the people who can help him get it. That combination makes his choices feel motivated rather than merely theatrical.
For viewers deciding whether to try the series, the fairest expectation is this: watch for the performance, but do not assume that every other element will be equally successful. If you enjoy morally ambiguous villains and character-driven tension, Silver may be the strongest reason to continue. If you need a faithful, brisk retelling of Stevenson’s novel, the adaptation’s reinventions may be more distracting.
Watch the official Treasure Island trailer
The official trailer offers a quick look at the series’ tone, Silver’s physical presence and the conflict surrounding Jim’s map. It is embedded from the Paramount+ page; playback availability can vary by region.
Frequently asked questions
What do critics agree on about David Oyelowo as Long John Silver?
In several early reviews, critics single out Oyelowo’s charisma, commanding voice and ability to make Silver both charming and dangerous. They do not all agree that the series itself works.
Is David Oyelowo’s Long John Silver the best part of Treasure Island?
Some critics describe his performance as the series’ strongest element, while their overall reviews range from positive to sharply critical. Whether he is the best part is ultimately a matter of taste, but his performance is a recurring point of praise.
How does Oyelowo make Silver feel threatening?
He balances warmth with unpredictability, using vocal shifts, stillness and physical choices to make Silver’s intentions difficult for other characters—and the audience—to read.
Does the new series change Long John Silver’s disability?
Yes. The production gives the peg leg a more active role in Silver’s physical strategy. Oyelowo has said Silver sometimes uses other people’s assumptions about his disability to mislead them.
Is Treasure Island faithful to Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel?
It is a reimagining rather than a strict adaptation. It expands Bess Hawkins’s role and gives Jim a photographic memory, among other changes. Those choices are part of why reviews of the series differ.
Related Treasure Island coverage
- David Oyelowo’s Long John Silver vs. Classic Portrayals
- Why Critics Call Treasure Island “Handsome but Undercooked”
- Why Silver Is Already on the Hispaniola at the End of Episode 1
Sources
- RogerEbert.com — Treasure Island review
- The Guardian — Treasure Island review
- Radio Times — Treasure Island review
- Entertainment Weekly — David Oyelowo on playing Long John Silver
- Paramount+ — Treasure Island series guide and official first-look images
Written by Shivam Das. Review summaries are attributed to their original outlets; the performance analysis is editorial commentary.
