Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver's relationship carries the entire weight of this show, and it never settles for simple mentor-student dynamics. The 1978 animation moves with a fluidity that modern studios chase but rarely catch, backed by a soundtrack that makes every tavern scene and ocean voyage feel lived-in and real. Twenty-six episodes is long, but the show earns every one by letting you watch a boy grow into someone who understands that the man teaching him to survive might be the most dangerous thing on that ship.

Jim Hawkins is a young boy whom a chain of events sets on the trail of the fabled treasure left by Captain Flint, a pirate once feared across the seas. On the voyage to Treasure Island, John Silver, Jim's closest friend, seizes command of the ship and shows who he really is: a merciless pirate who once served as Flint's right-hand man. Stung by the betrayal, Jim must sort through his conflicting feelings and stand against Silver, who still thinks of the two of them as friends. The story is a sea adventure with elements of drama and mystery.