Summary
- The Buccaneers is a period drama similar to Bridgerton but with American characters in 1870 London high society.
- The show follows the adventures of Nan St. George, an unapologetic and spirited young American woman.
- The series features an intriguing plot twist involving Nan’s secret birth, a love triangle, and the challenges of fitting in with the London upper echelon.
Apple TV+ has a new period drama, The Buccaneers, which might be the series to keep fans of Bridgerton entertained before season 3 of the show is released. The Buccaneers is very similar to Bridgerton but with American characters. The period drama is based on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel of the same name.
The Buccaneers follows five highly spirited American socialites in 1870 as they embark on a journey searching for a suitable match. When one of the young ladies, Conchita (Alisha Boe), gets married to a Lord who hails from London, her four friends travel there hoping to find a husband. The show’s main focus is the adventurous Nan St. George (Kristine Frøset). A young American woman who finds herself involved in a whirlwind romance with London’s most eligible bachelor.
The American girls, however, are too rowdy for the London upper echelon society and struggle to acclimate to the culture there. They do not seem to fit in with London’s high society and are sneered at by people who feel they are better than them. Despite the culture clash, one of the fresh-faced American girls, Jinny St. George (Imogen Waterhouse), catches the eye of Lord James Seadown (Barney Fishwick). He proposes to her, and they elope. The Buccaneers, like Bridgerton, also feature a handsome young duke who is the catch of the season. Theodore (Guy Remmers) is the Duke of Tintagel. Despite the number of eligible women wanting to marry him, Theo wants to marry someone who loves him for who he is, not his title.
The Buccaneers Has an Intriguing Twist
There’s no denying that The Buccaneers and Bridgerton have a few things in common. However, The Buccaneers has an intriguing plot twist that Bridgerton doesn’t have. Nan St. George is not the typical young debutante with good manners that is usually featured in period dramas. She is unapologetically herself and has a restless spirit.
On the day her best friend, Conchita, is meant to be married, Nan runs into a young British aristocrat, Guy Thwarte (Matthew Broome). The wedding isn’t the last time the two run into each other. While in England, Nan and Guy again see each other and form a connection. Unbeknownst to Nan, Guy is looking for a rich woman to marry because his family is in financial trouble.
During her visit to England, Nan and her sister Jinny get into a fight that leads to Nan finding out that the woman she calls her mother didn’t give birth to her. Nan’s father had an affair, which led to her conception. She was taken in by her father’s wife, who raised her as her own in order to avoid a scandal. After Ginny and Nan’s fight, Nan is sent away to the countryside to give her sister a chance to find a husband without Nan spoiling it for her.
While in the countryside, she makes the acquaintance of Theo, who immediately becomes besotted with her. Theo, however, doesn’t disclose the fact that he is a duke. When Conchita throws a party to win her husband back, Theo shows up and proposes to a shocked Nan. But before she can agree to marry him, he takes her to his mother so that she can understand the responsibilities that come with being a Duchess. After her conversation with his mom, Nan agrees to marry Theo.
Nan knows that she wasn’t born in wedlock. The secret about her birth is riddling her with anxiety, so she decides to tell Guy about it without knowing that he is in love with her and is planning on asking her to marry him.
To add more to her already difficult situation, Nan discovers that Guy and Theo are best friends. She begs Guy not to tell Theo, to which he reluctantly agrees. Nan wrestles with whether she should come clean to Theo, especially because a duke cannot marry someone who was born out of wedlock. The truth about Nan’s birth and the love triangle she finds herself in will make for an interesting watch. Only time will tell if Nan’s secret will come tumbling down or she will manage to become the Duchess of Tintagel.
The Buccaneers Has Multilayered Characters
While it’s fun to watch well-mannered debutantes search for a match in London high society, there’s no denying that several period piece shows have a similar plot line. The Buccaneers provides a refreshing set of characters that are messy. The young American women do not care much about British rules and etiquette. They love to have fun and live their lives to the fullest. Even though Conchita married Lord Richard Marable (Josh Dyan) for love, her life in England was not what she expected. She struggles with finding her place in her new family, who dislike her because of her blatant disregard for London High Society. She realizes her husband’s family will never accept her because she is too American.
During the debutante ball, Lizzy Elmsworth ( Aubri Ibra) is the perfect young lady. Like Jinny, she catches the eye of Lord Seadown. However, her family is not wealthy, so he chooses Jinny over her. Lord Seadown might present himself as the perfect gentleman, but he has a mean streak that rears its head whenever he doesn’t get his way.
Mabel Elmsworth (Josie Totah), Lizzy’s sister, also has a secret she’s been hiding from her friends and family, which keeps the intrigue going in the series. The Buccaneers has so many good things going for it that makes it worth watching. It features a refreshing plot, fantastic music, and a talented cast. The Buccaneers has new episodes every Wednesday that can be streamed on Apple TV+.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
