Starting the series off with an electric guitar scored wedding, The Buccaneers seems, at first, a vapid cousin to the hit period series Bridgerton. The modern-day scoring, period-inaccurate hairstyles, and the sorority dynamic of the five female protagonists might feel too jarring for viewers looking for a more classical feel. There are certain moments at the start that needed more emotional resonance, like after Nan’s shoe fell into the cake. However, these jarring contrasts smooth over as the series progresses, as the show reveals its melancholy at society’s hypocritical, rigid expectations, but also its care and endearment for these girls’ friendships.
"Despite its frenzied pacing, The Buccaneers is endearing. The ladies’ colorful skin-forward costumes, pink poodles and loud giggles contrast against the deafening silence of British polite society."
— Aramide Tinubu
A group of fun-loving American girls burst onto the scene in tightly corseted 1870s London, kicking off an Anglo-American culture clash. Sent to secure husbands and status, the buccaneers' hearts are set on much more than that.
In the 1870s, to gain additional status, new money American ladies mingle in London society to hopefully gain a titled English husband, if they’re able to overcome the cultural differences.
With the success of Bridgerton, it’s no wonder other streaming sites would like to capitalize on period romance series. Apple TV+ is not new to the genre. After all, they’ve brought shows like Dickinson to life, but the unfinished novel of Edith Wharton is a great choice to adapt. It’s able to lean closer to Bridgerton with its debutante season and potential duke love interest. That being said, it does also play with style choices that seem jarring at first, as the playful American protagonists sport today’s accents, college sorority-esque dynamics, and sad Taylor Swift songs, while London sticks with classical instrumentals and posh tones. But these contrasts ease up as the girls start to integrate in London society, and it becomes fairly entertaining, even with its whimsically anachronistic approach.
The cast is impeccable!
