The Buccaneers (2023 TV series)

Period drama television series

The Buccaneers

Genre| Historical drama
Created by| Katherine Jakeways
Based on| The Buccaneers
by Edith Wharton
Directed by| Susanna White
Starring|

* Kristine Froseth
* Alisha Boe
* Matthew Broome
* Josh Dylan
* Barney Fishwick
* Aubri Ibrag
* Guy Remmers
* Mia Threapleton
* Josie Totah
* Imogen Waterhouse
* Christina Hendricks

Theme music composer|

* Aisling Brouwer
* Anna Phoebe[1]

Country of origin|

* United Kingdom
* United States

Original language| English
No. of episodes| 8
Production
Executive producers|

* Beth Willis
* George Faber
* Katherine Jakeways
* Susanna White

Running time| 49–55 minutes
Production company| The Forge
Original release
Network| Apple TV+
Release| 8 November 2023 (2023-11-08) –
present (present)

The Buccaneers is a historical drama television series created by Katherine Jakeways, based on the unfinished novel of the same name by American novelist Edith Wharton, published posthumously in 1938. Set in the 1870s, it revolves around five wealthy and ambitious American women and their experiences in London high society as they deal with culture clashes, differing approaches to tradition, friendship, and love. The series stars an ensemble cast led by Kristine Froseth, Alisha Boe, Aubri Ibrag, Josie Totah, and Imogen Waterhouse. Matthew Broome, Josh Dylan, Barney Fishwick, Guy Remmers, Mia Threapleton, and Christina Hendricks also star.

The first season premiered on 8 November 2023 on Apple TV+ and received positive reviews from critics.[2] On 19 December 2023, it was renewed for a second season.[3]

## Premise[edit]

In the 1870s, the "Buccaneers" are five ambitious women and daughters of the American nouveau riche Nan and Jinny St. George, Conchita Closson, and Lizzy and Mabel Elmsworth. Following Conchita's wedding to Lord Richard Marable, the women are invited to London in the midst of debutante season in the hopes of securing husbands and titles. The women's eccentric and extroverted nature contrasts with English high society and centuries of tradition as they navigate cultural clashes and strict social codes while dealing with interpersonal relationships and potential suitors.

## Cast and characters[edit]

### Main[edit]

* Kristine Froseth as Annabel "Nan" St. George
* Alisha Boe as Conchita Closson
* Matthew Broome as Guy Thwarte
* Josh Dylan as Lord Richard Marable
* Barney Fishwick as Lord James Seadown
* Aubri Ibrag as Lizzy Elmsworth
* Guy Remmers as Theo, Duke of Tintagel
* Mia Threapleton as Honoria Marable
* Josie Totah as Mabel Elmsworth
* Imogen Waterhouse as Virginia "Jinny" St. George
* Christina Hendricks as Patricia "Patti" St. George
* Simone Kirby as Laura Testvalley
* Amelia Bullmore as the Dowager Duchess of Tintagel
* Fenella Woolgar as Lady Brightlingsea
* Anthony Calf as Lord Brightlingsea
* Adam James as Colonel St. George

### Recurring[edit]

* Shobhit Piasa as Miles Dawnley
* Francesca Corney as Jean Hopeleigh

## Episodes[edit]

No.| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original release date

|
|
|
|

1| "American Poison"| Susanna White| Katherine Jakeways| 8 November 2023 (2023-11-08)
Encouraged by the whirlwind marriage of their friend Conchita to Lord Richard Marable, the American nouveau riche daughters of the St. George and Elmsworth families are sent to England to find husbands. Jinny St. George and Lizzy Elmsworth enter London society as debutantes. Both are attracted to Richard's younger brother James, even as Richard's family looks down on them. The unconventional manners of Jinny's sister Nan catch the eye of a bachelor, Guy Thwarte. Jinny accidentally reveals to Nan that the latter is secretly illegitimate, and Nan is sent on a tour of Cornwall to not disturb Jinny's marital aspirations. While swimming in the sea, Nan meets Theo, a duke seeking a wife who does not care about his status.
2| "Women or Wives"| Susanna White| Katherine Jakeways| 8 November 2023 (2023-11-08)
Conchita throws a house party in Runnymede, with her and Richard's friends in attendance. James rebuffs Jinny and dances with Lizzy. While playing a game of sardines, Mabel nearly kisses Honoria. James forces a humiliated Lizzy to strip nude in front of him. Conchita overhears Richard saying that she will never fit in and leaves. Nan confides her parentage to Guy, who leaves. Theo arrives and proposes to Nan.
3| "The Perfect Duchess"| Richard Senior| Katherine Jakeways| 8 November 2023 (2023-11-08)
As Nan ponders Theo's proposal, his mother hosts a private ball at Tintagel. Nan grows closer to Theo and connects with the dowager duchess but is disturbed by the arrival of Guy, who is revealed to be Theo's closest friend. Meanwhile, Jinny and James have eloped. Nan dances with Theo at the ball, but the event is interrupted by Conchita running into the rain. Richard finds her and the two reconcile; Mabel and Honoria kiss. Guy assures Nan he will keep her illegitimacy secret from Theo. The next morning, Nan tells Theo that she is willing to marry him but must first return to New York; he asks to come with her.
4| "Homecoming"| Richard Senior| Catherine Shepherd| 15 November 2023 (2023-11-15)
The girls arrive in New York, where Patricia St. George throws a lavish party to celebrate her daughters' successful courtships, but Nan rebuffs her and declares her intention to tell Theo the truth. Nan unsuccessfully asks her father for information. Meanwhile, Guy drunkenly sends a telegram confessing his love to Nan, which Theo reads. Lavinia Elmsworth catches Mabel kissing a maid; Conchita worries she and Richard will not escape the Brightlingseas. Nan reconciles with Patricia, who assures her that she is her daughter. Theo asks Nan for a quick marriage. Patricia tells her husband that their marriage is over.
5| "Failed Betrayal"| Richard Senior| Roanne Bardsley, Emma Jane Unsworth| 22 November 2023 (2023-11-22)
While attempting to hide his family's lack of funds, Guy hosts a celebration of Bonfire Night at his estate. Theo invites Jean, hoping to set up a match with her and Guy. The group is tasked with finding a torch in a hedge maze, during which Nan learns about Guy's telegram, and Jinny and Lizzy rekindle their friendship. Mabel and Honoria sleep together. Conchita, now living separately from Richard, tells Nan she is in love with Guy. Theo confronts Guy at a poker game with Nan, though Theo reconciles with Nan and Guy at the bonfire. Mabel also lashes out at Honoria.
6| "It's Christmas"| Charlotte Regan| Anna-Maria Ssemuyaba| 29 November 2023 (2023-11-29)
The group spends Christmas with the Tintagels. Guy, who is now courting Jean, makes tentative peace with Nan and her impending marriage. Lizzy admits James' torment of her to Jinny, who rejects the notion that James is abusive; Jinny also admits Nan's illegitimacy to James. Mabel decides to enter a marriage of convenience to Miles so she and Lizzy can stay in England. Seeing how happy Conchita and Richard are together, Mrs. Testvalley leaves their service. James tells the dowager duchess of Nan's birth, and Nan privately admits her relief at the engagement's end to Guy. She publicly admits her illegitimacy at Christmas luncheon, where Theo declares his love for and intention to marry her.
7| "First Footing"| Charlotte Regan| Roanne Bardsley| 6 December 2023 (2023-12-06)
The group attends a New Year's Eve party hosted at the Brightlingsea estate, where Nan feels outcast by other guests for her illegitimacy. Nan and Jinny's parents arrive, and Patti scolds Jinny for revealing Nan's secret. She later informs her husband that she will be divorcing him after Nan's wedding. Guy and Nan share a moment on the roof, and when they return downstairs, Theo reveals he knew about the telegram, leading to a fight between him and Guy. Guy reveals to Nan that Theo knew about the telegram but hid it from them, and Theo forces Guy to recite the telegram. Nan confronts Theo about knowing about her mother and not saying anything and storms off. Meanwhile, Lizzy is publicly embarrassed by James and condemns Jinny for their behaviour. Jinny, secretly pregnant, attempts to leave the party but returns to James' side. Honoria subtly shares to Richard her knowledge of his and Lady Testvalley's affair before reminding him how happy he is with Conchita. His mother reveals that she knew about the affair, and Richard is later comforted by Conchita. Guy and Theo make amends before saying goodbye. Nan talks to Guy, and he re-affirms his love for her but also reveals that he asked Lady Hopeleigh to marry him, further explaining that they both needed to move on.
8| "Wedding of the Season"| Charlotte Regan| Katherine Jakeways| 13 December 2023 (2023-12-13)
The day before her wedding, Theo issues Nan a final chance to change her mind until the next morning. At a ceremony, Nan rejects Jinny, and Richard confronts his mother, announcing his intention to sever ties and move to the US with her. Conchita reveals to him that her father's investment failed and the family has lost their money, but Richard stands by his decision. Jinny faints while climbing the stairs, and Miles reveals to James that she is pregnant, leading him to beat Jinny. Patti affirms to Tracy that she will divorce him given that Nan will be a duchess soon. Mabel questions her engagement to Miles and later comes out to Lizzy, who accepts her. Guy climbs up to Nan's room and reveals he ended his engagement to Lady Hopeleigh; the two proclaim their love and have sex. Jinny reveals to them James' abuse and her pregnancy, and the trio try to escape, intending to leave for South America, but James finds them and returns with Jinny. The next morning, Mabel ends her engagement with Miles and declares her love for Honoria. Outside the chapel, the group stalls the ceremony to help Jinny escape with Guy. Nan marries Theo, with the dowager duchess' knowledge, so she will be able to protect Jinny and Guy from James with her status. Outside, Tracey reveals to Patti that Nan's biological mother has returned.

## Production[edit]

It was announced in June 2022 that Apple TV+ had ordered the series from the Forge, with Katherine Jakeways set to be head writer and Susanna White attached as lead director. Jakeways and White would also executive-produce the series with Beth Willis and George Faber of the Forge.

The cast were included in the series order announcement: Kristine Froseth, Alisha Boe, Josie Totah, Aubri Ibrag, Imogen Waterhouse, and Mia Threapleton would star as the titular buccaneers.[4] In July, Christina Hendricks, Josh Dylan, Barney Fishwick, Guy Remmers, and Matthew Broome were added to the cast.[5][6] Simone Kirby joined the cast in October as the girls' chaperone.[7]

Principal photography for the series began in March 2022 in Madrid and continued in June in Scotland; Glasgow doubled as 1870s New York City. Cast and crew were spotted filming around the Glasgow City Chambers in July.[8]

## Soundtrack[edit]

The all-female soundtrack was produced by Stella Mozgawa.[9]

## Reception[edit]

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 76%, with an average rating of 6.30/10, based on 41 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Anachronistic to the max and loving it, The Buccaneers is a feminist and frothy treat for fans of period piece pageantry."[10] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the show a score of 71 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Aisling Brouwer & Anna Phoebe Scoring Apple TV+'s 'The Buccaneers'". Retrieved 2 October 2023.
2. ^ Cordero, Rosy (16 August 2023). "Apple TV+ Reveals 'The Buccaneers' Premiere Date & First-Look Photos". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
3. ^ Goldbart, Max. "'The Buccaneers' Renewed for Season 2 at Apple TV+". Deadline. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
4. ^ Petski, Denise (23 June 2022). "Apple TV+ Orders The Buccaneers-Inspired Drama Series; Kristine Froseth, Alisha Boe, Josie Totah Among Lead Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
5. ^ White, Peter (18 July 2022). "Christina Hendricks to Star in Apple TV+'s The Buccaneers-Inspired Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
6. ^ Goldbart, Max (21 July 2022). "Apple TV+'s The Buccaneers-Inspired Drama Series Adds Four More Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
7. ^ Goldbart, Max (27 October 2022). "His Dark Materials Star Simone Kirby Boards Apple TV+'s The Buccaneers-Inspired Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
8. ^ Tarnai, Eszter (24 July 2022). "New pictures of Apple drama Debutante set as filming starts on Cochrane Street". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
9. ^ "Sharon Van Etten Shares Intimate Single 'Close to You'". rollingstone.com. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
10. ^ "The Buccaneers (2023): Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
11. ^ "The Buccaneers (2023): Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved 21 December 2023.

## External links[edit]

* The Buccaneers at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Apple TV+ original programming

Television|

| Current|

* Acapulco (since 2021)
* Bad Sisters (since 2022)
* The Big Door Prize (since 2023)
* The Buccaneers (since 2023)
* Criminal Record (since 2024)
* The Changeling (since 2023)
* Curses! (since 2023)
* Dear... (since 2020)
* Dr. Brain (since 2021)
* Extrapolations (since 2023)
* For All Mankind (since 2019)
* Foundation (since 2021)
* Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock (since 2022)
* Friday Night Baseball (since 2022)
* Harriet the Spy (since 2021)
* Hello Tomorrow! (since 2023)
* Interrupting Chicken (since 2022)
* Invasion (since 2021)
* Jane (since 2023)
* Liaison (since 2023)
* Little America (since 2020)
* Loot (since 2022)
* The Morning Show (since 2019)
* Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (since 2023)
* My Kind of Country (since 2023)
* Mythic Quest (since 2020)
* Masters of the Air (since 2024)
* The New Look (since 2024)
* Pachinko (since 2022)
* Platonic (since 2023)
* Prehistoric Planet (since 2022)
* Pretzel and the Puppies (since 2022)
* The Reluctant Traveler (since 2023)
* Severance (since 2022)
* Shape Island (since 2023)
* Shrinking (since 2023)
* Silo (since 2023)
* Slow Horses (since 2022)
* The Snoopy Show (since 2021)
* Still Up (since 2023)
* Stillwater (since 2020)
* Surface (since 2022)
* Strange Planet (since 2023)
* Tehran (since 2020)
* Trying (since 2020)

|

Continuations|

* Carpool Karaoke: The Series (season 5; since 2022)

Ended|

* The Afterparty (2022–23)
* Amazing Stories (2020)
* Amber Brown (2022)
* Becoming You (2020)
* Black Bird (2022)
* Boom! Boom! The World Vs Boris Becker (2023)
* Calls (2021)
* Central Park (2020–22)
* City on Fire (2023)
* The Crowded Room (2023)
* Dear Edward (2023)
* Defending Jacob (2020)
* Dickinson (2019–21)
* Doug Unplugs (2020–22)
* Earth At Night In Color (2020–21)
* Echo 3 (2022-23)
* El Deafo (2022)
* The Essex Serpent (2022)
* Five Days at Memorial (2022)
* Ghostwriter (2019–22)
* Greatness Code (2020–22)
* Helpsters (2019—23)
* High Desert (2023)
* Hijack (2023)
* Home (2020–22)
* Home Before Dark (2020–21)
* The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2022)
* The Last Thing He Told Me (2023)
* Lessons in Chemistry (2023)
* Lisey's Story (2021)
* Little Voice (2020)
* Long Way Up (2020)
* Losing Alice (2021)
* The Me You Can't See (2021)
* The Mosquito Coast (2021–23)
* Mr. Corman (2021)
* The Oprah Conversation (2020–21)
* Oprah's Book Club (2019–21)
* Physical (2021–23)
* Pinecone & Pony (2022–23)
* The Problem with Jon Stewart (2021–23)
* Roar (2022)
* Schmigadoon! (2021–23)
* See (2019–22)
* Servant (2019–23)
* Shantaram (2022)
* Shining Girls (2022)
* The Shrink Next Door (2021)
* Slumberkins (2022)
* Snoopy in Space (2019–21)
* Surfside Girls (2022)
* Suspicion (2022)
* Swagger (2021–23)
* Ted Lasso (2020–23)
* Tiny World (2020–21)
* Truth Be Told (2019–23)
* The Super Models (2023)
* Visible: Out on Television (2020)
* Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson (2021)
* WeCrashed (2022)
* Wolfboy and the Everything Factory (2021–22)

Upcoming|

* Constellation (2024)
* The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin (2024)
* Lady in the Lake (2024)
* Land of Women (2024)
* Manhunt (2024)
* Palm Royale (2024)
* Sugar (2024)
* Franklin (2024)
* Dark Matter (2024)
* Presumed Innocent (2024)
* Bad Monkey (TBA)
* Before (TBA)
* The Big Cigar (TBA)
* Chief of War (TBA)
* Disclaimer (TBA)
* The Last Frontier (TBA)
* Prime Target (TBA)
* Sinking Spring (TBA)
* Sunny (TBA)
* Time Bandits (TBA)
* WondLa (TBA)

Films|

| Released|

| 2019|

* The Elephant Queen
* Hala

|

2020|

* The Banker
* Beastie Boys Story
* Dads
* Greyhound
* Boys State
* Bruce Springsteen's Letter to You
* On the Rocks
* Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds
* Mariah Carey's Magical Christmas Special
* Wolfwalkers

2021|

* Palmer
* Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry
* Cherry
* The Year Earth Changed
* Fathom
* CODA
* 9/11: Inside the President's War Room
* Come from Away
* Blush
* The Velvet Underground
* Finch
* Swan Song

2022|

* The Tragedy of Macbeth
* The Sky Is Everywhere
* Cha Cha Real Smooth
* Luck
* Sidney
* The Greatest Beer Run Ever
* Raymond & Ray
* Causeway
* Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me
* Spirited
* Emancipation
* The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

2023|

* Sharper
* Tetris
* Ghosted
* Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
* The Beanie Bubble
* Stephen Curry: Underrated
* Flora and Son
* Killers of the Flower Moon
* The Pigeon Tunnel
* Fingernails
* Napoleon
* The Family Plan

2024|

* Argylle

Upcoming|

* Girls State (2024)
* Project Artemis (2024)
* Wolfs (2024)
* Fancy Dance (2024)
* Blitz (TBA)
* Echo Valley (TBA)
* The Gorge (TBA)
* The Instigators (TBA)
* Untitled Joseph Kosinski film (TBA)
* Untitled Lewis Hamilton project (TBA)

* Apple TV
* tvOS
* Apple TV app
* channels
* Apple Studios

* v
* t
* e

Edith Wharton

Novels|

* The House of Mirth (1905)
* The Reef (1912)
* The Custom of the Country (1913)
* Summer (1917)
* The Age of Innocence (1920)
* The Glimpses of the Moon (1922)
* Twilight Sleep (1927)
* The Buccaneers (1938)

Novellas
and novelette|

* The Touchstone (1900)
* Ethan Frome (1911)
* Bunner Sisters (1916)
* Old New York (1924)

Short story
collections|

* The Greater Inclination (1899)
* Crucial Instances (1901)

Non-fiction|

* The Decoration of Houses (1897)
* Fighting France: From Dunkerque to Belfort (1915)

As editor|

* The Book of the Homeless (1916)

Adaptations|

| Film|

* The House of Mirth (1918)
* The Glimpses of the Moon (1923)
* The Age of Innocence (1924)
* The Marriage Playground (1929)
* The Age of Innocence (1934)
* Strange Wives (1934)
* The Old Maid (1939)
* The Children (1990)
* Ethan Frome (1993)
* The Age of Innocence (1993)
* The Reef (1999)
* The House of Mirth (2000)

|

Television|

* The House of Mirth (1981)
* The Buccaneers (1995)
* The Buccaneers (2023)

Related|

* The Mount (Lenox, Massachusetts)

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