Filled with sweeping gowns, clandestine affairs, and frenetic ballroom pacing, The Buccaneers returns for a second season with all the glitz of a Gilded Age drama… yet this time, it’s not without a few missteps.
Set in 1870s London, this Apple TV+ continuation picks up where the debut left off—our intrepid group of American debutantes have settled into English aristocracy. Series creator Katherine Jakeways leans in on heavier themes: Nan St. George (Kristine Frøseth), now Duchess of Tintagel, contends with a loveless marriage and the shadow of her illegitimacy; romance, scandal, and politics weave through her every move.
Season 2 tries to deepen its roots beyond frothy romance. Critics note the plot is drained through the filter of larger societal issues—political intrigue, family secrets, and gender expectations—while romance remains central. Indeed, the Dowager Duchess of Tintagel (Amelia Bullmore) emerges as a standout, bringing more gravitas than previous episodes allow; Greg Wise’s charming Reede Robinson also adds nuance, his romantic chemistry with Blanche bringing welcome intrigue.
Visually, the show remains a feast. From grand ballrooms to pale beach scenes, the cinematography and costumes feel opulent and aspirational. The soundtrack keeps its fun, modern pulse—Taylor Swift and Chappell Roan juxtapose with strings to remind us: this is period drama with a pulse.
But beneath the sparkle, there are wobbles. Some reviewers describe back-to-back love triangles—Nan’s entanglement with Theo and Guy— as melodramatic and tiring, weakening the emotional core of her arc. Likewise, promising subplots like Mabel and Honoria’s queer bond are sidelined, given cliffhanger space but not sufficient development. A number of Reddit voices echo this: they loved the aesthetics but felt the writing rushed key relationships and character depth.
And even though the tension of adapting an unfinished Wharton novel invites creative liberties—modern dialogue, unexpected twists, tone shifts—some critics feel the tonal balance is off. The ambitious blend of feminist commentary and romantic escapism doesn’t always gel, leaving a sense of narrative scatter.
Still, the boldness of Season 2 shouldn’t be ignored. The Buccaneers attempts to pivot from debutante fairy tale to something more substantial: the struggles of women constrained by title and society, set against politics, motherhood, and autonomy—especially with stellar additions like Leighton Meester’s scene-stealing Nell.
Verdict: A Stylish Ride with Rough Edges
Season 2 of The Buccaneers dazzles in visuals and ambition, raising the stakes beyond romance into spheres of power and purpose. Yet its narrative ambition sometimes outpaces its execution—key relationships feel rushed, and tonal shifts stumble.
If you adored the first season’s sisters-in-arms journey and crave high-drama, jewel-strewn escapism with feminist morsels, this will sate you. But if you wanted deeper emotional arcs or more focus on underexplored characters, you may leave mildly underwhelmed.
Despite its flaws, it remains engaging—watchable for fans of Bridgerton, The Gilded Age, or anyone longing for feminist period drama with a contemporary heartbeat.
Would I recommend it? Yes—with the caveat that its spectacle and socio-political layers outshine its core character development. If you watch with eyes open to its uneven pacing, you’ll still find yourself swept along by its world and wondering “what next?”