The Buccaneers Series Review: Charming and Captivating Series that will Leave You Wanting More | Apple Tv+
Cast: Kristine Frøseth, Aubri Ibrag, Kristina Hendricks
Created By: Katherine Jakeways
Streaming Platform: Apple TV+
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars)
The Buccaneers was supposed to be the 18th novel for Edith Wharton, one of the greatest authors of all time and the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 with the masterpiece “The Age of Innocence”. Unfortunately, the author died shortly before finishing it, but from the various posthumous editions, Apple TV+ created a TV series, which winks at Bridgerton but also tries to overcome this limit by recovering precious elements of the narrative of the time. In the beginning, it was Sofia Coppola, with her post-punk and new wave touch with which she had colored her Marie Antoinette with the Eighties and created an interesting musical anachronism. Then the trend was followed by many: from our own Susanna Nicchiarelli for Miss Marx and Paola Cortellesi for There’s Still Tomorrow, to move on from the more moderate musical anachronisms of Bridgerton, which uses pop songs in the soundtrack, but arranged as chamber music of those times.
Tasty musical anachronisms are now arriving on Apple TV+, as we tell you in the review of The Buccaneers, the new series composed of eight episodes and inspired by the unfinished novel of the same name by Edith Wharton. Created by Katherine Jakeways, The Buccaneers will debut on Apple TV+ on November 8 with the first three episodes, followed by new episodes weekly every Wednesday, through December 13. The pop and rock, sometimes dark in tone, that accompany the actions of the protagonists of The Buccaneers are one of the happy notes of a series that shines with a lightness and fresh sensuality that make viewing truly enjoyable.
The Buccaneers Series Review: The Story Plot
New York, 1870. Conchita Closson (Alisha Boe) has married Lord Richard Marable (Josh Dylan), a noble and high-ranking scion of the English aristocracy, while she, like her closest friends Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse), Lizzy (Aubri Ibrag), Mabel (Josei Toath) and Nan St. Geroge (Kristine Froseth), belongs to the new, rampant wave that is making its way into American high society. However, in the new world things are no different from the old continent and as a result, girls are marginalized and face the prospect of very unprofitable marriages. So why not follow Conchita paradoxically across the ocean, to England, where they will be able to look for marriages worthy of their ambition and forge new bonds, taking advantage of the coveted wealth of their families? However, the undertaking is far from simple, given the difference in mentality and the natural rebellious nature against English etiquette that the girls demonstrate from the beginning. Nan in particular proves to be very uncooperative in this sense, at least until she meets the young Theo, Duke of Tintagel (Guy Rummers).
But what if true love was different from what you think? What if the cost was higher? The Buccaneers was created by Katherine Jakeways, a British comedian and screenwriter dealing with a very visually ambitious project. The Buccaneers, as in the tradition of the genre, is aesthetically wonderful. Costumes, sets, and makeup are top-notch. As in Bridgerton, uchronia makes its way at a marching pace, with a cast that is maximally inclusive with all due respect to historical realism. But even the interactions are rendered in a modern light, which in the long run can honestly take away from the overall coherence. It’s nothing new but it’s enough to carry out a first screening at an audience level: if you loved Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey it’s unlikely you’ll like The Buccaneers. On the contrary, if you are a fan of Queen Charlotte, Emily in Paris, or the aforementioned Bridgerton, then this is the series for you.
The Buccaneers Series Review and Analysis
Let’s start from an assumption: The Buccaneers aim with surgical precision at the female audience, without looking back. Which is its strength or limitation, depending on your point of view, since it is a flourish of courtships, passionate glances, sparkling dialogues, and good manners that hide stabs. He manages to give an idea of the complexity of that environment, as well as the clash between the American vision and the English vision, but he does it in an honestly sometimes brisk and even too freeway. Froseth is very good, managing to give us what part of the cast (as per the script mind you) is not always able to shape: a transversal character. She has good chemistry with Rummers and Guy by Matthew Broome. In the development of her character and the interactions between Christina Hendricks, Adam James Fenella Woolgar, and Simone Kirby we see much of not only Warthon’s semantics but also Austen’s and Alcott’s.
It’s a shame that everything then clashes with the modern look chosen, in line with the target audience. The description through female eyes of the reality of a world where women are beautiful dolls without real decision-making capacity is not very innovative and compelling. What is missing is the will to make a ferocious lunge and go beyond the due homage to glamour, the glossy dimension (how boring are these pastel photographs today) of Gossip Girl 2.0. But this is the key point, was it ever really part of the ultimate goal of this series? No. As with Bridgerton, what counts here are the handsome hunks and the beautiful passionate girls, the nice clothes, and the illusion of being in a not-so-bad past. The world of 2023 is disguised as that of the late 19th century. Obvious. However, the fact that it is much less pretentious and also less Instagram-able than Van Dusen’s series, as well as better written and directed, may also make it considered by a more mature part of the public, not just Generation Z.
Of course, the feeling of a clever operation, based on the name of an incredible author, here exploited for the name, without everything we have in front of us managing to be more than an echo of her narrative. The protagonists are often in deshabillé, with their clothes untied, their feet bare, and their corsets visible, something that contrasts with that unwritten rule that requires that, in costume films, the characters are also presented to the spectator as they would appear in public, elegant, adorned and chastened. Thus, The Buccaneers tries to untie the corsets of the series, to remove the clothing, the rigidity, and the formality typical of costume films. The music, far from having a precise meaning, as in Marie Antoinette (it was the music of Sofia Coppola’s adolescence and came from a decadent era like pre-revolution France) further serves this purpose, to create a short circuit, to abstract the characters from the era in which they live and make them close to us, universal.
The soundtrack, produced by Stella Mozgawa of the band Warpaint) features Taylor Swift, Boygenius, Maggie Rogers, Bikini Kill, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Angel Olsen, Brandi Carlile, as well as original music by Folick, Lucius, Alison Mosshart, Warpaint, Gracie Abrams, Sharon Van Etten, Bully, Danielle Ponder and AVAWAVES, composers of the series. The result is an excellent quality TV series, which is a bit like Sex and The City of Yesteryear, a bit like Bridgerton but done better. But also, with a bit of Little Women and Jane Austen’s novels. Nan St. George (Kristine Frøseth) is a bit like Jo from Little Women, with her somewhat tomboyish and unconventional attitude, a bit like Jane Austen’s Emma in terms of how, at least at the beginning, worries about her friends’ weddings and engagements. And it is she, Kristine Frøseth, one of the leading actresses of the series: the face of a slightly unpunished child, an irresistible smile, and eyes of a color between grey, blue, and green as if they were two jade stones. She is very good at acting with her face and her whole body.
As is the other actress who particularly impressed us Aubri Ibrag, in the role of Lizzy Elmsworth, an Australian influencer and model (we saw her in the Dive Club series), with a fascinating Middle Eastern face and a top model body that she exhibits in a courageous full nude. In a very strong moment, she warns us that the series will also talk about machismo, a very current theme. But, among many young beauties, there is also Christina Hendricks whom we all remember from the TV series Mad Men. Some time has passed since that series and the actress now plays mother roles. She is the mother of the St. George girls. Her pin-up body looks great even in nineteenth-century corsets. But it is her face that is striking: it has changed, worn out, deprived of fifties make-up and with invisible make-up. Her face is very mobile, and her red hair, artfully curled, looks like that of a figure from a Pre-Raphaelite painting. She’s also there to pull us into this series. To the rhythm of rock and the wild and graceful dances of these girls, you will feel inebriated and dragged into a series that is already considered among the best in the Apple TV+ catalog.
The Buccaneers Series Review: The Last Words
In the review of The Buccaneers, we explained that the pop and rock, at times dark in tone, which accompany the actions of the protagonists of The Buccaneers are one of the happy notes of a series that shines with a lightness and a fresh sensuality that make pleasant viewing. The series is a visual feast, with opulent costumes and lavish sets that capture the extravagance of the Gilded Age. The costumes are particularly impressive, featuring vibrant colors, intricate details, and period-appropriate silhouettes. The sets are equally impressive, ranging from grand ballrooms to intimate drawing rooms. The Buccaneers is a charming and captivating series that will leave you wanting more. It’s the perfect show for fans of Bridgerton, Downton Abbey, and other period dramas.
The Buccaneers Series Review: Charming and Captivating Series that will Leave You Wanting More | Apple Tv+ - Filmyhype
Director: Katherine Jakeways
Date Created: 2023-12-13 19:26
3.5
Pros
- The visuals: The costumes and sets are absolutely stunning.
- The writing: The script is witty and intelligent, with plenty of sharp observations about society.
- The cast: The actors are all excellent, and they bring their characters to life with charm and charisma.
- The music: The soundtrack is a mix of pop and classical music, which gives the series a fresh and contemporary feel.
Cons
- May not appeal to viewers seeking a completely accurate portrayal of the period.
- Some anachronisms could be distracting to purists.
- May not resonate with viewers who prefer a more diverse cast of characters.
- Limited exploration of life outside the aristocracy.
