Os Bucaneiros

Edith Wharton's unfinished 1938 novel gets a second chance as a TV series, no doubt aided by Marion Mainwaring's completion of the book in 1993, based on Wharton's notes. The literary world was split on the two versions, but were in total cahoots when chastising the 1995 BBC TV series.

Almost thirty years on and Apple TV give it a fresh life for the modern audience, but still set it in the original period of 1870, when New York social manners where on a decline (that part of it brilliantly captured on another 2022 TV series - The Gilded Age). So a group of very American kind-of-women travel to London with the excuse of finding the perfect mannered rich English husband (but really find themselves in the process!).

The first thirty minutes seemed to be doomed, with a messy and uninteresting lazy set-up, pandering to a younger hip audience. It is soon saved by Wharton's true passion and champion of women's dilemmas during the patriarchy rule of the 1870's. Unfortunately the filmmakers style leans more toward a lightweight soapy romantic drama that has a rather blunt edge, but still maintains your interest with its lavish production.

I'm a huge Regency romance fan and was intrigued by this show. Yet I've found myself rolling my eyes more and more as each episode passes. The character's personalities and are inconsistent and the direction makes the show remain shallow as it grasps at depth. The rah-rah sisterhood theme of the show is quickly bowled over for flashy and increasingly annoying drama. I think this show had potential to be an alternative to Bridgerton but the sets and costumes do the heavy lifting to make the show feel 1800s. I never thought I would come across the manic dream girl in a period drama but alas here we are... men falling over one character because she just happens to not want to swim in a corset or takes her shoes off. I love the sets and costumes are good but not memorable but the show makes me annoyed as a regency romance lover.

I oddly enjoy it. Despite the over the top, American loudness of our main character group. Because it does seem very American. Everything about the show screams it.

Does it seem a rip off of Bridgerton, yes.

I cringe when the group of girls scream like they're on spring break. When they go swimming in their underclothes with batchelors.

I'm only 3 episodes in but their behaviours, their vocabulary, their style of dress are very inconsistent with what would have been the norm.

Instead it seems like a group of Valley cheerleaders have been transplanted into mid 1800s England.

I guess it's made made to appeal to a TikTok generation's imagining of what that time would be like.

Despite the faults of the show and my inward cringing of just how...American...it is, I kind of enjoy it. Most of the cast are capable actors.

If you don't mind glossing over historical accuracy and enjoy a bit of vapidness, you probably wouldn't mind spending a few hours watching this.

... one critic's comments... "The Buccaneers, a refreshing take on the period drama genre, exploring the clash of cultures and the pursuit of love and ambition with a modern sensibility, all within the enchanting setting of 1870s London. Its bold and unapologetic approach might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it undeniably adds a unique flavor to the genre."

... an ok show, well done for the most part... you'll know within the first episode if you're going to be sticking with it week to week... it's entertaining to a 6 of 10, really not much more... acting like it's trying to be, yet Bridgerton it's not

... 12.14.23 - quite the S1 ending ... night b4 wedding, hubby-to-be out on some balcony drinking, while fiance's 'bedroom-entertaining'.. and that's only one of the pairings... S2 coming ... (and actually early-episodes new-Bridgerton's-boring)

I absolutely hated this when I started watching it. It felt like a rip-off Bridgerton. And in many ways it is. It was Bridgerton but not as good. I almost stopped watching. But then something odd happened. Partway through episode two, I began to enjoy it a bit more. A storyline of sorts began to develop. Someone's said the acting was bad. It wasn't. In fact, there are some good, well-known actors in the show. What irked, initially, was probably more the fault of the director than the actors - the vacuous cheerleader type vibe, which didn't sit well with 1870s England. It was also a mistake copying Bridgerton and using a modern music score. That jarred. And where it worked in Bridgerton, it didn't here. But even so, as the story and characters (along with their secrets) developed, I found myself pretty hooked on this. Is it historically accurate? Nope. Is it slightly the wrong side of light and frothy? Yes. But it's also quite addictive. I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't watching it and wanting to get back to the characters. There's also a darkness (particularly with one character) which helps to take the edge off the fluff. It's not a long series and, by the end, I wished it had been longer. I really hope a second season is on the way.