Apple TV+’s Historical Drama Can’t Help But Strain Itself In Ambitiously Mature Season

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While Many Of The Buccaneers Season 2’s Swings Are Admirable, Not All Of Them Land Tonally, It Feels Like A Different Show From Season 1 The Gilded Age Is Great, But This Underrated Apple TV+ Period Drama Is Even Better Women Remain The Center Of The Story, Which Should Be Lauded The Buccaneers Season 2 Offers A Nuanced, Realistic Take On Feminism The Buccaneers Remains Visually Stunning The Atmosphere In Season 2 Is A High Point The Buccaneers Season 2

The Buccaneers season 2 is an interesting evolution of the show that, ultimately, stretches itself thin. Season 1, which debuted at the end of 2023, introduced us to the bold American women who make up the title “Buccaneers”: sister duos Nan and Jinny and Lizzy and Mabel, along with their long-time friend Conchita. While the first season was often light-hearted, with the characters equal parts exasperating and charming England’s high society in their quests to find true love, The Buccaneers season 2 takes a decidedly darker turn.

The new season finds the women dealing with the sober reality of growing up, too quickly in some cases. While they certainly had some mature storylines in season 1, it’s no match for this season, which finds Nan fully in her role as the Duchess of Tintagel following her marriage to Theo in the finale. Jinny and Guy are still on the run from her abusive husband, James, and Conchita, Lizzy, and Mabel have their own complicated issues to work out.

While Many Of The Buccaneers Season 2’s Swings Are Admirable, Not All Of Them Land

Tonally, It Feels Like A Different Show From Season 1

Season 2 certainly doesn’t shy away from the darker side of growing up, and that grounds the show in a way that works quite well at times. It takes pains to explore how friendships inevitably change and are often strained with the addition of marriage, children, and other adult responsibilities. While Nan, Jinny, Conchita, Mabel, and Lizzy may live in a world removed from ours, those themes are universal, and The Buccaneers translates them well.

Unfortunately, though, exploring the concept of growing up the way the show does in season 2 means that the Buccaneers are rarely all together, with fewer scenes of them just having fun than we got in season 1. Those scenes provided a nice contrast to some of season 1’s heavier material, and with fewer of them, season 2 is borderline dour at times, pushing the series so far beyond its original tone that it feels like a different show entirely.

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Similarly, while there are still some lighter romance scenes akin to those in season 1, they’re less joyful in the new season, often weighed down by the darker scenes surrounding them. The Buccaneers‘ characters also remain prone to bad decisions, particularly in love, but those choices are less entertaining and more frustrating this time around, with the self-sabotage wearing thin. Along those same lines, the show continues to rely too much on secrets as plot devices, frequently pushing the bounds of realism in the process.

Women Remain The Center Of The Story, Which Should Be Lauded

The Buccaneers Season 2 Offers A Nuanced, Realistic Take On Feminism

If The Buccaneers season 1 often found the characters pulled along by the story, all of them feel very in control of their own fates this time around, which is satisfying to watch. Nan, in particular, really comes into her own this season, showing an impressive agency as she uses her new Duchess title to protect her friends and family. Honoria and Conchita’s arcs are also handled well, though both are a bit bittersweet.

As Nan and Jinny’s mom, Patti, attempts to divorce their father, the show offers a similar, realistic lesson about just how tough that would have been for a woman to do during that time.

While season 1 made feminist storytelling a focal point, season 2’s take is even more nuanced and ambitious. It doesn’t shy away from the realities of a woman’s position at the time, particularly through Jinny’s story, which is somehow even more brutal than it was in season 1. As Nan and Jinny’s mom, Patti, attempts to divorce their father, the show offers a similar, realistic lesson about just how tough that would have been for a woman to do during that time.

While those storylines and others involving the unfortunate limits forced on women are hard to watch, the fact that the female characters display such agency regardless, working within a difficult system, is ultimately pretty empowering, as is the support they show each other along the way.

The Buccaneers Remains Visually Stunning

The Atmosphere In Season 2 Is A High Point

Mable and Honoria embracing in front of the water in The Buccaneers season 2

One of season 1’s biggest selling points was the exquisite costumes, locations, music, and more, all of which were essential to building out the show’s world. Season 2 is no exception, again featuring the moody seascapes of Tintagel and several lush set pieces, with the young women attending a fairy garden party, masquerade, and other events rendered in lavish glory.

While the parties and some locations will feel familiar, season 2 also makes a point to mix things up; Guy and Jinny’s scenes early in the season are a breath of fresh air visually, allowing the show to explore a new look. Likewise, a trip to New York comes at the perfect time in the season. While The Buccaneers season 2 isn’t always successful in its approach, it certainly pushes both itself and viewers to embrace something different.

The Buccaneers season 2 premieres Wednesday, June 18 on Apple TV+.