Modern period dramas have emerged as some of the most-watched shows across the best streaming services, so it should come as no surprise that the Apple TV+ show The Buccaneers is one of the leading names in the genre.
Known as a rival to the likes of Netflix's Bridgerton and Prime Video's My Lady Jane, the series about a group of rich American girls who move to England to find aristocratic husbands has become a hit with audiences.
With a second season due to arrive on June 18, it's one of my most-anticipated Apple TV+ shows for the month. Indeed, after speaking with writer Katherine Jakeways as well as executive producers Beth Willis and Joe Innes, I'm expecting more scandals and even darker twists than its first installment.
I sat down with the show's creator and producers to talk about what sets The Buccaneers apart from other period dramas, the pressures of continuing some of the show's characters’ journeys in a second season, and whether we can expect a third season.
A classic genre, but with a modern twist
The Buccaneers draws from the same playbook of Bridgerton and My Lady Jane when it comes to modernizing period dramas in TV shows.
Indeed, Jakeways confirms that it's important to make period dramas modern to keep contemporary audiences entertained. “Making it feel modern in any way possible makes you relate much more to the characters,” she says.
“The way that period dramas have been done in the past is a little bit similar to if you’re looking at a painting of people who live in a different period, and you admire their costumes and the rooms they’re sitting in. But you don’t necessarily relate to them”
So, what makes The Buccaneers one of the most popular examples of a modern period drama? Well for both Jakeways and producer Beth Willis, you need look no further than the music.
Jakeways tells me: “In the case of The Buccaneers, the music has been a big part of making things feel contemporary.” With Willis elaborating that “the soundtrack is absolutely critical to making the show feel more relatable, and particularly with someone like Taylor Swift, her songs speak to an audience in a way that brings a whole other layer to a scene”. She’s not wrong – the ‘Long Live’ needle drop in season one was one of my favorite parts.
One of the show’s other biggest assets that separates it from other popular titles is its focus on the sisterhood between the leading female characters. This isn't a show just about romance, Jakeways, Willis and Innes insist.
“In comparison to other period dramas, which generally are about love and marriage, it really feels that the beating heart of our show is that group of girls. Although there’s lots of love, lust, and marriage in the show, the friendship between the sisters is absolutely the real love story,” Willis adds.
Creative freedom comes with pressure
Not only is The Buccaneers considered by some to be one of the best Apple TV+ shows, it’s also an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel of the same name, which Innes says packs “observational wit and a real kind of humor”. But while it was fun to have the creative freedom to continue unfinished character narratives, Jakeways certainly felt the pressure.
“I still feel pressure when we talk about the characters, and whether Edith Wharton would approve of the tone and us keeping the spirit of the world she created” Jakeways tells me. Despite this pressure, working with an unfinished novel was useful for the showrunners to make the characters their own – especially with Mabel and Honoria’s relationship, which is one of the more raw parts of the storyline.
Reminiscing on their final scenes at the end of the first season, Innes reveals the importance of their relationship “not being a tragic story”, which adds depth and resilience to their bond. “At the end of season one they say ‘we’re going to find a way to be together, and this is our love story’, and our duty for season two was constructing what their life looks like together and how they carve their own space and happiness together.”
The Buccaneers beyond season 2
The new season has just a few days until it’s available for the world to stream on Apple TV+, but that doesn’t mean fans won’t already start thinking about the future of the show. And if you know me, I’ll ask any showrunner about any future plans.
“In terms of season 3 we’re just concentrating on season 2 at the moment!” Jakeways laughs, but she keeps an open mind, adding “there’s lots of excitement about where the characters could go and being in that world”.
While the creative team behind The Buccaneers hasn’t promised a third season just yet, it’s reassuring to see that the possibility is out there. And given the level of the drama and the eventful character journeys in season 2, we can't help but wonder what happens next.
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