The wait is finally over! The new season of the acclaimed period series The Buccaneers is back this Wednesday, June 18th, on Apple TV+, bringing back a lot of drama, romance, intrigue, friendship and the scandals of English high society. Starring Kristine Froseth, the series follows a group of American friends who, in 1870, go to London in order to get good marriages.
The cast
Fans can rest assured because the entire main cast is back: Kristine Froseth (Nan), Alisha Boe (Conchita), Josie Totah (Mabel), Aubri Ibrag (Lizzy), Imogen Waterhouse (Jinny), Christina Hendricks (Mrs. George), Josh Dylan (Lord Richard Marable), Guy Remmers (Theo), Matthew Broome (Guy), Barney Fishwick (James) and lastly Mia Threapleton (Honoria).
But the big news is the arrival of Leighton Meester, the eternal Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl. In a role still kept secret, Meester revealed to TV Insider that she is excited about the project. “This is the best role I could have asked for… Believe me, it’s worth the wait,” she said.
The second season also introduces the newcomers Jacob Ifan as Héctor Robinson, Grace Ambrose as Paloma Ballardino and Maria Almeida as Cora Merrigan. Another highlight is Greg Wise, whose role has not yet been released, but he is well known for having played Guy Thwaite in the 1995 BBC adaptation of the book.
What will be the plot of the second season?
Apple TV+ has already released the synopsis of the season:
“In the first season of The Buccaneers, a group of fun-loving young American girls exploded into the tightly corseted London of the 1870s…setting hearts racing and kicking off an Anglo-American culture clash. Now the Buccaneers are no longer the invaders — England is their home. In fact they’re practically running the place. Nan is the Duchess of Tintagel, the most influential woman in the country. Conchita is Lady Brightlingsea, heroine to a wave of young American heiresses.
And Jinny is on every front-page, wanted for the kidnap of her unborn child. All of the girls have been forced to grow up and now have to fight to be heard, as they wrestle with romance, lust, jealousy, births, and deaths…themes consuming all women of any age, no matter what year it is. Last time we got a taste of England. This time we’re in for a veritable feast.”
Those who watched the first season should remember that the final episode closes – or seems to close – the love triangle of Nan St. George with a glamorous wedding with Theo, leaving Guy behind – a choice that divided fans between #TeamTheo and #TeamGuy. But not everything is a fairy tale – the second season promises to explore the consequences of this decision.
The trailer, packed by “Good Luck, Babe!”, Chappell Roan’s music hit – shows Nan struggling to make her new role as Duchess work, while dealing with intimate and family dilemmas. “I really want this version of my life to work”; “Theo thinks this is real. He thinks I chose to marry him.”
The trailer also brought out new information in which fans could theorize. One of them would be that Lizzy and Theo would have an affair, although this does not happen in the books, where she has a happy marriage.
The most famous theory is that the character Nell, played by Leighton Meester as we discovered along the trailer, would be Nan’s biological mother.
The series still has many interesting plots from the first season to unfold, such as the divorce of parents St. George, who promise to shake the family structure. The teaser also raises questions about Jinny’s abusive marriage, as it reveals that she is being sought for the kidnapping of her own son.
feminism AND friendship
Despite the romantic dramas, the series continues to value female power and solidarity between women. Nan, now in a position of power, questions patriarchal structures: “No man should be allowed to own his wife,” she says in one of the most striking scenes of the preview.
The series highlights female friendship and empowerment as central pillars for the development of the protagonist Nan. Throughout the plot, the strong connection between Nan and her friends serves not only as emotional support, but also as motivation for her to face challenges and grow personally.
The narrative follows the journey of these women as they face the rigid expectations of the British aristocracy and seek their own paths, away from social norms and questioning gender roles. It explores how these women resist objectification and submission, seeking agency over their own bodies, minds and destinies, even within historical limitations.
With so much drama, passion and female empowerment in sight, The Buccaneers promises an even more intense and exciting second season. Mark on your calendar: June 18, only on Apple TV+.
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The article above was edited by Luna Bahdur.
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