AppleTV+'s 'The Buccaneers' Brings a Fresh Take on Period Drama

Series Creator Katherine Jakeways Emphasizes Unique Aspects of the Show, Including Cultural Clash and Female Friendships

AppleTV+ has released a new period drama, 'The Buccaneers', based on the unfinished 1938 novel by Edith Wharton. The series follows a group of young American women navigating high society in 1870s London.
The show's creator, Katherine Jakeways, acknowledges comparisons to 'Bridgerton' but emphasizes the unique aspects of 'The Buccaneers', including its focus on the culture clash of Americans in English society and the central theme of female friendships.
Costume designer Giovanni Lipari used color to highlight the cultural differences between the American and British characters, with the Americans dressed in bold, vibrant colors to reflect their new wealth and the British in more conservative, darker hues to represent their old money.
While the series is based on Wharton's novel, Jakeways and her team took creative liberties with the story and characters, particularly with the character of Nan, who serves as the audience's perspective into this world.
Despite the period setting, Jakeways aimed to make the characters and their experiences relatable to a modern audience, with a contemporary all-female soundtrack featuring artists like Taylor Swift.