By Susan Granger
Take a bit of “Downton Abbey,” a touch of “The Gilded Age,” and a whiff of “Bridgerton” and you’ll come up with “The Buccaneers,” Apple TV’s costume drama about wealthy young American women crossing the Atlantic to find titled British husbands…now completing its second season.
Based on an unfinished 1938 novel by Edith Wharton, it was obviously inspired by the ‘arranged’ marriage of Consuelo Vanderbilt – heiress to the shipping-and-railroad fortune – to the ninth Duke of Marlborough, becoming the most famous of what were known as “dollar princesses.”
Apparently, the Duke told Consuelo that he was only interested in her huge dowry to “save Blenheim Palace,” his ancestral home. As a result, for much of their loveless 25-year marriage, they lived apart.
This series – set in the 1870s – follows the misadventures of five giddy girls seeking love abroad. Since their parents are considered ‘nouveau riche’ by condescending New York society, they’ve set their sights on acquiring aristocratic titles by marrying some of London’s cash-poor Lords and Dukes.
They’re following in the footsteps of their friend Conchita Closson (Alisha Boe) who married Lord Richard Marable (Josh Dylan); unfortunately, his patrician parents turned out to be vehemently anti-American snobs.
Pretty Nan St. George (Kristine Froseth) seems to be the most popular, catching the fancy of sensitive Duke Theo (Guy Remmers) and his impoverished pal Guy Thwarte (Matthew Broome). But her scheming older sister Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse) beats her to the altar, eloping with a Lord who became abusive.
After her original acclaim in “Mad Men” and four seasons on “Good Girls,” Christina Hendricks plays their mother Patricia St. George, who hides a shameful secret and is trapped in a marriage-of-convenience.
Caught in a different dilemma, Mabel (Josie Totah) is torn between a deceptive heterosexual marriage and a lesbian liaison with Conchita’s uptight sister-in-law (Kate Winslet’s real-life daughter Mia Threapleton).
The real Tintagel Castle still stands in Scotland but, unfortunately, it’s in ruins. So exteriors were filmed at Culzean Castle, situated on cliffs high above the sea, while interiors were shot at Drumlanrig Castle in Drumfresshire.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Buccaneers” is an impertinent 7 – with both seasons now streaming on Apple TV+.
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Susan Granger
Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in Journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has appeared on radio and television as an anchorwoman and movie critic for many years. Read all her reviews at susangranger.com.
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