
Because I love you and apparently hate myself, I’m watching the whole damn series, but I’m breaking up my review of The Buccaneers (2023) into two parts. Episodes 1-4 are here, and now that the thing has finished, I’m wrapping up with episodes 5-8. In case you haven’t heard about it, this Apple TV show is a new take on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel set in the 1870s, and should be in no way confused with the much beloved 1995 BBC miniseries that’s far more accurately based on Wharton’s tale.
To say this show is based on Wharton’s book is like saying Reign (2013-17) is based on the history of Mary Queen of Scots — yeah, a lot of the names and places are there, but oof, so much of the story is mixed up in a blender with all kinds of random modernizations and soap-opera BS added. At least Reign didn’t take itself so seriously and nor did it try to shove a bunch of anachronistic feminism in with the subtly of a sledgehammer, as this Buccaneers does.
The one good thing I can say is that the costumes get better as the series goes along, even if the dialog and plot do not. The wackiest and least historical costumes seem to have shown up in episodes 1 and 2, which were designed by Giovanni Lipari (his first historical production). Episodes 3, 4, and 5 were designed by Sheena Napier (Howards End, Enchanted April), and the costumes really settled down into a more generally solid 1870s-80s-ish fashion. The final three episodes were done by Kate Carin (Around the World in 80 Days, The Book of Negroes), and the costumes have ups and downs but are generally not as egregious as the first couple eps.
Alas, I can’t find any interviews with Sheena Napier for this production, so no insights about her designs. Kate Carin did some press for the show and leaned into the old ‘let’s make it relatable‘ nonsense. MEH. Let’s just finish this thing out as painlessly as possible, if we can…
Do you want to read all of this review (with almost 4,000 words and about 64 images) about The Buccaneers (2023), Episodes 5-8? The full post is here!
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Find this frock flick at:
Vaguely-associated thoughts:-
PURPLE VELVET, my Beloved! (My, but the young lady wears it well).
Plaid dress? PLAID? WE HATES IT FOREVER!
In all fairness the next picture at least makes it look like a Fashionable mistake.
I am not a great believer in brown fashion, but goodness me that smile in the rowboat picture makes it work like a Stakhanovite.
Oh my, Miss Jean: such a lovely Victorian vision (I can’t remember if this show is meant to be set in the latter years of Queen Victoria or the reign of King Edward VII).
For some reason she makes me think of Mrs Mina Murray Harker from DRACULA.
I’d argue that in the context of costume design comprehensibility is far more important than relatability: it’s the actor’s job to make the character relatable/engaging, it’s a costume designer’s job to set a character in their proper context and help us understand that context, as well as how the character fits (or does not fit) into it.
If actual monks at an actual monastery (On Mount Athos itself to boot) can be caught on camera having a snowball fight, I suspect that young springs of the upper classes can be expected to have kicked over the traces every now and then, even in Ye Olden Days when Men were Men, Women were Girls and Horses were overworked.
Whether they were the protagonists of a Period Romance or not.
LOVE that pumpkin orange overcoat with the green scarf and purple gloves (It looks very Halloween and very cosy).
Miss Jean once again looks like a proper Victorian vision and Guy looks as though his actor isn’t even in this scene, but still wanted to show up and support the troupe.
Honoria, illicit girlfriend or no, STILL looks like she’s going to run her future husband, their stately home and the businesses, business assets and employees associated with his monopoly man riches the way Catherine the Great ran Russia.
Black Widow gambit optional.
Also, that is in fact a very lovely ensemble and an especially nice jacket.
May this be only the the first production of a distinguished career in Frockery for Miss Threapleton (She certainly has a surname neatly tailored for the genre) and may she someday learn to go easy on those corset stays!
In all fairness sometimes a nonconformist is a genuinely challenging and unconventional intellect, sometimes they’re a self-centred adolescent trying to have their own way in all things (and it’s perfectly possible to be a bit of both).
I’m not going to lie, that arsenic green blouse strikes me as having the perfect “We thought it was cool!” energy this show seems
to be aiming for (Which in all honesty makes perfect sense for rather young ladies with more money than sense on their first time abroad, even if the series doesn’t always manage it gracefully).
Love the orange, HATE the pattern.
LADY IN RED!
Now that is a Look Miss Lizzie is wearing (Face and costume).
Miss Mabel looks quite adorable and looks as though she might resent the fact, somewhere deep down.
Perhaps it’s an Emotional Support Dress? (I actually quite like the colour: it looks nicely turquoise).
Mmmm, more delicious, delicious purple (I admit to being on the fence about that purple/blue/green dress above: that colour scheme does not delight me: purple belongs with Argent and Or!).
Is that British racing green on Miss Honoria? (Clearly her future beard – ahem ‘husband’ – will be an automobile tycoon).
Listen, a future Robber Baroness cannot afford … feelings … Feelings lead to mercy and mercy means a sharp decline in short sharp lessons which leads to Socialism.
Socialism! Why a budding Robber Baroness might as well start calling herself ‘Honey’ instead of Honoria (and nobody ever heard of an Autocrat called ‘Honey’).
Queen Christina! (The dress and the lady are very lovely, but definitely not ‘Princess’ in this particular case).
I’d bet money on it: why throw a swinging New Year’s Eve party if you don’t get to make a big song and dance at the stroke of midnight?
I blow hot and cold on yellow in fashion (One prefers it as side dish rather than a main course) but that red dress is so DISHY.
Holy Smokes, Our Heroine is wearing an actual FROCK!?! A historical look worn by a main character in THIS show, will wonders never cease?
Oooh, those pearls and that deep blue (If there’s one thing I love it’s a rich, inky blue but if there’s a sight one adores it’s a beautiful lady wearing lovely jewellery.
On the one hand this is convincingly adolescent stupidity: on the other hand Guy deserves to be shoved out that window for compromising a young lady so, especially one he loves.
Now is that maroon on Miss Honoria’s jacket? It’s a lovely colour whatever it may be.
At least that blue colour is lovely (and in all fairness making the the bridesmaids less splendid than the bride is a time honoured custom).
Ms. Hendricks looks like a Fairy Godmother in that picture and I love every inch of that look for her (The blue, the brooch, the lace, but Best of all HAT!).
God Bless you for being brave as Sir Tristan in cutting through this pitiable, pitiable show so we don’t have to, dear reviewer.
Just remember, all this suffering in this life means at least three lifetimes less in Purgatory!😉
This show is the North and South of my generation istg it’s so embarrassing.
Hahahahahah!!! That’s a great analogy :D