A moneyed American sorority with thoroughly modern sensibilities unleashes itself upon Victorian-era London in The Buccaneers, a stylish eight-part period drama based on the trailblazing Edith Wharton novel of the same name. Set in the 1870s and soundtracked by Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo, the Apple TV Plus show has all the ingredients to be a sensation, and it premieres on Wednesday, November 8.
Release date: Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Global stream: Apple TV Plus
Episodes: 8
The source material was unfinished when Wharton passed away in 1937, but The Buccaneers was posthumously published a year later, before being controversially completed in 1993, a revision that went down as badly as the subsequent BBC and PBS TV adaptation.
Fertile ground for culture clashes across multiple fronts, it explores New York socialite Nan St. George's initiation into London society, amidst the season in which England's upper crust shops for young flesh. However, unbent by the traditions and trappings of old-world conservatism and more minted than the lords who pursue them, Nan and her companions Mabel, Lizzy and Jinny will have the run of the debutante ball. It's little wonder The Buccaneers is already being dubbed Apple TV Plus' answer to Bridgerton.
If you prefer to read books — even unfinished ones — before you watch adaptations, we've also included links on how to buy the novel below. But first, here's how to watch The Buccaneers on Apple TV Plus anywhere, including free trials.
The Buccaneers release dates
The first three episodes of The Buccaneers will be released on Apple TV Plus on Wednesday, November 8, with subsequent installments coming out one-by-one each Wednesday. Here's the schedule in full:
- Episode 1 — Wednesday, November 8
- Episode 2 — Wednesday, November 8
- Episode 3 — Wednesday, November 8
- Episode 4 — Wednesday, November 15
- Episode 5 — Wednesday, November 22
- Episode 6 — Wednesday, November 29
- Episode 7 — Wednesday, December 6
- Episode 8 — Wednesday, December 13
Watch The Buccaneers
How to watch The Buccaneers in the U.S., U.K. and Australia
How to watch The Buccaneers from anywhere
If you're stuck abroad — in one of the few countries where Apple TV Plus is not available — you will likely run into geo-fenced restrictions on the platforms and services you can use. But with the help of a virtual private network (VPN), you can watch The Pigeon Tunnel and all the other shows you want on the services you already pay for no matter where you are.
Based on our expert testing, the best VPN is ExpressVPN, which is easy to use and delivers fast internet speeds, making it simple to set up for streaming in no time at all. It also works on practically any device, starting with iOS and Android and including streaming devices such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Apple TV.
How to read The Buccaneers
The new TV show The Buccaneers is based on the novel by Edith Wharton, which was close to completion at the time of her death, and published by Penguin Books a short while thereafter.
Despite being unfinished, it's still 448 pages long, which gives you plenty to get invested in, only to end on a cliffhanger.
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