Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for The Buccaneers Season 2 finale.
It’s always strange when two statements that seem to contradict each other are both true at the same time. For example, it is definitely a fact that, when it comes to Apple TV+‘sThe Buccaneers, Nan (Kristine Froseth) just can’t catch a break. The show’s de facto protagonist is constantly trapped between Guy (Matthew Broome) and Theo (Guy Remmers), and whenever things seem about to start going her way, everything immediately just blows up in her face. This statement is so true that it is even posing a problem forThe Buccaneers, asthe series’ main love triangle is getting pretty repetitive. However, while Nan’s life is indeed a messy pile of romantic problems, it is also correct to say that the character has often chosen to deal with her troubles in the most problematic of ways. It isn’t rare for Nan’s actions to come out as the whims of a spoiled girl, andthis season finale sure starts by showing us the character at her worst. Having found out about her husband’s affair with Lizzy (Aubri Ibrag) and distraught at Guy’s impulsive marriage to Paloma (Grace Ambrose), Nan kicks off “She Knows” by refusing to talk to her own lover and threatening her friend with public exposition. Not a good look for someone who was sleeping with her fiancé’s best friend on the night before the wedding.
Nan has her motives, of course, and perhaps if she had been more open about them to Theo, things would have turned out a bit better for her. But, again, she chooses the more complicated route and merely refuses to leave her post at Tintagel, as they had agreed she would do upon Jinny’s (Imogen Waterhouse) safe return to England, because she wants to use the political leverage she has as duchess. Theo is enraged, of course, that Nan would break off their agreement, trapping both of them forever in an unhappy life. He doesn’t know that things are a lot more complicated than she’s led him to believe. And, by the end of “She Knows,“this not-knowing will lead to unforeseen consequences for the whole institution of Tintagel.
‘The Buccaneers’ Season 2 Ends with Nan Guarding a Shocking Secret
The real reason why Nan wants to remain at Tintagel is that she is pregnant with Theo’s baby. She’s quite sure that the child is his, as the doctor has told her she’s four months along, and four months ago, she was on her honeymoon trip. But she has seen how the world can be cruel to mothers who don’t follow society’s rules. She has seenwhat Seadown (Barney Fishwick) has done to Jinny, and she’s afraid that Theo will send her away and keep her child from her, considering how important it is for Tintagel to have an heir. And, apparently, her law still hasn’t passed. Thus, she wants to remain by her husband’s side so that she will also play a part in her son or daughter’s education.
Nan plans on announcing her pregnancy at the traditional end-of-season masquerade held by the Duchess of Tintagel. Unfortunately, a whole chain of events will unfold, ultimately threatening her position at the castle. First and foremost, someone will leak to the press that one of Nan’s closest friends is having an affair with the duke. Now, while names are left out of the news reports, the girls are quick to realize that the stories are all about Lizzy. Hector Robinson (Jacob Ifan) is also well aware of who this mysterious mistress is and rushes to offer Lizzy his help. Definitely not afraid of accepting crumbs of affection, he pragmatically offers to marry her in order to keep her reputation intact. What’s even wilder is that Lizzy accepts. Little does she know thatHector is actually the one who leaked the story to the press.
‘The Buccaneers’ Season 2: Guy and Paloma’s Surprising Romance Heats Up in Episode 5
A new character is slowly steering Guy’s heart, and maybe that’s for the better.
And, so, naturally, everyone is mad at Nan. Theo even trashes her room out of sheer rage, while Lizzy refuses to believe her when she says she hasn’t told anyone about the affair. Not even the baby reveal — which Lizzy must keep secret from Theo — is enough to endear her back to her friend, though it does soften her heart a little bit. But, again, Nan just can’t catch a break, and as she’s about to make her news public and ensure her place at Tintagel, Theo decides to make an announcement of his own. Since he’s not in love with his wife and since he can divorce her as long as he gives up his title, he doesn’t want to be duke anymore. Therefore,as the masquerade is reaching its peak, Theo publicly renounces his position. He also takes the opportunity to proclaim his love for another woman, one who still remains unnamed.
While, back in the day, this would mean a happy ending of sorts for Nan, she now has her baby to take into consideration. Furthermore, it’s not like the man she truly loves is free to be with her either. Sure, Guy might be trying to tell Nan that he and Paloma are getting an annulment, but Nan doesn’t want to hear it. Besides, it’s not like Paloma is very excited about said annulment either. In fact,she’s been keeping important documentation from Guy, virtually forcing him to remain married to her longer than necessary. Though there’s a moment in “She Knows” in which she tells Guy and Jinny that she never dreamed of being trapped in a relationship with a lot of anguish and basically no sex, it seems like she’s going to try to solve her problem not by ending the relationship at hand, but by trying to change Guy’s mind about who he truly loves.
‘The Buccaneers’ Season 2 Finale Brings a New Duke Into the Game
Did Paloma deserve to become an antagonist in Nan’s story? Probably not, but as the show reaches its Season 2 finale, it needs to establish new drama for a potential third run. Let’s just hope the writers manage to make Paloma into an interesting, complex character instead of just turning her into a villain. Especially since she’s not the only new threat to the status quo. After Theo renounces his position, Blanche (Amelia Bullmore) makes a move of her own. Unable to let go of Tintagel, even if this means a shot at real life by Reede’s (Greg Wise) side, she decides to make herself a new duke. So,she sends a letter to Theo’s secret brother, Kit, a product of the former duke’s many indiscretions, summoning him to Tintagel. And as Nan runs away into the night, Kit rides on his horse to grab Tintagel by the throat.
Reede makes it pretty clear to Blanche that he thinks this Kit guy is dangerous. Thus, we will most likely get a dirty battle for Tintagel’s seat in Season 3, if it is indeed confirmed by Apple TV+. But what “She Knows” doesn’t leave much room for is the relationship between its five main characters. At one point, Nan tells Lizzy that the real love story should’ve been about them, the girls, and not about them finding men to marry or betray each other with. If that is indeed true,ifThe Buccaneersdoes actually believe it should be a show about female friendship, then we’re sorry to inform them that that ship has sailed. The closest we get to women standing up for each other in “She Knows” is Patti (Christina Hendricks) standing by her daughter’s side in the whole pregnancy debacle andMabel (Josie Totah) asking Conchita (Alisha Boe) for some romantic help. The rest is still pretty cool to watch, of course, but it’s more about the guys than the gals.
The Buccaneers
The show’s Season 2 finale creates a strong foundation for Season 3, but seems to have forgotten one of the series' core principals.
