Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for The Buccaneers finale.
After Apple TV+ said goodbye toDickinson, the streaming platform welcomed a new female-centered period hit.Based on the unfinished novel byEdith Wharton,The Buccaneersfeatures a group of American girls from wealthy families as they travel to England in search of a husband. The series follows five young women with distinct personalities as they land in a culture that is much more traditional than their own and enter into relationships that aren’t as idealistic as they thought. With boldness and wit, Nan (Kristine Froseth), Conchita (Alisha Boe), Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse), Mabel (Josie Totah), and Lizzy (Aubri Ibrag) play by their own rules and shake up society in the process.
The Buccaneersgives a fair share of attention to each of its leads, yet it is clear that one of them did not get as much development onscreen as her counterparts.Although many characters get a certain resolution to their storyby the end of Season 1, Lizzy’s fate is left unaddressed in the finale. Even though she proves to be the most selfless and compassionate of the bunch, it is evident that this beloved character deserved a better aftermath considering all the suffering that she endured.
The Buccaneers
In the 1870s a bunch of rich American girls are trying to find a posh English husband during the London debutante season.
Lizzy Is Humiliated by James in ‘The Buccaneers’
The Buccaneersfollows a muchdifferent marriage mart as previously depicted inBridgerton.Here, it is noticeable that the process of finding a husband can be ruthless, with British and American girls pitting against each other to win over a man with a title. This exact situation happens between Jinny and Lizzy at the beginning of Season 1, as both arrive in England with the prospect of getting married like their friend Conchita. When they catch the eye of Lord James Seadown (played byBarney Fishwick), the two begin to do whatever it takes to attract his eye.
Even though Jinny seems to get his affection first, James flirts with Lizzy during Conchita’s house party in Episode 2. Despite Lizzy letting Jinny know that she doesn’t want to be with him if it draws them apart, the eldest St. George sibling has her eyes set on an engagement ring and nothing else. This toxic environment leads James to take advantage of Lizzy by forcing the girl to strip in front of him and keep the whole situation a secret. This unsettling event leaves her scared for the rest of the season, as Lord Seadown marries her best friend instead and constantly reminds her of that traumatic encounter.With such a heartbreaking start to her journey, Lizzy’s trajectory in the series doesn’t get much better later on.
Lizzy Disappears for Part of ‘The Buccaneers’ First Season
After hearing the news that Jinny and James have been married, Lizzy feels like there is nothing left to keep her in London. She then returns to the U.S., leaving her sister and friends behind. In Episode 4, she shows up for the ball that Mrs. St. George (Christina Hendricks) has organized in New York to celebrate her daughters' success in finding titled husbands. Although Lizzy is all smiles at the party, her fear of James has not gone away, and she tries her best to warn Jinny of the terrible man that she’s married to. Although she doesn’t share the truth with her best friend during the ball, Lizzy decides to go back to England and be protective of her sister and friends.This selfless act shows how caring and loyal she is, even after all that the character has experienced.
Back on British soil, Lizzy tries to focus on what matters most to her, which is to have fun alongside the people she loves. The more she spends time with the other girls, the less time she spends thinking about James. Yet, her attempts to ignore him aren’t always successful, as Lord Seadown stresses that he wants to make her life a living hell. Even when she listens to Guy’s (Matthew Broome) advice in the kitchen about not letting the shame take over, Lizzy is once again threatened by James and is abandoned by Jinny (who opts to take her husband’s side).After everything that she has done for Jinny, Lizzy is once again abandoned by her friend and left in even greater turmoil than before.
Lizzy’s Storyline Never Gets a Proper Resolution in ‘The Buccaneers’
From being hurt by James and abandoned by her best friend, Lizzy goes through a lot of emotional strife throughout Season 1.Instead of her getting a hopeful ending to her tragic storyline in the finale, the character is used as a plot device for her sister’s arch and never gets the closure that she deserves.After Mabel decides to call it quits on her engagement so that she can be in a relationship with Honoria (Mia Threapleton), she finally comes out to her sister. While their mother disregards Mabel’s attraction to girls, Lizzy listens to her sister with an open heart. She tells her sibling to love whoever she wants and to not let other people dictate her life choices. Although their beautiful conversation helped Mabel to feel more at ease about her true identity, it didn’t add to Lizzy’s journey in the series.
Towards the end of the finale, Jinny finally gets away from James, Nan saves her sister at the expense of marrying Theo (Guy Remmers), Mabel and Honoria are finally together, and Conchita is ready to leave England behind with her husband.All is well for all but Lizzy, who hasn’t been able to fully heal from her trauma.After all that the character has been through, it would have been nice to see her get a better resolution in the overall season. Although Season 2 has yet to be confirmed,Lizzy’s storyline deserves more attention if the series is renewedfor new episodes.
All episodes ofThe Buccaneersare streaming on Apple TV +.
Watch on Apple TV +
