The Buccaneers is turning out to be a highly quotable period drama that incorporates modern-day situations into the Gilded Age. Not only is it highly entertaining and keeps you waiting with bated breath for whatever is coming next (specifically in that love triangle that’s going to leave us bald from anxiety), but it’s also got some hard-hitting dialogue to keep it from being too airheaded. There’s a lot to unpack in this episode, specifically feelings after a long separation. There’s Guy, who believes his telegram has reached Nan, and then there’s Mabel, who has managed to escape her mother’s dreadful gaze to become “normal” in London. On the other hand, it’s a little bit difficult to figure out what James is trying to play at.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Is Everyone At Guy’s Home?
Guy has invited all the Americans and their other halves to a party at his house to celebrate Guy Fawkes Day, or rather, Bonfire Night. It’s an established event he likes to host in memory of his mother. To everyone’s surprise, though, Guy doesn’t even have any servants around, and what was meant to be a huge party is just an intimate gathering. Theo is especially alarmed because he’s secretly invited Jean (the most eligible bachelorette in London) so he can set her up with Guy after discarding her like a piece of rubbish (men!). As if things aren’t already awkward with Nan and Guy, throwing Jean in the mix is really making things worse. Nan tries to talk to Guy, bringing up his mother, and he tells her that he likes to host this event because he’s more afraid of the pain he’ll feel after forgetting her than the pain he feels remembering. Obviously, these two have this urge to always be vulnerable with each other, but it’s always interrupted by something. At the same time, Theo’s jealousy is rather evident as he says things that are very unbecoming of him.
Why Does Lizzy Feel Ashamed?
Amidst the joy of being with her friends, Lizzy is constantly reminded of the presence of (disgusting) James, who swats away flies in front of her to remind her that she herself is unwanted. But Lizzy is determined to be there for her best friend, Jinny. She ends up getting some alone time, secretly devouring a bowl of sweets all by herself, when Guy interrupts her. She offers him her delight, and he accepts it gladly, seeing as he’s trying to escape the mess that Theo has created. At that moment, Lizzy opens up to Guy and tells her how she’s been so tired of trying to make herself small so she can be seen by a man. Lizzy tells Guy about how, minus all the husband-hunting, she’s a free bird, and he congratulates her on her happiness. This is when it hits her that she isn’t truly happy. Lizzy tells Guy that she was left trusting a man who she shouldn’t have (ew, James does not deserve an ounce of respect), and he left her feeling ashamed of herself. Guy points out that she’s already doing a good job getting over the man because she knows that she didn’t do anything shameful (Why can’t all guys be… Guy?). Lizzy comes to the realization that it’s her decision to let go of that shame, and she does so by the end of the episode. P.S. Aubri Ibrag does such a fantastic job at making this scene profoundly sad.
What’s Happening With Conchita?
After the strange ending of episode 4 of The Buccaneers, we don’t know what Richard is up to, but Conchita has made up her mind to move away with Minnie and is in London only for a little bit, which nobody knows the truth about.
What’s Happening Between Mabel And Honoria?
After being apart for some time, Honoria has been waiting to see Mabel again. On the other hand, we know Mabel’s been with another woman back in New York (yikes). Somehow, they’re so easy with each other that they quickly begin to pretend like they’re a married couple with kids. After all the games and fun, though, Mabel realizes that she can’t live in hiding all her life. She likes Honoria, but she’s also desperate to just be herself out in the world. We think they can possibly work this out, and Mabel underestimates Honoria out of fear of falling for her too hard. Ironically, Honoria is all praise for Mabel’s free-spirited American nature, and that’s what attracts her the most.
Is Jinny Okay?
The whole point of the bonfire night is to go through a maze and find the lighter. Whoever finds it gets to light the bonfire later at night. Instead of letting her play around with her friends, James asks Jinny to wave a handkerchief from within the maze so he can find her and they can run off together. She’s definitely not interested in doing so, and Lizzy convinces her to run away with her instead. While this is Lizzy’s revenge on James and her idea of his walk of shame, he’s obviously not going to take this lightly. At the same time, Jinny does get to breathe for herself, even if it’s just for a bit.
Is Nan In Love With Guy?
Yes. Well, Guy comes across Nan in the maze, and through the thicket, he tells her that he’s disappointed by her dismissal of his telegram. She has no idea what he’s talking about, though, and this is when he realizes that she doesn’t know about his feelings for her (sometimes even the smart ones are so dense). She runs away at that moment and finds Conchita to calm her nerves. Conchita is certain of Nan’s feelings for Guy, and she tells her to speak to him and make sure (at this point, she’s really all of us with her excitement). Nan is obviously terrified by her feelings, but she’s always so vocal about them, so she yells at Guy for running away when she told him her biggest secret. She demands to know what was in the telegram, and Guy finally admits he’s in love with her (right up there with Anthony’s bane of existence, if you ask me), and Nan gives in to her feelings too, just for a bit, until she remembers Theo.
Why Is Theo So Jealous?
At the end of the night, everything’s a mess, and Theo has asked everyone to join him in a game of poker (money involved, of course) to insult Guy further. Theo doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to insulting Guy, and he reminds him about his expedition to New York to find a rich American bride to sort out his financial problems. Nan (who doesn’t recognize her fiancé) wins the game, but she can’t hide the fact that she feels like she’s got absolutely nothing for herself. She believes Theo’s words and realizes she shouldn’t have trusted Guy again (no, make it stop). She makes her choice, and although she has problems with Theo’s behavior, he’s the one for her right now.
When Jinny and Lizzy return, Jinny cries to James, apologizing for leaving him behind, and he pretends like everything is okay, giving her a warm hug, but her big punishment is him locking her out of the room at night (Nah, this is actually great for her). He does take her back in after a bit, though (this is going to be terrible). At the end of the night, Theo finally realizes what a prick he’s been, apologizing to Guy and offering to help him. Guy tells him that the whole point of the day was to say goodbye to everybody because he’s lost everything. Theo then admits to Nan that he’s always been jealous of Guy because of how unapologetically true to himself he has always been. Theo promises to never behave the way he did, telling Nan about how his life has always been about power but never under his own control (this dialogue, though!). In the end, he reminds her of how much he loves her and how afraid he is of losing her, and she forgives him (stupid). Yet again, Guy is left with nothing but his loneliness and heartache.
