This Bold Period Drama Just Cracked The Global Top 10—And It’s Giving Bridgerton A Run For Its Money

This bold period series is climbing the charts fast—what’s drawing Bridgerton fans and turning heads across the globe?

- August 4, 2025 | 6:37 PM IST

The New Period Series Everyone’s Watching Right Now(Photo Credit –Apple TV+)

Bridgerton fans looking for something fresh have turned their attention to The Buccaneers, which has quickly climbed the global streaming charts after the launch of its second season.

According to FlixPatrol, the Apple TV+ drama has landed in the Top 10 across several countries, and new viewers keep showing up every week. The season finale drops on August 6 and excitement is growing fast.

oh this is so personal to me #thebuccaneers pic.twitter.com/i5T63aOM4q

— gio (@buffysnmrs) July 30, 2025

What is Apple TV’s The Buccaneers’ About?

The show, adapted from Edith Wharton’s unfinished 1937 novel, follows five wealthy American girls heading to England to marry into aristocracy. They are after prestige and a place in British high society but the cold reception they face proves that money alone does not open every door. The British elite are closed off and hard to please and the girls quickly find that fitting in is not as simple as learning to curtsey. At the center of it all is Nan St. George, played by Kristine Froseth, who refuses to bow to anyone’s rules, not even the ones enforced by smug old men in fancy suits and powdered wigs.

The Buccaneers vs Bridgerton: What Sets This Series Apart

Unlike the fantasy heavy tone of Bridgerton, The Buccaneers leans more into real emotional stakes such as female friendship, self-worth and the cost of social climbing take center stage. Season 2 in particular dials up the intensity and episode 7 even veers into legal drama territory, showing the show’s willingness to stretch beyond typical period tropes.

The viewers’ response to the show has been quite good, as audience scores have soared to 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics holding steady at 71%.

There is something about seeing bold American voices crash into stiff British tradition that makes The Buccaneers stand out. The contrast is evident but not forced and is splendidly laid through the dialogues and character developments.

The Buccaneers, for those craving more after The Gilded Age or Downton Abbey, or waiting for the next Bridgerton season, fits the bill and is streaming now on Apple TV+