Apple TV+ has a record of producing very impressive shows despite its not very impressive reach, and it has developed what could be a considered a direct competitor to Netflix’s Bridgerton, one of that service’s biggest series.

That would be The Buccaneers, also adapted from a book, albeit one that was originally written in 1938. The modern adaptation makes it very modern in tone, similar to most of Bridgerton and fans? Well, even if it’s a smaller group, they seem to like it a whole lot better.

The Buccaneers has returned for season 2 and has maintained a stellar audience score that Bridgerton’s three seasons simply cannot match. Here’s how the five seasons of the two shows compare:

The Buccaneers season 1 – 76% critic score, 93% audience score
The Buccaneers season 2 – 71% critic score, 97% audience score
Bridgerton season 1 – 87% critic score, 70% audience score
Bridgerton season 2 – 78% critic score, 73% audience score
Bridgerton season 3 – 87% critic score, 78% audience score

So, Bridgerton does have a higher critic score, but as it stands, The Buccaneers has an audience score that’s about 20% higher and has maintained that season to season. Of course, in terms of popularity, there’s no real contest. Bridgerton season 1 is the fifth most-watched English language series in Netflix history. Season 3 is the seventh most-watched. It’s harder to get Apple TV+ numbers, but I don’t believe The Buccaneers is that high. Some even predicted it would be cancelled after season 1 but clearly that did not happen, much to the appreciation of fans.

Will this continue with Bridgerton season 4? Well, we will find out in…a very long time, it turns out. It’s just been announced that Bridgerton season 4 is done filming, but the timeline suggests that the series will not be out until around September 2026, nearly two and a half years after season 3. Maybe closer to two if there aren’t any strikes this time. The Buccaneers, in contrast, at least had closer to a year and a half gap, which is “short” in the current context of the industry.

Given that The Buccaneers is moving past source material soon enough, we will see if it actually returns for season 3, given its viewership. Despite airing a new season, it’s only fourth on Apple’s Top 10 list, behind Stick, Murderbot and Your Friends and Neighbors, the last of which ended a bit ago. We’ll see what Apple decides to do in the next few weeks or months, and it may want to keep going, given how well the series has been received by fans.