If you’re still processing the chaos caused by James Seadown at the close of last week’s The Buccaneers episode, “Get Her Out” (Season 2, Episode 3) wastes no time tackling the revelation he made about Guy and Nan’s affair to Theo. Though the troublesome informant is absent in this episode, the upheaval remains. The episode begins with Theo confronting Nan in a heated exchange. Nan initially lies but eventually confesses that, while she had considered eloping with Guy and Jinny, she opted for marriage to Theo for the power it promised, necessary to safeguard her sister. It’s a painful truth to convey: she values his status more than their relationship. 

The Dowager briefly steps in, assessing the delicate situation before withdrawing, aware of the potential fallout. “Now we’ve both protected each other,” she says, appreciating Nan for concealing her awareness of the affair, highlighting their mutual dependence. However, Theo’s mother isn’t ready to see their marriage crumble. She proposes a different solution: separation after ensuring an heir to the estate. Theo approaches Nan with this plan, initially with a passionate kiss, but quickly recoils, unable to continue after learning the truth. He parrots his mother’s demand for an heir, which only angers Nan further. Angrily confronting the Dowager, she vows that the Tintagel family line will end with them, refusing to merely be a means to an heir. Mic drop. 

Lizzy’s birthday ball stands as the episode’s pivotal event and features one of the season’s first major musical highlights with Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck Babe” playing. It accompanies a critical reunion between the Dowager and her old flame Reede, who is Hector’s father. They share a dance, rekindling past dynamics—Reede even uses her real name, Blanche—as they revisit the dissolution of their relationship years ago. Blanche chose the power associated with her Dowager status despite her rebellious spirit and love for someone of lower nobility. It all sounds quite familiar. 

When they get a moment alone later in the evening, Reede explicitly draws the parallels between the Dowager and Nan, calling her daughter-in-law the “perfect successor.” The comparison prompts the Dowager to come clean to Theo. She admits that she knew about Guy and Nan, but that she encouraged the marriage to move forward to avoid scandal. Trying to take the blame, she says Nan didn’t have a choice because she was trapped in a cage of the Dowager’s making. It’s a nice attempt at an apology but a stark betrayal in the eyes of the Duke, who banishes his mother from the castle. 

Lizzy’s parliament suitor Hector arrives with more than just birthday wishes in store: he plans to propose to her, and does by the end of the episode. She says yes, and is seemingly elated about her engagement—that is, until Theo disparages the news, telling her that she’s “sensational” and is settling for Hector. Theo is heartbroken about Nan and his mom’s confession, but he also seems to be making a declaration of his own and acting on the flirtations between him and Lizzy in the previous episode. 

The party also provides a platform for Conchita and Richard to convince their client Cora that their love is real. After making jokes about Conchita’s age, questioning the legitimacy of their romance, and dismissing men for superficial reasons, Cora witnesses a true flirty moment between the couple prompting her to admit that she’s actually just scared about someone accepting her, flaws and all. 

Conchita’s business also looks like it might be picking up another client in the form of a very reluctant and presently unaware Mabel. When their mother arrives in town for Lizzy’s proposal, she also approaches Conchita behind Mabel’s back to enlist her services. After a very backhanded conversation with Mabel in which she pressed her daughter to act normally and not bring shame to their name, it’s clear that her mom is concerned about Mabel’s sexuality. She offers Conchita double her rate in an effort to control her daughter—now the question is whether Conchita will comply.

Over in Italy, Jinny and Guy are making a life for themselves, which includes a burgeoning friendship with their nosy neighbor Paloma. Jinny cooks dinner for the trio, but overdoes the steak. Injecting some fun spontaneity into their routine, she throws a handful of spaghetti at her fake husband, which starts a full-on food fight. It seems like one of the first true joyous moments for Jinny and Guy since they left their former lives, and a window into what kind of life they can make for themselves here. 

But their new lives are about to be disrupted by the arrival of Nan. She ransacks the Dowager’s quarters to obtain Guy’s address from a stack of letters with the goal of running to him. Lizzy stops her just before she boards her carriage and admits to burning the letter from Guy when she thought Nan and Theo were going to work things out. Nan emphatically assures her that things are “finished” with Theo and that it’s always been Guy, and Lizzy encourages her best friend to chase her true love. 

Nan gets in the carriage, clutching the letter with Guy’s location, while Theo runs into Lizzy at the castle. He apologizes for his callous reaction to her engagement, but she tells him she liked the way his words made her feel. Whatever his intentions were then, he’s distracted now: he’s hellbent on finding Nan, solidifying the new love triangle that will surely be the focus for the remainder of the season. 

Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a TV-obsessed writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared on Paste Magazine, Teen Vogue, Vulture and more. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.