Spoiler note: This analysis discusses the setup of Treasure Island (2026), including Bess Hawkins’ choices, her relationship with Jim, and the possibility of a romantic alliance. It does not treat speculation about later episodes as confirmed fact.
In MGM+ and Paramount+’s new Treasure Island, Bess Hawkins is not merely the mother who sends Jim off on an adventure. Played by Hayley Atwell, she is a widowed innkeeper with practical worries, limited options, and a sharp instinct for reading people. That makes her relationship with teenage Jim the emotional center of the story—and makes any developing romance involving Bess a test of whether the series can give her a life beyond motherhood without making Jim feel like an afterthought.
Quick answer: Does the Bess-and-Jim relationship work?
Mostly, the premise works because Bess and Jim want the same basic thing—a safer, more secure future—but do not always agree on what risks are worth taking. Their bond is strongest when affection and conflict coexist: Bess wants to protect her son, while Jim needs room to make decisions and become more independent. The relationship can feel forced if the script asks either character to explain feelings the scene has not earned, or if Bess’s romantic possibilities are used only to push the plot forward.
The series’ official premise describes Bess as fiercely determined and places her actions at the center of the treasure hunt. That is a useful starting point: she should remain a person with agency, not simply a protective parent or a romantic lead waiting for a new partner. Paramount+’s official series guide confirms that Bess and Jim come into possession of Captain Flint’s map and are drawn aboard the Hispaniola, where loyalties are uncertain.
Bess is a mother, but motherhood is not her whole identity
One of the more promising changes in this adaptation is that Bess has a clear set of adult pressures. Running an inn, trying to secure Jim’s future, and navigating a world where money buys safety all give her motives beyond the traditional “mother sends boy on adventure” role. Her choices can be calculating without making her cold; she can be loving without being endlessly self-sacrificing.
That balance matters when romance enters the picture. A widow may want companionship, attraction, or an ally and still be a devoted parent. The question is not whether Bess is allowed to have a romantic life. It is whether the series makes the cost and consequences of her decisions believable, especially when the wrong alliance could put Jim in danger.
Jim needs protection—and the freedom to grow up
Tom Sweet’s Jim is presented as unusually observant, with a remarkable memory that becomes important to the treasure-map plot. That ability gives him a role in the story, but it also creates a believable source of friction with Bess. If she treats him only as a child to be shielded, she risks underestimating what he knows. If she treats him as an equal in every dangerous decision, she risks asking a teenager to carry adult burdens too soon.
The most convincing mother-son scenes allow both positions to be true. Bess can be right that the world is dangerous, while Jim can be right that he cannot learn to navigate it if every choice is made for him. Their disagreements should change how they behave afterward; otherwise, arguments become repetitive rather than revealing.
Where romance fits: Bess and Aaron Graham
Jack Huston’s Aaron Graham offers Bess and Jim a route forward when their options are narrowing. But a person who provides protection or passage is not automatically a trustworthy romantic partner. In a story built around competing interests, Bess has good reason to weigh what Graham offers against what he might want in return.
A convincing romance would grow through choices, not just charged looks or convenient rescues. Does Graham respect Bess’s judgment when it conflicts with his own? Does Bess have room to disagree with him without losing her independence? Does their connection survive when helping him would put Jim at risk? Those are more revealing questions than whether the pair share chemistry in a single scene.
At this stage, it is safer to describe the relationship as a potential romantic and strategic alliance than to claim that the series has established a settled love story. The early episodes set up suspicion, dependency, and negotiation; viewers should wait for the show to earn any stronger conclusion.
What would make the dynamic feel forced?
- Romance replacing character development. If Bess’s choices begin serving only Graham’s storyline, the show loses the independent drive that makes her interesting.
- Jim becoming a plot device. His fear, intelligence, and need for independence should shape decisions—not merely give Bess and Graham something to argue about.
- Instant trust without evidence. In a world of hidden motives, Bess should need more than a promise before placing her son’s safety in someone else’s hands.
- Conflict with no aftermath. A meaningful argument should alter trust, boundaries, or the next decision. If everyone resets immediately, the emotional stakes feel manufactured.
- Making motherhood a moral test. Bess should not have to prove she is a good mother by giving up every personal desire. Her responsibility is shown by how she handles competing needs, not by having no needs of her own.
What makes it work?
The strongest version of this story would let Bess be capable and fallible at once. She can misjudge Graham, overprotect Jim, or make a risky bargain and still be a compelling lead. Jim, in turn, should be allowed to disagree with her without the story framing independence as betrayal. Their relationship becomes moving when both characters adjust because they understand something new about the other.
That is also what would make a romance feel earned. A potential partner should reveal another side of Bess—not erase her role as a mother, and not automatically become a substitute parent for Jim. The series has a natural source of tension in the treasure hunt: every alliance carries a price. The family drama works best when that pressure exposes character rather than manufacturing melodrama.
Verdict: A promising idea that needs emotional patience
Bess Hawkins’ potential romance does not inherently weaken the mother-son relationship. It can make both characters more dimensional if the show gives Bess genuine choices and lets Jim react like a young person who is learning to stand on his own. The risk is not romance itself; it is rushing emotional turns or using a relationship as a shortcut around character development.
For now, the most defensible reading is that Treasure Island has set up a tense family bond alongside uncertain adult alliances. Whether the romance ultimately feels natural will depend on the choices the series makes in later episodes. The best outcome is not Bess choosing between love and motherhood, but a story that understands she is allowed to be both a parent and a person.
Official trailer and further reading
Watch the official Treasure Island trailer below, then consult the official series guide for confirmed cast and release information.
Sources: Paramount+ UK & Ireland official series guide; Rotten Tomatoes episode guide; Film Focus Online: October 2026 streaming coverage.
By Shivam Das
