You don't have to find some mysterious stones to touch to go back in time to the 18th century. Just experience Poldark on a hi-def TV with a good sound system, and you'll BE there. From the stunning Cornwall scenery, to the careful attention to detail in the interior sets and locations, to costumes that range from the ragged to the rich, to the glorious music, and their wonderful choices for casting, especially the brilliant and charismatic Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark, this production has proved to be satisfying for people who have never seen the 70s version or read the novels it is based on, as well as those who have done either or both.
There is a wonderful balance in how this has been adapted, perhaps because of both male and female influences. The original author of the books, the late Winston Graham, and Debbie Horsfield, who wrote the script, seem to collaborate to create a touching story that has us entirely sympathetic with Ross's plight as he returns to Cornwall, still recovering from his wounds from fighting the war in America, only to find his situation in tatters in more ways than one. Aidan's portrayal gives us a fascinating Ross who is warmer and easier to like than he is in the books, the first of the 12-book saga having been written 70 years ago. By the end of this first series, we care deeply about what happens to him and everyone close to him. The villains are diabolical, of course, excellently played by their respective actors, while the love story between Ross and Demelza, played beautifully by Eleanor Tomlinson, is incredibly compelling. Her story is made all the more captivating by her sad upbringing by a father who mistreats her, but she is saved from all that by Ross, seemingly on a whim. It's one of the most lovely aspects of the series that we see her progress from a penniless urchin to a young woman with at least some education and much good sense.
This is not a replacement for Downton Abbey, it's an entirely different kind of story, and to me a great deal more exciting, much as I did appreciate Downton. I never tended to watch that show's episodes more than a time or two. I can't say the same about Poldark, a guilty pleasure that seems to never get tiresome no matter how many times I've seen it.
The second season has just concluded, and it proved to be as wonderful and perhaps even more exciting than the first. The plot thickened, there were some new characters, and it was still just as well done. We saw Ross and Demelza have their marriage tested in surprising ways as they struggled through hard times, though with one of the sexiest love scenes I've ever seen. And there is also humor to lighten the story. They wrote some new music for it although they still use music from the first season—all beautiful!
And now we wait for the third season. Hopefully, it won't be as long as it was between the first and second seasons. Enjoy!
There is a wonderful balance in how this has been adapted, perhaps because of both male and female influences. The original author of the books, the late Winston Graham, and Debbie Horsfield, who wrote the script, seem to collaborate to create a touching story that has us entirely sympathetic with Ross's plight as he returns to Cornwall, still recovering from his wounds from fighting the war in America, only to find his situation in tatters in more ways than one. Aidan's portrayal gives us a fascinating Ross who is warmer and easier to like than he is in the books, the first of the 12-book saga having been written 70 years ago. By the end of this first series, we care deeply about what happens to him and everyone close to him. The villains are diabolical, of course, excellently played by their respective actors, while the love story between Ross and Demelza, played beautifully by Eleanor Tomlinson, is incredibly compelling. Her story is made all the more captivating by her sad upbringing by a father who mistreats her, but she is saved from all that by Ross, seemingly on a whim. It's one of the most lovely aspects of the series that we see her progress from a penniless urchin to a young woman with at least some education and much good sense.
This is not a replacement for Downton Abbey, it's an entirely different kind of story, and to me a great deal more exciting, much as I did appreciate Downton. I never tended to watch that show's episodes more than a time or two. I can't say the same about Poldark, a guilty pleasure that seems to never get tiresome no matter how many times I've seen it.
The second season has just concluded, and it proved to be as wonderful and perhaps even more exciting than the first. The plot thickened, there were some new characters, and it was still just as well done. We saw Ross and Demelza have their marriage tested in surprising ways as they struggled through hard times, though with one of the sexiest love scenes I've ever seen. And there is also humor to lighten the story. They wrote some new music for it although they still use music from the first season—all beautiful!
And now we wait for the third season. Hopefully, it won't be as long as it was between the first and second seasons. Enjoy!