Captain Ross Poldark comes back to his family in Cornwall, after having fought in the war of independance. He was supposed to leave for a few months, but stayed three years in America. At his arrival, he has the surprise to find that the woman he loved, Elizabeth, is betrothed to his cousin, Francis. Hurt, he takes possession of the derelict house left to him by his father, and sets about restoring it. But soon, this project is no longer enough for him. Many of those around him need to work. Ross owns two abandoned mines, and he doesn’t have a penny to his name. But he’s not afraid to fight. Especially since he now has an ally. He married his scullery maid, Demelza on a whim. She will prove to be a woman of character, and will become the great love of his life.
An epic series with a classic style that blends romance and history.
The strong points of the series are its gallery of characters, its historical background and its well-paced action. The characters are portrayed in a somewhat Manichean way at first, but this improves with each passing season. Ross is no infallible hero; his marriage to Demelza is anything but perfect. Charismatic villain George faces his own demons. Between family, friends and enemies, some twenty characters are present in each season. This abundance of personalities, in a troubled period of history, offers a multitude of plot twists. As the revolution rages in France and the English people go hungry, the nobles take fright. That one of their own, bearing an old and respectable name, should take the side of the people, will unleash passions.
Cornwall is almost a character, with its cliffs, beaches and coves, and windswept moorland. Landscapes are superb : the coast, the towns…
The weak points of the series are a most annoying music and an excess of romance. Both would have greatly benefited from more subtlety ! The omnipresent violins are annoying. The love stories are often described in a primitive way. Not a big fan of romance myself, I liked more the episodes where the history (the big one) took precedence over the torments of this or that couple. However, Poldark remains a great series !
5 seasons, 43 episodes (60 mn), 2015-2019, on Netflix
WITH : Aidan Turner as Captain Ross Vennor Poldark, Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza Poldark, Heida Reed as Elizabeth, Jack Farthing as George Warleggan, Luke Norris as Dr Dwight Enys, Gabriella Wilde as Caroline Penvenen, Kyle Soller as Francis, Beatie Edney as Prudie Paynter, Pip Torrens as Cary Warleggan, Tristan Sturrock as Zacky Martin, Richard Hope as Harris Pascoe, John Nettles as Ray Penvenen, Ellise Chappell as Morwenna, Harry Richardson as Drake Carne, Tom York as Sam Carne Josh Whitehouse as Lieutenant Hugh Armitage, Ruby Bentall as Verity, Caroline Blakiston as Aunt Agatha, Phil Davis as Jud Paynter…