Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) comes home to England from the American Revolutionary War to find the family estate in shambles and his beloved Elizabeth engaged to marry his cousin.  He risks everything as he tries to rebuild the family fortune by reopening the rundown family copper mine to help the locals that the higher classes look down on.  He hires the fiery Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) to work for him, but passion may ignite between them which could cause more trouble for Ross in a time when the class struggle is ignited by greed and the poor not having enough to get by.  The powerful and greedy rival George Warleggen work against Ross and others to keep his hold on the money and power that he has over Cornwall.  See how Ross and other mine owners try to manipulate copper prices to get fair prices.

 

POLDARK is one of those series that I love as it highlights the timeless issue of class struggle and how the poor are trying to do better while some of the upper class tend to look down on them (so they can feed their greed).   This new series is the second adaptation of the Poldark novels.   Aidan Turner is great as Ross Poldark and the chemistry between him and Eleanor is wild and powerful (while I wonder what Ross saw in Elizabeth who gets married to his cousin).   Now begins the long wait for season 2 to resolve the season one cliffhanger.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Episode One audio commentary

 

Behind The scenes featurette that has interviews with cast and crew and the son of the author (of the Poldark novels)

POLDARK: THE MAN, THE ICON- cast, crew, and son of the author talk about Ross Poldark and how Ross is more about moral justice (instead of trying to get along with the upper class more)

THE WOMEN BEHIND THE MAN- interviews with the producers, Aidan Turner, and the actresses who play the women (Elizabeth, Demelza, and cousin Verity) in Ross Poldark’s life

 

FINAL ANALYSIS:  If you’re a fan of OUTLANDER, the Poldark novels (or the first POLDARK TV series), or period drama, you will enjoy the life struggles of Ross Poldark and the people in his life.   I can’t wait for season 2 to resolve the cliffhanger.

 

This review is ©7-25-2015 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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