A Review of Poldark, Series 4 (with spoilers)

 

Images from BBC website

This series, like series 3, had another slow start.  We began with the possible hanging of Sam and Drake…again.  I’m pretty sure this has happened before and I’m afraid I wasn’t that bothered the first time round.  I felt sorry for Morwenna, however, still stuck with a cruel, foot-fetish husband, it would have been a bleaker world for her if Drake were no longer in it.  So I guess it’s just as well that he survives, and lives to be his wet-fish, soppy self for another day.

Ross, on the other hand, is getting down to business and spends much of this series in Parliament at Westminster standing up for the struggling poor and working classes.  This gives Demelza a chance to get over Hugh and miss the husband she still loves in spite of the couple’s challenging dynamic.  Eventually, she joins Ross in London, where they re-kindle their romance, and then get annoyed at each other again because some villainous rake flirts with Demelza and then gets killed by Ross in a duel.

Dr. Enys, who I like more and more as a character each series, is blessed with a baby girl at the start of the series, whom Caroline, for some reason decides to pretend she resents – that is until Enys reveals to her that the baby is in fact gravely ill.  A very sad funeral follows and Caroline swans off to London is an attempt to block out her grief.  Viewers are teased every now and again by Dwight and Demelza’s lamentations at being abandoned by their spouses – what could they do to console one another?  But relievedly, they never work out the answer and Ross brings Caroline back to London, a gentler, more sympathetic wife to poor old Dwight.

Having not  been a particular fan of the newer characters, namely, Morwenna, Drake and Sam, I found myself more invested in their storyline this time round.  Some dark and demanding themes are explored through Morwenna’s unhappy and abusive marriage, which she finally escapes when Oswald gets –  sort of –  murdered on his way home one night by his lover’s husband.  As Morwenna is pregnant, however, she feels she has to stick around with her horrible mother-in-law (though why this seems like a good idea when her first child has been taken away from her, I couldn’t work out).  Sadly, Morwenna miscarries but this allows her the leave the Whitworth home.  Drake finally gets the courage to propose to her and they are married.

The biggest surprise for me in this series was in the final episode when Elizabeth died!  I was actually pretty sad about that, especially when Ross comes to kiss her goodbye.  I even felt marginally sorry for George, who I fear now will have no principled and merciful influence in his life.  Elizabeth, though annoying for Demelza fans, was never-the-less, a big part of this show for me and I wonder how they’ll fill the void that she’ll leave behind.

All in all, as with series 3, I enjoyed this series more and more as it got going.  It has some brilliant acting, is beautifully filmed and provides an hour of pure escapism once a week.  Role on series 5!

A review of Poldark (contains spoilers)

 

Image from The Independent Times

Poldark combines two of my greatest loves – Cornwall and, of course, period drama.  This second series was long awaited, as it had been over a year since the end of series one when the first episode was finally aired.

The first series saw the return of Captain Ross Poldark to his home in Cornwall after three years of fighting in the American War of Independence.  Here, he is dismayed to find that his father has died, his home is neglected and his former love, Elizabeth, has become engaged to his cousin, Francis.  He nevertheless picks himself up and between marrying his kitchen maid, Demelza and re-establishing his home, also becomes a figurehead to the people of his land by helping them to regain control of their homes and their tin mines from the greedy aristocratic Warleggan family.

When, in 2013, it was first announced that there was to be a remake of the classic and hugely popular Poldark (first shown in the 1970s) there was outrage from fans who believed that nothing could be better than the 1975 BBC version.  However, since then, this modern version has also enjoyed great success, fetching in an audience of 5.1 million viewers for the first episode of series two.

I cannot comment on the comparison between the two productions, as I have never seen the 1975 version.  Nor can I comment on whether Aidan Turner’s Poldark is true to the original character in Winston Graham’s series of novels.  However, I can review the series simply as I have seen it.

Image from BBC website

The music and the scenery in this drama are both stunning.  The opening sequence gives me goose pimples each time it is shown, and I particularly liked the way that folk songs, usually sung by Demelza are woven into the soundtrack of many of the episodes.  This drama celebrates its location as much time is devoted to showing the breath-taking beauty of Cornwall –  its rugged, untamed cliffs, the glittering sea, the grand, elegant houses…they all combine to make this programme a pleasure to watch –  a treat for the eyes.  Let’s not forget the stunningly good looking cast too; they’re equally as indulgent to watch.  Aidan Turner, who has now become almost as famous for his topless Poldark scenes as Colin Firth became for his ‘wet shirt scene’ in the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice, plays a character who is very human and full of faults, despite being the hero of the piece.  In series two, I think we see more of this than in the first when, as far as I can remember, his good-guy status was pretty well fixed.  Now that he has been married to Demelza for some years, this series switches focus somewhat to examine Ross’ relationship with Elizabeth and those feelings which we cannot shake that he has never completely gotten over her.  This is, of course, is what lead to the controversial episode which caused all the outrage – the one in which he finally seduces Elizabeth, or perhaps it was the other way around.  Whichever it was, the only outrage I felt was at Ross’s betrayal of Demelza and I think the emotional fallout was played superbly by all the actors involved, particularly Eleanor Tomlinson.  The scenes in which Demelza toys with taking revenge on her unfaithful husband by sleeping with Captain McNeil were horribly believable to watch, but luckily her character was restored to form for any viewer who loves Demelza for her loyalty and innate goodness.

Image from Daily Express website

There is also the relationship between Poldark and George Warleggan which takes precedence in this series.  After George effectively tries to get Poldark hanged in episode one, the tension understandably grows between the two, to the extent that George seems to be after everything that Ross holds dear – his mine, his family and even the supposed love of his life, Elizabeth.  This enmity between the two provides a gripping narrative for the second series that sees many of the other characters harmed or sometimes elevated in the viewers’ eyes.

Image from BBC website

Poldark is not a cosy, reassuring period drama to watch on a Sunday night as, for example, a Jane Austen adaptation might be.  But it is exciting, visually stunning, passionate and engrossing.  This second series has certainly persuaded me to go back and re-watch the first series (which did not capture my imagination quite as much) and I am looking forward to series three.  Let’s hope it’s not such a long wait this time!