Rating: 9.6/10
Creator/Director: Debbie Horsfield
Based on Novels by Winston Graham
Main Cast: Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ruby Bentall, Jack Farthing, Heida Reed & Kyle Soller.
*Not on Netflix :(
Have you ever watched a show so good, that everything else afterwards just seemed mediocre? And after you have seen all of it, you don't know what to do because it seems that nothing will ever match up to it?
This is that show.
Oddly enough, somehow I missed out on the hype surrounding this show when it was actually airing. But the last two week, I was basically bombarded with it. Thus I decided to give it a shot.
I adore period pieces and I love BBC, so I went into this knowing that the odds of me liking this show were pretty high. Little did I know the extent to which I'd enjoy it.
This is a story of man named Ross Poldark, who is just back from fighting in the American Revolutionary War, having been gone for three years. He comes home to find that he has been assumed dead, his father has actually died, his estate and mines are in ruins, and the girl he loved is engaged to his first cousin, and olympic gold medalist in stupidity*, Francis Poldark**. Basically his life is falling apart.
He then rallies in the face of horrible odds in an attempt to pull his life back together.
There are obstacles at every turn. Whether it is the Warleggans, a family of bankers out to basically bankrupt everyone while accumulating wealth themselves, his feelings towards his soon to be sister-in-law, the injustices that are forced upon the lower classes, or his struggles against the morally questionable norms of society.
*This may or may not be a proven fact.
**The man is a literal representation of the word "meh." As quoted on a buzzfeed article, he is "a proper wet fish."
It's like a mixture of North & South, Pride & Prejudice, and a little bit of My Fair Lady. And the end result is astounding.
It is gripping! There is drama! Humor! And an unexpected, yet adorable, romance.
And I would have to admit that I have never before been this interested in responsible mine ownership.
Majority of the main characters are part of higher society, thus they are supposed to act classy and elegant at all times. And this leads so some of the most sarcastic and witty conversations on tv. Nearly every sentence uttered is a jibe at someone thinly veiled as a compliment or a passing comment. Evidently no one throws shade like the gentry during the 1780s. It is awe-inspiring.
The scenery and landscape are simply breathtaking.
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The characters are so well written that you become attached to them almost immediately. The characters you dislike, you loathe with the utmost passion. The ones you like, you love unconditionally despite the reckless, and sometimes self-destructive, decisions they make.
This show has basically everything that you can want from a period piece. There are gunfights and riots, balls and ballgowns, humor and tears, power struggles, adversity, class difference, drama that keeps you at the edge of your seat fearing for the well being of your favorite character, and some magnificent hair.
No, seriously. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the hair. It is basically a character in it's own right.
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So whether you're in it for the captivating drama, the intriguing plot, the flawless dialogue and zingers, the picturesque scenery, the gorgeous costumes or the attractive actors and actresses, there is something in this show for everyone.
And with season two slated to air in 2016, this is a masterpiece I'd definitely recommend watching.
***And if anyone else is wondering why Jud, Ross Poldark's servant, looks familiar, it's because he was the cabbie from the first episode of Sherlock :)
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