If I have to have an addiction, it might as well be a Poldark one!

Those who know me know I've been Poldarked big time.  I'm not alone in this - there's hundreds of others out there. I know because I'm in their Facebook group!  I've watched it about six times now, maybe seven and I'm still not tired of it.  What I really need is to talk about it but I'm pretty sure my friends and family would only hear blah blah Poldark blah blah blah Ross blah blah Demelza blah blah blah and quickly find a way to extricate themselves.  So I'm gonna talk about it here.  Go get your coffee and put your feet up. lol

This would be a good time to say SPOILER ALERT !!  If you haven't seen it yet and really want to, stop now unless you don't care, then read on. :-)

First of all, I think it's one of the best small screen productions I have ever seen.  Yes I love Downton and Call the Midwife and still love, love, love Lonesome Dove.  So what makes Poldark stand out?  Is it the great story...the fantastic performances by everyone... the fantastic costuming...the outstanding cinematography...the gorgeous sound track?  Ok, so you already know I say it's all those things and more!

Let's start with the story.  Winston Graham wrote several books set in Cornwall featuring the Poldarks.  I have only read the first one, mostly because I can't really afford to buy them and the libraries around here are only starting to get them.  However, I did enjoy reading the first in the series.  Basically our hero, Ross Poldark, comes home from the war in America to find his father is dead, his home in ruins, and his lady love is engaged to his cousin.  Gives new meaning to a run of bad luck, eh?  The story focuses on him rebuilding his life and learning to live without Elizabeth, the girl he was supposed to marry.  Debbie Horsfield did a fine job in creating a script that keeps the heart of the story, though, as usual, has changes from the book.  There are many memorable scenes due not only to her script, but also to the incredible performances of the cast.

Speaking of the cast.... wowzers!  Clearly a home run.  Here's my thoughts on the cast and the characters they play:

Aidan Tuner is our hero Ross Poldark - he breathes life into this character in a way that has made thousands of viewers all over the world fall in love with him!  He is so good at what he does, so believable, we all want a Ross in our lives.  His smouldering good looks are the icing on the cake, to say the least.

Ross is honest, kindhearted, concerned about friends and family, and over-all a good guy.  He has a temper to be sure, but only towards that which deserves it.  He makes mistakes, sometimes misjudges, but will admit it if he's wrong.  He's in love with two women - Elizabeth, who marries his cousin, and Demelza, a common girl who he hires to work for him and eventually marries.  I love every scene that he has with Demelza. I love how even a simple hold of her hand speaks volumes of how he feels about her, even though it took awhile to realize it.  I think his biggest mistake was in not telling the George the truth of about his uncle drowning and him not being able to do anything to save him.  Instead he says 'why would I want to' and that doesn't sit well with George at all, who then proceeds to get back at him.

Favorite Ross scenes - when Demelza sings at the Christmas party, when baby Julia dies in his arms, when he and Dr. Ennis take baby Julia to be buried, when he tells Elizabeth that Delmelza is the love of his life, (I actually cheered the first time I watched it), and especially when he has to tell Demelza their little girl has died - he can't even say the words!  It is the most moving scene and is so authentic. I know that feeling too well.  It's been 15 years since I lost my dear daughter and I still can't say the 'd' word.  Aidan is so unbelievably good in that scene, as is his co-star, Eleanor. It's truly heartbreaking to watch.

Eleanor Tomlinson is our heroine Demelza.  Eleanor is so pretty and does an awesome job portraying a spunky teenager who runs away, with her dog Garrick, from a miserable home life.  Ross saves her and Garrick from a dog fight and decides to hire her as a kitchen maid.  She's a hard worker and over time, falls wholeheartedly in love with Ross. She goes through quite a transformation from a gawky, dirty urchin to a lovely young woman,  however, Ross is still in love with Elizabeth and she doesn't quite know what to do until one night an opportunity comes along to seduce him and she does.  It's a great scene that I never get tired of watching! 

Favorite Demelza scenes - when she's in the meadow, playing with Garrick, dancing at Jim and Jinny's wedding, her first kiss, I love that she keeps her eyes open!, when she needs help unlacing the gown and what follows ;-), taking lessons from Verity, singing at the Christmas party, learning her baby has died, riding out to the sea with Ross to say goodbye to Julia.  Eleanor has a lovely, clear voice and I'm hoping she does more singing in season 2.

Heida Reed is Elizabeth - prim and proper and so well-played you can't imagine anyone else doing it.  Elizabeth is Ross' first love.  She feels the same and hopes they can marry when he returns from America - things don't go as planned and when Ross is believed dead, she agrees to marry his cousin Francis.  I found myself wondering 'what if' with Elizabeth.  What if she had married Ross?  Would she have been happy living in his little house, would she have rolled up her sleeves and helped with the yard work, the cooking, the washing? or would Ross make sure she had servants to help her, someone other than Prudy and Judd?  What if she had challenged Francis over his affair with Margaret instead of ignoring it?  Maybe she was happy he wasn't bugging her for sex?

Favorite Elizabeth scenes - when she's walking around smiling and cooing to baby Geoffry Charles, when she goes to the mine closing and says Francis feels sorry for himself, and when she is grateful for Demelza coming over to help them when they are sick.

Kyle Soller is Francis - Kyle plays a wonderful Francis easily going from smiling sweet cousin to jealous vindictive cousin in a heartbeat.  Francis is such a wimp.  It's hard to like him.  I play 'what if' with him too.  What if Elizabeth didn't spurn him in the bedroom, would he have turned to Margaret? Francis is basically a spoiled boy in a man's body.  I was surprised he actually called out Capt. Blamey the way he did.  He allows George to manipulate him and is too stupid to realize he's trying to get Elizabeth away from him.  Poor Francis.  It will be interesting to see what happens to him.

Favorite Francis scenes -  when he chides Elizabeth at the Christmas party and at the Christening too (he's such a prick about it lol), when he stares out to sea after his father dies, when he offers a comforting hand to Ross at Julia's burial, showing he's not always an ass.

Ruby Bentall is Verity - Ruby is so wonderful in this role.  I loved her in Lark Rise to Candleford and so pleased to see her versatility in portraying Ross' cousin Verity.  Poor Verity is treated more like a house slave than a daughter/sister.  I was happy when she found the courage to follow her heart and hope to see she's still happy with Captain Blamey in season 2.

Favorite Verity scenes - when Ross takes off and leaves her alone with Demelza when she visits them after their wedding, when she teaches Demelza how to be a lady, the look on her face when Demelza tells her she pleases Ross in bed, the look on her face when Ross admits he might like to have both Elizabeth and Demelza as his wife, the shot of her watching Blamey ride off after shooting Francis, back to camera, you could still feel her devastation.

I'm already in the running for the longest post ever so I'll just add a quick thought or two about our antagonists, Cary and George Warleggon.

Pip Torrens plays the horrible, heartless, son-of-a-sea-serpent, Cary Warleggon to perfection, else why would I hate him so?  I have only four words regarding him:  someone PLEASE kill him!!!!  lol

Jack Farthing plays George Warleggon - like the rest of the players, he does a fine job playing Ross' chief adversary.  I find George to be a complex character.  He's not entirely evil like his Uncle Cary, but he certainly is his protégé - a sort of dick-in-training.  He is from humble beginnings and has made his way in the world, not without stepping on a lot of lives along the way.  He is deliberately trying to ruin Francis in hopes of winning Elizabeth from him.  He is truly horrified at the death of Julia and can't bring himself to drink the congratulatory drink Uncle Evil pours for him at the news.  I think he would have been less likely to go after Ross, if he hadn't been so rude about the death of his cousin, but then perhaps he would anyway.  I think, like Scrooge, George has the possibility of redeeming himself in some way.  Let's see if that happens!

One last thing - the shots of the wildflowers, the sea, and my favorite, the ladies looking out to sea for the pilchards are so amazing I wish I could kiss the camera person!  That and the heart-achingly beautiful sound track make this production one to be proud of by all who made it happen and one to treasure for a long time to come.

As always, your comments are welcomed, encouraged, even if you don't agree, only PLEASE no spoilers for next season!!!