Poldark

What a series! My husband and I were spellbound for the 18 or so hours (over a month) it took to watch Part 1 and 2. The plot twists are great but what is primarily so entrancing is the presentation of life at the end of the 18th Century. We particularly like Ross Poldark's propensity for going into prisons and removing prisoners who have been falsely jailed or whom he is fond of. He does this on a fairly regular basis. Cornwall seems to be very much like Seattle - only a few scenes are shot in sunshine - all in all, a sort of up-scale, historical soap-opera.

When this "mini-series" first aired in the U.S. I was in junior high school and waited eagerly for each weekly episode to air on our local PBS station. Now, as an adult, I still find it completely engrossing and entertaining, only now on my DVD whenever I desire.

"The Poldark Saga" captures the struggles of an 18th century Cornish family, both economic and social, with characters that one can grow to love and cherish. This was a ground-breaking series in the 70's, taking the action off of the sound stage, and on to location. As the series progresses, the outdoor scenes improve, adding the rugged beauty of Cornwall to the cast of characters. This is a lovely series, and highly recommended for anyone who loves a costume drama that is truly British.

If you read the books first or see the series first, either is a very satisfying experience. Lovers of romantic period novels should give this series a try. If I remember correctly, the first series covers the first 3 books; the second, books 4, 5, and 6 (the titles escape me). Graham wrote more books after the first six but those have never been dramatized for movie or television. Look this up on Amazon for more user comments.

I first saw this in the '70's when I was about to enter my teens, it made such an impact on me that every time it was re-screened I was glued and made sure I got it on DVD when it was released. Set in 18th Century Cornwall it tells the story of the trials and tribulations of people who you deeply care about, which is part of it's real success. I lived in that part of the world for 14 years and the beauty of the area is shown perfectly and the atmosphere of the times is spot on, it is not glamourised at all. All the performances are excellent without exception and it is a complete joy to watch again and again. A must see. I quite simply love it.

This series is a welcome dramatization of the Winston Graham novels dealing with the Poldarks of Cornwall. The acting is great and the local scenery enthralling. The programs are full of adventure, intrigue, romance and also provide an interesting insight into the lives of miners at the end of the 18th century.