Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Whenever someone asks me if they should watch PBS’s Poldark I reply by asking a question of my own: Do you like hot assholes in tricorn hats? This is paramount. If you don’t like hot assholes in tricorn hats, you will not be able to make it fifteen minutes through this gem of a melodrama. If Byronic heroes in pointy hats do do it for you, then Poldark isn’t just the show for you; it’s the dreamy, beautiful, tumultuous drama of your dreams.
Poldark is about a man determined to be a hero: He’s handsome, well-bred, high-minded, and constantly beset by problems (of his own making). Women are always falling in love with him and men want to be his best friend. His nemesis is a jealous hater named “Warlaggen” of all things. In fact, all the names on this show are great: Demelza, Verity, Captain Blamely, and new to season two, UNWIN TREVAUNANCE. They’re the kind of names JK Rowling might have considered for Harry Potter, but then said, “No, that’s too weird, even for a wizard.” Did I also mention that the show’s star scythes wheat shirtless sometimes? It’s great.
Poldark‘s success arguably rests on the sweat-glistened shoulders of its handsome leading man — the asshole in the tricorn hat — Aidan Turner. The Irish actor has been steadily working his way up to bonafide star status and Ross Poldark is the role that has pushed him over the edge in Great Britain and landed him on James Bond shortlists. Turner’s performance is deceptively deep. Even as he plays the hero, he’s constantly tempted by darker impulses. He’s prone to jealousy, anger, pride, and lust. Ross Poldark isn’t the type of hero who gets to go on a journey to exotic locales, but he is constantly traversing his own internal path. He’s constantly striving to be the better man, but first he has to be sure he is a good man.
Another big part of Poldark‘s appeal is its gleeful willingness to lean into the inherent romance of its genre. In that way, it’s a lot like another modern bodice-ripper, Outlander — but without the time travel, rape, or ubiquitous Scottish accents. Instead, we get small town politics, soft core PG-rated love scenes, and Cornish brogues.
Still, there’s a soft spot in my heart for Poldark‘s sincere simplicity. Instead of relying on clever twists or groundbreaking themes, Poldark‘s magic is its straight-forward storytelling. It pulls you in with compelling characters who are doomed to collide into each other again and again. You could say that there’s a love triangle, or even pentangle, driving this show, but really it’s a simple romance between two unlikely lovers: Ross and Demelza.
Poldark is coming back for a second season this Sunday on PBS. Luckily for you, you can catch up by watching Season One on Prime Video. And if you just want to jump in blindly, all you need to know is that Ross has been arrested for a crime he kind of, sort of did commit, Ross and Demelza’s baby just died, and Verity is the best character on the show.
Oh, and here’s an official video recap:
