Veltigar Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Poldark is a new eight-part drama series that started today on BBC1. It is apparently a new adaptation of the Poldark novels by Winston Graham on which a beloved series from the seventies was based. Amongst the cast we find Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark (Killi from the awful Hobbit movies, proving here that he can act), Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza and the late Warren Clarke in his final role as Ross's uncle. Screenwriter Debbie Horsfield apparently hopes to adapt all twelve Poldark novels if she is offered the chance. That would mean an additional five seasons after this one, since the first season tells the events of the two first books in the series. I will include the IMDB blurb below and give my opinion on the first episode in a new post. Safe to say that so far my impression has been very favourable. If the quality remains consistent I would love to see all the books adapted for the small screen. From IMDB: Ross Poldark returns to England after fighting in the American Revolution. His family and friends thought he was dead. The woman he hoped to marry is now engaged to his cousin. His father is dead, and the property he has inherited has been allowed to deteriorate. It is the late 1700s in Cornwall, England. This is a family drama, but is also about the challenges and conflicts between the rich and the poor. It is a time when fishermen are not catching much fish, tin and copper mines are closing down because prices are too low, but the price of food and rents are high. Ross faces the challenge of making his land productive, caring for the tenants who rely on him, and trying to win back the woman he loved - or finding a reason to live without her. Anyone else catch it today? Or DVR'ed it, I would like to hear your opinions. EDIT: If enough people watched it, it might be a good idea to start a new spoilerthread for the series. As of know, I think a normal thread will suffice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I thought the ratio of scenic shots of people riding horses along cliff tops to things actually happening was a bit overly slanted towards the former. Only the first episode though so I'll probably give it another couple to see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veltigar Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 I was pretty impressed by the first episode. For a pilot episode this was nicely put together. The action was very well done, the acting was very good. I'm particularly liking Aidan Turner. I absolutely hated his part in the PJ "adaptation" of the Hobbit, but the man can definitely act. He's instantly likeable in this. The setting (both time and place) seem very interesting to me. I can't wait to see how Ross Poldark's tries to turn his fortunes around next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veltigar Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Some articles from the Guardian: 1) About the stress related to playing in a new adaptation of a series that has already been succesfully adapted to the small screen. http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/feb/24/bbc-poldark-remake-stars-eleanor-tomlinson-aidan-turner 2) A short review/impression of episode one: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/mar/06/my-highlight-poldark-by-patrick-gale 3) Here the writer talks a little bit about the adaptation process http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/mar/08/bbc-poldark-adaptation-eleanor-tomlinson-aidan-turner 4) A fan of the original talking about why she was eagerly anticipating this remake http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2015/mar/06/i-was-a-teenage-poldark-fan-bring-on-the-moody-new-series 5) Someone explaining why Poldark was ripe for a remake http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/mar/06/poldark-a-40-year-old-series-set-in-18th-century-cornwall-was-ripe-for-a-remake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Pine Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Looked a 7/10 to me. decent episode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Yay! There's a lot said about it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veltigar Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 Yay! There's a lot said about it here. PBS seems to have heard your plea ;) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/features/news/poldark-returns-masterpiece/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alia of the knife Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Loved the original. I've actually been watching it again on PBS on Saturdays.I heard Robin Ellis was going to be in the remake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady narcissa Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I am a big fan of the books so I'm looking forward to seeing this when it shows up on PBS. I didn't see the original tv series when it aired and for the longest time the VHS tapes were selling for $150 a season so it wasn't until it was released on DVD a few years ago that I finally saw it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veltigar Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 For the Americans amongst us, Poldark is coming to PBS in june. http://communityvoices.post-gazette.com/arts-entertainment-living/tuned-in/item/38734-press-tour-hobbit-star-leads-poldark-on-pbs-s-masterpiece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alia of the knife Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Perfect timing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stannisismyking Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I thought the ratio of scenic shots of people riding horses along cliff tops to things actually happening was a bit overly slanted towards the former. Only the first episode though so I'll probably give it another couple to see how it goes. Accurate! It was also a screencapper's dream with all those close of shots of Aidan Turner staring moodily off into the distance. The original was repeated in the afternoons when I was a kid and I didn't like the look of it, (though it didn't look as grim as The Onedin Line) but these days I just end up watching anything that BBC1 show on Sunday nights *old fart problems* so will probably keep watching Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheRa Seastar Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Am I the only one who thought it was both cheesy and hammy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 PBS seems to have heard your plea ;) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/features/news/poldark-returns-masterpiece/ Yah! Yay! I saw that, and it makes me happy. :) I'm so envious of those who are able to watch it now. :) Thanks for starting the topic, btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veltigar Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Thanks for starting the topic, btw. You are welcome. I just wanted to be able to talk about Poldark :) There aren't many people watching the BBC where I'm from and I find that I tend to enjoy a series more if I am capable of discussing it with other fans (one reason why it hurts to be a Black Sails fan around here, season two has been insanely great, but there aren't many boarders watching it). It's been quite a while since a series grabbed me from S1 Ep 01 like this one did. If the quality remains consistent I'll probably watch the version from the seventies as well, perhaps I'll even start the books. This seems like the kind of series that makes you want to read the sourcematerial. I'm so envious of those who are able to watch it now. :) Uhum, have you ever thought of uhmmm using alternative ways to watch BBC programmes? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady narcissa Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 This seems like the kind of series that makes you want to read the sourcematerial.This is also the kind of series that makes one go to Cornwall...repeatedly. The National Trust keeps on tweeting shots of the locations where various scenes were filmed and it really is making me want to get back there. One previous visit to Cornwall I rented a NT cottage on the north coast where they filmed a scene from Poldark in the first series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alia of the knife Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Am I the only one who thought it was both cheesy and hammy? Well, the original was pretty over-the-top by our standards. In one episode Poldark through three men into the street, the mud,or into a watering trough. And the man who was supposed to be the caretaker, I never undestood a word he said, and I'm surprise he wasn't thrown out the first night. It was both the style of they writing, but it was the style of the seventies to exaggerate (This was the era of Xanadu). :P On a serious note, its sad that many of the original characters have passed away. The actress who played Demelza, Angharad Rees died from pancreatic cancer, as well as Ralph Bates/ George Warleggan. Robin Ellis, the original Poldark does play in it as the Rev. Halse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheRa Seastar Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 There was no chemistry between Ross and Elizabeth, and the lingering shot of Demelza in a field with the dog, combined with the sentimental music was just awful. I hope it gets better as the series goes on, I do love Philip Davis.I love Black Sails too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotcat Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I liked it. I wasn't sure if I would or not. I've never read the books, so I went into it having no idea about how accurate it was to the source material. Ok, it got a bit cheesy at times but the original version was quite over the top too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorral Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 You are welcome. I just wanted to be able to talk about Poldark :) There aren't many people watching the BBC where I'm from and I find that I tend to enjoy a series more if I am capable of discussing it with other fans (one reason why it hurts to be a Black Sails fan around here, season two has been insanely great, but there aren't many boarders watching it). It's been quite a while since a series grabbed me from S1 Ep 01 like this one did. If the quality remains consistent I'll probably watch the version from the seventies as well, perhaps I'll even start the books. This seems like the kind of series that makes you want to read the sourcematerial. Uhum, have you ever thought of uhmmm using alternative ways to watch BBC programmes? :) I have thought about it, but never done anything about it, not even learning how. But -- I have so much to do, and so much of involves heavy duty, critical and research reading and writing, that it's probably just as well for the sake the bank account that I don't take the opportunity to watch everything I want to watch as soon as possible. That is, if I ever want to get out with other human beings, hear music, and so on. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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