David Farnor | On 04, Sep 2016

With Season 5 of Poldark now on Netflix UK, we look back at the beginnings of the BBC’s period drama.

Aidan Turner topless in a field was arguably the defining image of TV in 2015, thanks to Poldark. Oh yes, he was Poldark and handsome, alright. But apart from that pun, what does the BBC costume drama have to offer?

Based on the novels by Winston Graham, the series follows Ross Poldark, who returns to Cornwall in the 1780s,after several years in the army. His father has passed away, his estate has fallen apart and, with him thought dead in battle, his sweetheart, Elizabeth, is getting hitched to his cousin, Francis. Forbidden romance? Luscious countryside? It’s all par for the course in period TV land, right down the fabulous hats.

Inevitably, Ross decides to try to revive his family name and mining business, battling with social disdain and harsh financial conditions – both of which are neatly summed up by wealthy banker George Warleggan, played by Jack Farthing with a fantastic, snivelling sneer.

Poor old Ross, though: his heart’s not as hard as his enemies’. He promptly employs almost everyone without a job in the local area simply out of pity. On the down side, he’s never going to be the Mark Zuckerberg of the 1780s Cornish mining industry. On the plus side, though, he hires maid Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson). She’s feisty, red-headed and really knows how to wear a cape, which Ross kindly buys for her.

“Am I a circus attraction?” the caped kitchen gal yells at blokes gazing at her in the street.

The rest of the cast match her enthusiasm, from Ruby Bentall – Ross’ cousin, Verity, the only who seems happy to see him back from the grave – to Kyle Soller, who is wonderfully drippy as the dim-witted Francis. Unfortunately, the same can sometimes be said of Elizabeth; Heida Reed more than looks the part as the object of Ross’ affection, selling her inner conflict. But the script leaves her surprisingly shallow – at least, at first.

It’s a problem that perhaps stems from the source material: written by a man and inevitably sat alongside the countless costumed escapades adapted from Jane Austen, we’re so used to seeing our troubled literary men from a female perspective, with the witty women leading the tale, that anything less than rounded characters in corsets seems disappointing. You soon find yourself rooting for Ross to shack up with Demelza, rather than his doting star-crossed lover: shots of them galloping across beautiful cliffs on his horse only add to the pair’s appeal. Even a subplot involving Verity – played by Bentall with an endearingly hopeful grin – and a potentially dodgy suitor has more emotional weight than Pol and Liz.

But writer Debbie Horsfield, it turns out, is several steps ahead of us all, and Rosmelza does, indeed, become our central couple. Once the show takes that leap, it keeps on getting better and better – right until the heart-stopping finale.

Of course, there’s already a risk of cardiovascular problems, thanks to Aidan Turner’s brooding performance in the lead (he really should be the next James Bond). After his scene-stealing turn in The Hobbit, there can be little doubt that he is well-suited to the role, from his glowering expressions and likeable disregard for social etiquette to his, ahem, scything technique. His facial scar may look like his mascara’s running, but he’s an attractive bloke and a half, something confirmed by a Mr. Darcy-like dip in the water.

Tomlinson is every bit his match as his equally uncouth spouse – and watching Turner’s hardened lone wolf gradually soften towards her is the kind of swooning stuff Sunday nights are made for. Together, they drive the narrative into a recognisable, but extremely satisfying, cycle: Ross heads off on business, riding his horse along the Cornish cliffs, which makes Elizabeth look sad and daydram about The One That Got Away. Meanwhile, Francis gets annoyed and jealous and does something stupid. As a result, Warleggan is able buy some more copper, which leaves Poldark’s mine struggling to stay open without the necessary supplies. When Poldark returns home, looking moodier than before, Demelza inevitably does something embarrassing in front of his relatives, although it all turns out ok in the end.

The cast elevate all of this to genuinely engaging drama, from Farthing’s surprisingly nuance villain to Soller’s soppy Francis, who is just smart enough to realise how pathetic he is. Bentall and Tomlinson, meanwhile, regularly bring giggles to the table.

But while the backdrop is sun-drenched and gorgeous, the show becomes more gripping the darker it gets. “I would not have her be afraid,” Poldark says of his daughter, as his mine isn’t just threatened but borders on actual bankruptcy. Demelza’s kindness, meanwhile, leads to a heart-wrenching loss just when you least expect it.

“Has she come to take you?” she quiveringly asks her new hubbie, when Elizabeth shows up at one crucial moment. But Poldark is smart enough to make things more complex than a mere three-way love triangle; Horsfield’s scripts smartly navigate the material, tapping into Poldark’s underdog spirit and disdain for posh people to draw out themes that resonate today – and even find the time for some casual incitement of rioting and murder. Combined with some quick editing and deceptively fast-paced storytelling, the result is a period drama that feels entertainingly contemporary – and has more gritty character and smouldering class than, say, Downton Abbey. At just eight hours, this is a moving, but undemanding, binge-watch about smartly realised characters. Who just happen to take their tops off.

There’s a hint late on that even when things seem totally shipwrecked, there is a still reason to hope. But the odds remain firmly stacked against our hero throughout, which makes Poldark an easy man to root for. More importantly, though, he looks hot. The BBC’s costume drama only really needs that to satisfy viewers, but it consistently finds more to offer its flustered audience. Poldark and handsome? Check. Everything else on top is a bonus.

Poldark Season 1 to 5 is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

Where can I buy or rent Poldark online in the UK?

Photo: Mike Hogan
 

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