Poldark (Series 1)

Poldark is a 2015 BBC drama series on the first two books of Winston Graham's Poldark novels, debuting on March 8, 2015. Having long believed to be dead in the American Revolutionary War, Ross Poldark returns home to discover everything has changed.  

Aidan Turner as Captain Ross Poldark

Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza Carne

Heida Reed as Elizabeth Chynoweth

Kyle Soller as Francis Poldark

Jack Farthing as George Warleggan

Ross Poldark returns home to Cornwall after fighting in the American Revolutionary War to discover that his father has died and left his estates in ruins and his sweetheart, Elizabeth, engaged to his cousin. As he tries to rebuild his life, he comes across Demelza Carne, a poor girl whose father has been beating her. He offers Demelza a job as a kitchen maid and she accepts.

Elizabeth and Francis marry. Francis's sister, Verity, falls in love with Captain Blamey, a man who went to jail for murdering his wife. Francis and Blamey duel leading to Francis being shot and Blamey departing, leaving Verity heartbroken. Ross saves Francis's life and Elizabeth reveals that she is pregnant.  

Ross Poldark opens his own mine but struggles to find copper. Ross discovers that his friend, Jimmy, has been poaching. Despite his best efforts to get Jimmy to stop poaching, Jimmy is caught red handed. Even though Ross tries to intervene, Jimmy is sentenced to two years in prison, leaving behind his wife and his newborn child. Ross and Dezelma become lovers and they marry.

Society is scandalized by Ross's mesalliance. Elizabeth gives birth to a son but her relationship with her husband soon deteriorates. Ross's uncle has a heart attack at his grandson's christening and he later dies. Verity makes friends with Demelza. Copper is at last discovered and Demelza reveals that she is pregnant. She gives birth to a girl who they named Julia. 

Ross's friend, Doctor Enys, arrives in Cornwall. Mark, one of Ross's miners, falls in love with an actress, Karen. She quickly becomes disillusioned by Mark's lack of means. Demelza brings Captain Blamey and Verity back together. Ross and cohort decide to start a smelting company in order to driver up the price of copper. 

Ross and Dr. Enys takes Jimmy out of prison and unsuccessfully tries to treat Jimmy but he dies. Depressed, Ross drinks himself silly at the Warleggan ball. There is discovers that George Waleggan's cousin, Matthew, has been cheating at cards. The same Matthew who "won" Francis's mines as the latter becomes an obsessive gambler and a whoremongerer. George Warleggan discovers that the miners are smelting their own copper.

Verity elopes with Captain Blamey and Francis blames Ross. Francis betrays his cousin by revealing the identity of the investors in Ross's smelting company, many of whom having debts to Warleggans. The Warleggans close down Ross's smelting company. Dr. Enys is seduced by Karen and in a fit of rage, Mark accidentally kills her. With the help of Ross, Mark flees to France. Demelza reveals her part in Verity's elopement.

Francis's family is struck with diphtheria. Without Verity to tend to them, Demelza comes to care for them. They all survive but Demelza and Julia soon come down with it themselves. Julia dies. The Warleggan's ship is wrecked off the coast and the townspeople come to take their loot. Matthew drowns. Ross is arrested for Matthew's death and wrecking. 

I give this TV series a 4.5/5. This series is fantastic! I watched the first two episode on Saturday night and finished it off Sunday afternoon. It has everything you want in a period drama love, deception and evil rich people! It is like the Game of Thrones of period dramas! The only problem I have with the show is that I don't fully believe in the Ross/Demelza romance. In the last episode when Ross said that Demelza was the love of his life, I was taken aback. Still, they are very good together and I'm rooting for them come Series 2. Poldark gets a total recommendation to me, go out and watch it now!