Ray and I began watching Poldark last night. After staying up way too late, we finished the first five episodes and hated going to sleep even then. The series started in 2015 and ended in 2019, so we are, as usual, late to the table. However, I can say, so far, so good. We both found it entertaining from episode one and also just the type of fare that is perfect when you want to escape our current worries about Omicron and other dreary news. There are 43 episodes altogether and the very few reviews I read said that it was tough to watch the series end. That’s usually a good sign.

The story centers around Ross Poldark, who has recently returned to England from America where he was fighting in the Revolutionary War. He arrives back in his native Cornwall to find that many things have changed in the three years of his absence and he has to immediately go to work to rebuild what is left of his life. The actors are British (this is a BBC Masterpiece production) and Aiden Turner stars in the lead role as Ross Poldark. He is handsome, independent, and utterly disdainful of the British class system. So far, he’s proven to be a compelling figure who provides an alternative view of Brits at that time who are most often portrayed as hanging on tight to the Us vs. Them system of noblemen and servants.

If you’ve watched the series, please don’t tell me what happens! We’ll be watching this over the next while since we have a few years of episodes to view.

Here is a trailer, just in case you’re interested in learning more about this series. I certainly can’t speak for the whole thing but Rotten Tomatoes rates it at 91% for critics and 90% for the audience for Season One.

Excuse me, I have to go now. I have some television watching to do.