It’s 1783, and Ross Poldark has returned home from the American Revolutionary War to find England in the grip of recession and his beloved Cornwall on its knees. His father is dead, his family’s land and copper mines are in ruins, and his childhood sweetheart is about to marry his first cousin. Feeling betrayed by everything he loves, Ross must rebuild his life, embarking on a risky business venture, facing new adversaries, and finding love where he least expects it.
Based on the novels by Winston Graham and set against the dramatic Cornish coastline, this striking saga stars Aidan Turner (The Hobbit) as Ross Poldark, Eleanor Tomlinson (Death Comes to Pemberley) as the fiery Demelza, and includes a special appearance by Robin Ellis, who played the original Ross Poldark in the 1970s.
Shown on PBS Masterpiece Theatre.
May be suitable for older children.
Parents need to know that Poldark is a drama series set in late 18th-century England, shortly after the American War of Independence. As such, many cultural truths stand out as different from what exists today, particularly related to women’s roles and the issue of socioeconomic hierarchy. All this makes Ross Poldark a pleasant oddity — a member of a privileged family but one who lives by the values his father taught, including hard work and respect for the common people. The story doesn’t shy away from harsh realities such as illness, war, and death, and there are some potentially upsetting incidents of each, as well as some steamy bedroom scenes. – Common Sense Media