//I just read all the other reviews. I appreciate the ones that compare and contrast to the 1970s first TV version, as well as the wonderful books by Winston Graham.//
When the Robin Ellis version first aired in the USA, I was too busy with school and such to be able to catch them all. Then in the nineties my local PBS station replayed them all; two hours every Sunday afternoon until the end! I was in heaven. I tape-recorded every episode. After that I went to my local library and tore through every single Poldark novel. So much great history interwoven through the characters' stories. When they put them on DVD for sale a few years back, I bought the series. Needless to say I really appreciate the books and the original series.
So, I have approached this version with trepidation. It is a testament to the superb production of the original series that it has taken so many years to make a proper new serialization.
The first thing that stood out to me was that this Demelza was too silent. In the book and as played by Angharad Rees, this character is spirited, feisty, and never able to !not! speak her mind. This interpretation has not shown us this so far (3 episodes). It was apparent from the first episode that they would be condensing this version more. They seem to have gone for a stylized camera to bridge some time gaps. The difficulty is that they don't quite help us become aware of how much time is supposed to have passed. The book describes Demelza with black hair. But Rees' character was so indelible with flaming red hair that this production made the same change from the novel. Both versions give us a lovely, heavily romantic first love scene between Ross and Demelza. Interestingly, the current one is the one taken from the book. My criticism of this important interaction (Tomlinson and Turner) is that I never felt that familial camaraderie, accompanied with sexual flirtation. All of a sudden - there they were in bed.
And even though Ross is supposed to be moody, I feel that Turner could let go a bit. Lighten up more. I think Aiden Turner is good. But Ross from the book and from Robin Ellis, laughed more, knew his mind and spoke it more, was obviously still tender towards his cousin Francis. I hope we get to see this more often in the ensuing episodes. And as I write this I begin to think that the "non-speakingness" of both Demelza and Ross, and maybe all of the characters, is part of the "style" that this production is using. It must be inherent to the screen-play, to the writing.
I think that the casting, in general, hearkens back to the 1975 production. If you saw that one, you think of them when you see Elizabeth, Francis, Jud, etc., in this one. Some other reviewers commented on a few better castings and some not so spot on, and I would agree.
I am thinking that with the comments of the UK people who have seen the entire year's series, they intend more years ahead to tell the story that the further novels contain. I believe they will keep a good audience in the USA, as well as other countries. Considering the popularity of "Downtown Abbey", this version could keep on going if these actors remain available for the next 7 years (the first generation of Poldarks took up the first 7 books). Guess we will see.
When the Robin Ellis version first aired in the USA, I was too busy with school and such to be able to catch them all. Then in the nineties my local PBS station replayed them all; two hours every Sunday afternoon until the end! I was in heaven. I tape-recorded every episode. After that I went to my local library and tore through every single Poldark novel. So much great history interwoven through the characters' stories. When they put them on DVD for sale a few years back, I bought the series. Needless to say I really appreciate the books and the original series.
So, I have approached this version with trepidation. It is a testament to the superb production of the original series that it has taken so many years to make a proper new serialization.
The first thing that stood out to me was that this Demelza was too silent. In the book and as played by Angharad Rees, this character is spirited, feisty, and never able to !not! speak her mind. This interpretation has not shown us this so far (3 episodes). It was apparent from the first episode that they would be condensing this version more. They seem to have gone for a stylized camera to bridge some time gaps. The difficulty is that they don't quite help us become aware of how much time is supposed to have passed. The book describes Demelza with black hair. But Rees' character was so indelible with flaming red hair that this production made the same change from the novel. Both versions give us a lovely, heavily romantic first love scene between Ross and Demelza. Interestingly, the current one is the one taken from the book. My criticism of this important interaction (Tomlinson and Turner) is that I never felt that familial camaraderie, accompanied with sexual flirtation. All of a sudden - there they were in bed.
And even though Ross is supposed to be moody, I feel that Turner could let go a bit. Lighten up more. I think Aiden Turner is good. But Ross from the book and from Robin Ellis, laughed more, knew his mind and spoke it more, was obviously still tender towards his cousin Francis. I hope we get to see this more often in the ensuing episodes. And as I write this I begin to think that the "non-speakingness" of both Demelza and Ross, and maybe all of the characters, is part of the "style" that this production is using. It must be inherent to the screen-play, to the writing.
I think that the casting, in general, hearkens back to the 1975 production. If you saw that one, you think of them when you see Elizabeth, Francis, Jud, etc., in this one. Some other reviewers commented on a few better castings and some not so spot on, and I would agree.
I am thinking that with the comments of the UK people who have seen the entire year's series, they intend more years ahead to tell the story that the further novels contain. I believe they will keep a good audience in the USA, as well as other countries. Considering the popularity of "Downtown Abbey", this version could keep on going if these actors remain available for the next 7 years (the first generation of Poldarks took up the first 7 books). Guess we will see.