The first four seasons of the latest Poldark TV series pretty well echoed the books (with editing of course) but the newest season seems a bit weird and out of character.
Guess what? They didn't follow the books. So it is all made up, and what is worse, the producers decided to inject political correctness in the plot.
Anglophile blog explains:
It seems there’s been a little bit of confusion, so I just want to clear something up: this season is not based on any of Graham’s Poldark novels. This is a definite break from previous seasons, which did follow the novels, but the writer and creators didn’t want to follow Graham’s 10-year progression with the story, so this season is entirely off book.
Why not follow the books? Because they prefer to make up politically correct plots about slavery, or because the lead actors don't want to age?
so the new series seems to be in the mid to late 1790s.
Some of the stuff in the new series make one roll up one's eyes in disbelief.
Hardheaded George hallucinating the ghost of his wife? A lot of spouses "see" or hear their dead spouses, but this is completely out of character for George.
Slavery issue brought up... political correctness trumps all. Poldark was not involved in slavery, except to note sarcastically that the anti slavery types seemed to care more about slaves 3000 miles away than the child laborers slaving in the factories of England. (or in Poldark's mines, for that matter: Poldark justifies it by noting correctly that the alternative is starvation. Something to keep in mind when people laud those good old days of simple folks down on the farms, where there wasn't enough food to go around).
And the French revolution? well, just a back story for the slavery issue.
And then there is the lady revolutionary who is vexing Demelza. One wonders why Demelza or Trudie, neither of whom are shrinking violets, put up with her.
Poldark's nephew in the army has a romance, a young woman whose father is an evil pro slavery plantation owner from the Indies, and who plans to marry her to George. They are discussing eloping.
But in the real books, which had skipped 10 years, Poldark's nephew was fighting Napoleon (in 1808) and visited by Poldark who was investigating the Penisular campaign for the government and if I remember correctly, the nephew marries a local girl there, and brings her home.
But as was noted above, the new novels skipped 10 years and are mainly about Poldark's children and the next generation. Lots about smuggling and romance, some stuff about Ross' son being interested in the newfangled steam engine, and some plots about the Napoleonic wars mentioned above. And by the way, George does remarry a widow who bears him another child, (a girl this time)... but by the last book, it went completely downhill (Bella went on stage? Give me a break).
so why not jump 10 years?
Because they prefer to keep the pretty faces instead of reality I suspect. Or maybe because the later books aren't just about Ross and his wife, so you would have to confuse the fans with new characters.
Both Poldark and his wife still look too young for the parts now, especially when you realize that people aged faster back then.
As for the latest shows: they resemble a "soap opera" with predictable plots.
So yes, watch the series for the cinematography and the characters, but don't expect high quality plot development.
Of course, I've only watched two shows because we tend to get the series later, so maybe it will improve.
so the new series seems to be in the mid to late 1790s.
Some of the stuff in the new series make one roll up one's eyes in disbelief.
Hardheaded George hallucinating the ghost of his wife? A lot of spouses "see" or hear their dead spouses, but this is completely out of character for George.
Slavery issue brought up... political correctness trumps all. Poldark was not involved in slavery, except to note sarcastically that the anti slavery types seemed to care more about slaves 3000 miles away than the child laborers slaving in the factories of England. (or in Poldark's mines, for that matter: Poldark justifies it by noting correctly that the alternative is starvation. Something to keep in mind when people laud those good old days of simple folks down on the farms, where there wasn't enough food to go around).
And the French revolution? well, just a back story for the slavery issue.
And then there is the lady revolutionary who is vexing Demelza. One wonders why Demelza or Trudie, neither of whom are shrinking violets, put up with her.
Poldark's nephew in the army has a romance, a young woman whose father is an evil pro slavery plantation owner from the Indies, and who plans to marry her to George. They are discussing eloping.
But in the real books, which had skipped 10 years, Poldark's nephew was fighting Napoleon (in 1808) and visited by Poldark who was investigating the Penisular campaign for the government and if I remember correctly, the nephew marries a local girl there, and brings her home.
But as was noted above, the new novels skipped 10 years and are mainly about Poldark's children and the next generation. Lots about smuggling and romance, some stuff about Ross' son being interested in the newfangled steam engine, and some plots about the Napoleonic wars mentioned above. And by the way, George does remarry a widow who bears him another child, (a girl this time)... but by the last book, it went completely downhill (Bella went on stage? Give me a break).
so why not jump 10 years?
Because they prefer to keep the pretty faces instead of reality I suspect. Or maybe because the later books aren't just about Ross and his wife, so you would have to confuse the fans with new characters.
Both Poldark and his wife still look too young for the parts now, especially when you realize that people aged faster back then.
As for the latest shows: they resemble a "soap opera" with predictable plots.
So yes, watch the series for the cinematography and the characters, but don't expect high quality plot development.
Of course, I've only watched two shows because we tend to get the series later, so maybe it will improve.
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