BBC Media Centre announced Poldark, along with three other dramas, back in May last year. They were the last drama commissions from Danny Cohen:
6 x 60 minutes, adapted by Debbie Horsfield and made by Mammoth Screen.
An adaptation of Winston Graham's acclaimed romantic saga set in late-18th-century Cornwall. Ross Poldark returns home from war, looking forward to a joyful reunion with his family and his beloved Elizabeth. Instead he discovers his father has died, his home is overrun by livestock and drunken servants, and Elizabeth, believing Ross dead, is engaged to his cousin. Ross must start from scratch, forging a completely new path for his life - one that takes him in exciting, unexpected and hazardous directions.
Executive producers are Debbie Horsfield, Rebecca Keane, Karen Thrussell and Damien Timmer for Mammoth, and Polly Hill for the BBC.
Strictly speaking, it is still original drama; a new adaptation of the novels. Two of the dramas announced at the time were contemporary, and two period. EDIT: Sorry, three period (one is 1930s setting).
BBC Media Centre announced Poldark, along with three other dramas, back in May last year. They were the last drama commissions from Danny Cohen:
Strictly speaking, it is still original drama; a new adaptation of the novels. Two of the dramas announced at the time were contemporary, and two period. EDIT: Sorry, three period (one is 1930s setting).
Still a rehash of a former adaptation, and they had the nerve to cancel Andrew Davies' adaptation of 'Dombey & Son' and ask him to do 'David Copperfield' instead! David bloody Copperfield!
Still a rehash of a former adaptation, and they had the nerve to cancel Andrew Davies' adaptation of 'Dombey & Son' and ask him to do 'David Copperfield' instead! David bloody Copperfield!
Yes, I'd have liked to see Dombey & Son. I hope Andrew Davies may find someone to take it on in the future, although only the BBC seems to make full-length Dickens adaptations.
Re. Poldark, it's been almost forty years since the first series (I've only seen repeats) and I will enjoy seeing what a new version can deliver. There have been innumerable Jane Eyre, Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, etc. adaptations in that time, as well as the more popular Dickens novels (DC!), but I usually find plenty to appreciate in most of them even when they don't become favourite versions.
And there was me preparing to be disappointed that it wasn't Richard Armitage. Been missing Aidan from tv since Being Human ended, the only disappointment being that he can't use his natural accent.
I'm in two minds about this. On one hand, I like period dramas, so it's great that there's another one to look forward to in the coming months (especially as the BBC have just axed The Paradise), but on the other hand, couldn't they do better than a rehash of something that's already been done? Poldark has a dedicated following already and judging by the fact that a lot of people didn't like the new Upstairs, Downstairs, isn't bringing back an old classic something that's pretty risky?
Eleanor Tomlinson has a completely different look from Angharad Rees, so at least the production can't be accused of trying to copy the original adaptation. I believe in the books, which I read a very long time ago, Demelza is described as tall. Eleanor T is certainly very pretty, and only 21; to date I've seen her in Jack the Giant Slayer (Princess!), The White Queen (Isabel Neville) and Death Comes to Pemberley (Georgiana Darcy) and thought she did well in all of them.
I expect it will all come down to the elusive "chemistry" and whether we can believe Aidan and her as Ross and Demelza. I wonder if the casting would have included auditioning with various actor combinations, since the pairing is so central to the story.
Is this the third try at Poldark? As one member said whatever happened to ORIGINAL drama?
Heck for spoilers for the first few years just dig out the old VHS of the original.
And I do agree you will have to go a long way to beat the original Robin Ellis and Angharad Rees.
Ross is going to be too pretty and Demelza will look like some photo fit tv hotty. Not blaming the actors, just tv has some very weird ideas these data IMHO.
My mother fancied the original Ross Poldark so much she named my brother after him!
And Robin Ellis still looks pretty good at 70. He lives in France and does cooking seminars.
I am really looking forward to this series but it will take a lot to beat Robin and Anghared.
I have just read that it is not due to air until next year so we have a long time to wait.
Agree with a lot of posters that the Ross actor looks good (maybe too handsome and not rugged enough, though?) but am not too sure about Demelza mark 2 - a bit insipid, maybe??
Also think - if the original was that good (and it was) - why mess with perfection??
Comments
Wonder who Demelza will be?
Radio Times link:
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-02-28/aidan-turner-to-play-poldark-in-new-bbc-adaptation
Will be hard to find anyone as bewitching as Angharad Rees.
Sheesh, he's gorgeous!
BBC Media Centre announced Poldark, along with three other dramas, back in May last year. They were the last drama commissions from Danny Cohen:
Strictly speaking, it is still original drama; a new adaptation of the novels. Two of the dramas announced at the time were contemporary, and two period. EDIT: Sorry, three period (one is 1930s setting).
Still a rehash of a former adaptation, and they had the nerve to cancel Andrew Davies' adaptation of 'Dombey & Son' and ask him to do 'David Copperfield' instead! David bloody Copperfield!
Yes, I'd have liked to see Dombey & Son. I hope Andrew Davies may find someone to take it on in the future, although only the BBC seems to make full-length Dickens adaptations.
Re. Poldark, it's been almost forty years since the first series (I've only seen repeats) and I will enjoy seeing what a new version can deliver. There have been innumerable Jane Eyre, Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, etc. adaptations in that time, as well as the more popular Dickens novels (DC!), but I usually find plenty to appreciate in most of them even when they don't become favourite versions.
Very very good choice.
How about Natalie Dormer. Great in The Tudors, The Fades and Rush.
I live in West Cornwall so I'll be keeping an eye on our local paper (West Briton) for sightings of film locations.
I hope they get the Cornish accents right and don't give us the usual 'Zummerzet'.
Just noticed that the director of this 8 part series will be Ed Bazalgette (of The Guilty and Endeavour fame) which is more good news.
Excellent choice, she would certainly be able to play a "tarty" Demelza.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a554550/david-gyasi-eastenders-star-jo-joyner-for-bbc-ones-the-interceptor.html
and this:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a554545/stellan-skarsgard-to-star-in-bbc-one-crime-drama-from-the-hour-creator.html
and maybe this:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a554532/sheridan-smith-to-star-in-new-bbc-one-drama-the-c-word.html
and these:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a554561/lenny-henry-steve-pemberton-to-write-new-bbc-one-dramas.html
Oddly enough, I realised earlier this week that I was missing Mitchell, so I've been rewatching Being Human from the beginning.:)
Aidan as Poldark - now that's really something to look forward to. I can't wait.
I dearly hope and pray that he has an actress worthy of his talents (and looks) to play the lovely Demelza, as Robin Ellis did in Angharad.
I'm not overwhelmed by the news, but then I probably wouldn't be whoever was cast.:)
Maybe I'll be agreeably surprised by her when I watch it.
Please no!
I expect it will all come down to the elusive "chemistry" and whether we can believe Aidan and her as Ross and Demelza. I wonder if the casting would have included auditioning with various actor combinations, since the pairing is so central to the story.
That's one thing I *do* remember about the books ... they were a little racier than the original TV series. So I won't mind that.
Heck for spoilers for the first few years just dig out the old VHS of the original.
And I do agree you will have to go a long way to beat the original Robin Ellis and Angharad Rees.
Ross is going to be too pretty and Demelza will look like some photo fit tv hotty. Not blaming the actors, just tv has some very weird ideas these data IMHO.
And Robin Ellis still looks pretty good at 70. He lives in France and does cooking seminars.
I am really looking forward to this series but it will take a lot to beat Robin and Anghared.
I have just read that it is not due to air until next year so we have a long time to wait.
Also think - if the original was that good (and it was) - why mess with perfection??