The shadow of the French Revolution hangs heavy over this PBS-aired third season of the BBC's popular British period drama based on the novels by Winston Graham. Adapting the fifth and sixth books of the series, Poldark finds Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner)—the erstwhile adventurer who returned to his native Cornwall to discover that his family fortune was ruined and personal hopes dashed—not only leading a raiding party into France to rescue friends taken prisoner when their ship is seized by Revolutionary forces, but also taking charge of a local militia tasked with defending the coast against possible invasion. Despite the international background, the emphasis remains on domestic affairs, with Ross deferring to the ambitions of his jealous rival George Warleggan (Jack Farthing), whose marriage to Elizabeth (Heida Reed)—Ross's true love—has resulted in the birth of a son (although the child's paternity is in doubt). The mutual animosity between the two men is heightened by the arrival of the brothers of Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson), Ross's wife, who become targets of George's wrath, and by the latter's decision to hoard grain despite scarcity in the district. An array of supporting characters—including a libidinous clergyman, a handsome military man, and an upright young doctor—add further plot complications, but by the end it is the women who have turned the tables. Sumptuously filmed in breathtaking locations, Poldark continues to be an addictive 18th-century soap opera. Compiling all nine episodes from the 2017 third season, extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes. Recommended. (F. Swietek)
Poldark: The Complete Third Season
PBS, 3 discs, 570 min., not rated, DVD: $44.99, Blu-ray: $54.99 Volume 33, Issue 1
Poldark: The Complete Third Season
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