—Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson are back in an all-new season of POLDARK on MASTERPIECE—
Does George Warleggan finally have the upper hand against his archenemy, Ross Poldark? Can George’s growing power in Cornwall cement his control over the fate of his populist foe? Dream on!
MASTERPIECE presents the latest thrilling exploits of Ross Poldark and his fiery partner, Demelza, starring Aidan Turner ("The Hobbit") and Eleanor Tomlinson (DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY) as the intrepid eighteenth-century duo, on POLDARK, Season 3, airing in eight action-packed episodes, Sundays, Oct. 1 – Nov. 19, 2017 at 9 p.m. on PBS.
The new season costars Jack Farthing as the dastardly George and Heida Reed as his bewitching wife, Elizabeth, now estranged from her first love, Ross — or is she?
Also returning are Caroline Blakiston as Ross’s crusty Aunt Agatha, whose passion in life is tormenting George; Beatie Edney as the irascible servant Prudie; Luke Norris as stalwart Dr. Dwight Enys; and Gabriella Wilde as Dwight’s secret fiancée, the fetching heiress Caroline Penvenen.
Special Feature: 6 Things That Need to Happen in Poldark Season 3
The first episode introduces fresh doubts about the paternity of Elizabeth’s impending baby, along with some consequential new characters, including Ellise Chappell as Elizabeth’s pretty cousin Morwenna.
Hired as the governess for Elizabeth’s young son (by her previous marriage to Poldark’s cousin Francis), Morwenna is soon a pawn in George’s grand game to win political influence.
Morwenna would prefer to share company with Demelza’s strapping brother Drake, a lay minister played by Harry Richardson ("Dunkirk"), but George intends her to marry the recently widowed Reverend Whitworth, portrayed with unctuous piety by Christian Brassington ("Elizabeth: The Golden Age").
Whitworth gives every indication of being a rank libertine, to the horror of the upright and innocent Morwenna. Meanwhile, George manages to abuse every privilege he accrues in his ruthless climb to power.
Also enlivening the new season are a mysterious plague of frogs, a thwarted famine, and Aunt Agatha’s eagerly anticipated one-hundredth birthday party, which has a catastrophic catch.
But the most stirring action involves the French Revolution, which manages to ensnare one of the program’s main characters in its Reign of Terror, prompting Poldark’s most dangerous mission yet.
Perhaps even more perilous — at least for his psyche — is Ross’s cooling attitude toward Demelza.
Reckless to a fault, he appears to be throwing it all away — a magistracy, a seat in Parliament, his lands, and even his red-haired beauty. What on earth could he be thinking?
WATCH ON YOUR SCHEDULE:
Full episodes from Season 3 will be available to view on demand for a limited time after broadcast. Extend your viewing window with KPBS Passport, video streaming for members ($60 yearly) using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn more and activate your benefit now.
Catch up! Watch Seasons 1 and 2 on KPBS Passport now.
REVIEWS:
Last season, TV Guide was captivated by Poldark’s “myriad pleasures, not the least of which is Aidan Turner’s swarthy charisma as the chivalrous and perilously proud crusader of Cornwall. ... Poldark is the sort of great escape you would be foolish to resist.”
Critics have been equally enthralled with Season 3, which recently aired in the UK. The Independent (London) lauded the “action-filled opener,” with its panoply of plot developments that “helped the atmospheric drama gallop out of the starting blocks.”
EPISODE GUIDE:
Episode 1 airs Sunday, Oct. 1 at 9 p.m. - George has everything going for him: Elizabeth, an heir, the Poldark lands, his own church. Meanwhile, Demelza's brothers, Sam and Drake, take up preaching. After Caroline and Dwight elope, Dwight vanishes.
Episode 2 airs Sunday, Oct. 8 at 9 p.m. - Ross goes to revolutionary France to search for information about Dwight. George dispenses rough justice in his new role as magistrate. Drake falls in love with the governess Morwenna.
Episode 3 airs Sunday, Oct. 15 at 9 p.m. - A failed harvest incites food riots, which George handles harshly. Demelza and Ross get a family addition. Morwenna gets an unwelcome suitor in Rev. Whitworth. A clever plan to import grain foils George.
Episode 4 airs Sunday, Oct. 22 at 9 p.m. - With Dwight languishing in a French prison, Ross takes a desperate gamble. Drake joins Ross’ mission after Morwenna breaks with him. George jockeys for a triumph in politics.
Episode 5 airs Sunday, Oct. 29 at 9 p.m. - Frogs drive George to the breaking point, leading him to set a trap for Drake. A gift from Geoffrey Charles proves deadly. Dwight’s prison experience threatens his relationship with Caroline.
Episode 6 airs Sunday, Nov. 5 at 9 p.m. - Rev. Whitworth puts Morwenna through the tortures of the damned. Aunt Agatha and George cross swords in their deadliest match yet. Demelza gets an admirer who owes his life to Ross.
Episode 7 airs Sunday, Nov. 12 at 9 p.m. - Morwenna gives birth and plunges into despair. George triumphs, as the ground collapses under his relationship with Elizabeth. Ross and Demelza bare their souls.
Episode 8 airs Sunday, Nov. 19 at 9 p.m. - Elizabeth turns the tables on George. Rev. Whitworth is checkmated. Demelza and Lt. Armitage reveal their true feelings. Poldark makes a vow.
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CREDITS:
A Mammoth Screen production for the BBC and MASTERPIECE. Based on the novels by Winston Graham, it is written and created for television by Debbie Horsfield, produced by Roopesh Parekh and Michael Ray and directed by Joss Agnew and Stephen Woolfenden. The executive producers are Debbie Horsfield, Karen Thrussell and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, Elizabeth Kilgarriff for the BBC and Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE. It is distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
