One hidden Netflix gem has been hailed as a stronger drama than Downton Abbey with viewers saying it has “better acting, a better plot, and more beautiful scenery.” The BAFTA award-winning period drama, which first aired on the BBC in 2015, stars Eleanor Thompson, Jack Farthing and Aidan Turner as the eponymous Poldark.
In the series, created by Debbie Horsfield, we follow Poldark as he returns home after the American Revolutionary War and rebuilds his life with a new business venture, making new enemies. He also finds a new romance in re-establishing himself in the sweeping British countryside at the height of the underground smuggling business.
There are five series to get your teeth into and it has now landed on Netflix – with viewers re-discovering the show.
Poldark won the BAFTA for best ensemble in 2018 and was nominated for the best television series.
One Reddit user said: “I don’t know about the UK, but in the U.S., both Poldark and Downton Abbey aired on PBS in the United States.
View 2 ImagesAidan Turner plays Poldark
“However, it just seemed that there was so much hype over Downton Abbey, and you barely heard anything about Poldark, except [I] made it a point to watch the show, much like we on this sub [a Reddit feed] do.
“Even r/DowntonAbbey [a Reddit feed] has nine times more subscribers than this sub-reddit, not that there’s anything wrong with it.”
Another agreed: “As someone who’s watched both shows, all the way through, I think Poldark has better acting, a better plot, and more beautiful scenery. What made Downton Abbey more popular?”
An IMDB reviewer wrote: “Rarely do I find a tale that so draws me in and that is because the story is elegant and gritty, actors outstanding, and scenery simply stunning!
“The word, “noble” means something and not all noblemen demonstrate it.
“The relationships are not predictable, nor the storyline, which shows the desperation of those who scrape by–mostly with honour–and some not troubled by honour but wealth.
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“From our first introduction to Ross, he shows his character and it is impossible not to care about him the way he cares about those in his life.
“I rate it higher than even Downton Abbey, which I have followed with dedication, as I will with Poldark. I hope it is around for a decade at least!“