Poldark - Season 4- Blu-ray

Content: 1796 - Ross Poldark (Aiden Turner) and Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) have yet to save their troubled relationship. But then Ross has to make a decision that will once again test their love. He has come to realise that the only way he can save Cornwall and the people he cares about from the machinations of George Warleggan (Jack Farthing) is to enter politics himself and pull the strings from there. It's not an easy path for the former rebel to take, especially since he has to move to London after winning the election to become an MP. But of course, it's not the only challenge Poldark faces.

The fourth season of the successful re-adaptation of Winston Graham's Poldark novels faces a difficult task. On the one hand, after three compelling seasons, fans want to see more of what made the first 27 episodes so worth watching. On the other hand, after three years, the point has come at which a series should visibly develop further, so as not to simply repeat itself at some point. On the other hand, it's also important not to stray too far from the tried and true concept in order not to scare away loyal fans. The Poldark makers have taken a good middle ground there, which makes the new episodes exciting and very involving.

So the story is consistently developed. The same goes for the characters, most notably Ross Poldark. While he was the hotheaded rebel at the beginning, he now makes his decisions much more consciously and is also willing to compromise. George Warleggan, on the other hand, is increasingly blinded by his hunger for power, which he also carries out on the backs of the inhabitants of Cornwall. This also allows the conflict between the families, which spans all seasons, to remain exciting and in some respects surprising.

In addition to the once again fascinating landscape of Cornwall, the new filming locations also ensure that the series gets a bit of a visual breath of fresh air. But fans also have to come to terms with a change that won't please everyone, as a major character is leaving the series in season 4. This, of course, makes for a very emotional moment that will also make for some change in the dynamic between certain characters in the upcoming season 5. But before that happens, fans in Germany can now first enjoy the very successful fourth season in home cinema, which is rousingly staged, magnificently filmed and very well acted. If you liked the first seasons, you will love the new episodes. And for that there is then also quite clearly a: Absolutely worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The series convinces visually on the Blu-ray with an atmospheric color scheme, a decent image depth and a very good overall sharpness, which many small details of the great equipment and wonderful landscapes well come into their own. The audio, as with the previous seasons, is in a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix that primarily delivers the dialogue powerfully from the home theater speakers. But also ambient sounds and various sound effects provide an atmospheric soundscape. For a current TV production, this is absolutely convincing. Good!

Extras: The fourth season offers viewers on Disc 2 just under an hour of bonus material. For example, there are fairly extensive interviews with cast members such as Aiden Turner, Ellise Chapell, Heida Reed and others (approx. 41:18 min.). A look behind the scenes (approx. 4 featurettes, 9:07 min.) highlights Poldark's journey from Cornwall to London, the new filming locations, costumes, make-up and equipment. The Making of (3 featurettes, approx. 8:34 min.) focuses on the farewell of a popular character, the themes of loss and separation, and Ross Poldark's journey. All in all, worth watching for fans, even if the featurettes could have happily been a bit more in-depth.

Conclusion: Poldark takes a slightly different route in season four, when Ross finds himself in politics and thus in London. This also puts the already fragile relationship between him and Demelza to the test, though this is only one of the many plotlines in the new episodes. Opulently staged, beautifully filmed and wonderfully acted - the fourth season of the British hit series can once again play to its strengths. The Blu-ray presents the episodes in good picture and sound quality and also has about 1 hour of bonus material on board. This package is quite clear: Absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp