All 43 episodes of Poldark, hailed by fans as one of the greatest period dramas ever made, have quietly arrived on ITVX to binge completely free.
The show, which originally launched on the BBC in 2015, ran for five seasons until 2019. It starred Aidan Turner as Captain Ross, a soldier returning to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War. It quickly became a phenomenon, thanks in part to Turner's often-shirtless scenes and the gripping romance between Ross and Demelza, played by Eleanor Tomlinson.
From BBC to Netflix and now ITVX
After leaving the BBC, Poldark was available on Netflix but was removed last October. Now, ITV has acquired all five series, and the episodes have been added to ITVX just in time for the weekend.
The official synopsis reads: 'After spending three years fighting in the American War of Independence, Poldark must rebuild his life in the small Cornish copper mining town he calls home.'
'However, when he finds his father dead, his estate in ruins and his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth (Heida Reed) engaged to his cousin, the life he once knew seems to no longer exist.'
'With the help of his new maid Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson), Ross attempts to navigate the hostile, poverty-stricken locals and the region's wealthy and influential businessmen to reopen his family's disused copper mine, Wheal Leisure.'
Fans still praise the series
Poldark still holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and continues to be praised by viewers. One fan wrote: 'Just a reminder of the greatest period drama and love story ever written. Could you ever find anything else like #Poldark since it ended? I couldn't. I miss them.'
Another added: 'I would recommend #Poldark to anyone. The series is the absolute best. Magnificent cast, wonderful story, and beautiful Cornwall scenery. Just wish @BBCOne would continue and complete.'
A third fan said: 'I just cannot freaking get over poldark, it's by far one of the greatest shows ever made. I will never shut up about how brilliant it is and how emotionally attached it made me become from its very first episode.'
When the show concluded, Turner admitted it didn't feel like the end. 'I don't think that is the BBC being crafty and keeping it open-ended for another series in time, but [while] it feels right, it doesn't feel final,' he told Digital Spy.
Poldark is available to stream on ITVX now.
