Power, passion, 'Poldark'

Aidan Turner returns as the titular character in season two of period drama 'Poldark' on Prime. Photo: Supplied

Tension. It simmers in the flurried clouds scudding across the cold Cornwall skies.

It broods darkly in the cold black rocks that brace against the boiling Cornwall seas that thunder and crash into the coast.

It smoulders in the wretched hearts of the Cornwall poor, scratching a living in and around the mines dug into the hard Cornwall soil.

But most of all it boils incendiary and so very barely controlled in the slender but muscular figure of Cap'n Poldark, sir.

There he is, shirtless, powerful and passionate, his sturdy yet supple frame dripping with sweat, hammering a steel spike into the initially unyielding but eventually pliant rock deep within the moist tunnel of his mine as he tries to pound his way to the last sliver of ore.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang his hammer thuds into his tool of choice as it cleaves deep into the soil.

``It's no use Ross,'' another huge, bearded and sweat-soaked man says.

``There's nothing left.''

Oh, but there is, bearded man, there is so much left of Poldark, the passionate and physical man who marches darkly along the coastal cliffs above the crashing seas, the beautiful and passionate Demelza at his side.

Series two of Poldark sees the return of our brooding hero, played by Aidan Turner, who set the hearts of even the most physically tepid among us aflame.

To recap season one, in the late 18th century, Ross Poldark returns from the American War of Independence to his Cornish tin mines after spending three years in the army.

When he gets home he finds his father dead, his estate in ruins, and his old sweetheart Elizabeth engaged to his cousin Francis.

He rescues the lovely Demelza from a beating, and helps the poor folk of the village gain control of the mines sought after by his rival, the greedy and arrogant George Warleggan.

Poldark is not just wild and physical, he is decent and good, caring and loving, and would clearly make a great husband and father if we could just domesticate him.

Oh, but how we would love to try.

As season two begins on Prime next Tuesday at 8.30pm we see Poldark being arrested and led away by soldiers.

He is dragged before a judge on trumped up charges of leading a bloodthirsty mob and something to do with killing someone or other.

``They were not thirsty for blood, they were starving for food,'' Poldark tells his inquisitors.

Meanwhile Demelza awaits his return, peering lonely from a tiny window before laying a single rose on his empty bed.

Will dear Poldark ever return to her arms?

I, for one, cannot wait until next Tuesday.

 - by Charles Loughrey