Period Drama ‘Poldark’ Confirmed for a Third Season Before the Second Even Airs

More dashing jackets! More gorgeous scenery! More "Poldark"! (Photo: Courtesy of Robert Viglasky/Mammoth Screen for MASTERPIECE)

Poldark Coming to MASTERPIECE on PBS Fall 2016 Shown: Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark (C) Robert Viglasky/Mammoth Screen for MASTERPIECE This image may be used only in the direct promotion of MASTERPIECE. No other rights are granted. All rights are reserved. Editorial use only.

In a testament to the power of period drama – particularly period dramas that feature dashing men sporting great hair and splashy outfits – the popular series Poldark has officially been given a third season renewal by the BBC, before anyone has seen a single episode of its highly anticipated sophomore run. 

Poldark stars Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark (the aforementioned dashing, well coiffed leading man) and Eleanor Tomlinson as his wife Demelza and the BBC decided that the best way to announce the news of the show’s continuation involved an animated GIF of Turner in a very snazzy coat.

Here’s hoping the costumers on this show get some serious accolades and/or awards from somewhere, because they are great at their jobs: 

We're delighted to confirm that #Poldark will return for a third series in 2017. Read more: https://t.co/cglx4yGIkb. pic.twitter.com/aJQeUgw9D5

— BBC One (@BBCOne) July 6, 2016

Production on Season 3 is officially under way. It will be comprised of ten new episodes, which will once again be adapted by Debbie Horsfield and based on Winston Graham’s novels.

The as-yet-unaired second season is set to pick up right where things left off in the Season 1 finale. Ross and Demelza have just lost their child, they’re broke, and Ross has been arrested, so it’s a bit of an uphill climb straight out of the gate for the Poldarks. What will happen? Guess we’ll all have to tune in and see for ourselves.

Season 2 will apparently alsointroduce several key new characters, including Midsomer Murders’ star John Nettles as Ray Penvenen, one of the county’s wealthiest landowners, and The Three Musketeers’ Gabriella Wilde as his niece Caroline Penvenen, a beautiful and manipulative heiress. Heida Reed, Kyle Soller, Ruby Bentall, Jack Farthing, Luke Norris, Beatie Edney and Phil Davis are all back in their respective roles from last season.

The airdate of Poldark Season 2 is as yet unknown – on both sides of the pond. The BBC has announced that the new season will air in the UK “this autumn”, whatever that means, and we have no news on a US airdate as yet, either, though we do know that Season 2 will once again air under PBS’ Masterpiece umbrella. Keep your fingers crossed that it’s not too far away!

If you need a refresher on Poldark Season 1, we’ve got recaps for that – so go give ‘em a look.

Are you excited to get back to Cornwall? What do you think will happen in Season 2? 


Lacy Baugher

Lacy's love of British TV is embarrassingly extensive, but primarily centers around evangelizing all things Doctor Who, and watching as many period dramas as possible.

Digital media type by day, she also has a fairly useless degree in British medieval literature, and dearly loves to talk about dream poetry, liminality, and the medieval religious vision. (Sadly, that opportunity presents itself very infrequently.) York apologist, Ninth Doctor enthusiast, and unabashed Ravenclaw. Say hi on Threads or Blue Sky at @LacyMB. 

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