We have seen many shows over the years that have made people binge watch. While I would consider myself guilty of doing this for several shows, there was one that really was captivating for me at an early age.
Which show am I talking about? Poldark of course – and yes, the 1970s version. I first heard about it when I was in high school from my parents, who mentioned to me this was a must-not miss show for them when they were living in NYC while my Mom was working on her dissertation at Yale and my Dad was working in NYC in marketing.
Once I saw the first episode, I was hooked and I didn’t just have a few hours to watch ahead of me. Make that 30 hours. WOW!
Now, BBC has launched a new version of Poldark which has just been made available here in the US (so excited). Along with strong character developments and themes, there are some important lessons we – as PR professionals and professors – can take away from this show.
Here are some of the main themes I feel are good to takeaway from both the Poldark books as well as the shows:
There are always options available
One of the things I think is interesting about the series and book is the fact that Poldark goes down so many different paths – he’s pretty unpredictable, which is a hidden strength of his. You have to have Plan A, B, and sometimes go down to C and further. You want to look at the complete landscape and see the potential possibilities here. There’s no “one way or the highway” approach here. There are always options and you have to weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each.
There will be people who like you, and people who will do whatever possible to take you down.
Watching this show nearly 15 years after I first saw it, this really resonated with me. One of the biggest lessons I learned as a student-athlete in track and field was the fact there will be people who will not like you no matter what and this is due to what you stand for. Same thing comes forth in Poldark with his nemesis, George Warleggan. It’s truly amazing to see how much energy people go to make things difficult for people. The important thing is to know how to identify them, formulate strategies to address them, and move forward.
Challenges arise, but it’s how you prepare and react to them that matters
I think this is an interesting perspective – there are some challenges that happen to Poldark and his family that could have been prevented, but there were others that could not. However, that’s what life is all about and you have to recognize that you may be faced with challenges down the line, but it’s how you respond and react to them that really matters. It’s all about how you recover and learn from the experiences for the future and provide these insights for others to learn from.
Perseverance is key to overcoming obstacles.
Life is not all sunshine and roses – you are sometimes faced with really tough times. Like Poldark – it appears he is faced with challenges every path he takes. However, it’s about bunkering down, coming together with your family and friends, and pushing through the tough times.
Tough times really shows the true character of a person
I have mentioned this to my students to this point – you really get a sense of someone, or a brand, on their character when a crisis hits. You get to see who is willing to be there for you in good times and bad. This is important to note – you want the best team in play if something happens. Look at what happened to Poldark when it came to his troubles – Demelza was there with him all of the way, but Elizabeth would always take the easier road. You have to look at the long term impacts versus the short term reliefs.
In summary, if you are looking for a great new series to follow and watch, I would highly recommend checking out Poldark. It is airing on PBS now but you can get the series on Apple TV.
Hope you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
