TV Madness 2019: Poldark, Last Man Standing face off in round 1
TV Madness 2019 is officially upon us! March is one of our favorite times of the year for many reasons — spring is in the air, the days are getting longer, and the idea of a bracket is a part of our pop-culture lexicon. TV Madness is CarterMatt’s version of March Madness, where a number of fantastic shows from across the map face off against each other. There are seedings, head-to-head showdowns, and the performance of each show is based entirely on you, the reader.
Today, we are debuting our fourth and final #1 seed of the year in the BBC’s Poldark, and it is going to go up against what could end up being the most competitive #8 seed that we have in Last Man Standing. It’s a new entry into the tournament this year and with that, there is a sense of unpredictability. We’re hoping for an exciting showdown between two shows that could not be any more different if they tried. One emphasizes drama, pain, and finding your heart amidst challenging times; meanwhile, the other is about family, laughter, and trying to adapt to the world around you. This should be fun!
If you’ve taken part in CarterMatt’s TV Madness before, you likely know how this works — we spotlight the two competitors and then, on the other side of it, give you a poll for you to commence your voting! The poll is located at the bottom of this article.
How voting works – Vote however often you would like! (Technical instructions for multiple voting can be found right above the poll.) We will keep this poll open until Sunday, March 17 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific time. The winner here will battle against either Manifest or Vikings, two shows that are also rather different from each other! In terms of genres and styles, this may actually be one of the best groups of four shows we have within all of TV Madness.
You can see the full bracket (including start dates for each individual round) in the graphic at the top of this article.
The competitors
Poldark (#1 seed) – So why is Poldark a #1 seed? If you are new to TV Madness or located outside the United Kingdom, maybe you find yourself wondering that very question. Yet, the reasoning for it is simple: Popularity. Poldark finished in the final eight of TV Madness last year and two years ago, it made it all the way to the final four. This is a series with an incredible fan following, and one that adores the performances from Aidan Turner and the rest of the cast alongside the themes of love, redemption, and self-discovery during a tumultuous time of British history.
There is also a sad note to report on today in terms of its place within future TV Madness tournaments — odds are, this will be the final year in which Poldark is eligible for the title. Season 5 is poised to be the final season of the show and we have to carry with us an expectation that this is going to be the final hurrah.
Last Man Standing (#8 seed) – The past for the Fox sitcom featuring Tim Allen is a little bit different. Last Man Standing wasn’t eligible last year because it was canceled, finito, done. That’s before Fox decided to resurrect it after six years over on ABC. This is a series that means a lot to so many people — its passionate fan support base is one of the reasons why it’s back, and they appreciate the show for its sense of humor, its family dynamic, and the TV comfort that it provides. It’s a classic comedy in a way we have very little of in 2019.
As for whether or not it can topple the popularity of Poldark, that’s what we want to find out! Last Man Standing earned its place within the tournament this year, but if past results are any indication this is not going to be an easy road ahead. Underdogs have toppled #1 seeds in TV Madness before…