S01.E06: Episode 6

[Llywela]

 

With Jim gravely ill in Bodmin jail, Ross and Dwight launch a desperate mission to save him. Demelza is excited to attend a grand ball held by George, who is determined to ruin Ross and his smelting company.

 

 

[Llywela]

That intense scene between the Senior Poldark and the Junior Poldark! What great acting! It was close between them until Senior Poldark had that last parting shot and delivered it so perfectly. Wow. Poldark senior still has it!! Loved it.

Sorry, but I have no idea which scene and which Poldarks you are talking about there. There are a lot of characters called Poldark in the show!

 

edit - oh, I think you mean the scene where the JP what's-his-name joined Ross at the card table, the two Ross actors, Turner and Ellis. Gotcha.

 

One thing that distracted me during this episode was that Jinny's baby looked so very young, about the same age as Demelza's Julia - yet Jinny had already had that baby before Demelza even married Ross, never mind fell pregnant, so the Carter baby should be a good year older, at least, and toddling around already. Continuity fail!

 

We haven't even been told whether Jinny's baby is a boy or girl - and can't go by the books for that one, as in the book Jinny was expecting her third child when Jim was arrested, so the show baby could be meant as any one of the three! It's a pity Jim and Jinny have been kept so peripheral in the show -  we are asked to care for them purely because Ross does, rather than being allowed to know and care about them for themselves. Ditto most of the supporting characters. This adaptation has a very narrow focus. The actors are playing a blinder, though, giving it their all.

Edited April 14, 2015 by Llywela

[skyways]

One thing that distracted me during this episode was that Jinny's baby looked so very young, about the same age as Demelza's Julia - yet Jinny had already had that baby before Demelza even married Ross, never mind fell pregnant, so the Carter baby should be a good year older, at least, and toddling around already. Continuity fail!

 

 

Yes if they want to keep to the timeline of their own interpretation, at least keep the continuity. I was surprised to see two babies and somewhere at the back of my mind I kept thinking, 'who is that baby'? I realize it's likely Jinny's but was it her first, second???? And then I gave up wondering. According to the show's timeline, It can't be her second since her husband is in jail, so it must be her first which she had at the time of his sentencing. And some time has passed since then - at least a year. Urgh! I just gave up.

 

Maybe because of the narrow focus, I keep expecting a lot more from the characters we see??? Also some scenes that ought to be dramatic play a bit dull? That wasn't the case this episode at the ball but in the previous episode, I expected real fireworks at Julia's christening. Instead it was anti-climatic. Also the Elizabeth/Demelza dynamic is a bit strange here.

[Dilbert-Deaux]

So, my wife asked me to watch with her and I have a question. Perhaps I'm a bit uncultured, but how many useless cut-scenes with romantic music does an episode need before it's too many.

 

I had trouble getting into the story because it was constantly interrupted with a scenic interlude backed by ethereal music. if any of the characters ever get around to having sex, I will be disappointed if I don't get a cutaway with a train going into a tunnel!

 

Dil

[Neurochick]

Ugh, I wish someone would waste George, and it would be easy since they didn't have CSI in those days. "Oh, it must have been his tiny heart."

[whatsatool]

Yes the editors have the attention span of a gnat.

[Primetimer]

Ross gets lit up at a fancy party -- but he's not the one who ends up embarrassed.

Read the story

[Nidratime]

Yes the editors have the attention span of a gnat.

 

 

But, they love long scenes of suns setting and waves crashing!

[Nampara]

Jud fires off his best line of the series: "'Ope for a marriage? Pick me liver! The best 'e can 'ope for is not to be cuckolded thrice a day by every man, dog, and mule in the county."

 

Even though she's making a mistake by acting covertly in the Verity-Blamey affair, this episode is more evidence that Demelza is an insanely great woman, as Steve Jobs might tell Ross, who really does need to focus more on what he has in his own little corner of the world.

[Pyralis]

And in one stunning visual, the unfortunate casting of George Warleggan is revealed, he looked like a weedy little runt next to Elizabeth. 

[skyways]

I loved his get-up. He looked Fabulous!

[Rhetorica]

I found myself looking at the clock. Interminably long pauses between action. I need more story and less scenery and knowing glances.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Aunt Agatha cracked me up with her response to Francis about what is wrong with the Poldark women.

 

I figured that there would be some punchline in the card game - it seemed unlikely they'd have Ross lose everything after having Francis lose everything - but kudos to them for making the game feel suspenseful. Good job by Aidan Turning in acting like a guy who was also drunk (but also still drunk).

[DHDancer]

Oh yeah, they carted Jim's body all the way from Bodmin to bury him by the sea....  Suuuurrrre.   Someone hasn't examined a map of Cornwall recently.  And they totally left out that it was 25 miles each way....

 

The card scene was way way too long: given how choppy the other episodes have been they felt the need to drag out the card game?  Really?

[jjj]

When the card shark was revealed and his wig torn off in the struggle, he really did look *bare* when he finally stood up and grabbed the wig from the table.  And speaking of hair, maybe Ross had not been sober for many hours or days, but his hair looked like it had not seen a comb in many months of hard riding in a strong wind.  This was one event where it really would have been more proper for Francis to show up in a wig.

 

The ball:  it really was like every junior high dance I attended, with mean girls and sulky boys and a breakup and a fight and a slutty girl off on the side and dancing not being the point of the ball at all!  I liked the scene when Ross and Demelza came into sharp focus in front of the hazy-lit dancers -- it was like the scene in the movie West Side Story when Maria and Tony meet and everyone else fades away. 

 

Great moment:  Ross taking off his infected shirt to burn at the beach.  (It did take me out of the seriousness of what had happened, as these scenes do make me laugh.)  I applaud the new reasons they find for him to show off his physique.  Apparently the trousers were microbe-free, our loss.

 

P.S. -- Boo to pbs.org, which did not upload Episode 6; every other week, the episode was in place by 9:30 PM on the site, but it is after midnight and still nothing.  Lucky that I had ordered it via iTunes, which is the full episode.  But every other week, I have watched the pbs.org slightly abridged version, so I know what is being discussed here.  (Hopefully the shirt-fire-beach scene made it into the PBS version.) 

Edited July 27, 2015 by jjj

[whatsatool]

Giggle

[Milz]

And in one stunning visual, the unfortunate casting of George Warleggan is revealed, he looked like a weedy little runt next to Elizabeth. 

 

Oh my! The height disparity was noticeable: a good 2 inches if you compared their shoulder heights. No wonder they're down-playing Elizabeth's hair...

 

Children's ages: Julia is able to sit up with assistance and her head isn't lolling all round, so at the youngest she's about 4 months old. Baby Carter is supposed to be older than Julia because Jim was sent to gaol in episode 3. Ross and Demelza marry in episode 4, Julia is born in episode 5. But Baby Carter looks to be as old as Julia in episode 6.

[GHScorpiosRule]

When the card shark was revealed and his wig torn off in the struggle, he really did look *bare* when he finally stood up and grabbed the wig from the table.  And speaking of hair, maybe Ross had not been sober for many hours or days, but his hair looked like it had not seen a comb in many months of hard riding in a strong wind.  This was one event where it really would have been more proper for Francis to show up in a wig.

 

Francis?: Don't you mean Ross?

[dubbel zout]

Aunt Agatha cracked me up with her response to Francis about what is wrong with the Poldark women.

I also loved how all the women looked at Francis and he had to break eye contact first.

 

The card scene was way way too long: given how choppy the other episodes have been they felt the need to drag out the card game?  Really?

 

I know. I kept looking at the clock thinking it couldn't possibly go on longer, and then it did.

 

(Hopefully the shirt-fire-beach scene made it into the PBS version.)

 

It did. I too laughed that Ross didn't burn his pants. I guess those are harder to replace.

[LuciaMia]

Ugh, why does my mind always go to the grusome-est conclusion? In the scene with the fire on the beach, I assumed Ross was burning Jims amputated arm.

***************

In the midst of all their grief and anger at Jim's death; I did get a kick out of Demelza's shy 'May I take a look at it...' at her new dress.

Edited July 27, 2015 by LuciaMia

[eleanorofaquitaine]

I know. I kept looking at the clock thinking it couldn't possibly go on longer, and then it did.

 

I am going to disagree on this.  First of all, I liked how the dragged out the Ball from hell, because (IMO) we've all been to one of those parties where there is all sorts of drama going on from everyone. It was like a terrible college party, only set in an 18th century ballroom.

 

Secondly, I think that dragging it out heightened the suspense. Again, I haven't viewed the previous version nor read the book, so I was unaware of what the resolution of the game would be. So by dragging it out - by us seeing Ross get progressively more drunk and reckless and surly throughout the ball - it upped the tension in the scene.

[Llywela]

Secondly, I think that dragging it out heightened the suspense. Again, I haven't viewed the previous version nor read the book, so I was unaware of what the resolution of the game would be. So by dragging it out - by us seeing Ross get progressively more drunk and reckless and surly throughout the ball - it upped the tension in the scene.

Absolutely agree. The only pity is that the show doesn't have more episodes, which means that numerous other storylines haven't been allowed the same room to breathe and build.

[HyacinthBucket]

But, they love long scenes of suns setting and waves crashing!

... and card playing.  I thought the card game would never end, although I understand and appreciate the comments above about heightening the suspense.  

[jjj]

Francis?: Don't you mean Ross?

No, I mean Francis looked like a chicken with his short hair.  Almost every other man had a wig, and Francis looked undressed without one. 

Edited July 27, 2015 by jjj

[HalcyonDays]

I figured that there would be some punchline in the card game - it seemed unlikely they'd have Ross lose everything after having Francis lose everything - but kudos to them for making the game feel suspenseful. Good job by Aidan Turning in acting like a guy who was also drunk (but also still drunk).

 

I loved this scene and didn't think it was long at all. In fact, I ended up rewinding and watching it like four or five times! What a great suspenseful scene.

 

I mean, you have a seemingly drunken Ross pulling a 'Francis' and starting to lose his prized possessions. First his watch, then Demelza gives up that lovely necklace (she is wonderful, isn't she), then you're thinking 'come on man, quit! you know better.' Then Ross puts up Wheal Leisure and the arrogant Warleggans think they have him too. Then Ross exposes the elder fraud for what he was. To me, I saw this entire scene as Ross setting up Warleggan senior and exposing him for the cheating slime he - and his son - are in front of the 'gentlemen of society'. Just loved that to death. Was Ross really that drunk too? I hink he played it well (the frizzy curls helped) and waited for that particular moment to expose senior.

 

I did laugh at Ross sauntering out of the card room mumbling "I expect my losses back.' Dammit, I would have demanded the losses right there and then immediately.

[Nidratime]

The obvious point of that scene was having Ross purposely expose Warleggan's  cousin Sanson as a card shark, who they allowed to bilk their guests at their party -- or, at least, tolerated it. I'm sure Ross must have suspected for some time that that was what was up, and this was his chance to both expose the guy who probably cheated his cousin and humiliate the Warleggans. It did make me wonder, though, whether other men who've lost to Sanson might want *their* losses back, including Francis.

[eleanorofaquitaine]

I loved this scene and didn't think it was long at all. In fact, I ended up rewinding and watching it like four or five times! What a great suspenseful scene.

 

I mean, you have a seemingly drunken Ross pulling a 'Francis' and starting to lose his prized possessions. First his watch, then Demelza gives up that lovely necklace (she is wonderful, isn't she), then you're thinking 'come on man, quit! you know better.' Then Ross puts up Wheal Leisure and the arrogant Warleggans think they have him too. Then Ross exposes the elder fraud for what he was. To me, I saw this entire scene as Ross setting up Warleggan senior and exposing him for the cheating slime he - and his son - are in front of the 'gentlemen of society'. Just loved that to death. Was Ross really that drunk too? I hink he played it well (the frizzy curls helped) and waited for that particular moment to expose senior.

 

I did laugh at Ross sauntering out of the card room mumbling "I expect my losses back.' Dammit, I would have demanded the losses right there and then immediately.

 

Well, he did say at the end of the episode that this was the first time in five days that he had been sober.  I do think he played up how drunk he was in order to put the Warleggan cousin there at ease, so he probably wasn't as drunk as he appeared but still wasn't exactly stone cold sober.

[KLovestoShop]

I really do love this series and hope it continues.  BTW, does anyone know if the Poldark books are available in e-reader form?  I've been trying to find it, since I've never read the books, but I can't seem to find it in e-book form.  

 

I didn't find myself looking at the clock during this episode.  My heart breaks for Verity.  Francis is a giant asshole for preventing her from finding happiness.  

[jjj]

Yes, if there is honour among gamblers -- which Francis said in the previous episode when asked why he was signing the mine over to the Warleggens -- then that same honour would require that anything lost to the card shark be returned.  I'm not counting on it.  (Not interested in what happens in the books.)  With magistrates present, you would think some kind of justice would be available.  Again, not counting on it! 

 

I really do love this series and hope it continues.  BTW, does anyone know if the Poldark books are available in e-reader form?  I've been trying to find it, since I've never read the books, but I can't seem to find it in e-book form.    

I bet someone in the book threads has a better answer, but the books appear to be available on Amazon via Kindle.  You do not need a Kindle reader, just add an app to your PC or Apple product. 

[Milz]

My heart breaks for Verity.  Francis is a giant asshole for preventing her from finding happiness.

 

From Francis' and Ross' point of view, Blamey is a wife killer. Nothing romantic about a drunkard who kills his wife and I can understand why he wouldn't want his sister marrying Blamey.

 

Editing to add...

 

Sanson's cheating. It's only been proven that he was cheating Ross. He may or may not have cheated others because there is no proof he did. So he probably won't have to give back what he "won" in other card games. However, it does damage the Warleggan's damaged reputation even more (which is something they probably don't care about as long as it doesn't get out of Cornwall).

Edited July 27, 2015 by Milz

[chocolatetruffle]

Count me in as another one who freaking loved the ball and the card scenes!  I did not see that coming so when Ross grabbed Sanson's arm I almost jumped out of my chair.  Then it was fabulous the way he exposed him, demanded his losses back and exited with a dramatic flourish.  And Demelza was her usual awesome self throughout the evening, but especially when she put down her necklace as a stake for Ross. Did you notice that while he had Sanson splayed out across the table Ross reached into Sanson's pocket to retrieve Demelza's necklace - heee! I didn't think they would have Ross lose everything, but I had no idea how they would resolve the game, especially since he was getting drunker and surlier by the minute. The set up was brilliant. 

 

Loved all the Verity scenes: strolling w/ Blamey on the pier; giving hard but good advice to Ross; and supporting Demelza at the party.  And the side story with Jim was effectively touching.  So overall a really good episode.

 

I had one question, though, about the meaning of the advice Francis gave Ross as they were getting into the carriage at the end of the party.  I know he was warning him about the Warleggans, but I didn't understand what he meant by pointing out that Ross' partners were magistrates.  Was that supposed to be a good thing for Ross in connection w/ the jailbreak, or a bad thing?

[GHScorpiosRule]

No, I mean Francis looked like a chicken with his short hair.  Almost every other man had a wig, and Francis looked undressed without one. 

 

Oh, I was confused! The sentence right before it, you were talking about Ross's hair and how it was so messy, and then you wrote how Francis needed wear a wig--I thought you meant if Ross had worn one, we wouldn't see how messy Ross's hair was!

[jjj]

Also great was how they had to drag Ross into the gaming room -- how many times did he say he did not want to play?  Perfect setup for a sting, acting like a reluctant (supposed) patsy. 

 

One thing in the game surprised me -- that the watch was considered to be worth 50 guineas (which are worth more than pounds).  That is an enormous amount of money in the late 1700s. 

[Nidratime]

I had one question, though, about the meaning of the advice Francis gave Ross as they were getting into the carriage at the end of the party.  I know he was warning him about the Warleggans, but I didn't understand what he meant by pointing out that Ross' partners were magistrates.  Was that supposed to be a good thing for Ross in connection w/ the jailbreak, or a bad thing?

 

 

I'm sure Francis was warning Ross that by breaking Jim out of jail and then mouthing off about the conditions and the injustice of sentencing Jim to, basically, a death sentence that his magistrate partners would likely take offense and possibly pull out of the deal with him.

[Summer]

I also liked how right after Ross exposed the cheater, who said he had taken a card already, Francis immediately backed Ross up that he had not taken the card.  It was nice to see Francis man up a bit and also side with his cousin.  

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Was that Francis? I thought it was Dr. Enys.

[HyacinthBucket]

Was that Francis? I thought it was Dr. Enys.

They both did.

[Nampara]

Paraphrasing from memory:

 

SANSON: You are mistaken -- I had already drawn a card.

 

GEORGE: I rather think he had, Ross.

 

DWIGHT: Oh no he had not!

 

FRANCIS: He most certainly had not!

[jjj]

Yes, that was the first time I had cheered for Francis! 

[eleanorofaquitaine]

Okay, it's good to know that Francis can occasionally show some backbone. :)

[JudyObscure]

Does the show think our love for Ross will go straight out the window if he doesn't have a 2015 fashionable scruff? No one of his class would go to a ball unshaven with his hair neither combed nor covered. And, yes, Francis did look like a chicken.

Verity's, period-correct beauty, with her rose bud mouth and little square face, is getting sweeter all the time. I just wish I knew if Blamey really loved her. I think it's the actor. In "Lark Rise to Candleford," I was never sure that he loved Dorcus. For me, he always seems angry.

[dubbel zout]

The obvious point of that scene was having Ross purposely expose Warleggan's  cousin Sanson as a card shark

Ross didn't know that was George's cousin until Francis told him the morning after, though. So one might think George was in on the scam, and now he's more determined than ever to ruin Ross. And perhaps given the growing financial influence of the Warleggans, the magistrates might not be too quick to do anything to them.

[butterly17]

Ross was a real horses ass most of the night. It seems like at one point he had planned to be really nice to Demelza and surprise her with a new ballgown, and jewelry at the ball itself. And then Jim died, and Ross went to the bottle, and the evening went to hell.

This episode had a lot of foreboding in it, and I think the shit will soon hit the fan, in a lot of ways.

[Kat]

That Keren woman is THE. WORST. Her behavior with Enys, and especially her bitchiness towards Demelza made me so angry. Girl, bye.

I need Keren to have her comeuppance without Enys, Marc, or Ross & Demelza getting hurt in any way.

 

I find the character of George Warleggan to be so fascinating. There's something deep there that I hope gets tapped in later episodes.

[Llywela]

BTW, does anyone know if the Poldark books are available in e-reader form?  I've been trying to find it, since I've never read the books, but I can't seem to find it in e-book form. 

All 12 novels are definitely available for the Kindle on Amazon - that's how I first got hold of them. I don't know about other e-readers, though.

[butterly17]

Keren... has such an off-putting vibe for me. Like could Mark really be that dumb just beacuse of boobs? Let's face it that's really all Keren has going for her.

(I also find something very modern about the actress.... I feel like she should be smacking gum at a mall with a muffin top, instead of in a period piece)

[shandy]

I also loved the extended ball scenes, and admired how sure footed Demelza has become among the petty nobility of Cornwall. They obviously want Elizabeth to grow on us, and indeed she does, think the adaptation is playing the long game here. The three actresses who play Demelza, Verity and Elizabeth were all at the top of their game - so many meaningful glances it could have been a Merchant Ivory production. 

 

I might say something stereotypical about the Irish if I'm not careful, but Aidan Turner plays drunk very convincingly. 

 

And what do I know, didn't think that frock would suit Demelza on seeing it all yellow in  its box, but boy was I wrong. It looked amazing. 

Edited July 27, 2015 by shandy

[Nampara]

They obviously want Elizabeth to grow on us, and indeed she does, think the adaptation is playing the long game here.

 

Elizabeth was shown defending Demelza against her mother's petty "scullery maid" charge with no other Poldarks around. That was an important character-defining scene, because the only explanation for Elizabeth's action is that she is genuinely trying to be fair and kind to Demelza, at least for the time being. The cynical Francis criticism that Elizabeth only wants to appear to be nice to Demelza, which perhaps the program wants us to consider seriously, cannot apply if neither Ross, nor Demelza, nor Francis, nor Verity observes Elizabeth's behavior.

[CalamityBoPeep]

Keren... has such an off-putting vibe for me. Like could Mark really be that dumb just beacuse of boobs? Let's face it that's really all Keren has going for her.

(I also find something very modern about the actress.... I feel like she should be smacking gum at a mall with a muffin top, instead of in a period piece)

 

I commented to my daughter during our viewing, that Keren looked and acted way too modern.  The expressions on her face just screamed "21st century".  I actively started comparing her manner to Demelza's, Elizabeth's and Verity's.  I hadn't really paid much attention, in all the years I've been watching period pieces, to how much restraint must be conveyed in an expression, in order to seem authentic to the 18th century.  But this actress managed to bring that point home, hard, just by sheer inability to manage it.  Even the commoners of the day, in our entertainment, generally have a guarded expression.

 

Also... no way that letter to Demelza comes back to bite her in the ass, huh?  If I were her, I'd burn that thing, right quick.  That was pretty idiotic for Blamey to acknowledge, in writing, her involvement in the situation with Verity, when just a little while ago, she was freaking out that Ross wouldn't want to see her talking to him, and wouldn't approve of what she's doing.  Gee, thanks, fella.  Way to be discreet.

[JudyObscure]

That was pretty idiotic for Blamey to acknowledge, in writing, her involvement in the situation with Verity, when just a little while ago, she was freaking out that Ross wouldn't want to see her talking to him, and wouldn't approve of what she's doing. Gee, thanks, fella. Way to be discreet.

That is right! I think I'm starting to hate the guy. Did anyone catch what Verity said about him just before she said that he didn't glance back at her so she knows it's over?