S03.E03: Episode 3

[Possum]

This episode was weaker than last week's double.  It was very predictable.  George acted exactly as anyone would predict he would as magistrate, which was as a complete jerk.  As soon as I saw the barmaid in France, I knew she would turn in Ross.  I grew tired of the storyline in France very quickly. It was a little too brutal than it needed to be, we get it, it's a murdering rat hole.  Finally my biggest beef, there wasn't enough Agatha getting under George's reptilian skin.

Some of the better parts of the show were Demelza and Prudie bonding over kneading bread dough and Demelza claiming her rights as wife.  Whether she would have been able to do this with most of the husbands of that time is probably unrealistic, but it has a place in this show.  Morwenna and Drake have a sweet storyline and I like that little GC is playing cupid.

I have never liked Elizabeth, but at least she had a look of horror on her face when George erroneously sentenced the young girl.  Was that look due to her being fearful of what George might do to her should he suspect that Ross fathered Valentine?  Was that look meant to convey her wondering what type of monster she married?  I would like to think it was because she felt badly for the young girl, but with Elizabeth being a "me, me, me" type of person, I doubt that's the case.  My money is on it made her more fearful of how George would react if he had any inkling that Ross fathered Valentine.  Her fear probably is what made her want to leave with George because away from the big house, there would be no one to place doubts in his head.  With Geoffrey Charles commenting on Valentine's looks, he had to be sacrificed.  Although Elizabeth loves GC, she loves herself more.  Fortunately for GC, being left behind is the best thing she could have done for him.

I'm hoping Dwight is rescued next week, partly because I like him and partly because I don't want to see any more of the brutality.

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

The way he constantly juts out his chin, pointed to the sky, and his generally prissy manner, is suggestive of someone to-the-manor-born for dozens of generations.  That's clearly not who the character of George is supposed to be.

Totally disagree. George is aping the worst behavior of the landed class because he's so desperate to be accepted by it. He also thinks this behavior will make the "vulgars" afraid of him. They are, to a degree, but they laugh at him behind his back. They certainly don't respect him the way they respect Ross, or even how they respected Francis.

[Neurochick]

1 hour ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Still say the actor who plays George is terribly miscast.  The way he constantly juts out his chin, pointed to the sky, and his generally prissy manner, is suggestive of someone to-the-manor-born for dozens of generations.  That's clearly not who the character of George is supposed to be.

I SO agree with this.  George should be played by a Tom Hardy type; George is supposed to be quite stocky.  This guy looked like even I could kick his ass.

[JudyObscure]

2 hours ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Jeez Louise, Demelza was giving an awful lot of cleavage in this ep.  Was it supposed to be cuz of the pregnancy -- or were the costumers eager to show off Eleanor's boobies?

I noticed that last week, too. I seem to recall her being extremely small in past seasons so maybe  it's something new for the actress and we're supposed to think her pregnancies have filled her out.

[LJones41]

The scene regarding George and the accused rapist, along with Elizabeth taking laudanum was the last straw.  I think Debbie Horsfield is trying to re-write "The Black Moon" and not merely adapt it. 

 

Quote

They certainly don't respect him the way they respect Ross, or even how they respected Francis.

 

I certainly don't respect those two.

[ScoobieDoobs]

8 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Totally disagree. George is aping the worst behavior of the landed class because he's so desperate to be accepted by it. He also thinks this behavior will make the "vulgars" afraid of him. They are, to a degree, but they laugh at him behind his back. They certainly don't respect him the way they respect Ross, or even how they respected Francis.

Actually, I agree with you -- to an extent.  The actor who plays George is really an excellent actor.  Many aspects of George's character, he gets totally right.  The hatred of & competition with Ross & the easy way he can make us find him utterly awful?  Perfect!

But I still think he's miscast because he is physically wrong for this part.  He just . . . well, is.  First off, this actor's manner is just so darned elegant.  This guy is a natural class act all the way.  George should be played by someone who looks like a nouveau riche boob, who is trying desperately & painfully & obviously hard to look like he's from the upper class.  That's not this George at all.  This George looks as royal as Prince Harry -- maybe more so.

And George should be more physically imposing than this actor.  I mean, seriously, Aunt Agatha looks like she could easily beat him senseless.  Altho, that feisty old gal looks like she could pack a mean punch, doesn't she?

Edited October 11, 2017 by ScoobieDoobs

[ScoobieDoobs]

That scene where Ross was beating up what looked like 800 Frenchies, all on his own, was just a wee bit much.  What's next for Ross?  Is he gonna throw on a Batman cape & mask?

[pasdetrois]

I'm just catching up on this season. When did they all start talking like they are in a Jabberwocky poem?

[Arwen Evenstar]

George is Toad of Toad Hall

[JudyObscure]

George is perfect for me.  I laugh at, pity and hate him in equal measures.  I picture him at his posh school trying to lose the manners he learned from his father,  while copying Ross and  Francis, all the while unaware that what they do naturally he exaggerates to a silly degree. He reminds me of myself as a little girl playing tea-party with pinky finger stuck out, making prissy remarks about the delightful Oreos.  If Elizabeth was a better person  she might gently improve him, but she only makes him worse.  I couldn't believe she had sunk so low as to overlook what he did to the rape victim just so they could go to somebody's banquet.  How I wish she had overheard Ross telling Demelza that his night with Elizabeth hadn't live up to his fantasy.

[ScoobieDoobs]

Well, the actor who plays George is playing him to the satirical hilt, so it does make him a hoot to watch, rather than being as horrified as we should be.

Now, if this were the '70's, Carol Burnett would be playing Elizabeth, with a dopey wig plopped on her head & swigging a big jug of whiskey, while Harvey Korman, as George, would be twirling a moustache.  And maybe Tim Conway in his old man routine, playing Ross -- with a Batman cape & mask?  Oh, & Vicki Lawrence in a long red curly wig & doing a squeaky bimbo voice, as Demelza?

[GHScorpiosRule]

53 minutes ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Well, the actor who plays George is playing him to the satirical hilt, so it does make him a hoot to watch, rather than being as horrified as we should be.

I see no satire or irony in how George is being played. All I see is the stereotypical, broad villain, and all he's lacking is a moustache to twirl and a the prerequisite evuhl laugh.

55 minutes ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Now, if this were the '70's, Carol Burnett would be playing Elizabeth, with a dopey wig plopped on her head & swigging a big jug of whiskey, while Harvey Korman, as George, would be twirling a moustache.  And maybe Tim Conway in his old man routine, playing Ross -- with a Batman cape & mask?  Oh, & Vicki Lawrence in a long red curly wig & doing a squeaky bimbo voice, as Demelza?

I'm not sure what you mean? Because if it was the 70's, well, we had other actors who actually played these characters.

[Llywela]

3 hours ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Well, the actor who plays George is playing him to the satirical hilt, so it does make him a hoot to watch, rather than being as horrified as we should be.

Now, if this were the '70's, Carol Burnett would be playing Elizabeth, with a dopey wig plopped on her head & swigging a big jug of whiskey, while Harvey Korman, as George, would be twirling a moustache.  And maybe Tim Conway in his old man routine, playing Ross -- with a Batman cape & mask?  Oh, & Vicki Lawrence in a long red curly wig & doing a squeaky bimbo voice, as Demelza?

 

2 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I'm not sure what you mean? Because if it was the 70's, well, we had other actors who actually played these characters.

Yes, the 70s adaptation is absolutely delightful, with excellent actors - working to the style of the time and within the limits of the production values available to them, to be sure, but excellent actors in an excellent drama, the popularity of which inspired this version in more ways than one. It certainly wasn't played as an exaggerated farce, as implied above. Both adaptations have a lot to recommend them - they both make changes to the source material, and they sometimes make different choices about how to adapt the text to the screen, but such scorn for the previous adaptation is uncalled for - and untrue!

[GHScorpiosRule]

56 minutes ago, Llywela said:

 

Yes, the 70s adaptation is absolutely delightful, with excellent actors - working to the style of the time and within the limits of the production values available to them, to be sure, but excellent actors in an excellent drama, the popularity of which inspired this version in more ways than one. It certainly wasn't played as an exaggerated farce, as implied above. Both adaptations have a lot to recommend them - they both make changes to the source material, and they sometimes make different choices about how to adapt the text to the screen, but such scorn for the previous adaptation is uncalled for - and untrue!

Though I never saw the original, I've heard nothing but good things about it. I may check it out once this season is done.

[nodorothyparker]

George's portrayal isn't satirical as much as it is someone putting on all the airs and exaggerated mannerisms of the class to which he so desperately aspires.   He's a classic try-hard attempting to buy his way into being fashionable.  This is, after all, not long after a verse of "Yankee Doodle" famously made fun of a would-be dandy who tried to pass off a DIY feathered hat for properly dressed hair.

[Arwen Evenstar]

As odious as I find George Warleggan, I have to say Jack Farthing has done an excellent job of portraying such a toffee nosed fop. George carries through his life the grudge of not having been allowed a seat at the cool kids' table.

[Casually Observant]

On 10/9/2017 at 4:32 AM, nara said:

It wasn't his complexion, but his hair coloring, I believe, to which Geoffrey Charles was referring.

 

George looked like he was sexually aroused when he was passing the sentence.  What an sadistic jackass!

***********

I don't know why Geoffrey Charles was so concerned with baby Valentine's coloring. I mean, his mother has dark hair, blue eyes and light skin just like Valentine's. Why would he not think it would be normal for the boy to look like his mother? Clearly, they are trying to cast suspicion, but the child would have to be olive complected, dark eyed, very dark haired and curly headed to make that argument.

Re George's expression after he passed his judgments:  The initial pride and superiority he felt as the new magistrate was diminished when he unexpectedly experienced the large group of angry and horrified victims of his brand of justice. I think he brushed off that brief moment of empathy or guilt at least publicly, and would never admit to it.

[Casually Observant]

On 10/10/2017 at 2:43 PM, ScoobieDoobs said:

That French dame was a spy, so her creepy, stalkerish eye-balling Ross was totally with the intention of luring him & spying on him.  Was she actually attracted to Ross & wanted him to bang her?  That may have only been in his head.  Man, he can be such a lunkhead jerk with an inflated ego.

I disagree. She was definitely giving him the seductress' eye.  This usually happens to Ross in this show, the ladies all seem to find him attractive. But, was she a spy, too?  Yes.  Probably.

Jeez Louise, Demelza was giving an awful lot of cleavage in this ep.  Was it supposed to be cuz of the pregnancy -- or were the costumers eager to show off Eleanor's boobies?

Showin' off the boobies, for sure.

Caroline didn't bug me in this ep -- at least not much as she usually does, altho she was too weepy for me.  That actress still gives off way too much smugginess in her line readings.  It's kinda icky.

Huh.  I find the actress perfectly cast and appropriate in her actions. She was weeping for a good reason.  I think she and Doc Enys are just beautiful together.

The Carne brothers?  Meh, I'm bored by both of 'em.  You must be a male.  We females are enjoying the Carne brothers!

Still say the actor who plays George is terribly miscast.  The way he constantly juts out his chin, pointed to the sky, and his generally prissy manner, is suggestive of someone to-the-manor-born for dozens of generations.  That's clearly not who the character of George is supposed to be.  

Funny you say this.  I knew someone years ago that looked quite a bit like George (but with modern haircut and such) and was a blue collar, dyslexic, wrong-side-of-the-tracks person turned wealthy in the construction trade.  He acted eerily similarly to George's depiction.  Uncanny, actually.  Fell hard for a girl that was way out of his league. Stalked her at every turn.  Gave grandiose gifts to obligate her and her parents to him. Always suspicious that others didn't think he was good enough. Bragged excessively.  Walked with his chest puffed out and an exaggerated swagger. Misinterpreted normal comments as negative. Blamed others constantly for any misfortune he experienced.  Held serious, deep grudges. Once he finally got that girl, he went about trying to separate her from all of her loved ones and then demanded her obedience and submission and then resorted to abuse when she objected to his controlling behavior.  Just like George. I find it fascinating as the depiction is dead on.

[purist]

1 hour ago, Casually Observant said:

You must be a male.  We females are enjoying the Carne brothers!

Hmm. Heteronormative, much?

 

1 hour ago, Casually Observant said:

This usually happens to Ross in this show, the ladies all seem to find him attractive.

I'd wager some of the men do too. :)

[nara]

4 hours ago, Casually Observant said:

I don't know why Geoffrey Charles was so concerned with baby Valentine's coloring. I mean, his mother has dark hair, blue eyes and light skin just like Valentine's. Why would he not think it would be normal for the boy to look like his mother? Clearly, they are trying to cast suspicion, but the child would have to be olive complected, dark eyed, very dark haired and curly headed to make that argument.

 

I don’t think he was concerned. He just commented that Valentine did not look at all like him (Geoffrey Charles), which is true. 

[Casually Observant]

9 hours ago, purist said:

Hmm. Heteronormative, much?

I'd wager some of the men do too. :)

Yes, I am a hetero female. I assume the writer who disliked the Carne bros. was a hetero male. If he was a homo male, he would like them. I just calls it as I sees it.

[ScoobieDoobs]

10 hours ago, Casually Observant said:

Yes, I am a hetero female. I assume the writer who disliked the Carne bros. was a hetero male. If he was a homo male, he would like them. I just calls it as I sees it.

Er, gay male here & I find boring both Carne brothers boring as hell.  I'm indifferent to both actors' looks.  The storyline for both is meh too.  I'm wondering if this is following the book & the first version (from the '70's).  But hey, if things get interesting for them, OK, let's see.  Right now?  Yawn.

[Jacks-Son]

Another fallacy exposed! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[Ceindreadh]

9 hours ago, ScoobieDoobs said:

Er, gay male here & I find boring both Carne brothers boring as hell.  I'm indifferent to both actors' looks.  The storyline for both is meh too.  I'm wondering if this is following the book & the first version (from the '70's).  But hey, if things get interesting for them, OK, let's see.  Right now?  Yawn.

I keep forgetting which one is which and only remembering because I know which storyline they’re each in. 

[jzygayle]

On 6/26/2017 at 11:26 PM, NorthstarATL said:

No closed-captioning here either, but he basically called out Valentine for not looking like George, which, while amusing, and totally something Agatha can and has said, makes little sense for a kid with no knowledge of biology or genetics.

I just figured Geoffrey Charles had done like many kids do--he'd sussed out a point that George was sensitive about (the baby looking like him) and finding any excuse to point out that the child does NOT look like George.  For a kid GC's age, it's probably easy enough to just assume the baby looks more like Mom's side of the family--the part that GC is related to--and not George's--the part GC shares no ancestry with.  Because I really don't see any indication that GC dislikes the child (other than its association with George).

[jzygayle]

On 10/15/2017 at 1:21 PM, Casually Observant said:

Yes, I am a hetero female. I assume the writer who disliked the Carne bros. was a hetero male. If he was a homo male, he would like them. I just calls it as I sees it.

Hetero female here.  The Carne brothers aren't doing much for me.  (though the older brother shows a bit of promise if we could stop with all the cow eyes younger brother and the governess are making at each other.....)

[Reiki]

While Ross may be physically attractive, he lost all appeal for me when he became a rapist.

[Arwen Evenstar]

3 hours ago, Reiki said:

While Ross may be physically attractive, he lost all appeal for me when he became a rapist.

Back in the day, they  likely would not have considered Ross’ behavior towards Elizabeth to be rape owing to societal attitudes of the times, though we know better today that that’s exactly what it was.  Just because she stopped fighting, didn't mean she said yes.  She was a gentlewoman and she knew any sex outside of marriage could easily cause her to be “up the duff” and she knew Francis had been gone too long to write any pregnancy off as by him.  

When Elizabeth told Aunt Agatha that “Ross took something from me that was not rightfully his” said it all.  Back then, women likely did not report rapes, because of the scandal and the shame it brought upon them and their families.  Even today, women still sadly all to often, don’t come forward.