S04.E07: Episode 7

[Meredith Quill]

Episode Synopsis:

The Poldarks, Enyses and Warleggans enjoy London's distractions. George dotes on Elizabeth, delighting at the prospect of an heir and announcing plans to host a charity ball, but their domestic bliss soon comesunder threat. At the Warleggan ball Adderley takes a fancy to Demelza, betting George he'll cuckold Ross within a month, which gives rise to deadly complications.

[Neurochick]

George, you got served, by Geoffrey Charles.

Monk should have quit while he was ahead.  Never shoot someone in the arm, who’s about to shoot you, you might jerk his arm and get shot in the groin.

Edited November 12, 2018 by Neurochick

[TiredMe]

Adderley was so gross. Creeping into Demelza room had me worried for a bit that she was going to be attacked. Glad it didn’t go there. And I’m glad he died so I don’t have to see his rapey looks at Demelza any longer. 

Woowee! Geoffrey Charles really busted one open! Hilarious. I love all the dramatic music too. Lol but seriously, how could George not see it himself. 

[dubbel zout]

Good lord, duels are stupid.

I don't know why Mama Wentworth doesn't just kick Morwenna to the curb. Mama Wentworth already has her grandson; why does she need Morwenna, whom she hates anyway?

Poor Morwenna, doomed to never enjoy sex again because of Ossie. 

I enjoyed the attorney general telling George to shove it.

2 minutes ago, Neurochick said:

George, you got served, by Geoffrey Charles.

Geoffrey Charles should have thought a little harder about what dropping that bomb might do to his mother. And he's likely lost his financial support from George, and it's not as if Ross has much money to spare to allow GC to galavant around London.

[Neurochick]

Maybe, but George had that bomb from Geoffrey Charles coming.  He’s a disgusting, small man.  The only reason Elizabeth has sex with him is because of $$$$.

[HoodlumSheep]

Not really impressed with the writing this episode.

I've honestly gotten really tired of the 'oh my gosh, valentine looks just like ross!' nonsense they keep shoving at us. Is it because they share the exact same hair-do? Like, does everyone in the show just ignore the fact that his mother has dark curly hair and verity has dark hair...and that he might just look like a poldark instead of just ross??? Heck if i saw that kid the first thing i'd say is that he got his hair from his momma.

George throwing those coins in ross' face...oddly enough, i'll allow it. He loves elizabeth and valentine very much, so him continually hearing these things probably hurts a great deal. One of the good things left about his character, imo.

Ross accepting the duel was dumb. Especially his non-chalant "i'll just practice tomorrow," attitude. He had pretty terrible aim.

Yes, adderley was a creep, but i did like the fact that he held true to the rules of the duel. I was half thinking he'd be one to turn and shoot early, so good on him and his second for keeping their word. 

Demelza, girl, you open the door only to see adderley waiting for you, and what do you do? Instead of immediately turning around and leaving you decide to enter further into the room and close the door behind you??? 

Glad to see demelza leaving london. I kept thinking about the poor children and townsfolk suffering while ross and demelza were waltzing around, acting like a giggly pair of newly weds eating strawberries. It could have to do with differing fortunes, but notice how george and elizabeth brought valentine with them instead of ditching him...

Edited November 12, 2018 by HoodlumSheep

[nodorothyparker]

8 minutes ago, HoodlumSheep said:

Like, does everyone in the show just ignore the fact that his mother has dark curly hair and verity has dark hair...and that he might just look like a poldark instead of just ross???

Valentine's not supposed to be a Poldark at all.  That's the problem.  Elizabeth was only a Poldark by marriage.  She was a Chenowyth, George is a Warleggan, and Valentine is supposed to be a combination of the two.  Geoffrey Charles had no way of knowing that Ross was in fact in the paternity pool or that George suspects it.  He'd recently visited Ross after his idiotic duel and thought it a great story so when he saw Valentine playing with his toy gun probably thought no further than that.

[JustDucky]

If Elizabeth had sense, she would have been exclaiming over how Valentine favors her side of the family since Day One.  (But then, she married George, so there's your sense.)

And I still want more for Geoffery Charles to do.  He didn't get in trouble this episode, but boy did he cause it.  If they had to age him, why couldn't they give him something interesting to do?  (Is Rosina still around?  Doesn't his fancy-pants school have a student government?  Does he like doing needlecraft?  Something...)

Ross is a fool (see: duel), and rolling around with him since scene one made it rub off on Demelza.  Some slimeball oozes his way into your room, and you close the door?  Girl.  There's not picking up on social cues, and there's not picking up on any cues.

And surely, as she's related to Elizabeth (or is it George?), Morwenna could have told Mama Pigface to shove it (not in so many words, but) and been able to claim a bed somewhere.  Unfortunately, I can see her son coming back next season with a case of Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome and a bad attitude about her.  

[voiceover]

Not a fan of this ep, which had everyone (save Caroline&Dwight) drinking from Teh Stupid Cup.

Adderly?  Eeeyyeeeuuuwww.  I'm glad that there wasn't another rape story to add to Morwenna's, but saints preserve us from yet another dick-measuring contest.

Demelza? Come. On!  I'd've bought into the whole "I'm just too nice a person" bit, if this was earlier in her marriage -- before her affair; before we'd witnessed other men hit on her.  But where was her "miner's daughter" toughness, the first time Black Adder-ly gave her a paw?  I was very disappointed.  

George?  Evidently Elizabeth has to have a board tattooed with "Not a zero-sum game", so that every time you pull that Wile E Coyote crap, she can smack you with it & leave an imprint.  And maybe you'll read the imprint often enough, it'll get through to you.

Ross?  I'm satisfied that yours is the biggest in town.  Put it away and do something else with your life.

Geoffrey Charles enjoys poking his stepfather, but that was dumb.  IIRC: 

Spoiler

Neither the book nor previous series did more than vaguely insinuate Ross as V's father; both dropped that sl.

 

Funny that Adrian Lukis had a turn tonight as the AG who put George in his place.  If he'd made it to the story sooner, he might've talked Adderly into being more like his George Wickham: a deceiver and a flirt, but never one to push his company where it wasn't desired.  Difference in authors, no doubt.

Edited November 13, 2018 by voiceover

[HoodlumSheep]

50 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

Valentine's not supposed to be a Poldark at all.  That's the problem.  Elizabeth was only a Poldark by marriage.  She was a Chenowyth, George is a Warleggan, and Valentine is supposed to be a combination of the two.  Geoffrey Charles had no way of knowing that Ross was in fact in the paternity pool or that George suspects it.  He'd recently visited Ross after his idiotic duel and thought it a great story so when he saw Valentine playing with his toy gun probably thought no further than that.

I'm an idiot and keep forgetting that elizabeth isn't actually a poldark, so i'll throw all that out the window, so excuse me on that and thank you for correcting me. I'm probably reading into the jeffy-boy scene too much, and like you said he's pretty clueless about the real situation, but i still feel like this show is trying to push the whole 'he looks like a mini ross' thing which flat out doesn't work in this case because he looks like he took after his mom's side of the family (elizabeth, her mother, her cousin morwenna to boot). :/ it's very irksome. Had elizabeth been blonde or something it would have worked better. 

[HunterHunted]

1 hour ago, nodorothyparker said:

Valentine's not supposed to be a Poldark at all.  That's the problem.  Elizabeth was only a Poldark by marriage.  She was a Chenowyth, George is a Warleggan, and Valentine is supposed to be a combination of the two. 

56 minutes ago, JustDucky said:

If Elizabeth had sense, she would have been exclaiming over how Valentine favors her side of the family since Day One.  (But then, she married George, so there's your sense.)

 

Seriously. Elizabeth has dark hair. Morwenna has dark hair. Elizabeth's snobby mother had dark hair. Rowella's hair wasn't very dark, but it was pretty curly. Elizabeth could have explained all of that away by just referencing how her family looks. Instead she's been sort of sheepish and panicked every time it comes up.

1 hour ago, HoodlumSheep said:

Demelza, girl, you open the door only to see adderley waiting for you, and what do you do? Instead of immediately turning around and leaving you decide to enter further into the room and close the door behind you??? 

 

46 minutes ago, voiceover said:

Adderly?  Eeeyyeeeuuuwww.  I'm glad that there wasn't another rape story to add to Morwenna's, but saints preserve us from yet another dick-measuring contest.

Demelza? Come. On!  I'd've bought into the whole "I'm just too nice a person" bit, if this was earlier in her marriage -- before her affair; before we'd witnessed other men hit on her.  But where was her "miner's daughter" toughness, the first time Black Adder-ly gave her a paw?  I was very disappointed.

There's small town naivete and there's this foolishness. The man has had no issue with pawing on her in public and now breaks into her rooms. She should have walked right out and waited for Ross. This was a massive case of the dumbs.

Quote

George?  Evidently Elizabeth has to have a board tattooed with "Not a zero-sum game", so that every time you pull that Wile E Coyote crap, she can smack you with it & leave an imprint.  And maybe you'll read the imprint often enough, it'll get through to you.

I wonder if it ever occurs to George that the reason the upper class set doesn't like him is because he's boring and one note. If he isn't busy talking about elevating his own station, he's constantly complaining about and scheming to ruin Ross. Yawn. Who would bother hanging out with him?

Edited November 12, 2018 by HunterHunted

[TigerLynx]

Poor Demezla.  Ross is back to being an idiot and an ass, and I'm back to disliking him.

George is an idiot and an ass, and Adderly was an idiot and an ass.

Dwight is the only one of these men that is worthwhile.

I really hate Morwenna's mother-in-law.  It's bad enough men were constantly oppressing women.  Other women helping them do it is just depressing.

[JudyObscure]

8 hours ago, voiceover said:

 

Demelza? Come. On!  I'd've bought into the whole "I'm just too nice a person" bit, if this was earlier in her marriage -- before her affair; before we'd witnessed other men hit on her.  But where was her "miner's daughter" toughness, the first time Black Adder-ly gave her a paw?  I was very disappointed.

 

Seriously!  She must remember having to fight off the old dude who had put her in the red bedroom when she got all made up and  went to that party alone.  She must also be aware that some people still call her "Poldark's kitchen maid," and be on guard against those who think her back ground reflects on her morals.  Yes, where is the girl who wasn't afraid to fight off a group of hooligans to save her dog?

[Ohiopirate02]

8 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

Seriously. Elizabeth has dark hair. Morwenna has dark hair. Elizabeth's snobby mother had dark hair. Rowella's hair wasn't very dark, but it was pretty curly. Elizabeth could have explained all of that away by just referencing how her family looks. Instead she's been sort of sheepish and panicked every time it comes up.

 

 

I wonder if it ever occurs to George that the reason the upper class set doesn't like him is because he's boring and one note. If he isn't busy talking about elevating his own station, he's constantly complaining about and scheming to ruin Ross. Yawn. Who would bother hanging out with him?

The aristocracy and people of power on Parliament are never going to accept George as one of their own.  He is going to get pushback because he is not playing the game the way he is supposed to.  They were fine with Georgw when he was beholden to a patron,  but now he owns his own borough.   Men like George were not supposed to know that was a possibility.   This is why in the previous episode Sir Francis changed his mind about founding the new bank.  George is dangerous to the entrenched powers because he is a rich, free agent.  Of course in  this show, George is oblivious to this power struggle.  To him, they don't like him because his grandfather was a blacksmith.   It's a shame the show focuses on the soapy plotlines from the books instead of the political ones.  This is an interesting time in British politics that keeps getting short shrift.  

[Nolefan]

9 hours ago, voiceover said:

Ross?  I'm satisfied that yours is the biggest in town.  Put it away and do something else with your life.

Ha, ha.... I am not so sure about this due to the way Ross continues to behave. The man has some serious self esteem issues that have not improved one iota from S1 and this might explain things (How old is Ross supposed to be now?? He has the maturity of a 20 year old).

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

Seriously!  She must remember having to fight off the old dude who had put her in the red bedroom when she got all made up and  went to that party alone.  She must also be aware that some people still call her "Poldark's kitchen maid," and be on guard against those who think her back ground reflects on her morals.  Yes, where is the girl who wasn't afraid to fight off a group of hooligans to save her dog?

Can I keep the flowers?? Really, Demelza? Prior to last season, Demelza has always been portrayed as the smartest person in the room, and now that she is older and more experienced (with a history of cheating on her husband), she says something like this?

And I think George is suspicious of Valentine because of Aunt Agatha’s mocking comment to him. Elizabeth can explain about how she has the same curly hair and it won’t help a bit.

[voiceover]

10 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

 

I wonder if it ever occurs to George that the reason the upper class set doesn't like him is because he's boring and one note. If he isn't busy talking about elevating his own station, he's constantly complaining about and scheming to ruin Ross. Yawn. Who would bother hanging out with him?

Exactly.  Adrian Lukis's character twigged this within 30 seconds.  You felt, but didn't see, his eye roll.

Keep it up, George, and people are going to start moving their place cards to another table.

[dubbel zout]

11 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

I wonder if it ever occurs to George that the reason the upper class set doesn't like him is because he's boring and one note. If he isn't busy talking about elevating his own station, he's constantly complaining about and scheming to ruin Ross. Yawn. Who would bother hanging out with him?

George expects the upper class set to agree with him that Ross is unworthy of anyone's esteem, and I think most of them really couldn't care less. If Ross can be useful to them, fine; if not, as long as he doesn't actively cause them problems, they let Ross be Ross. George is constitutionally unable to let Ross be.

2 hours ago, Nolefan said:

Can I keep the flowers?? Really, Demelza?

And then she wonders why Ross is upset. Oof. But Ross isn't helping things here by ignoring Demelza's pleas for advice on how to act (however plot pointy). You can't have it both ways, Ross. Either help your wife out or shut it when she stumbles.

I do think a big reason Demelza didn't immediately shove Adderly out the door is because of his stature in London. Local prominence is a lot different from national prominence. That said, she was an idiot to just let him talk and sleaze on her.

[marceline]

So this episode was basically Dwight trying to give Ross good advice and him refusing to take it.

"Don't pick a fight with Adderly." (Picks fight with Adderly in the middle of the House)
"Don't duel Adderly." (Decides to duel Adderly in spite of being a mediocre shot.)
"Come on, just give Adderly his apology and we can all go home." (Lucks out and shoots Adderly)
"Okay you've shot him. Now run for it the way you agreed" ("Nope I'll stay right here until the carriage comes")
Adderly dies. "Now might be a good time for you to go back to Cornwall" ("Nope I'm going for a walkabout in London where I can pay George the money Adderly told me to in case I killed him.")

At this point I don't know why Dwight doesn't carry a bottle of chloroform so he can just knock Ross out instead of trying to reason with him.

But the award for Poldark player of the week must go to Geoffrey Charles for just blowing everyone's shit up.

I was distracted for part of the show, did we get a scene of Morwenna miscarrying? I feel like I missed something.

Edited November 14, 2018 by marceline

[dubbel zout]

11 minutes ago, marceline said:

I was distracted for part of the show, did we get a scene of Morwenna miscarrying? I feel like I missed something.

Sort of; there was a brief scene where we see her looking at blood on her hand.

[Nidratime]

Quote

But the award for Poldark player of the week must go to Geoffrey Charles for just blowing everyone's shit up.

He's a thoughtless kid, or maybe just utterly clueless. It's one thing to say such things and have his mother bear the brunt of them, but the other person who has and will suffer if George continues to have doubts is Valentine, a defenseless little boy.

[dubbel zout]

Yeah, that's why I can't cheer for Geoffrey Charles here. Just as it's not GC's fault Francis is his father, it's not Valentine's fault that Ross is his. But then, GC is 15 or 16, and thinking of others isn't always a strong point of teenagers.

[marceline]

Georffrey Charles has pretty much shown himself not to be the sharpest tool in the shed. The fact that he never noticed until now how much Valentine looks like Ross is evidence of that.

[ComeWhatMay]

Yes, Nidratime. If you are Geoffrey Charles, you know how much your stepfather hates Ross, so why say how much your brother looks like him? Not smart or thoughtful and I am not a fan.

[nodorothyparker]

Geoffrey Charles is a teenage boy and they're not always known for thinking through all the possible ramifications before speaking or acting.  Because he is a Poldark, it probably wouldn't have occurred to him that it would be a very bad thing to notice how much Valentine also looks like one until much later if he even connects that noticing with Round 57 of Stepfather George acting an ass and freezing them all out.  Yes, Elizabeth could have possibly headed a lot of this off years before had she really played up how much Valentine resembles all the curly headed dark haired Chenowyths in our cast, but she was apparently too busy staring out windows, setting up horrible arranged marriages, and slipping laudanum to think of it.  I will give Jack Farthing credit for looking like he'd just swallowed a gallon jug of poison whole in his encounter with Ross after flinging Adderley's wager back in his face.

No matter what, Ross is going to Ross.  He's supposed to be 40ish here and old enough to appreciate how utterly foolish the whole business with Adderley and the duel is, but he's proven repeatedly that he's not one to back down and it's barely even about Adderley at all.  Intellectually he knows that Demelza isn't going to be susceptible to Adderley's hard predatory oiliness but he's still smarting from the mess with Hugh and never being allowed to have a proper reaction to that and so behaves like a perfect idiot throughout.  It's only due to Dwight continuing to give advice he keeps trying to blow past and Adderley himself having enough presence of mind to cover things up even as he's dying that Ross isn't in jail or at the end of a rope.  Dwight's consternation at his friend refusing all good sense at every step of the way was well played.  You know it must be just exhausting some times being Ross's friend.

Demelza comes off only marginally better.  Sure, it's her first time in London and Caroline did tell her not to take Adderley seriously at all, but she's not a teenage bride struggling to find her place anymore.  She's 30ish with some experience of her own keeping forward men at arm's length.  I mean, really Demelza, you're shocked that Ross has some insecurity after the Hugh mess when you keep bringing it up every five minutes?  You are aware of who you're married to and how he can be counted on to go off half cocked sooner or later, right?

It took me a second to recognize Adrian Lukis as the thoroughly unimpressed attorney general.  He was George Wickham in the sublime '90s BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.  His dressing down of George after looking thoroughly bemused at hearing Adderley described as "a most promising young politician" was lovely.

"Death by misadventure" remains my favorite official cause of death in all of history or historical fiction.  It covers so many things.

[HunterHunted]

1 hour ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

The aristocracy and people of power on Parliament are never going to accept George as one of their own.  He is going to get pushback because he is not playing the game the way he is supposed to.  They were fine with George when he was beholden to a patron, but now he owns his own borough.   Men like George were not supposed to know that was a possibility.   This is why in the previous episode Sir Francis changed his mind about founding the new bank.  George is dangerous to the entrenched powers because he is a rich, free agent.  Of course in  this show, George is oblivious to this power struggle.  To him, they don't like him because his grandfather was a blacksmith.   It's a shame the show focuses on the soapy plotlines from the books instead of the political ones.  This is an interesting time in British politics that keeps getting short shrift.  

I absolutely agree. A couple of episodes ago, I said there is a long game, a short game, and George's game. A long game would recognize that George is unlikely to truly be considered a peer, but Valentine might and to ensure that the stage is set for Valentine to step into that role in 20 years, especially because Trenwith is not George's to pass along to his heirs. A short game would be exactly like all of George's money shenanigans to financially ruin the aristocracy and "betters." Realizing they are never going to accept him, George can just try to gain monetary advantages now. Or there's what George is doing. He has long term aspirations to elevate himself, Valentine, and the Warleggan family. However, his greed and pettiness don't ever take a back seat so he never stops undermining his other efforts by being short-sighted. 

[taanja]

22 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

"Death by misadventure" remains my favorite official cause of death in all of history or historical fiction.  It covers so many things.

Right!!! ^^ It's my new favorite thing!

I think Geoffrey Charles only said that the little boy Valentine looks like Ross because the boy was on a rocking horse pretending to shoot a pistol -- just like Geoffrey Charles had just seen Ross doing  -- not that he meant the spitting image of. But of course Elizabeth and George especially, took it to mean the spitting image of --as in physically looks like.

The Demelza and the smarmy dude scenes were weird because we have seen Demelza behave less--ditsy-- in earlier seasons. She suddenly regressed to an inexperienced 16 year old girl or something.

I actually liked the duel even though the whole premise is just so-- stupid man pride bullshit. 

[Nolefan]

2 hours ago, marceline said:

Georffrey Charles has pretty much shown himself not to be the sharpest tool in the shed. The fact that he never noticed until now how much Valentine looks like Ross is evidence of that.

I was also a little surprised by Geoffrey Charles’ loud mouth, especially because if Valentine is Ross’ child, we all know how society in that day and age would view Elizabeth, and I don’t think Geoffrey Charles would want people to view his mother that way.

[HunterHunted]

1 hour ago, nodorothyparker said:

"Death by misadventure" remains my favorite official cause of death in all of history or historical fiction.  It covers so many things.

1 hour ago, taanja said:

Right!!! ^^ It's my new favorite thing!

 

It's a very nice way of saying death because of dumb fuckery. One or more parties were busy doing something that could obviously result in injury or death and it resulted in death.

In a recent example, are you legally allowed to be a rapper and make videos? Yes. Are you legally allowed to do weird plane stunts? Yes. Are you allowed to do weird plane stunts while rapping? There's probably not a law on the books preventing it, but it's not a great idea. So when you are busy making a rap video while doing plane stunts, it's not a huge surprise when something goes wrong while shooting a rap video in mid air while doing plane stunts.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/24/canadian-rapper-dies-walking-on-wing-of-plane

[deirdra]

We always see crashing waves after a scene with Morwena the Mouthbreather.  I wish she would just throw herself in so we wouldn't have to see that constipated expression she is always wearing.  Drake would get over her faster if she were dead.

That is an excellent example of "death by misadventure", HunterHunted.

Edited November 13, 2018 by deirdra

[Ohwell]

Awww I kinda like Morwenna, even though she is mopey.  When she's regained some strength after the miscarriage, I'd like to see her wake up one morning, get dressed, pack a bag and go see Drake again, and they run off together.  

[TigerLynx]

Caroline and Elizabeth are way better at politics than Ross and George.  Dwight has the brains.

I know it won't happen because the show is called Poldark, but I really wanted Ross and Adderley to kill each other in the duel, and for George to get run over by his own carriage and horses.

Then Elizabeth and Demezla can go get Morwenna and her son, and they can be the three merry widows.

I got the impression Demezla was seeking guidance from Ross on how to deal with Adderley (as in is this how things are done in London, should I just laugh it off), and Ross being the passive-aggressive nitwit he is, instead put the flowers Adderley sent beside the bed, then snarked when Demezla thought they were from Ross.

[nodorothyparker]

8 minutes ago, TigerLynx said:

I got the impression Demezla was seeking guidance from Ross on how to deal with Adderley (as in is this how things are done in London, should I just laugh it off), and Ross being the passive-aggressive nitwit he is, instead put the flowers Adderley sent beside the bed, then snarked when Demezla thought they were from Ross.

That was my read too.  Putting everything else aside, Demelza in that scene is saying she's floundering about trying to figure out how to handle Adderley by London mores and you've been here.  What should I be doing?  How should I behave instead?  But Ross either misses it entirely or chooses to be a snarky ass instead and tells her she knows perfectly well how to behave when she so clearly doesn't.

[voiceover]

I'm sad that no one caught my "Black Adder-ly" joke.  Am I the oldest person in this thread??

[Ohwell]

I had a little sympathy for Demelza trying to navigate around  Adderley's antics, and the London mores--but when she stupidly asked if she could keep the flowers, knowing they were from that creep, I was done with her.  Ross might be passive-aggressive or whatever, but Demelza feigns innocence and likes male attention and she doesn't care who she gets it from.  

[izabella]

Demelza wasn't born yesterday, so I can't believe she didn't know what to do, or that there's a middle ground between letting him flirt with her and punching him.  I'm sure Caroline could have given her some tips, especially since she warned Demelza about him.   Wanting to keep Adderley's flowers was over the top stupid.

Morwenna's storyline has just been horrific.  Why can't she get a break?  When she first showed up to talk to Drake, I thought she was there to run away with him, but no. 

[Pestilentia]

Maybe I'm just cranky but Demelza annoyed me no end this episode- her whole "Poor me I've never been to the city before and don't know how to behave" BS caused a whole heap of trouble and I blame her for it 100%. She can't be that stupid, she just can't.   And Ross isn't far behind either- the way Ennys spoke it seemed perfectly acceptable for Ross to simply decline the invitation (so to speak) but no... he had to accept and take part in that ridiculous duel. Over nothing.  

I swear- I want to watch the Dwight and Carolyn show. It's a sad episode when gloomy Morwenna makes the most sense of anyone with her "It was for the best."  

And George couldn't have been all that surprised at Jeffrey Charles' comment about Valentine- he spent so long questioning the "eight months baby" and I think he would have called that doubt back up a time or two as Valentine grew. Nice hobby horse, though.

[gaucho91]

11 hours ago, voiceover said:

I'm sad that no one caught my "Black Adder-ly" joke.  Am I the oldest person in this thread??

I love Black Adder!!!

[voiceover]

*whew*

 

 

Throwing in a supplemental comment...Dwight & Caroline appear to have one of those "it works for them" marriages.  I give credit to Dwight's level-headedness and Caro's brittle sophistication.  He knows she truly loves him; she is able to brush off amorous suitors like lint.  Ross & Demelza: take a page from that book!!

[TigerLynx]

Dwight and Caroline are a great couple.  Caroline gives Dwight tips about how to deal with the London crowd without making Dwight feel like less than himself.  Dwight also listens to people, and gives great advice.  Unfortunately, it falls on deaf ears.

Contrast that with Demezla/Ross and Elizabeth/George.  Demezla asks Ross for guidance, and doesn't get any.  Elizabeth tries to give George advice, he pretends to listen to her, and then goes and makes a fool of himself.

[lucindabelle]

I too really love watching Caroline and Dwight. Their little scene about Horace was just too charming and just too cute.

I don’t know if it was the writing or the acting But I feel like what we were supposed to see was a girl with country manners and a charming Louche aristocrat. Instead, I saw Demelza acting bizarrely out of character, especially when we saw her just a couple of weeks ago slyly being all political. We have seen her reject men before, and she has been to fancy parties before. Yes they were not in London, but they were full of fancy people. And the luge aristocrat was disgusting. I can’t imagine any upper-class women finding that remotely attractive. He was not handsome enough to pull off that absolute sliminess

I’m also really tired of the “can this marriage be saved” trope. 

 

Television cliche: close up on a person waking up on a pillow. Whenever you see a close up like that it’s a dead giveaway they are going to roll over to an empty bed. 

[CTrent29]

Quote

I’m also really tired of the “can this marriage be saved” trope. 

 

That's more or less the natural state of marriage.

[Pestilentia]

1 hour ago, CTrent29 said:

That's more or less the natural state of marriage.

Nah, it's just the happy people don't post about it a lot. 

I'm 28 years in and very happy.

[spaceghostess]

ICAM with everyone here that accepting the challenge was utter--and utterly predictable--hot-headed stupidity from Ross. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed the scene in the House which led up to it. You know how George, when stewing over Ross or anything Ross-related, looks like he's chewing, swallowing, and regurgitating broken glass? Take a look at Ross sitting there steaming after Adderly sits on his gloves and is rude about Demelza. Then look at George with his bowl of popcorn, just counting down the seconds before Ross blows a gasket. Sure, George is, was, and probably always will be a total dick, but I found that turnabout hysterical.

Dwight, Caroline, and Horace scenes are quirky in the best way. I haven't read the books, and find myself wondering if that little household was written as charmingly as it comes across on the show.

Morwenna's mom-in-law is the worst, but Rebecca Front is the best and I love her forever.

[dubbel zout]

8 hours ago, spaceghostess said:

Morwenna's mom-in-law is the worst, but Rebecca Front is the best and I love her forever.

So much of the acting is so, so good on this show. The terrible people are truly awful, heh.

[CTrent29]

On 11/14/2018 at 11:45 AM, Pestilentia said:

Nah, it's just the happy people don't post about it a lot. 

I'm 28 years in and very happy.

Give it time.  There is no such thing as a problem free marriage.

[lucindabelle]

28 years is time, I'd say. :)

 

Whether or not that's true re marriage it doesn't make for interesting television. I am tired of it, as much as I get tired of "will they won't they" when attractive people are paired in a work comedy.

Demelza was really out of character this episode.

[Moxie Cat]

On November 11, 2018 at 11:56 PM, HoodlumSheep said:

Had elizabeth been blonde or something it would have worked better. 

Maybe I'm misremembering but (hiding in case not allowed)

Spoiler

Wasn't Elizabeth blonde in the books and/or the older series? I've always thought that the issue of Valentine's looks don't make any sense in this series, given that Elizabeth's hair is just as dark and curly. If mom were blonde, it would be way more of a visible issue.

[Rap541]

On ‎11‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 5:54 PM, voiceover said:

I'm sad that no one caught my "Black Adder-ly" joke.  Am I the oldest person in this thread??

Maybe? I know you're referring to a British show (maybe) that my mom thought was dirty when I was six....

In fairness, this is the same woman who thought Little House on the Prairie, with it's many many rapes, murders, and straight up burning people to death was a great family show....

To keep vaguely on topic, Geoffrey Charles is clearly Francis's boy in his all around stupidity. I mean, George hates Ross so much that Ross can't even visit his nephew but Geoffrey Charles thinks pointing out how step dad's kid looks just like Ross will go over well?

Agree though that a really valid argument can be made that Valentine favors his Chenowith mother.  While Geoffrey Charles, an actual Poldark, could easily pass as George's son.

[Llywela]

4 hours ago, Moxie Cat said:

Maybe I'm misremembering but (hiding in case not allowed)

  Hide contents

Wasn't Elizabeth blonde in the books and/or the older series? I've always thought that the issue of Valentine's looks don't make any sense in this series, given that Elizabeth's hair is just as dark and curly. If mom were blonde, it would be way more of a visible issue.

Yes.

Spoiler

Elizabeth is very blonde in the books (Demelza is the brunette and Caroline the redhead - the show has switched them all around). George, on the other hand, is dark-haired in the books, but has a very different physical appearance than Ross - George comes from a long line of blacksmiths and looks it, he is a big man, thick-set and stocky, in direct contrast to the tiny, willowy, blond George in the show. In the book, Valentine's dark hair could have just as easily come from George as Ross, and it could be argued that his wiry build came from Elizabeth, so it really isn't obvious that he isn't George's child, and that uncertainty, without any way of proving it one way or another, is something all the characters have to live with. The show is making much more of the  supposed resemblance than the books did at this stage - apart from thoughtless Geoffrey Charles commenting on it one time in front of George, which is straight from the book!

Edited November 18, 2018 by Llywela

[seacliffsal]

I have gone back and forth on all of the characters throughout the series.  However, I am pretty much over Demelza at this point.  She has dealt with flirtatious advances before and has shown that she enjoys attention.  It was especially galling that right before Adderly swooped in on her Caroline directly told her not to believe anything that he said after which he said that in London married couples eat with others (not their spouses), etc.  Excuse me, but Caroline just said don't believe him and Demelza believes him.  Then, allowing him to hold her shoulder and run his fingers along her arm while they were gambling.  On top of which she wants to keep his flowers, and when uncomfortable with him in the room upon entering it, she left the door and went into the interior of the room.  I am not "victim blaming" but I am confused as to why she was so willing to entertain his attention.  As to why Ross didn't provide "guidance" for her behavior-it's been clear that she has rejected anything he ever said about poet-boy, so I think he was kind of in a lose-lose situation (and, I don't by any means support everything he does either).  As for the duel?  Ridiculous.  Ross felt slighted by Adderly's attention to Demelza (and her allowing it) and wanted to prove his manliness-get over it Ross.  

I did wonder why Demelza didn't talk to Caroline more about Adderly if she was so concerned.  Even Horace saw through Adderly's actions.