Sunday, June 28, 2015

The Droughtlander Get Through It Initiative Presents: Poldark Episodes 1&2, A Recap

Hello my lovely followers. I've not updated this blog in quite a few weeks, since Outlander ended, and have been very busy house hunting but today I intend to recap and explore the world of Poldark. I call it the Droughtlander Get Through It Initiative because we've got way to much time on our hands with no new Outlander and no scenes or sneak peaks. So then, I shall discuss Poldark.

Now usually, as Americans, we see only the winning side of the war for Independence. This is completely different in that we see it from the point of view of a British soldier named Ross Poldark. He recognizes that the war is a waste of time and returns home only to find his beloved Elizabeth engaged to his cousin Francis, and his dear father dead, and his mine all dried up. He has nothing. No love, no fortune, and only a bit of land with tenant houses falling apart and two lazy servants. It's a rough start for sure, for a man coming back from the war in the colonies and he drinks quite a bit. Drowning ones self in sorrow is certainly the best way to do things I imagine. But seriously though, his house is a fucking wreck when he gets home. He gets his revenge by tossing some cold ass water on those two lazy bones and makes them clean the house "til it shines like the top of the Chrysler building."


Also, the male servant has quite the accent. "T'ain't right, t'ain't fit, t'ain't fair, and t'ain't friendly." Also he really needs to discover what a toothbrush looks like. -Shudder-. 

I will say in comparison to the great job done so far as setting and costume design by Outlander, this Masterpiece Classic Production obviously suffers from a very limited budget. Ross' scar looks like someone drew it on with a sharpie but then again, we can't all have fantastic budgets like Outlander

Much like Outlander, however, it shows beautiful scenery and setting. Cornwall as much a character as Poldark and his dear Elizabeth. Elizabeth seems to want to marry Ross, but her mother manages to convince her that Ross is broke as hell and it's better to be rich with a good and adoring husband than a poor one that she might love. 

I have learned that mining is very much the core of Cornwall economics. When mine's dry up there is nothing left and your house falls into debt. 

Needing money, Ross goes to Market day in town and nearly sells the ring that had belonged to Elizabeth, and what he had kept for himself during the war, and while there, comes across a redheaded girl fighting to get her dog back from the fighting pits. She's obviously well abused by her father and older brothers and so Ross offers her a job as his servant and is none to gentle about the initation. 

I mean, he ducks her head under a pump and scrubs her red hair clean. The old lazy servants don't like her but Ross Poldark, honestly, doesn't give two shits. He's pretty rough and gruff, but one can tell he actually has a kind heart. Considering the life he's come to find after nearly getting himself killed in the colonies, I don't blame him for being a little less than friendly and more like your local friendly porcupine. 

His Uncle offers him money to relocate and he seriously considers it but after fighting off Demelza's crazy ass family. Seriously they are the Cornwall Rednecks, and if this were set in Appalachia, they'd be chewing tobacco and rearing up their chainsaws. Well, Ross and the old servant win the battle and beat them off and Ross retrieves Demelza after she runs off. Not exactly sure if that's legal or not, but hey, it's fiction. And so ends episode one. 

Note: At the end of this episode Demelza really made me think about The Swiss Family Robinson. Her costumes and accent reminds me well of Roberta before Ernst and Francis realized that Roberta was actually a woman. Also it's such a shame that Poldark has a season two because the girl that plays Demelza would be PERFECT as Brianna Randall Fraser but I digress. 

So we begin episode two. So now then we know that he decided to stay instead of heeding his Uncle and moving on to London and Demelza is his kitchen maid. I had got the distinct impression before watching this show that she was his bond servant but I guess I was wrong. They certainly did make that impression. It starts off with a mine being closed and suicide by Lord Bassett. we see a lot of Elizabeth thinking about Ross and Ross thinking about Elizabeth. Also, those two servants are still lazy cows and making Demelza do all the work and aren't to pleased with her. 

Verity, Poldark's cousin, wants him to attend a ball with her and she falls for a Captain whilst there and Elizabeth and Ross dance so well together and George puts thoughts of jealousy in Francis Poldark's head. Rightly so considering Elizabeth and Ross are hung up on each other. By the end of the night, Poldark wants Elizabeth, Elizabeth wants Poldark and so Poldark visits with the same whore that's fucking George and Elizabeth deals with a stare down of her husband. 

And then we get to see the sexiness that is Aiden Turner as he dances. We're all Demelza at this point, watching his naked ass swimming around. One of the times that I wished this was rated M for Mature so we could see some sexy man's naked backside. 

Francis is supposed to be making a deal with Ross opening a mine but his jealousy gets the better of him and so he refuses to join the discussion, instead playing cards with George and George manages to sucker the poor idiot. In the end Demelza manages to get quite a bit of fish and Ross get's his investments and he buys Demelza a pretty cloak and a nice dress, way better than the rags she was wearing. And then Elizabeth shows up and Demelza is so jealous. Poor thing. Judas, the old crotchety servant, really needs a kick to the face. 

Turns out that Verity is in love with a man that beat his wife to death but Verity tells him it's all really an accident and that she trusts the man so Ross helps Verity out like the good cousin he is. But then Francis and her daddy find out. Fucking A. Francis in all his glory is fucking losing it and challenges Verity's love to a duel. They both get shot but Francis gets the worst of it and in the end Verity loses her love and I don't think that's fucking fair. Poor girl get's a chance at happiness and her idiot brother takes it away. 

Good thing that Francis doesn't die, though the idiot deserves it for being so damned foolish and for shoving his sister around like a rag doll. Not fair that Verity has to give up her love just because her brother is a damn idiot. 

And then we find out that Elizabeth is pregnant and Ross looks like the rug is pulled out from under him but then decides to put himself to work in the mine. He tells Demelza she can return to her family if she wishes but she tells him that her home is here now. 

I have to say the second episode far outdid the first and it's certainly fast paced. Then again, they have to cram a book into eight episodes rather than sixteen. I would definitely recommend this for people who enjoy Outlander and will continue to recap it until it's conclusion. No funny stories or anything like that, just can't wait until next week. 

Until then Sassenachs. :D

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