Hello all and welcome once more to the weekly recap of Poldark, as part of the "Get Through It" Droughtlander Initiative. It certainly has made the last month go by a wee bit faster, having something to look forward to each week. When we last left our hero and heroine, they had gotten married after two years of swirling rumors that they were lovers. Not long after Demelza pretty much seduced him, Ross came to the conclusion that he could not let her be his servant any longer and so she became his wife. This episode, focused on their relationship as a growing married couple, and also Ross' decision to marry someone considered "beneath his station." After all, he is very much a gentleman and she is a mere kitchenmaid. And so, that's exactly what this episode explores.
Demelza's character in this episode goes through quite a transition. She thinks of herself still as a kitchen maid, slipping up and calling Ross sir, and dealing with the servants who are just as confused as she is about her new station in society as Ross' wife. There truly is a playfulness though, to the relationship between Ross and Demelza that I thoroughly enjoy and it's this episode that really makes me wish we saw more than a bit of kissing and then seeing them wrapped up and laid in bed together. Verity certainly helps Demelza along in this episode, training her to be a bit of a proper lady and this is all tantamount to the Christmas party where they first attend as a couple. It's the first time I've seen a seasonal change in this entire freaking show. With Ross as a guiding hand, Demelza hires the wife of Mr. Carter (the poacher who was sent away for two years), as the new kitchen maid as a means of trying to adjust as Lady of the House. Watching her go from uncertain to more sure of herself as the episode wears on.
Ross is dealing with the mine and it's lack of copper, as well as the repercussions of his decision to marry Demelza. Already considered reckless, the men who had invested in his mine begin to drop like flies because they consider his marrying Demelza, truly a reckless thing indeed. His "lack of judgement" is what causes several of his investors to leave him. He also has to deal with the death of his Uncle and Francis just being a dumbass. Can we all agree that Francis is just a jealous wanker? I mean really, he is. That's his whole character arc. Mondo-doucehbag. And of course, Elizabeth wants to treat Demelza like a pet. I don't trust her. She's been far to jealous of Ross and far to dissatisified with Frances to be nice to Demelza. No. Francis certainly sees through that. At least Sir Douchebag and I can agree on something.
I have to say, the thing I truly love about Ross' character is that he comes off as a hard ass but you can see in the way he treats Demelza and Verity and even his Uncle, that he really does have compassion but has a hard time showing it openly. His actions certainly speak more loudly than his words. Even though he speaks roughly as Demelza admits her pity for Verity (who still pines over her Captain), he says gruffly that she must get over it, but his earlier actions about Verity and the Captain prove that he does care for his cousin's happiness.
The truly great moment for all of these characters is the Christmas party where Demelza is finally introduced to her husband's peers, and to his family (aside from Verity) and she manages to hold her own and while Elizabeth is a fine harp player, Demelza's voice is one of the angels. That whole entire scene while she sings is truly the most wonderful thing, especially watching Ross' face. He's entranced by her like a sea captain to a siren's song. You see their admiration for each other and their enjoyment of each other's company, morph in that moment and Ross comes to realize he does love her and she manages to get plenty of the uppers to find her more attractive, just because she can sing.
The episode ends with the mine striking copper, and Demelza admitting of her pregnancy and all in all, it is the best episode so far. The take away from this episode is that I find myself growing even warmer to Ross' character. After all, he really has proven how steady of a character he is. Perhaps a bit impulsive and rash, but ultimately a man of good character and a strong sense of what is right and wrong and in his own words has quite an "indifference" to the standards posed by society, in a time when society is everything.
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