Droughtlander Get Through It Initiative: Poldark Part Four, A Recap

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.

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