Revisiting Poldark Series 2 – Episode 10

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Aidan Turner, BBC One, Demelza, Eleanor Tomlinson, Gabriella Wilde, Heida Reed, Jack Farthing, Luke Norris, Poldark, Poldark Series 2, Ross Poldark, TV recap

Now that he is the new master of Trenwith, George Warleggan wastes no time in making his presence felt, beginning with removing all reminders of the previous master, Francis (Oh how Francis must be rolling over in his grave right now!). Young Geoffrey Charles, playing merrily away, asks Elizabeth when “Uncle George” is leaving, only to be told by his mother that he is here to stay and that he should start thinking of him as his new Papa.

As if making changes inside the house is not enough, George also starts making his claim on Trenwith more obvious by building a fence to stop locals from walking through the property as they have been accustomed to do, and placing armed guards to keep out the riff-raff. Even Tankard feels this is a bit much, knowing it will only make enemies of their new neighbours but George is not to be deterred.

While going through Elizabeth’s financial records, George finds the sale of Geoffrey Charles’s shares in Wheal Grace. He suspects something illegal with the sale and asks Elizabeth about it. She doesn’t know anything so he writes to Ross demanding answers. Ross counters that it is none of his business as Elizabeth is the trustee for Geoffrey Charles. However, Elizabeth has now given her new husband power of attorney. Ross reveals to George that he is the “mysterious buyer” and that he had done so in order to give Elizabeth the money she needed to settle some of the debts she inherited from Francis. After a war of words, Ross punches George. With all the training George has been doing, he manages to give as good as he gets, until Ross gets a brief upper hand, shoving George’s face almost into the fireplace. Tankard calls for back-up and Ross is eventually pulled off, screaming insults as he is thrown out of the house.

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Revisiting Poldark Series 2 – Episode 9

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Aidan Turner, BBC One, Demelza, Eleanor Tomlinson, Gabriella Wilde, Heida Reed, Jack Farthing, Luke Norris, Poldark, Poldark Series 2, Ross Poldark, TV recap, Winston Graham

For days after Ross spent the night with Elizabeth, she stares longingly out the window of Trenwith, waiting for word from him, expecting him to leave Demelza and marry her. The ever-watchful and all-knowing Aunt Agatha will not be fooled by Elizabeth’s insistence that nothing happened. She tells Elizabeth that she never married because she spent her life waiting for “the better man” which is better than the “convenient man”, implying that the latter is exactly what George Warleggan is.

Meanwhile, George is over the moon that he has finally won – not just Elizabeth’s hand in marriage, but the fact that he thinks he has now got everything he believes Ross wants: Elizabeth, Trenwith and his mines. Elizabeth may have wanted a low-key wedding, but there is no way George is going to not show off his victory to all the most important people in town. After the wedding, which Ross avoided, George surprises Elizabeth by saying that he wants to make Trenwith their home. Poor Agatha!

For his part, Ross, appearing repentant about what he did and trying to explain away his black eye to Henshawe as “my wife took exception to something I said”, is still in the dog-house at home. Demelza offers to help him pack for Trenwith, expecting that Elizabeth is busying herself preparing the house for a Poldark to return to it. He tries to explain himself, but the more words that came out of his mouth, the more ridiculous he sounds, as if “I didn’t know what possessed me” would excuse his betrayal of his marriage. (The more he spoke, the more I wished Demelza would punch him again and give him another black eye!)

Revisiting Poldark Series 2 – Episode 7

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Aidan Turner, BBC One, Demelza, Eleanor Tomlinson, Gabriella Wilde, Heida Reed, Jack Farthing, Luke Norris, Poldark, Poldark Series 2, Ross Poldark, TV recap, Winston Graham

Having finally professed his love for Caroline, Dwight and his love plan their elopement. He is still not happy about having to marry her in secret and making her give up her fortune. She explains that she doesn’t want a direct confrontation with her uncle but thinks he will forgive her in a year’s time, after it is too late to change anything. They plan to leave in a few days’ time, just before she is due to travel to London with Ray, so that he will not be suspicious of her packed bags.

For his part, Dwight has fixed Rosina Hoblyn’s hobblin’ (sorry, I couldn’t help myself) and now he is paying a visit to Harbour-master Vercoe’s sick son. Vercoe tells him they are close to catching the free traders so he goes to warn Ross but he is too late. In any case, he says his goodbyes to Demelza, who encourages him to start a new life with Caroline and reminds him that marrying for love is a good thing.

At Trenwith, Elizabeth receives notes from George warning her of tinners who may start prospecting on her property. There is increasing unrest in France of such activities and he fears that locals would take their lead and do the same. While Elizabeth writes to Ross for help and guidance, Aunt Agatha decides they stand a better chance arming themselves (Aunt Agatha with a shotgun is a most delightful sight).

Revisiting Poldark Series 2 – Episode 4

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Aidan Turner, BBC One, Demelza, Eleanor Tomlinson, Gabriella Wilde, Heida Reed, Jack Farthing, Kyle Soller, Luke Norris, Poldark, Poldark Series 2, Ross Poldark, TV review, Winston Graham

Life continues to be harsh for the villagers in Sawle. Some have taken to smuggling as the war in France rages. The lawmakers are taking a hard line on smuggling and are making their presence felt with frequent arrests. In addition to this, malnutrition has seen villagers fall victim to scurvy, something that Dwight has limited power to cure.

In her own little world, Caroline Penvenen is sulking over Dwight’s neglect of her since his fish bone extraction three months earlier. She writes to him and demands that he pays her a visit with a follow-up examination. He dutifully obliges and explains that he has had patients with more serious conditions to tend to. He tells her of the villagers who can scarce afford fresh fruits. She responds matter-of-factly that the poor should spend their money on oranges instead of gin and breed less. Dwight is offended by her attitude and returns the fee that she insisted on paying him for attending to her.

Revisiting Poldark Series 2 – Episode 3

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Aidan Turner, BBC One, Demelza, Eleanor Tomlinson, Gabriella Wilde, Heida Reed, Jack Farthing, Kyle Soller, Luke Norris, Poldark, Poldark Series 2, Ross Poldark, TV review, Winston Graham

Now that Ross is free and clear, George not only sleeps with a loaded gun by his bedside, he is practising his boxing. His spy, Tankard (Sebastian Armesto), thinks it’s a good idea. Ross, however, has bigger things on his mind. The hefty 40% interest on the loan he took out the previous year is about to come due. To make matters worse, they still have not found anything of substance in Wheal Leisure and one of the shareholders has sold their shares to Mr. Coake. But it is George’s representative, Tankard, who appears on Coake’s behalf at the shareholder meeting.

It has now been four years since Wheal Leisure reopened but they have yielded little. However, Captain Henshawe (John Hollingworth) and Ross explain to the shareholders that they believe there is copper to be found at Trevorgie – about halfway between Leisure and Wheal Grace, another inactive mine owned by Ross. They convince shareholders to divert all profits to the new cause.

Ross is spending all his time down in the mines. His relationship with Demelza is cold – when Captain McNeil (Henry Garrett) visits Nampara, he accuses Demelza of flirting with the soldier because she is attracted to a man in uniform. She still has not told Ross of her pregnancy after he told her he does not want to suffer the same heartbreak as they did after their daughter, Julia, died of the Putrid Throat. But he does finally tell her of the money he owes and they begin to sell off whatever they can spare, including her prized cow sought after by Sir Hugh Bodrugan (Patrick Ryecart).

Revisiting Poldark Series 2 – Episode 2

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Aidan Turner, BBC One, Demelza, Eleanor Tomlinson, Gabriella Wilde, Heida Reed, Jack Farthing, Kyle Soller, Luke Norris, Poldark, Ross Poldark, TV review

On the eve of Ross’s trial, his lawyer Jeffrey arrives with a list of the prosecution’s witness – mostly people paid off by George to testify against him. He sees Jud’s and Prudie’s names on the list – disgruntled servants.

Out on the streets, mobs are starting to rumble about the election results. Caroline is bemused by the rioting and Ross’s upcoming trial. She tells Unwin they should be setting Ross free to go home to his wife. As we have quickly learnt, having been brought up in the strict confines of London society, she is already very taken by Dwight’s steadfastness and refusal to be impressed by money, Ross’s care for the masses despite being a gentleman, and curious about the scullery maid whom he married for love.

When Demelza is caught by George at the Assembly while she is speaking to the judge set to preside over Ross’s case, she asks George why he hates Ross so much. He tells her that she would not understand. He was a blacksmith’s son but he is now a gentleman and she is a miner’s wife.

Revisiting Poldark Series 2 – Episode 1

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Aidan Turner, BBC One, Beatie Edney, Demelza, Eleanor Tomlinson, Gabriella Wilde, Heida Reed, Hugh Skinner, Jack Farthing, John Nettles, Kyle Soller, Luke Norris, Phil Davis, Poldark, Poldark Series 2, Ross Poldark, Ruby Bentall, TV recap, William Mannering, Winston Graham

As we prepare for the much-anticipated return of Poldark Series 3, let’s recap what happened in Series 2.

When we last saw Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner), he was being arrested for inciting a riot and plundering the wrecked cargo ship owned by George Warleggan’s (Jack Farthing) cousin. Now facing the local magistrate, Ross is no less repentant. In fact, his honesty, for which we all applaud, does nothing but rile up the local gentry even more. He is sent home to get his affairs sorted and to report to Bodmin for the assizes in five days’ time.

On the other side of town, George is determined not to let this opportunity to bury Ross once and for all slip by, and starts bribing witnesses, including Jud (Phil Davis) and Prudie (Beatie Edney), to testify against Ross. The scheming weasel even goes so far as to pay someone to write the eighteenth century equivalent of tabloid trash about Ross (without naming him, of course) to discredit him.

It seems Bodmin is soon to be brimming with activity as elections are also due to be held, which brings along parliamentary hopeful and friend of George’s, Unwin Trevaunance (Hugh Skinner). By his side is a beautiful and head-strong young heiress, Caroline Penvenen (Gabriella Wilde) whose uncle Ray (John Nettles) also happens to be a wealthy and respected Bodmin local.

Revisiting Poldark Series 1 – Episode 8

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Aidan Turner, BBC One, Demelza, Eleanor Tomlinson, Heida Reed, Jack Farthing, Kyle Soller, Luke Norris, Poldark, Poldark Series 1, Ross Poldark, series finale, TV recap, Winston Graham

Episode spoiler warning: have the tissues handy because there will not be a dry eye in the house. There will be heartache and tears – buckets of tears, an unrelenting torrent of tears – no matter how many times you watch this episode.

Things continue to go from bad to worse for the Poldarks. Putrid throat has hit the district badly. Unlike “miner’s disease”, this one does not discriminate between rich or poor. Dwight is struggling to contain and treat his patients, knowing it is a losing battle, while Dr Choake believes it is nothing more than a mild case of sore throat. Trenwith has been overrun by the little bugger, all except for 93-year-old Aunt Agatha who has been around long enough to see six generations of Poldarks and shows no signs of letting up.

While Ross is away in town, working hard to avoid bankruptcy, Demelza decides to visit Trenwith to check on their cousins. She arrives to find Francis already bedridden and Elizabeth, herself looking worse for wear, nursing a sick Geoffrey Charles in his cot. No-one protests when Demelza offers to stay to look after them. Even Francis manages to mutter his thanks, grateful that she has the heart to overlook past grievances between them.