●●●○○
This week’s Poldark opened, rather uncharacteristically, in the Trenwith home of Elizabeth and George Warleggan, where they proceeded to eat strawberries in their four-poster like they weren’t trying to plot the downfall of every decent character within a thirty-mile radius. And you really could trace the misfortunes of the Poldark fan favourites to their machinations, whether it’s George’s vile social climbing, Elizabeth’s increasing cruelty, or simply the foul stench of Warleggan blood seeping from the grand house into the surrounding landscape.
As if to make up for the sight of anyone but Ross (Aidan Turner) in a nightshirt, the rest of the hour saw people literally naming things off the Poldark drinking game in dialogue (when was the last time you heard someone say the words “derring-do” or “sworn enemy” in everyday conversation?). There was shirtlessness (Drake, twice), clifftop galloping (this time by Demelza, drink, at night, drink), and a fine dose of land cultivation, because we all know that Poldark is really about farming.
Caroline (Gabriella Wilde) and Dr. Enys (Luke Norris) are finally back under the same roof! All should have been well, but Caroline was not impressed when the still-shaken Dwight turned down her affections (this is the couple who haven’t even had a honeymoon yet). Dwight brought with him no fortune, title, or social advantage; if she’d wanted a loveless marriage, she could be off living it up as a duke’s wife, chaste but slathered in silks and dining with the queen or something. You have to feel for her; the least she should be able to ask for in a marriage of true love is a good bang.
There was, however, a lot of cheeky shifting for Drake and Morwenna. Harry Richardson and Ellise Chappell make the heartache of the endearing (if indecisive) young lovers just believable enough. They started trying to break it off to save her reputation (“Why do you suppose this is anything to do with the heart?”) and ended up with Drake asking for her hand, if he could earn enough to provide for her. My theory is that Morwenna’s doe eyes and Drake’s sincere puppy face make it impossible for one of them to break up with the other without feeling like they’ve accidentally trodden on a tiny animal, leaving them in a constant state of break-ups, make-ups and envisaging the blindingly beautiful children they’d have together. Morwenna even found the courage to refuse to marry the man chosen for her – mainly because he’s a horrendous boil of malevolence – and was all set to be packed off home in disgrace. Sunday night telly’s best rebellious stepson, Geoffrey Charles (Harry Marcus), was being packed off, too, this time to Harrow as punishment for things like making friends with local commoners and existing. Played by a really laudable young actor, the lad’s parting gift to Drake was thoughtful: his own ornate Bible, knowing his low-born friend is a Methodist (the more religious brother, Sam, was doing his usual ‘pester and pray’ routine, balanced only by the fact that he occasionally washes his torso outside in a basin).
Unfortunately, Drake and Morwenna suffered from the period drama affliction that is continuing to behave as if they, like their aristocratic screen-mates, have days or weeks to act on romance-related decisions. If she had sprinted down the stairs and out to Nampara as soon as she was released from her arranged engagement, or if he’d had saved the celebratory cakes for after he’d brought her back with him, they’d have been fine. But there’s only so much logical decision-making to go around in Poldark, and it was probably all used up before Ross had even finished planting a meadow to feed the poor. As it was, Drake was arrested for theft (and for putting toads in the Trenwith pond, because they’re Aunt Agatha’s favourite and Warleggan’s worst nightmare). George blackmailed Morwenna into marrying the detestable Whitworth to save the man she loves from the hangman’s noose. And because I care about these reviews not inflicting things you’ll never unsee, we’re not even going to mention the toe scene, so let’s just leave it at that.
When it comes to plot, you have to hand it to Poldark. This show really crams a lot in every week, and it does a great job of making its stakes tangible. I’ve focused on the relationships here, but there are so many moments that get left out, including Demelza’s anguish over her Drake’s imprisonment, Ross’ frantic attempts to save his brother-in-law and his tense face-off with George, and Lieutenant Armitage (Josh Whitehouse) turning up to exchange some post-traumatic bants (read: not bants) with Dwight. It feels like there’s a huge amount happening in each episode, partly because they’re racing through the books the show is based on. There is perhaps, only one true constant: Aunt Agatha (Caroline Blakiston) continues to reign supreme, cackling away and likely to live to a hundred and fifty just to spite George into having to give up the Poldarks’ ancestral family seat.
