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Poldark: A fan’s review by Sarah Vita-Younan

Another week has passed and we have been treated to a fantastic episode of POLDARK – and it is hard to believe that on Sunday night, we have reached and surpassed the half way mark of the second series! After four fantastic episodes, Sarah Vita-Younan (one of our lucky readers chosen to write a fan review of the series alongside Celia Fox) is back again to share her thoughts on Sunday night’s episode. Take a look at Sarah’s thoughts on episode five below:

* Warning: spoilers. Do not read if you have not seen Poldark series 2 episode 5 *

A Poldark Tragedy

I never thought I’d say this, but all week I was dreading this weekend’s episode. Having read the books, I knew exactly what to come. I can honestly say it did not disappoint, and broke my heart just as painfully as I expected.

Instead of waiting until the end, I want to say here and now an enthusiastic and grateful bravo to Kyle Soller. Though Francis was never very lovable in the beginning, in the third and fourth books as well as this second series, I began to love him and Kyle’s portrayal met every expectation. After Sunday night’s episode, it will be very sad not to see him in the coming weeks. We’ll miss you, Mr. Soller.

This week’s episode 5 (how are we already halfway through the series?!) opened with Ross and Francis at their mine, Wheal Grace, about a year after they opened it and Ross’s son Jeremy was born (who I wish we got more than a small clip of, but gosh he’s cute! Like his daddy! ;))

Ross has continued dealing with smugglers, having 3 drop-offs take place on Nampara Cove this past year. One of his tenants, and a fellow free trader, has been caught and is to be tried in court by Rev. Halse (Yaaaaaaaay, Robin Ellis!!!) and Francis as a magistrate. Thankfully, Ross being in Francis’s good-side lately means he manages to convince Rev. Halse to let their friend go without serious charges. For now.

Also in Truro, not only has George Warleggan returned from London (why couldn’t he just stay there?), but so has Caroline Penvenen and Unwin Trevaunance. She soon runs into Dwight, who appears slightly confused and, dare I say, rattled by her appearance. It seems neither of them have forgotten the other.

Aunt Agatha back at Trenwith, has been depressed in missing Verity and resorts to pretending to have some ailment so that she will visit and take care of her.

Upon George’s return, he and his Uncle Cary embark on a mission to obtain Ross Poldark’s promissory note of a loan of 1,000 pounds with 40% interest (Ouch).

Shortly after, all the Poldarks are invited to a large gathering at Killawarren. Ray Penvenen is giving a party to announce Caroline’s engagement to Unwin. Awkwardness ensues, though not on Ross’s end, when Ross and Francis spot George, who clearly seems nervous that Ross is there.

Seated at the dining table, Demelza is on one side beside Captain McNeil and Ray Penvenen, Ross in the middle beside Elizabeth, and Francis directly across Demelza.

Small talk ensues among the guests… and quite steamy talk between Ross and Elizabeth. Ross remarks that he now understands how young Elizabeth was when he went away and that he sympathizes that she thought he was dead. She then states that perhaps she thought she loved Francis more and that she soon discovered her mistake. This certainly catches his attention. At first he plays it off and thinks she is only joking, but she contradicts this. Ross only grows more confused. “Is it so astonishing that a woman who would change her mind once would change it twice? Can not a woman love two men? Can not a man love two women?”

Ross begins to seem uncomfortable, and she finally stops after stating that he will always hold a part of her heart, and that she will always hold a part of his. Demelza looks across the table at her husband’s strange face. Does she know what’s going on?

After dinner, the announcement is made of Caroline’s engagement… kind of. She tells Uncle Ray that Unwin left and then asks her guests to begin dancing. Ross and Demelza are quite the spectacle, and even Caroline remarks at how they seem to enjoy each other’s company and that they married for love.

Afterwards, Ross notices George, who remarks that he wishes he had Ross’s confidence in his mines. Ross retorts with “Must you be envious even of that?” before walking off. This gets under George’s collar rather deep, and he tells his Uncle they will use any means necessary to obtain the promissory note.

The next day, Ross sees several of his miners ganging up on a single man, Nick, who he happens to know is a trouble-maker anyway. When confronted by Ross, he acts innocent, and denies Ross’s accusations of selling out his friends and colleagues. Nick defends himself and says that Ross doesn’t know what it’s like to live in starvation and that he is fooling himself by slumming with a scullery maid.

Ross strikes a few blows – obviously, who thinks they can speak against Demelza to Ross and walk away freely? – before Captain Henshawe and Zacky Martin pull him away. He does not fight back.

When Nick leaves Wheal Grace, he is seen by Captain McNeil, who plays like he does not know Ross gave Nick his bruises or that he is involved in the smuggling.

Calling at Trenwith, George tries again to reconcile with Francis through Elizabeth, telling her he does not wish to abuse the power he has over them because of a quarrel. Francis seems prepared to make apologies, but instead tells George to never set foot in his house again, and that they are cut off from each other. Now, I know the Poldarks hate the Warleggans, and I agree, but why do you guys have to keep making the little guy angry?! He’s gonna do something one day, watch!

At an out of the way cottage, in one of the lowly villages, Caroline meets Dwight in secret and awkwardness. Caroline informs him that she is leaving and that she does not wish to marry Unwin. She does not love him. She asks who Dwight Enys really is.

“I’m a man with not the smallest fortune. Money was never plentiful and studying took all I had… I hardly ever met women except as cases. So if you come to me with a sore throat, I know what to do. But if I meet you in a drawing room, you are a creature whose moods and manners I’ve never learned to decipher. And if you laugh at me, which you frequently do, I become tongue-tied and foolish.”

She then tries to make him feel better. “While you were learning to be a physician, I was learning to be an heiress. An heiress must learn how to walk, to dress, to ride, to dance. You say you don’t know women except as patients… I don’t know men at all.”

He then kisses her. She tells him that she will leave until December, when she will be of age.

That same day, Francis discovers what seems to be copper in Wheal Grace and rides to Nampara to inform Ross. There he finds Demelza, who tells him Ross is in Truro. After telling her of his findings, they converse a while, and Francis finally confesses to her of his betrayal of Ross and the Carnemore Copper Company. She does not react the way he expects. She forgives him, and says they must take the balance of the good and bad instead of just the bad. He compliments her in saying he does not wonder why Ross loves her.

“Do you suppose he still does?”

This shocks Francis, especially when she says she sometimes thinks Ross loves Elizabeth better. He sits her down and tells her exactly what he thinks. She mistakes her own value by comparing it to his family’s standards instead of her own. Ross was wise to choose her instead. “You must do away with the notion that someone has done you a favor by letting you into this family.” She truly seems to believe him, and he leaves.

While Francis was at Nampara consoling his cousin’s wife, Ross in Truro is despaired. George has obtained his promissory note. No doubt he will call in Ross’s loans the moment they’re due.

Late that night, after Ross returns home, a servant arrives at Nampara looking for Francis. He did not come home.

Ross goes to mine with some men to find him, believing him still to be working below. Hours pass. No sign of him. Finally, well into the night Ross finds him… grab your tissues… dead.

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In finding a vein of copper, Francis lost his footing and fell into a deep pool. He drowned. Upon finding him, Ross holds his cousin’s lifeless body in his arms and breaks down. “Why the hell didn’t you learn to swim?” Now, that line broke my heart. Such a subtle tribute to the very first episode, and done in a heartbreakingly beautiful way.

Ross would never know that Francis died with his name upon his lips, remembering a time when they were children and Ross saved him from drowning. His deteriorating mind tricked him into thinking Ross had found him there again, but the vision disappeared moments before he went under the water.

At the funeral, Francis’s coffin is carried in, Ross leading everyone, while Anne Dudley’s beautiful Resuragam plays in the background. This track was my favorite from the series 1 soundtrack, and hearing it again was so sad and beautiful.

After laying the coffin in front of everyone, Elizabeth collapses into Ross’s arms. He holds her as she cries, looking as if he is trying not to cry himself. The episode ends with teary-eyed Demelza watching her husband hold his cousin and first-love. Is this a foreshadow of what’s to come? Or just BBC’s way of adding to our heartache?

Thoroughly a beautiful episode, highly worthy of the standards Poldark has set in the past. I’m heartbroken, yet pleased. I will be counting the days until Episode 6!

Verdict

Poldark continues on Sunday nights on BBC1 at 9pm

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