Poldark Recap Series 1 Episode 8 The End

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Director: William McGregor

Writer: Debbie Horsfield

Original Air Date: April 26, 2015

An epidemic of putrid throat killed many, including Ross and Demelza's infant daughter Julia, but it also, in its own tragic manner, healed many wounds. When everyone at Trenwith fell ill except for the indomitable Aunt Agatha, Demelza went there to help. Elizabeth was tearfully grateful, and even Francis, who could barely open his eyes, expressed how good Demelza was to come and overlook past quarrels. With Demelza's careful attention, the Poldarks of Trenwith survived, including the deathly ill young Geoffrey Charles. 

Poldark Recap Series 1 Episode 7 All Fall Down

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Director: William McGregor

Writer: Debbie Horsfield

Original Air Date: April 19, 2015

The Carnmore Copper Company was in dire straits, and it was because one day, Demelza decided that two people who loved each other should be together. It is certainly convenient to blame Demelza, but it was evil George Warleggan who decided to call in loans and ruin people just because he had to be in control of everything. Was the Carnmore Copper Company chipping away at a significant percentage of the Warleggans' income. Perhaps, but the Warleggans had business interests elsewhere. A small amount of fair competition would not beggar them. Blame George Warleggan for being uncommonly greedy. Blame Francis for not seeing through the man who pretended to be his friend. Demelza displayed a fraction of naivety, but I would not blame her for the near collapse of Ross's company, or the fact that good men would likely end up in debtor's prison for inability to pay loans to the Warleggans.

Poldark Recap Series 1 Episode 6 You Win Some, You Lose Some

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Director: William McGregor

Writer:  Debbie Horsfield

Original Air Date: April 12, 2015

On a wall in a barn inside Ross's estate, Jinny kept a tally of the days before she would see her husband Jim again. He was arrested for poaching before she gave birth to their daughter, so he has never even met their baby. Because poverty has made criminals out of many decent men, Bodmin jail was packed more than it could handle. Fever had broken out, and prisoners were dying. As soon as Ross confirmed this, he enlisted the help of Dr. Enys. 

Poldark Recap Series 1 Episode 5 Resurgam

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Director: William McGregor

Writer: Debbie Horsfield

Original Air Date: April 5, 2015

One of the starkest differences between the Poldarks of Trenwith and the Poldarks of Nampara was how the couples tend to respond to difficult times. Francis and Elizabeth grow apart, whilst Ross and Demelza strengthen their bond. Francis appeared to genuinely want the happy marriage Ross and Demelza have; he simply did not know how to achieve it. His choices were often self destructive. Losing money, he still spent it freely on gambling and gifts to his mistress. In an effort to recoup his losses, he bet Grambler on a game of cards in a house party hosted by George Warleggan. He lost.  

Poldark Recap Series 1 Episode 4 Happy Days

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Director: Ed Bazalgette

Writer: Debbie Horsfield

Original Air Date: March 29, 2015

When I watched Poldark for the first time, I actually laughed out loud during the scene of Ross and Demelza's wedding. I am unfamiliar with the source material and I somehow managed to avoid spoilers, so that scene was a complete surprise to me. I wondered what it was I was watching before I hurriedly moved on to the next episode.

What I was watching, I soon learnt, was a story of love that somehow just happened. Ross did not marry his kitchen maid Demelza out of love, or even lust. He married her, as he himself confessed to her, because he wanted a distraction. Ross came home to an impoverished land, an inheritance mired with debt, and the woman he loved already promised to his cousin. He reopened Wheal Leisure to grateful, impoverished miners. He did his best to look after his workers. He continued to tamp down his lingering desire for Elizabeth out of deference to her choice to marry Francis. Under his stern direction, Nampara was slowly moving from the years of neglect and into a proper gentleman's state. 

Poldark Recap Series 1 Episode 3 And Then They Marry

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Director: Ed Bazalgette

Writer: Debbie Horsfield

Original Air Date: March 22, 2015

This is the episode that contained the now famous scything scene --- a shirtless Aidan Turner on the fields with a scythe, working whilst Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) watched. It is a good thing that this episode contained many scenes fans like myself would love because in between lingering looks from Ross to Demelza was the tragic story of young Jim Carter.