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

Image from Poldark, streamed via iFlix

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. 

The two men illegally removed the severely weakened Jim out of jail. Dr. Enys pronounced that he would likely survive the fever, but not the gangrene that had set on his arm. They amputated Jim's arm, to no avail. The young man died without seeing his family again.

A grieving Ross more than once expressed his contempt for his own class, and the part these leisurely people around him played in Jim's death. Yet, Ross used his class to bully the jailer into allowing him to take Jim with him. Ross was kind to Demelza, yet there was no doubt who was in charge in their relationship. Ross longed for a measure of justice, though he still maintained his more exalted position, not just as a member of the nobility, but as a man. He was a hero who was not without his own blind spots.

Image from Poldark, streamed via iFlix

Meanwhile, his friend Dr. Enys was getting further drawn into the machinations of the ambitious Keren. Because Keren made no secret of her aspiration to gain the attention of the young doctor, there was already talk of an improper relationship between the two of them, though nothing had happened, really. Keren's  besotted husband Mark even went to Ross to talk over his marital issues. With every shot of Keren's selfish countenance came this ring of slowly moving tragedy.

Ross remained ahead of his contest with George Warleggan, but barely. He lost a lot of money to George's cheating cousin Matthew (George surely knew that Matthew cheated Francis out of his money and mine, and likely encouraged it.) before his trick was exposed. George successfully gained Elizabeth's attention and Elizabeth's mother's affection. George has also found the site of the Carnmore smelting works --- on Jonathan Tresidder's mill, the same Jonathan who owed the Warleggans a substantial amount of money. The Carnmore Copper Company had a successful first auction, but George Warleggan was determined that it would be its last.

Image from Poldark, streamed via iFlix

Strays

■ Luke Norris is a really good actor.

■ Francis and Elizabeth now worked on the grounds of their estate. Francis was furious at the fact that he could not buy his wife a new dress for the Warleggan ball.

■ Keren staged an accident so she could call on Dr. Enys. Later, she offered to be his assistant.

■ Francis saw Captain Blamey at the ball, and forbade Verity from seeing him again. Captain Blamey asked for Demelza's assistance. Verity, he contended, must choose between him and her  brother.

■ George: 'Ross is made of harder mettle.'

■ There was a melancholy shot of the setting son before the camera panned to a dejected Ross burning his clothes. Jim had died.

■ Ross bought Demelza a new dress for the ball. He also sent her a necklace, which he later lost in a game of cards to Matthew Sanson.

■ Verity insisted that Ross must go to the Warleggan ball. It would remind the magistrates that he was a gentleman and perhaps make them think twice before moving against him for his actions at Bodmin jail.

■ At the ball, Demelza caught the eye of Sir Hugh Bodrugan.

■ George likely engineered Francis's fall, not just because he was a greedy snake who liked to see misery around him whilst he grew wealthier and more powerful, but also because he wanted Elizabeth for himself.

■ Francis: 'What is the matter with the women of this family?' Aunt Agatha: 'The men.' Aunt Agatha is the best.

■ Demelza: 'Ross, you cannot fight all the world. You can only make your own small corner a fairer place.'