Poldark Recap Series 1 Episode 7 All Fall Down

Image from Poldark, streamed via iFlix

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.

Verity left to marry Captain Blamey, and Francis rushed to the conclusion that it was Ross who helped them out. George, with perfect timing, arrived to tell them that he wanted to make amends for the fact that his cousin Matthew cheated Francis at cards. He forgave some of Francis's debt to his bank, and gave them 1200 pounds. A relieved Francis went out to drink with George, and with careful prodding, Francis gave him the names of all the shareholders of the Carnmore Copper Company.

Advantage George Warleggan. For now.

Image from Poldark, streamed via iFlix

Meanwhile, Dr. Enys, well-intentioned, kind, without a girlfriend, fell into Keren's determined seduction. A heartbroken Mark, injured in an accident at the mine, waited for hours for his cheating wife. Confronted by her husband, Keren blamed Mark and accused him of not loving her. Mark, who was previously shown to be uncommonly strong, accidentally broke Keren's neck as he hugged her (she was striking him). When Dr. Enys came the following morning to confess his sin and make amends with Mark, he found Keren's lifeless body.

Mark's brother Paul name dropped poor Jim Carter, and convinced Ross to help Mark escape. Mark, to his credit, wanted to surrender. As he, Ross and Paul hid behind rocks, merely a few feet away from soldiers, Mark tried to turn himself in. It was there that he told Ross there was money in his father's old mine, the long closed Wheal Grace. Mark explored it to stop him from losing his mind after he accidentally killed his wife. There was copper there, he claimed, but much of it was under water. Ross and Paul had to fight soldiers so Mark could escape on Ross's boat.

For a time, Ross was winning. He took charge of his inheritance. He founded a company. He married a woman he grew to love. By the seventh episode, however, there already was this sense that life was going to be even harder for the Poldarks.

Strays

■ George Warleggan's first move against the Carnmore Copper Company was to force Tresidder to disallow them from using his mill.

■ Keren drove Mark to exhaustion by demanding repairs to their house.

■ Jud got very drunk off Ross's rum, declared that Ross was the father of Jinny's child, and was rude to Demelza. Ross threw him out of the house, and of course Prudie went with him.

■ George to Elizabeth: 'You see, I did mend your smile after all.' Ew.

■ Captain McNeil, the leader of the soldiers, knew that Ross helped Mark escape.

■ Whilst Elizabeth stopped Francis and Ross from coming to blows in Trenwith, Demelza did the same for Dr. Enys and Mark at Nampara.

■ It was so sweet how Demelza threw herself to Ross's arms when he came home.

■ Ross: 'I'm becoming philosophical in my old age,'

■ Demelza went to Trenwith to confess that it was she who helped Verity and Captain Blamey. Francis told her she and Ross were no longer welcome to Trenwith.