Weighing in on Poldark
Oct. 26th, 2016 06:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessPoldark 1.8
The thing is, I had been sort of spoiled for The Incident. I say ‘sort of’ because the writer of the spoily described it inaccurately, because I’d say that was rape, even if the show tried to sell it as ‘she said no, but meant yes’. Thanks, writer! I know this is the second TV series adaptation of a series of books written a while ago, but if I’d wanted to know what happened, I would have read the books, and I didn’t, and the unwanted knowledge has coloured my reaction to Ross all series although I think I’d still be snarking at how he’s terrible in legal situations, grumbling about him around Elizabeth and, indeed, Jeremy.
So, let’s start with Ross, then. In court (again, as the magistrate said) and he chose to perjure himself to stay out of trouble. Demelza covered that. Then we saw him interact with Jeremy!!!! It was only for a few seconds, and then he handed the boy to Jud. BAD DAD!!! There was a little bit of hope when they found some tin at the eleventh hour and Ross’s social conscience made an appearance about the danger, but everyone pooh-poohed his health and safety concerns – and given what happened fifty years ago and the amount of coverage the Beeb gave to it, they could have scheduled this series differently.
It was one of those episodes where I could utter some of the dialogue along with the characters and the new father was obviously doomed.
So, Ross had had a very bad, no good day, and Demelza’s determination to keep schtum about Elizabeth and George’s engagement (understandable, but he was always going to ask her if she knew) and Prudie’s determination to hand on all letters received from Trenwith led to Ross finding out at a terrible time, ramping up the drama.
Where I stand is thinking this is both great drama and that there’s too much rape in period dramas. I’ve read about some of the outrage, and I can’t work myself up to join it, while seeing that in the broader context of the depiction of consent and rape in TV/media/culture it’s not great. But I’m not sure how much the adaptation differed from the books or where next. I am absolutely disgusted with Ross, the characters, for not listening to his wife ask him not to go or then thinking about her or anything but his (hurt) ego. I mean, Elizabeth had been playing with fire for episodes and episodes, but she asked him to go downstairs, he didn’t listen (ew, Ross, againt) didn’t listen when she said no, and though they played it as she said no but meant yes (oh, ELIZABETH. Being a weak lady, however much you paid lipservice to being strong, has totally not led to your enjoying some nice consensual intercourse) he was committing adultery and forcing himself on Elizabeth in that scene. All the build up that added to the drama doesn’t excuse the fact that what he did was abhorrent, and then he clearly hadn’t started thinking about what he’d done hard enough, because what he told Demelza was all ego, still.
I’ve also always been more invested as Demelza as heroine than Ross as the ideal romantic hero figure.
Just one further point on that, after all her contrariness, the Great Aunt absolutely did nothing when she heard all the commotion and left Elizabeth to her fate. SRSLY, ugh.
Anyway, I really liked the throughline of Demelza putting clothes on the washline, repairing and remaking one and then putting the clothes on the line again in the yard: choosing her ground to meet the returning Ross, refusing to have the conversation in the house, protecting her son. I am mad curious to find out what she does next after the flash of temper (I know the kosher response it ‘violence bad’ but I was hoping Ross would go to sea and keep being hit by the sail if I’m honest.) And the fact that she had Jeremy in the bed with her in the echo of Elizabeth sharing a bed with Geoffrey Charles, not her husband.
Going backwards, Demelza and Ross’s partnership seemed to be strong, with him avoiding jail until she found out about what he’d done to the shares for Elizabeth. Ross’s attempt to rationalise what he’d done was undercut by some masterful, wifely ‘Yes, Ross’es. I liked how they played that, with him having a glimmering Demelza didn’t agree with him having sacrificed Jeremy’s future for ‘noble’ reasons. He avoided telling her before for a reason. Her not telling him about the engagement was payback.
But then Verity came with her silly boy of a stepson (WAR! GLORY! Rah rah rah! I CAN ONLY SPEAK IN NAVALESE!) and news, good (baby!! I love Demelza and Verity’s real friendship) and bad (Elizabeth is acting oddly.)
Elizabeth was being stupid – letting George adopt Geoffrey Charles would be a step too far. I also resent her for not cutting back on the candles, and though great-aunt portents is not much help and what happened with her mother was awful, she was played like a violin. And the morning after? What does she think is going to be a good outcome?
George seemed to have selective amnesia about the last time he tried to bring Ross down. Punching his trainer to the ground still didn’t make me think he’d survive a maul with Ross.
The whole greatest enemy/greatest friend stuff was way melodramatic.
Meanwhile Dwight pined and PINED and was very noble, while Caroline sent back letters saying that no, she didn’t want to be a doctor’s wife, thank you very much. At least Dwight seemed to hear the drums of war more than look to Rosina, who I could still look up to for her positive attitude and helpfulness.
But yo, Ross. Jud and Prudie were RIGHTLY judging you. Demelza’s options seem limited because of Jeremy and the times, but I rather think the locals are team Demelza. As am I, so I'm more upset he broke Demelza's heart than didn't listen to Elizabeth.
The thing is, I had been sort of spoiled for The Incident. I say ‘sort of’ because the writer of the spoily described it inaccurately, because I’d say that was rape, even if the show tried to sell it as ‘she said no, but meant yes’. Thanks, writer! I know this is the second TV series adaptation of a series of books written a while ago, but if I’d wanted to know what happened, I would have read the books, and I didn’t, and the unwanted knowledge has coloured my reaction to Ross all series although I think I’d still be snarking at how he’s terrible in legal situations, grumbling about him around Elizabeth and, indeed, Jeremy.
So, let’s start with Ross, then. In court (again, as the magistrate said) and he chose to perjure himself to stay out of trouble. Demelza covered that. Then we saw him interact with Jeremy!!!! It was only for a few seconds, and then he handed the boy to Jud. BAD DAD!!! There was a little bit of hope when they found some tin at the eleventh hour and Ross’s social conscience made an appearance about the danger, but everyone pooh-poohed his health and safety concerns – and given what happened fifty years ago and the amount of coverage the Beeb gave to it, they could have scheduled this series differently.
It was one of those episodes where I could utter some of the dialogue along with the characters and the new father was obviously doomed.
So, Ross had had a very bad, no good day, and Demelza’s determination to keep schtum about Elizabeth and George’s engagement (understandable, but he was always going to ask her if she knew) and Prudie’s determination to hand on all letters received from Trenwith led to Ross finding out at a terrible time, ramping up the drama.
Where I stand is thinking this is both great drama and that there’s too much rape in period dramas. I’ve read about some of the outrage, and I can’t work myself up to join it, while seeing that in the broader context of the depiction of consent and rape in TV/media/culture it’s not great. But I’m not sure how much the adaptation differed from the books or where next. I am absolutely disgusted with Ross, the characters, for not listening to his wife ask him not to go or then thinking about her or anything but his (hurt) ego. I mean, Elizabeth had been playing with fire for episodes and episodes, but she asked him to go downstairs, he didn’t listen (ew, Ross, againt) didn’t listen when she said no, and though they played it as she said no but meant yes (oh, ELIZABETH. Being a weak lady, however much you paid lipservice to being strong, has totally not led to your enjoying some nice consensual intercourse) he was committing adultery and forcing himself on Elizabeth in that scene. All the build up that added to the drama doesn’t excuse the fact that what he did was abhorrent, and then he clearly hadn’t started thinking about what he’d done hard enough, because what he told Demelza was all ego, still.
I’ve also always been more invested as Demelza as heroine than Ross as the ideal romantic hero figure.
Just one further point on that, after all her contrariness, the Great Aunt absolutely did nothing when she heard all the commotion and left Elizabeth to her fate. SRSLY, ugh.
Anyway, I really liked the throughline of Demelza putting clothes on the washline, repairing and remaking one and then putting the clothes on the line again in the yard: choosing her ground to meet the returning Ross, refusing to have the conversation in the house, protecting her son. I am mad curious to find out what she does next after the flash of temper (I know the kosher response it ‘violence bad’ but I was hoping Ross would go to sea and keep being hit by the sail if I’m honest.) And the fact that she had Jeremy in the bed with her in the echo of Elizabeth sharing a bed with Geoffrey Charles, not her husband.
Going backwards, Demelza and Ross’s partnership seemed to be strong, with him avoiding jail until she found out about what he’d done to the shares for Elizabeth. Ross’s attempt to rationalise what he’d done was undercut by some masterful, wifely ‘Yes, Ross’es. I liked how they played that, with him having a glimmering Demelza didn’t agree with him having sacrificed Jeremy’s future for ‘noble’ reasons. He avoided telling her before for a reason. Her not telling him about the engagement was payback.
But then Verity came with her silly boy of a stepson (WAR! GLORY! Rah rah rah! I CAN ONLY SPEAK IN NAVALESE!) and news, good (baby!! I love Demelza and Verity’s real friendship) and bad (Elizabeth is acting oddly.)
Elizabeth was being stupid – letting George adopt Geoffrey Charles would be a step too far. I also resent her for not cutting back on the candles, and though great-aunt portents is not much help and what happened with her mother was awful, she was played like a violin. And the morning after? What does she think is going to be a good outcome?
George seemed to have selective amnesia about the last time he tried to bring Ross down. Punching his trainer to the ground still didn’t make me think he’d survive a maul with Ross.
The whole greatest enemy/greatest friend stuff was way melodramatic.
Meanwhile Dwight pined and PINED and was very noble, while Caroline sent back letters saying that no, she didn’t want to be a doctor’s wife, thank you very much. At least Dwight seemed to hear the drums of war more than look to Rosina, who I could still look up to for her positive attitude and helpfulness.
But yo, Ross. Jud and Prudie were RIGHTLY judging you. Demelza’s options seem limited because of Jeremy and the times, but I rather think the locals are team Demelza. As am I, so I'm more upset he broke Demelza's heart than didn't listen to Elizabeth.
