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rosiep66 · 7 years

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"POLDARK" Series Two (2016) Episodes One to Four

"POLDARK" SERIES TWO (2016) EPISODES ONE TO FOUR Following my viewing of the 1975 series, "POLDARK" and its adaptation of Winston Graham's 1950 novel, "Jeremy Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1790-1791", I decided to view Debbie Horsfield's recent adaptation of the same novel, spread out in four episodes during its second series. Needless to say, my experience with this adaptation of "Jeremy Poldark" proved to be a different kettle of fish. Series Two's first episode began a day or two after the final scene of Series One - namely Ross Poldark's arrest by the local militia for instigating a riot between his tenants/employees and the citizens of another town, who were salvaging the goods from a shipwrecked ship. The ship happened to belong to a noveau riche family named Warleggan and one of its members, one George Warleggan, went out of his way to ensure that the law would charge Ross with the crime. To make matters worse, Ross and his wife, Demelza Carne Poldark, had to endure the death of their only daughter from Putrid's Throat. At the beginning of the second series' Episode One, Ross faced one of his old nemesis, the Reverend Dr. Halse , in court in order for the latter to determine whether Ross would stand trial for his crime. Considering the two men's previous clashes, it was not surprising that Halse ordered Ross to stand trial during the next assize in Bodmin. Not only that - audiences were treated with an energetic scene between star Aidan Turner and former Poldark leading man, Robin Ellis. After Ross returned to his estate, Nampara, he set about getting his business in order. Meanwhile, Demelza tried to encourage him to seek help or patronage in order to ensure his acquittal. Being an incredibly stubborn and self-righteous ass, Ross refused. Demelza was forced to go behind his back to seek help from the judge assigned to his case and a wealthy neighbor named Ray Penvenen. Needless to say, Demelza failed to gather support from both men. Her cousin-in-law and Ross' former love, Elizabeth Chynoweth Poldark attempted to acquire George Warleggan's help by arranging a meeting between the men at her husband's estate, Trenwith. She also failed, due to Ross' unwillingness to speak to the latter. George's major henchman, Tankhard, managed to recruit Ross' former farmhand, Jud Paynter, to testify against Ross. Although Jud had intially agreed to testify, he changed his mind at the last minute, while on the stand. Due to a rousing pro-labor speech, Ross was acquitted by the end of Episode Two. During those first two episodes that focused on Ross' trial, other events occurred. His close friend, Dr. Dwight Enys met Ray Penvenen's flighty niece, Caroline Penvenen during the azzis and election in Bodmin and sparks flew between the pair . . . despite the latter's arrogant demand that he treat her pug. Francis, while in despair over estrangement from Ross, Verity and Elizabeth, attempted suicide in Bodmin and failed, due to a falty pistol. Elizabeth also appeared in Bodmin for the trial. Although she had appeared to support Ross, she and Francis ended up reconciling. Unfortunately, I was not pleased by this development. I wish Elizabeth had never forgiven Francis, since he had never bothered to offer any apology for five to six years of emotional abuse and the loss of his fortune and their son Geoffrey Charles' future. Unless I am mistaken, Elizabeth never really forgave Francis, despite his "new lease on life", following his suicide attempt. Good. I never thought he deserved it. I have read a few articles and reviews of the episodes that covered the adaptation of "Jeremy Poldark". While everyone else seemed impressed by the hullaballoo over Ross' trial, I felt more impressed by the third and fourth episodes. One, I was never that impressed by the trial storyline in the first place. Due to Ross' social standing as a member of the landed gentry, I suspected he would be acquitted, when I first read the novel. Unless he had committed murder (against someone from his own class) or treason against the Crown, I never really believed he would be convicted. If Ross had been a member of the working-class or middle-class, chances are his closing speech would have guaranteed conviction of the charges made against him. By the way, was that a closing speech? Or was that merely a speech inserted into Ross' own testimonial? I hope it was the latter, because he seemed to possess a barrister who barely said a word. And if I must be brutally honest, there was an aspect of the first two episodes - especially Episode Two - that I found disappointing. I had been more impressed by the 1975 adaptation of Ross' trial, due to its strong ability to recapture the atmosphere of an assize during the eighteenth century. I never sense that same level of atmosphere from this latest adaptation. Showrunner Debbie Horsfield seemed more intent upon creating tension over the possibility conviction. In a way, this seemed appropriate considering that the story should matter. But would it have hurt for Horsfield to add a little color or flavor in her portrayal of the Bodmin assize? For me it would have made up for my disinterest in Ross' trial. While many complained about the "dullness" of Episodes Three and Four, I found it interesting. Once Ross and Demelza dealt with his arrest and trial, they were forced to deal with the aftermath of their daughter Julia's death. While Demelza openly faced her grief, Ross finally got the chance to focus his attention on dealing with his possible financial ruin. But in doing so, he ended up emotionally distancing himself from his wife. It was easy to see that the honeymoon was over for Ross and Demelza. Like many couples in real life, they found it difficult to deal with a child's death, which they were forced to face after Ross' acquittal. And like many couples, their relationship suffered, due to their grief. Although Demelza had discovered she was pregnant, Ross made it clear that he was not ready to deal with another child before she could reveal her news. I have to commend both Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson in conveying the growing estrangement between Ross and Demelza with great skill and subtlety. And I suspect that they benefited from Debbie Horsfield's writing, who managed to capture this roadblock in the couple's relationship without turning it into an over-the-top ham fest. Both Episodes Three and Four also focused on Ross' financial problems. Many critics seemed uninterested in this turn of events. Apparently, they were more interested in watching Ross and Demelza behave like "the perfect couple". I was not bored. It was interesting to watch an upper-class landonwer deal with looming poverty without the benefit of securing the hand of an heiress. You know . . . like aspiring politician Unwin Trevaunance. And what many had failed to point out was that the Nampara Poldarks' financial situation was a result of Demelza's matchmaking efforts for Verity, Francis' resentment and anger, and George's malice. The die was cast in Series One's eighth episode and the consequences reared its ugly head in Series Two. Ross and Demelza were bound to face these consequences sooner or later. Worse, Ross found himself dealing with a vindictive George Warleggan, who was finally able to purchase enough shares to assume control over Wheal Leisure, Ross' mine. I never understood why Demelza had kept her fishing trips (to provide food for Nampara's larder) a secret from Ross. Personally, I thought she could have informed him that someone needed to fish to prevent them from starving, due to their money problems. If Ross had dismissed the idea, then I could have understood her need for secrecy. But knowing Ross, he probably would not have supported the fishing trips or bothered to find someone to provide fish for Nampara's inhabitants. He could be rather stubborn and proud. And I must admit that I did not care for how Debbie Horsfield changed the circumstances behind Demelza's last fishing trip. Instead of allowing her to reach shore on her own, while going into labor; Horsfield had an angry Ross come to her rescue and carry her ashore:

It looked like a scenario from a second-rate romance novel. And I found it a touch sexist. Ugh. Other matters threatened to endanger Ross and Demelza's marriage even further. One, Demelza seemed to have become the center of attraction for men like fellow landowner Sir Hugh Bodrugan, who has set his eyes on Demelza ever since the Warleggan ball back in Series One; and the Scottish-born militia officer, Captain McNeil, who happened to be one of Ross' former military comrades from the Revolutionary War. Mr. Poldark seemed unaware of Sir Hugh's attention, but did not seem particularly thrilled by Captain McNeill sniffing around his wife. Yet . . . he did nothing. Two, Ross gave permission to allow a smuggling ring led by a Mr. Trencomb to use the cove on his beach to store their stolen goods. Fearful that Ross might face arrest again and this time, prison, Demelza expressed her disapproval. However, she seemed relieved that Ross and Francis had finally made their peace following their estrangement over Verity Poldark's (Francis' sister) marriage to a former alcoholic sea captain in Episode Three, thanks to Elizabeth's machinations. In fact, she was more than happy to attend Francis' harvest ball at Trenwith. What she did not like was the conversation she had overheard between Ross and Elizabeth, later that evening. A part of me was fascinated by Ross' bold attempt to seduce Elizabeth. Especially since it featured some excellent acting from both Aidan Turner and Heida Reed. Another part of me felt disgusted by his actions. Ross had not merely flirted with his cousin-in-law. He made a strong effort to seduce her . . . after her husband had retired to his bedroom, upstairs. Fortunately, Elizabeth put a stop to his action before it could get any worse. Interesting consequences resulted from Ross' attempt at seduction. It finally led Demelza to reveal her pregnancy to Ross . . . who did not seem particularly thrilled. And although Demelza seemed willing to dismiss her husband's behavior, her cool attitude toward Elizabeth during their encounter in the woods seemed to hint that she seemed willing to place most of the blame on her cousin-in-law. In other words, Demelza seemed willing to use Elizabeth as a scapegoat for Ross' indiscretion. Or . . . perhaps Ross' attempt to seduce Elizabeth had simply increased Demelza's insecurity. After reading several articles on this story arc, I was . . . not particularly surprised that most fans and critics had ignored this little scene between the two cousins-in-law, especially since Demelza is such a popular character and Elizabeth is not. Many years have passed since I last read "Jeremy Poldark". But I do not recall such a scene in the novel. What made Horsfield add it? Was this the producer's attempt to portray Demelza in a more ambiguous light than she did in previous episodes? Or was this an attempt to set up Elizabeth as partially responsible for an upcoming event in a later episode? I have no idea. I am confused. Many fans seemed thrilled by the budding romance between Dr. Dwight Enys and heiress Caroline Penvenen. Personally, I found it rather interesting . . . and romantic in a way. Both Luke Norris and Gabriella Wilde seemed to have a strong screen chemistry. My problem with this relationship is that I am not a fan of Caroline. I never have been. I have the oddest feeling that although she may be in love with Dwight, she also regards him as something new or different that she wants to acquire . . . or collect. Her constant requests for his medical services and her assistance in acquiring oranges to help him deal with an outbreak of scurvy strikes me as seductive foreplay on her part and nothing else. However, the reunion between the Nampara and Trenwith Poldarks resulted in two positive consequences. Following the loss of Wheal Leisure, Ross recalled Mark Daniels' (one of the saga's two wife killers) claim of discovering copper inside his family's other mine, Wheal Grace and managed to convince Francis in investing in the mine. And the latter invested the six hundred pounds that he had received from George Warleggan for exposing the Carnmore Copper Company investors (the majority of whom were indebted to the Warleggan Bank), back in Series One. Speaking of Francis' six hundred pounds, I am confused about something. When George Warleggan learned about Francis' investment in Wheal Grace, he vindictively revealed to Ross how Francis had acquired the money in the first place. Naturally, Ross lost his temper and the pair engaged in a brawl. But I could have sworn that Ross had figured out Francis' betrayal of the company ever since he learned about Demelza's meddling in Verity's love life around the same time that Carnmore Copper Company had folded. The sequence from Episode Eight seemed to hint this. Unless I had misread it. Judging from Ross' reaction to George's revelation in Episode Four of this season, apparently I did. However, I need to re-watch that Series One sequence again. George's revelation of Francis' betrayal did give Ross the opportunity to manipulate the latter into finally accepting Verity's marriage to Andrew Blamey in a very clever scene that featured first-rate performances from both Kyle Soller and Aidan Turner. As for that brawl between Ross and George . . . the scene sizzled from Aidan Turner and Jack Farthing's performances. And many fans and critics cheered over Ross emerging victorious over his nemesis. However, I noticed that George made that victory difficult for Ross to achieve. I guess George's boxing lessons proved to be beneficial after all. Some have expressed confusion over why George went through so much trouble to bring down Ross. Perhaps these fans had forgotten Ross' rude and insulting response to George's genuine offer of condolences over young Julia's death near the end of Series One. Not only had Ross dismissed George's sympathetic overture, he also insulted the latter's cousin Matthew Stinson, who had drowned when the Warleggans' ship foundered. Apparently George never did. It was nice to see Ruby Bentall as Verity Poldark Blamey again . . . even though her presence in the production was diminished in compare to Series One. Verity served as a reminder of Francis' unwillingness to accept her marriage to the former alcoholic (and wife killer) Captain Andrew Blamey . . . which I can understand. Episode Three (or was it Four) featured a minor story arc that featured Verity's problems with her stepdaughter, Esther Blamey. I must admit that it was not that difficult to understand Esther's hostility. Her father had killed her mother in a fit of alcoholic rage (during an argument). Although he had served a few years in prison, he was released, managed to rebuild his profession as a sea captain and marry a woman from an upper-class family. If dear Esther was seething with inner rage over this series of events, I honestly could not blame her. However, her brother James, a midshipman in the Royal Navy, seemed more than willing to accept Verity. Oh well. I have one last topic to discuss . . . Jud Paynter. As many know, Jud was bribed by George Warleggan's minion, Tankard, to testify against Ross about the riot on the beach. Instead, Jud refrained from doing so once he had reached the stand. In retaliation, George hired a couple of thugs to give him a beating. Only they went too far and nearly beat Jud to death. I say nearly, because for some stupid reason, everyone from his wife Prudie to both Ross and Demelza believed that Jud had died. No one had bothered to check his body to see whether he was alive or not. I have liked this little story arc. Mind you, it revealed that Jud had taken money from George to testify against Ross. But the whole "poor Jud is dead" routine struck me as completely ridiculous and hard to believe. I alway enjoy Phil Davis' portrayal of Jud and even Beatie Edney gave a rather funny performance in this story arc as the "grieving" Prudie Paynter. But I still dislike this story arc. Yet, I am grateful that Horsfield did not allow it to stretch out over a long period of time, as the producers of the 1975-77 series did. Thank goodness for some miracles. I might as well be frank. I am not really a fan of Winston Graham's 1950 novel, "Jeremy Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1790-1791". For me, it seemed like a transitional novel. It concluded the story arc that began with Ross' arrest for inciting a riot and it set up the Poldark/Warleggan family drama that eventually exploded in Graham's next novel. I realized that Debbie Horsfield and the cast did all they could to make this adaptation of "Jeremy Poldark" work. There were some scenes that I found interesting - especially in Episodes Three and Four. But I must be honest . . . I did not find it particularly captivating. How could I when the source material had failed to captivate me, as well?

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rosiep66 · 7 years

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"POLDARK" Series One (1975): Episodes Nine to Twelve

"POLDARK" SERIES ONE (1975): EPISODES NINE TO TWELVE It has been a while since I had last viewed "POLDARK", the BBC's 1975-77 adaptation of Winston Graham's literary series about the post-war life of a British Army officer American Revolutionary War veteran named Ross Poldark. Real life and several movies releases distracted my attention from the series. Eventually, I found the time to watch Series One's adaptation of Graham's 1950 novel, "Jeremy Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1790-1791". Episode Eight had ended on a grim note. Ross' new smelting company ended in failure after his cousin Francis Poldark revealed the shareholders' names to the former's rival, George Warleggan. Ross now finds himself in financial straights. Francis was stricken with Putrid's Throat and Ross' wife, Demelza Carne Poldark, helped Francis' wife, Elizabeth Chynoweth Poldark, nurse the stricken man back to health. Unfortunately, both Demelza and young daughter Julia were stricken with the same illness. Demelza recovered. Julia did not. Following Julia's death, one of the Warleggans' ships were wrecked off the coast of Poldark land. Despite Ross' efforts to conduct a rescue of the survivors (in this version, at least), many of the locals salvaged the goods from the ship and caused a riot on the ship. The episode ended with Ross being arrested for instigating the riot. Episode Nine began with Ross' return to his estate, Nampara, after spending a short period in jail. While he prepares to find a barrister (attorney) to represent him in court, Demelza tries to recruit help from the local gentry to have the charges dropped against Ross or ensure a not guilty verdict. Much against Ross' wishes, who stubbornly wants to guarantee his freedom on his own. Ross' friend, Dr. Dwight Enrys, meets the spoiled heiress Caroline Peneven, when she mistakes him for a veterinarian for her pug. Francis, who continues to feels guilty over his betrayal of the Carnmore Copper Company, sinks to a new low before sets out to make amends with Ross. And George and Nicholas Warleggan, who had arranged Ross' arrest in the first place, tries to guarantee a guilty verdict for Ross by bribing the latter's former servant, Jud Paynter, to testify against him. Following the trial in which Ross is exonerated, the Poldarks at both Nampara and Trenwith are forced to deal with their low financial straits. Ross and Francis reconcile and make plans to re-open Wheal Grace and dig for copper. To finance re-opening the mine, Ross allows local smugglers led by a man named Mr. Trencom to use the cove on Nampara land for a smuggling operation. Demelza is against the idea, but Ross refuses to listen to her. Meanwhile, Demelza discovers that she is pregnant with their second child. Due to their financial straits and the trauma of baby Julia's death, she fears that Ross will be unhappy by the news of her pregnancy. Demelza also resorts to solo fishing trips behind her husband's back to provide food for Nampara's inhabitants, while Ross' finances suffer. In fact, Episode Twelve ends with a very pregnant Demelza struggling to row back to the shore, while she goes into labor. What can I say about the 1975 adaptation of "Jeremy Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1790-1791"? I have mixed feelings about it. Perhaps my feelings for this adaptation is due to the source material. "Jeremy Poldark" is probably the shortest novel in Graham's twelve-book series. A novel's lenghth should not determine one's opinion of it. But if I must be brutally honest, I do not have a high regard for "Jeremy Poldark". It seemed more like a filler episode of a television series with a long-term narrative structure. The most interesting aspects of the novel were the emotional estrangement between Ross and Demelza, following their daughter's death and his deal with smugglers; Francis' attempt to reconcile with Ross; and of course, Ross' trial for the riot that had occurred near the end of "Demelza - A Novel of Cornwall, 1788-1790". Episode Nine mainly focused on Ross' preparations for the trial, Demelza's attempts to seek help for him, and the Warleggans' preparations to ensure that Ross will be convicted. That included recruiting Jud Paynter to testify against Ross. It was a pretty interesting episode. Somewhat. I thought the episode featured a colorful quality once the setting shifted to Bodmin for both the trial and upcoming local elections. It also featured a colorful assembly ball where Demelza, wearing the same gown she had worn at the Warleggans' ball in Episode Six, tries to recruit support and help for Ross. The episode ended with a cliffhanger, as Francis Poldark, who was also at the ball and in Bodmin to support Ross, contemplates committing suicide with a pistol in his hand. Episode Eleven mainly focused on Ross and Demelza's separate efforts to maintain their survival and rejuvenate their fortunes. And for the first time, the series delved into the strains that their their problems and Julia's death had placed upon their marriage. For Ross and Demelza, the honeymoon is finally over and I could not be any more happier. There is nothing that will bore me quicker than an idealized romance. Finally, the saga settles down to forcing the couple to work at making their marriage work. And I have to give credit to both Robin Ellis and Angharad Rees for their skillful portrayal of Ross and Demelza's struggles to make their marriage work. This was especially apparent in one scene that featured a quarrel between the couple following a supper party they had attended at Trenwith. Sometime during the evening, Ross and his former love, Elizabeth Chynoweth Poldark, had the opportunity for a private conversation that ended with Ross complimenting her appearance. Unfortunately, Demelza appeared and was able to overhear his compliment. Which would explained the Ross and Demelza's quarrel. Ever since the current adaptation of "POLDARK" had first aired, I have encountered complaints about how actor Kyle Soller had portrayed Francis Poldark as an ill-tempered loser during the show's first season. To be honest, Clive Francis had did the same in the 1975 adaptations of "Ross Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1783-1787" and "Demelza". I noticed that once Francis had put his friendship with the manipulative George Warleggan behind him and reconciled with Ross, he finally became that wry and witty man that so many had commented about. And the actor gave a very charming and subtle performance. I also enjoyed the portrayal of the burgeoning romance between Dr. Dwight Enys and heiress Caroline Penvenen, thanks to Richard Morant and Judy Geeson's sparkling performances. The beginning of their relationship reminded me of the numerous Hollywood comedies between the late 1950s and mid 1960s. This was especially highlighted by Caroline's mistaken assumption that Dwight was more of a veterinarian and the latter's subtle contempt toward her privileged behavior. In a way, I find their relationship a bit more realistic than the one between Ross and Demelza. Dwight and Caroline's relationship strike me as good example of how class differences can effect a potential romance between two people of such disparate backgrounds. But the one episode that I truly enjoyed was Episode Ten. It featured the assizes in Bodmin and especially Ross' trial. If I must be brutally honest, Episode Ten did not feature one of Robin Ellis' best performances as Ross Poldark. He spent most of the episode looking rather stoic and occasionally, disapproving. It seemed as if the world of 18th century Cornwall had merely revolved around him. And a colorful world it turned out to be. The excitement actually began in the second half of Episode Nine, which featured the local elections, a local ball and the preparations for Ross' trial. But it was the assizes itself, which included Ross' trial that made Episode Ten fascinated for me. Not only did it feature Ross' trial, filled with attempts by the corrupt prosecutor to circumvent the law; but also another in which a woman was convicted for a minor crime and punished with a public whipping. At least three performances made Episode Ten very interesting. One of those performances came from Paul Curran, who portrayed Ross' former servant (at the time), Jud Paynter. Curran's Jud spent most of the episode getting drunk in order to shore up his courage to testify against Ross. It almost seemed as if Curran had to sustain the image of a drunken Jud throughout the entire episode. He also had to constantly irritate George Warleggan, portrayed by Ralph Bates. And the latter is the second performance that really caught my interest. I really enjoyed Bates in this episode. His George Warleggan was a man irritated not only by Jud's drunkeness, but also by the tight-fisted Nicholas Warleggan. Bates did an excellent job in basically portraying a straight man to a pair of comic performances. That second comic performance belonged to Nicholas Selby, who gave a rather subtle, yet funny performance as the venal, yet penny-pinching Nicholas. Poor George. His father is vindictive enough to demand that Ross suffers for the looting of his shipwrecked ship, but cheap enough to demand that George pay a small amount to arrange for Ross' conviction. Talk about a man between a rock and a hard place. Despite these narrative and character virtues, I still remained somewhat unimpressed by Episodes Nine to Twelve. I was not impressed by how screenwriters Peter Draper and Paul Wheeler, along with director Kenneth Ives; structured the narrative for these episodes. One, their use of cliffhangers seemed a bit off kilter to me. In two episodes - Episodes Nine and Ten - the screenwriters and the director used cliffhangers to tell the audience what happened and not show. Episode Nine ended with a despondent Francis Poldark pressing a pistol to his head, as he prepared to commit suicide. Yet, there was no gunshot or anything to hint what happened. Audiences did not learn that the suicide attempt had failed due to the pistol's misfire in a conversation between Francis and Dwight Enys. I found this handling of Francis' suicide attempt extremely annoying. Apparently, it was easier for Draper and Ives to tell the audience what happened via Francis' revelation than show it. As for Episode Ten, it ended with the judge about to announce the verdict at the end of Ross' trial. But audiences did not learn about the verdict, until George Warleggan had informed his father . . . at the beginning of Episode Eleven. It seemed ridiculously unnecessary to end Episode Ten in this manner. Worse, it was another example of the writer and director telling what happened, instead of showing. Speaking of "episodic interruptus", Episode Twelve, which is the last one that served as an adaptation of "Jeremy Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1790-1791", ended with a pregnant Demelza rowing back to shore as she goes into labor. One, this is not how the novel ended. It ended with a conciliation between Ross and Francis during the newborn Jeremy Poldark's christening; along with Ross and Demelza at home, as they contemplated on keeping their family and household. I see now that the screenwriter had allowed Ross and Francis to reconcile before Jeremy's birth, so that they could end the episode on this cliffhanger with Demelza struggling to reach the shore. I found this a waste of time. This was simply another example of telling the audience what happened, instead of showing. Episode Thirteen, which began the adaptation of "Warleggan: A Novel of Cornwall, 1792-1793", began with Demelza reaching the shore and later, Ross announcing the presence of his newborn son. Frustrating! And unnecessary. Although I had earlier complimented Paul Curran's comic performance of the drunken Jud Paynter, I must admit there is so much of Jud that I can take. He almost became something of a fly on the ointment to me during my favorite episode, Episode Ten. But Episode Twelve truly became something of a chore for me, due to the whole "Jud is dead" story arc. After double-crossing the Warleggans by failing to testify against Ross and keeping the fifteen shillings they had given him, Jud is assaulted by some of George Warleggan's men at the end of Episode Eleven. A great deal of Episode Twelve focused on Jud's funeral and wake, while Ross and Demelza attended another supper party at Trenwith. A great deal. To make matters worse, it turned out that Jud was never dead . . . just unconscious. No one had bothered to verify whether he was dead or not. Instead, they had mistaken his unconscious body as a corpse. Not only was I irritated that Jud was not dead, I believe that Winston Graham had committed something of a cheat with this story line. Worse, I had to endure thirty to forty minutes of Jud's wake, which seemed more than I was able to bear. I really wish he had remained dead. I have one last quibble and it involved at least two missing characters. What happened to Jinny Carter? You know . . . Jinny? Ross and Demelza's kitchen maid? The widow of one Jim Carter? What happened to her? Actress Gillian Bailey, who had portrayed Ginny in the adaptation of "Ross Poldark" and "Demelza", seemed to be missing during these four episodes. Worse, no mention was made about her lack of presence. I find this ironic, considering that Jinny's father, Zacky Martin, was not missing. Forbes Collins, who had portrayed Zacky, had a strong presence in these four episodes - including the sequence involving Jud's funeral. So why was Jinny missing? And I also noticed that after twelve episodes and adaptations of three novels, Aunt Agatha Poldark remained missing. I realize that she plays an important role in "Warleggan: A Novel of Cornwall, 1792-1793" and "The Black Moon: A Novel of Cornwall, 1794-1795". But why has she been missing for so long in this adaptation of Winston Graham's saga? How did producers Morris Barry and Anthony Coburn explain her appearance in future episodes, beginning with the adaptation of "Warleggan"? There were some highlights from Barry and Coburn's adaptation of "Jeremy Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1790-1791". These highlights include Ross Poldark's trial in Episode Ten; the burgeoning romance between Dr. Dwight Enys and Caroline Penvenen; and the performances of three cast members - Paul Curran, Nicholas Selby and especially Ralph Bates. But overall, I was not that impressed by Episodes Nine to Twelve. I found the narrative structure of these episodes rather troubling, especially with how cliffhangers were used. And the handling of the Jud Paynter character struck me as well, somewhat overbearing. Oh well. Onward to Episode Thirteen.

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