I've come to the conclusion that the friction between Demelza and Ross, even before his great transgression, seemed to trump everything else that happens. As Demelza points out, the bloom of new love has faded and she is having doubts as to whether or not Ross still loves her. She's quite snarky is several scenes. Now, Demelza is supposed to a spirited, street-wise, feisty kinda gal but she was closer to being menopausal in some of her scenes. Let's face it - married couples argue and go through hard times and one would expect that the Poldarks are no different. What strikes me is how much these argumentative scenes stuck in my mind so much more than the affectionate, loving ones. Why was that? The stocking scene was so sweet, sexy, and loving - as was the tub scene, but they did not have as much impact as the snarky ones for some reason.... at least for me.
Another thing that stands out is how dense Ross is regarding Demelza's insecurities. Really, there was a least two times I wanted to smack him. lol When Demelza says 'Elizabeth looked good tonight' and he looks up with a little half smile and says Yes, she did - really Ross, you couldn't throw in a 'BUT she doesn't hold a candle to you, my love' or something like that? His block-headedness really hurts her. He was like that in the first season too, so it's not like he would change. Still I really feel for Demelza at those times.
Ross' infidelity was a major story point in this season. It has been discussed to death all over the net - was it rape or not? I felt the show made it seem less like a rape, more like a half-hearted attempt to not give in to passion on Elizabeth's part - an angry desire to have her before George does on Ross'. As expected, his actions nearly destroy his marriage and it's hard to watch the struggle to keep it from falling completely apart. The final episode leaves us hopeful.
I took more time paying attention to Dr. Ennis and Caroline's story and have to applaud both Luke and Gabriella for their great acting. They really bring the characters to life. In fact, everyone in the show is so good. Great casting, costuming, sets, music, directing, and a GREAT story - oh, and George gets the snot kicked out of him - what more could a viewer want?
What I enjoyed most was the transition of Francis from a self-centered fop under George's control to a kind, loving father and husband. I love the scenes of him with Geoffrey Charles out in the fields, and the big one where he tells George in no uncertain terms to stay out of his home and his life. It was wonderful to watch Kyle; witness how good an actor he is! His heartfelt conversation with Demelza before he dies is just so well done and is truly my favorite scene. As much as we all love Aidan's portrayal of Ross, it is Kyle's portrayal of Francis that really shines for me this season.
I have to be patient until October gets here so I can watch season 3. I know it will be worth the wait.
