Poldark season 3 premiere recap: New characters, old conflicts

Poldark, Season 3 Shown from left to right: Gabriella Wilde as Caroline Penvenen, Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza, and Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark

Courtesy of Mammoth Screen for BBC and MASTERPIECE

Poldark’s second hour in the premiere ends up as the more intriguing hour, if only because there are some mutual attractions that start paying off.

Poldark has never been shy about selling romances, and even though the romance was probably closer to the B-plot, it certainly didn’t seem like the B-plot in the second premiere hour.

Sam and Drake have found themselves employment at Wheal Grace. Although Drake is more about working, Sam finds time to proselytize at work and at home. This hour makes it much clearer that Ross is actually going to try not to obsess over George anymore, although he’s going about it in the most Ross way possible (that is, being intense about it).

What it did not need to make clear, though, is that Drake has a way with the ladies. Yet it does, with Demelza telling her brother of his “beguiling way” and then immediately cutting to Morwenna giggling over a book with Geoffrey Charles. Okay, Poldark, we get it.

It’s also time to meet more new characters. First up is Sir Francis Bassett, who is like George in that he’s new money, but seems like he’s a little more relaxed than George and not as obviously reaching. Second up is Tholly Tregirls, a grizzled old friend of Ross’ dad who has a hook for a hand and keeps his hand bones with him. Also, Verity arrives with her adorable baby for the christening, and doesn’t get an answer about who Valentine looks like.

Drake and Sam actually have a small congregation going, enough that they’re eying the not-Poldark family church. They have a new crossbeam for their meeting place that they decide to carry across Trenwith land, which means they run across Morwenna and Geoffrey Charles, which also means Drake and Morwenna have a little moment where he gives her flowers and she gives him a warning about not lingering too long.

George is casually insensitive when talking about the battles between the French, enough to worry both Verity (which he should know better about … but he probably doesn’t care anyway) and Caroline (whom he doesn’t know about, but still). Elizabeth later compounds it in private by not understanding why Verity might go and take Caroline with her as George puts a fancy necklace on her. Meanwhile, both Caroline and Verity burst into tears as Ross reports things are not looking good for either of the women’s husbands, but the next morning, he looks for more information. Nothing much is known, but it’s not good.

George is, in fact, so terrible that he makes services start when he shows up and not before, which means he shows up to Drake and Sam singing hymns with their group. Naturally, he has an opinion about this, but he doesn’t bother to do anything himself, instead sending the local reverend to ban them from church.

Ross really wants to go to France, but Demelza convinces him to hold off until after a party that might have information. Caroline, Ross, and Demelza all arrive kitted out for the event at the Bassett estate, but get a pair of looks from George and Elizabeth when they show up. At least Verity’s there to help look for information, and there are also French nobles who might know things.

Sir Francis has an agenda of his own: trying to convince Ross to be a magistrate. Of course, Ross is too good for these things, even though it means the job will go to George. Demelza points out that it’s really a bad decision, which, yes, it is. (At least Aunt Agatha deflates George’s excitement by implying Ross turned the job down.) Verity, at least, gets good news: her husband’s alive, and she starts planning to go to Portugal right away.

Meanwhile, Geoffrey Charles continues enabling Morwenna and Drake to have little meetings. Next, it’s seeing a cave that has a freshwater spring that also acts as a wishing well. Before she goes, Drake gives her a little handmade bracelet, which she starts wearing immediately. Also, since Ross is now trying to be more of a grown-up, the job of not wearing clothing has fallen to Sam and Drake; when swimming, Drake repeats his wish for Morwenna.

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Just as Ross lies down, Tholly knocks on the door with information: there’s a French prison that might hold Dwight. Caroline starts imagining the worst, even as Ross ships out while Demelza watches.