Poldark season 3 episode 7 review: ‘Life is short, but love is long’

This week’s episode of Poldark is equal parts frustrating and fascinating in how it treats our characters — both genders.

Poldark doesn’t give its episodes actual titles, but if this week’s episode of Poldark had a title, it would probably be something taken from the song that Demelza sings towards the episode. However, if there’s a better title out there, it’s probably “A Race to the Bottom.” Whether it’s George’s insecurities, Ross’ weird mix of indifference and inability to understand, Lt. Armitage’s inability to take a hint or Whitworth’s general … everything … the only decent main male character in this week’s episode is Dwight Enys, and he’s about as fed up as this reviewer is.

And meanwhile, the women have to deal with all of these things, with limited power. At the end of the episode, Demelza honestly tells Ross what she’s feeling, and she has a right to be suspicious with what’s going on with him and Elizabeth. He pays her back by saying he actually doubts what she feels for him. Never mind that he’s done worse than she has. (Demelza’s barb about his needing to “be patient” with her feels particularly pointed. The show doesn’t get more explicit than that, but it could drop the word hypocrisy and not really cause me to bat an eye.)

Even though Prudie doesn’t overhear the conversation between Elizabeth and Ross in Sawle Church, their being alone and the kisses are bad enough. Speaking of her, Elizabeth knows that there’s a reckoning coming, and it’s hard not to read frustration into her expression when Ross tells her to have another baby with George and pass the child off as another premature child.

A flash of the old, passionate Elizabeth returns, though, in her interaction with Whitworth, where she demands that Dwight be sent for. Even though she doesn’t necessarily have enough power to make it a real threat, she does know that socially speaking, it would not look good if it was made known that she called the doctor for Morwenna and not Morwenna’s own husband.

In this context — women left with few options — Rowella’s continuing decision to pull Whitworth in and ultimately bring him up to her room is her only option to protect her sister, who is slipping further and further into “despair,” to crib a word from this episode’s synopsis.

So far, this all completely ignores the other major plot development of Poldark this week: George’s election to Parliament. It may seem like it doesn’t matter at all, though. It ties back into the gender division, though. Note that George doesn’t bring Elizabeth with to the election. Demelza comes along, but explicitly mentions that she suspects it’s because Ross doesn’t want to walk in on a visit from Hugh, although he passes it off as a different Hugh. Women couldn’t vote. In fact, Ross’ debate with Lord Falmouth could just as easily be a debate about women’s suffrage as opposed to class-based suffrage.

Why is the episode frustrating? Simply, it’s because the show feels like it mostly spun its wheels. The seasons of Poldark are brief, so the pacing is magnified, both for good and for ill. Towards the end of this hour, it feels like we’re finally heading for the big breaking points of the season. It’s a shame that there’s only one episode left.

Next: Where does Mr. Robot season 3 go from here?

Other thoughts:

• How many times can I praise Jack Farthing’s acting as George this season? Turns out I can keep doing it. The paranoia he infuses into George’s expressions is great.
• Emma Tregirls’ one scene with the meaningful look at Sam Carne means it’s time to keep an eye on that relationship.
• The symbolism of Hugh Armitage riding a white horse to Nampara is not super subtle, especially when Ross has been riding a black horse the entire series.
• The show leans into dream sequences and into Ross’ mind again this episode, and I nearly bought it.
• Welcome back, Geoffrey Charles. Here’s hoping your visit isn’t too terribly short.