Barrett Brountas: We begin season two of MASTERPIECE’s Poldark right where we left off — an arrested Captain Ross Poldark, set to face a legal reckoning for the riot, raid and murder on Hydrawna Beach, and a worried Demelza looking for answers.

CLIP

Rev Halse: Mr. Poldark, it is alleged that you roused the neighborhood and led a blood-thirsty mob down to the beach.

Ross: Incorrect.

Rev. Halse: Which part?

Ross: They were not thirsty for blood. They were starving for food.

Barrett: Naturally, of course, I’ll be asking my friend and Mining Poldark co-host, Robin Ellis, about his character’s scathing exchange here with our troubled hero, but first — what happened to cousin Francis?

CLIP

Verity Do not lose heart, Francis. Tomorrow’s a new day.

Francis A new day… And it may never come.

Barrett And, like any good returning series, we’ve got a mysterious new character on the horizon — a Pug named Horace!—and his preposterously snobbish owner, heiress Caroline Penvenen.

CLIP

Dwight I’m a physician, ma’am. May I be of service?

Caroline I hope so. My darling little Horace has had two fits and now he’s barely breathing. Will you attend on him, please?

Dwight Your dog?

Barrett I’m Barrett Brountas, and this is Mining Poldark, a podcast from MASTERPIECE exploring every episode of the landmark PBS drama. We’ve back with season two, and as always, I’m thrilled be joined by my co-host and resident Cornish judicial expert, Robin Ellis.

To kick things off, as always, Robin and I have a quick episode cheatsheet of the essential moments from this thrilling cliffhanger of an episode. Robin?

Robin All aboard for Bodmin. Ross’s trial takes place there and friend and foe are heading north some to support, more to condemn. It’s a troubling time especially for Demelza. Still grieving for Julia, but determined to use her wiles to gain advantage. Admirable, but naive, perhaps, with Ross determined to self-destruct.

Barrett: George, who is thrilled that Ross is walking his head into a noose, prints and distributes a Ross-bashing pamphlet written by ‘Anonymous’ in order to prejudice the jury. Everyone agrees that things do not look good for Ross, but we’re the ones to notice that things don’t look good for Francis. He says his sad goodbye to Elizabeth confronts George  without care for the repercussions takes a last dig at Verity. We know where this is headed long before Aunt Agatha turns over her death tarot card over and long before Francis presses his loaded pistol to his temple. 

Robin There is light in all this darkness. Caroline Penvenen, in town for the election is used to turning heads, but finds hers turned by Dwight. He scoffs at her dog’s ailment and turns his back. She seems delighted to have met her match. We glimpse a twinkle when she persuades him back. That lightens our gloom, until we remember George Warleggan’s antics. 

Barrett Oh ho ho! That’s so good. And I would love it if you went first and kicked off with your sort of big moment, your first big moment.

Robin Well I’ve chosen three scenes. The first scene is Ross, very early on, Ross and Demelza on the cliffs.

CLIP

Ross: There’s a storm coming.

Demelza Julia’s afeared o’ thunder. I keep thinking that she’s still here – and if I just call her name. I’ll be better – by and by.

Ross I tell myself that – every day. And every day I fail.

Robin It’s a scene of great tenderness, and they’re clearly very much in love, and their love is I think self-evident, more self-evident than it’s been throughout this series so far. It’s just they’re brought together in grief and it’s unspoken, it’s just very strong and very striking and very moving. Clearly they’re both very worried, and they react in different ways. Ross, by being rather — well acting as though he’s not worried at all and that he’s taking it all very lightly, which in a way is I think evidence that he is worried and Demelza, in a more conventional way and a much more practical way, starts showing us what she’s capable of doing by planning and really doing stuff. Their two attitudes in this scene somehow sets them up for the whole of the episode, I think. It is a great opening scene. The whole episode starts with this fantastic aerial shot over the cliffs, ending with a shot of Ross picking up on the last episode being marched off to jail. It’s a terrific opening shot.

Barrett It truly is, it’s so dramatic Robin and I feel like, I don’t know if they got like more money in their drone budget but I feel like this whole episode, the cinematic quality of it it’s just incredibly beautiful. There’s another moment later where I was struck in this same way, where Ross heads out, he’s riding off to Bodmin and then Dwight on his horse joins him. And you feel the magnificence of this landscape and the scope of it in the same sort of way.

Robin That reminded me of a western shot.

Barrett Yes!

Robin Sort of epic cause as that, really, you know, out in the Great Plains, as it were. The two heroes join up and ride off to fight whomever they have to fight, you know.

Barrett Totally. Now this scene you just that you just discussed, I loved it too. And one of the most powerful things about it, the thing that sort of the gut punch there was Demelza saying that Julia was afraid of storms. And that just brought straight home this knowledge that they’re still raw with grief. Because we’ve picked up directly where we left off, they’re in the thick of this grief, and now they have this disaster of the accusations against Ross to contend with. So you know everything that they do throughout this episode to try to deal with the upcoming trial at Bodmin, and the assizes? I don’t even know, maybe you can explain to us what

Robin Assizes.

Barrett Yeah what’s an assizes?

Robin An assizes is a meeting of court cases as it were, a collective noun describing a number of trials. They come round in the spring, they come round in the autumn, because they’re travelling judges and so you have maybe the autumn assizes where cases lined up to to be heard at the assizes in the autumn. I think that still happens, in fact, because there are travelling judges.

Barrett That is a fascinating. Thank you for clarifying that. So that scene reminds me that on top of everything they’re dealing with with the trial, they are still raw with grief, and that they need each other and that they love each other. Now the scene that I chose was about Ross and Demelza as well, and it was another side of that love they share. It was when Demelza is seated playing the spinet and Ross is observing her from the doorway.

CLIP

Ross Who’s this fine lady and what has she done with my wife?

Demelza Judas!

Ross There she is! For a moment I thought I’d lost her!

Demelza Why? ‘Cos she’s prink’d up to the nines an’ her fizzog powdered?

Ross Clearly I needn’t worry about you when I’m gone. There’ll be a line of suitors from here to Penzance.

Demelza So I should hope.

Barrett Then it proceeds like a really beautiful intimate scene between the two of them. But I just, I loved this, because even though they’re still grieving, you know, this shows another way that they find comfort in each other. And even though they’re no longer newlyweds, this playful spirit keeps them connected, in spite of the hardships that they’ve been through and the ones they’re currently facing, there’s just something about that moment between them that made me feel like this is a real married couple. You know?

Robin I agree there’s the spark is there and the playing of the harpsichord from a distance just sets Ross up to to relax and come in and be playful with Demleza under very, very, very difficult circumstances, and it’s glorious, really.

Barrett Oh good. I’m glad you like that one too.

Robin I agree.

Barrett  What do you have next.

Robin Well I have a completely different scene, really, it’s a sort of complex and interesting scene. It’s the scene where Elizabeth pleads with George to intervene and help Ross.

CLIP

Ross Is Francis here?

Elizabeth Somewhere hereabouts. I wanted to speak with you first. To ask if some help might be given when you come to court. I hope you will take the gesture with the kindness in which it’s intended.

Ross Gesture?

Elizabeth George might know the judge who will hear your case.

Ross How convenient.

Elizabeth And thought that perhaps he could be…

George Pointed in the right direction?

Ross For a price, no doubt.

George Not one that you would personally need to pay.

Ross But I see that I would. And it strikes me as more than my liberty’s worth. Demelza, we’re leaving.

Francis Ross? Elizabeth? What’s the meaning of this?

Elizabeth I, I thought – if there was something we could do – to help Ross.

Francis “We”?

Demelza We appreciate the thought.

Ross But not the method.

Francis Ross! You’ll excuse us, George.

Robin And of course Francis sees this scene, and it first of all, George is there, which isn’t great, because you know George evidently likes Elizabeth. And then the difficulty with Ross. And so the scene sort of layers interest and complexity on itself, which I found very entertaining.

Barrett That was a great one.

Robin I think it’s really worth watching and seeing the layers of the onion that are coming off as as new people arrive at the scene, as it were.

Barrett One of the things that I love so much about that scene is that here are the players that we are going to be dealing with you know through the remainder of the series in one form or another. And all the complexity of the dynamics among them. There they are, all in that one room. I also love that, I love that Elizabeth was able to manipulate George into coming, because Elizabeth is sort of, prior to this she seemed almost like a you know, a hothouse flower. You know, she’s in this environment she’s she seemed sort of fragile. She never we never got to see her smarts and her wiles and now she’s she’s managed to get them all on in this room. Unfortunately it falls flat. It doesn’t work and George is insulted further and Ross is Angry and Francis was left out. And now Francis can see how much Elizabeth is still likes Ross, so you know, A for effort Elizabeth, right?

Robin Absolutely and it reflects also the women’s part in this terrible saga. Demelza has her wily moments as well as she tries to curry favor as it were and Elizabeth is showing certainly a great deal of quiet cleverness in a way and persuasion. She knows that George fancies her. I mean George is seen approaching her in the street and you know it’s it’s pretty self-evident what George is up to and has been up to for a couple of episodes in fact. And she’s turning it to her advantage which is good to see. We wait to see whether it has any effect but nevertheless. What it your next scene?

Barrett My next scene selection is the confrontation between Francis and George. I just loved Francis telling George what he really thinks of him.

CLIP

Francis In that case, may I offer you some advice?

George By all means.

Francis You may flaunt your guineas on lavish garments and fancy carriages. You may purchase a coat of arms and deck out your servants in gaudy livery. You may even buy your way into every club, mine and drawing room in the county. But what you will never buy is nobility – or breeding – or even common decency.

George Are you quite sure you don’t wish to apologize, Francis? Given the nature of our association?

Francis You own me. I acknowledge that. And my indebtedness to you has long muddied the waters between us. So I trust that any confusion about my feelings is now entirely cleared up?

Barrett It also showed what a snob he is still. You know it’s it’s it’s very Francis it comes very much from his class and background. and I just so I loved him standing up and telling George that basically he thinks he is a garbage person. He doesn’t care if George threatens him and that he’s done with him. And even though I think it’s sad too because it tells us that Francis is a man with nothing to lose which is really really sad. I just loved George getting put down and Francis standing up for himself.

Robin Yeah it’s very very good to see. I find Francis in this episode is a very interesting portrait because he starts off by really being very positive. He he is very much understanding of Ross’s situation and really in spite of everything in the history he really feels strong strongly and he’s moved by Ross’s predicament and really tries to help out a number of times and he’s rejected. I think rejection is one of the main themes of this episode. People are rejected and the result is is catastrophic. You know Francis is, he tries and tries and tries and he’s rejected by by Ross and George as well does try. I mean I know what we feel about George but he does try and he’s rejected and insulted and rejected and rejected and finally you know in Francis’s case he decides on a path that is ghastly. In George’s case he decides that he’s not going to help out. And I felt myself feeling feeling some sympathy for George, I know it’s going to be unpopular.

Barrett Before our next scene, let’s take a quick break to hear a word from our sponsors…

Barrett This is my last scene of the episode and I can’t wait to find out what you think of George in this scene. I feel like I read it differently. We’ll see. Anyway this is George’s visit to Ross in his cell. He comes he extends the hand of friendship to Ross and. Ross rejects it.

CLIP

Ross I’m in no mood for visitors!

George Sounds ominous. I hope I’m not disturbing you.

Ross I was writing to my wife.

George I’ve not come to fight Ross. But to confess! Confess myself disarmed. Impressed. Well of course you might of guessed Elizabeth did would me to intervene. But would you guess that Francis did, too? That Ray Penvenen tried to fight your corner? Alfred Barbery? Lord Deveran? How do you inspire such loyalty? It impresses me! I see its value. I could use it. I could do what they ask me to do, remove the hostile witnesses, drop a word in the ear of the prosecution. I could even take the stand, give you a character reference, how would that sway the jury? The very man, whose cousin perished? What do you say Ross? Will you meet me halfway? Will you take the hand of friendship?

Ross Forgive me. Are you truly so deluded? Do you think I would ever shake your hand?

George No. No not for a single moment but when you go to the gallows I’ll be able to say hand on heart to Elizabeth, I offered Ross Poldark my help and he turned me down! So thank you for being every bit as predictable as I hoped you’d be.

Ross And thank you for reminding me what can or cannot be bought.

Barrett Now I love that. It says so much about Ross. But what does this tell us what does this scene tell us about George. I wanted to ask you two questions about this scene. Did you think that George ever intended to try to help out Ross and that he was sort of covering for himself because you know of his rejection by Ross when he offers the hand of friendship or do you think that you know all along he never intended to try to help Ross.

Robin Oh I definitely think he intended to help Ross. I think he he came in hoping that at the last minute Ross would have a change of mind. Of course it’s not entirely self selfless because he says he reveals his motive. You know that he could actually use Ross’s friendship to his own advantage. So he likes to put that in. But I  found myself, the first time I saw this that I found myself sympathetic in some way to George I was astonished to realize almost moved by it. It was a crazy feeling but I had to admit it that I was. And then of course he then reveals himself. Yet it all ends badly.

Barrett And that’s my other question for you which is, do you think that Ross should have accepted George’s help?

Robin Well I think that’s just too difficult to answer. I mean I completely understand why Ross does it. You know throughout the episode George has built up Ross’s case against George. You know with this terrible pamphlet and all these false allegations against him. I although I do I do see that the court case is slightly odd because there’s no mention of the captain for instance and you know Ross putting him up at his house when they’ve all nearly died and all that so that the defense is a little I think a little inadequate on those terms. No but I truly did feel some sympathy for George. Of course in the end you don’t because he’s is willing to leave leave things as they are and he knows very well that Ross is going to behave badly in court and he’d probably be hanged. And you know that’s a pretty difficult thing to live with. I would think in the end but here he is. He has suffered a lot as well in terms of.

Barrett Yeah. Reject I suppose I just felt like George came to rub it in. I. I think he thought well I might try this so that Elizabeth you know I can tell Elizabeth that I tried but really I just want to rub in how I’ve won and. That I don’t know. Now I do feel for George at certain points but this was not an episode where he got me. He didn’t get me this time but I see your point in. And I also feel like if Ross understood that he was going to be hanged, how selfish is it to just you know take the moral high ground all the time. You know it’s hard to be on the moral high ground if you’re hanging from a noose.

Robin Yeah. Very nice. Yes quite. Yeah. left hanging, as it were.

Barrett I would love to discuss really quickly Dwight and Caroline’s little la veterinary moment.

Robin Oh wonderful. I loved it very much. Yeah. She’s met her match and it’s great. And she loves it. I mean she loves it and it’s it’s it’s a nice parallel potential love interest without quite the tension of the other two as it were.

Barrett Yeah there is that lightness to it. I agree and there is something so Jane Austen about it that I remember when I first saw that scene, I asked if Caroline if she’s Austen or awful, I don’t know yet. We’ll soon find out. Is she going to be a snobbish, superficial you know mean girl, or is there something to her in there that spark that you pointed out earlier has me hopeful that there is going to be something more underneath that beautiful surface.

Robin Well yes it is it’s it’s a lovely thing to look forward to in fact the development of that relationship and the development of both of them in fact I think after Dwight’s very difficult beginning as it were. And he’s he’s such a good man at heart. We have we have the fun of seeing which way Caroline turns.

Barrett So Robin before we leave today I wanted to ask you what your thoughts are on the hero or hater assessment we’ve been doing during our discussion of Season One of Poldark. And I didn’t know if you had any feelings about that that title of the segment in particular that you wanted to share.

Robin Yeah well I. I was never quite comfortable with the hater side of it and that I’m not sure whether I understood the hater side of it or my understanding of it was the current understanding of it. So I was never quite quite happy with it. I I’d I think I’d be more happy if we rated Ross perhaps each episode on a hero of one to 10.

Barrett I think that sounds like a great idea. Just sort of Ross Poldark — how heroic and that that’s that loosely defined scale would be a great one to use to assess. Especially considering where this season is headed, you know he may be all over the all over that scale. He might hit the top and he might hit the bottom.

Robin And he might yet be hanged, we don’t know. In this one how would you rate him?.

Barrett I would rate him as probably a solid five. He can’t be a hero if he’s hanged and he can’t do all the things that he needs to do. If he is sitting in Bodmin Jail but he has to be Ross and if he makes that deal with George he’s no longer Ross. He’s no longer the hero so he’s stuck in the middle as far as I’m concerned. What do you think.

Robin Well having an interest in Ross, I think I might give him an extra half point. So I’m raising five and a half.

Barrett That’s great. Robin, it has been a delight as always talking with you about Poldark. And now we’re in season two. By the way, season two is my favorite season. Do you have a favorite season?

Robin  I think this is where the story really gets going.

Barrett Okay. I didn’t know if you were going to say that thing where, ‘I can’t choose a favorite child. They’re all my favorite.’ I like that you like this one.

Robin Oh I’ll use that next time.

Barrett Thanks very much, Robin. I’ve enjoyed it very much, and I can’t wait to talk with you about episode two. We’ll find out what happens to all of these characters. And let’s hope that they encounter a little luck.

Robin Absolutely they they should I think. All right. Until then.

Barrett Thank you and take good care.

Robin You too, Barrett, bye bye.

Barrett Before we go today, I thought it might be nice to hear a bit of Poldark star Aidan Turner’s season two preview interview with my colleague Jace Lacob, host of our companion MASTERPIECE Studio podcast.

Jace: Do you see Poldark as a romantic saga, social commentary, or both?

Aidan: God, I don’t know what I see it as. You know? I mean, the genre is, is, um … I tried to sort of define it for somebody yesterday. If somebody says, you know, “Well, where, where do we, uh, where does Poldark fit in? Uh, well what genre?” And I kind of said, “It’s, you know, there’s, there’s romantic elements and there’s dramatic elements and it’s a historical pl-, place with the … ” And I kind of, well, I don’t really sort of know … … what show it is, and maybe that’s kind of key to its success in a certain way, too. I mean, it’s, it’s, um, it is hard to define it. I mean, I don’t necessarily see that a, as a romantic saga, but, uh, it’s kind of not up to me to, to, um, to label it. You know? For me it’s just being in that world and playing that character and, um, and, and, and participating in the show is, is, is kind of, I mean, I d-, I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. For me it feels it feels real. You know, I don’t play a style. I, I, it’s, it’s not, I don’t, I don’t walk into a scene and go, you know, “This is like, let’s, uh, let’s throw some romance into this.” I mean it …… it always feels … That’s down to the cinematographer and the DP and the director and the writers and other people and our editors and, um, to, to do what they do. For me it’s, it’s, it feels like it’s, it’s a real world. You know? I’m wearing these, you know, the high boots and the tri-corner hat. It becomes, uh, after a while it becomes less ridiculous, you know? It becomes, uh, it feels as comfortable as a pair of jeans.

Jace: What did you make of the character of Ross Poldark when you first read the script?

Aidan: Um, I guess he was … I kind of had an idea about what it might be about. You know, even the first, the first couple of pages into reading Winston’s book, I thought I might go down a certain route. And, and very quickly I was, um, I was happily surprised that it wasn’t. He felt well rounded to me. I mean, he’s, he’s not this, you know, heroic kind of Robin Hood guy who’s, who rides in on a horse and, and, and, you know, the, the working class hero. He’s flawed and he’s real and, and he’s 3D, so he’s layered. Um, he didn’t, uh … There’s so much to him, you know? He’s not, um, like he’s not perfect and he doesn’t try to be and, and, you know, he’s not just this, this sort of like, you know, benevolent saintly character. He, he feels like, he feels like a real person to me. Um, so I got that initially but that’s what Winston Graham does really well, I think. I mean, he writes characters really well. Um, and you know, the, the first dozen pages in I thought, “I, I kind of, I can see where this is going. I’m, I’m getting a real feeling for this guy.” And it was great too because the offer came in as I’m reading it, which has never happened before. I’m reading it going, “You know what? It’s, it’s up to me to respond to this, so this is great.” And, and there was this, uh, sort of mental relief, I guess to, you know, a dozen pages in going, “God, I think I can, I think this might be something I can, I can do and I’m into and I, I connect with this character.” And it is kind of a rare thing. You know, you read a lot of scripts and, and, and, um, you want to respond to things. You know, you open every, you, you, you turn every first page with the, with the thoughts of, “I really want to get into this. I really want to like it.” You know? Um, so yeah. I just thought, “Great.” I mean, there’s a lot to play around with here. There’s a lot of, a lot of this guy I relate to. Um, a lot of potential I see in this. Um, yeah. There’s, I, I can’t quite describe it. I just, there was a connection. I wish I, I could go back to that time and re kind of live it, you know, to, to get there. But I remember just feeling, “God, this just, everything about this just feels right.” You know?

Jace: Now, Ross ended the season in chains after the shipwreck on Hendrawna Beach. Where do we find him when we pick back up in Season 2?

Aidan: Well, right there. I mean, it’s … Yeah, it’s literally it’s, it’s, it’s cl-, it’s the cliff hanger, isn’t it? Um, yeah, yeah. He’s right there. That, that’s what’s kind of refreshing too, to, uh, as an actor just to pick it up right where you left off. It’s, um, it’s in real time for us. We’re, we’re, we’re right there again. I mean, it’s … And it’s great too, because he’s, it’s, it’s to-, it’s rock bottom. You know? It’s lovely to, to start off a series and, um, in complete torment and despair. You know? It’s himself, you know, it’s his Carnmore Copper Company that he has so much hope in, um, but that he put everything into is, is, is bankrupt, liquidation, gone. Um, it’s, his, his relationship with Francis is something he, he, he treasured for years. Um, his best friend is, is just … It’s in pieces, um, um, his relationship with, with Elizabeth is, is, um, almost kind of non-existent and, and, and they just lost their child. I mean, everything has, everything has gone wrong for these guys and, and sometimes it’s nice to kind of start from (laughter) rock bottom and try to, try to work up. You know, you need to go down to come up sometimes and it’s, um … Yeah. I mean, time jumps are all well and good, but for, for starting off a series it’s nice to just pick up where you left off sometimes.

Jace: How has he been changed by the events of Season 1? Is he the same man we saw at the outset of the series?

Aidan: Um, no. No. I mean, what are we talking, how many years have passed? I mean, from the first series we, we are saying about three years, um, from, from, uh, from the beginning of, of series one to the end of it. Um, no. I think he’s changed an awful lot. I mean, we see quite an immature Ross when he comes back. I mean, when he walks in and he finds, um, he finds out that Elizabeth is, is, is going to be marrying Francis, he’s, uh, I mean, he’s, he’s just, he’s livid. He loses it and, and there’s something he says. He says, you know, “Why didn’t you … ” Elizabeth says to him, you know, “You didn’t write. We thought you were dead. You know, you didn’t, you didn’t write. No one knew where you were, what you were doing. I mean, how can you, you expect me to wait for you,” and he did. I mean, it’s, it’s completely irrational. Um, I don’t think that’s the kind of Ross we see at end of series one. I mean, he has matured. I think Demelza’s helped him do that. You know, she, she’s got, she’s a straight talker. She’s got a head on her shoulders. She, she’s, um, her, her feet are firmly placed on the ground. I think she straightens him up a lot, an awful lot. I mean, he’s quite, it’s almost petulance, you know? He’s, he’s, he’s incredibly immature I think, when we meet him first. But, um, it’s nice to have a character that you can, uh, you can feel. You, you, you know, you’re growing with and you, you can feel that, that transition as, as the first series goes on, as every episode, you know, you can feel that he’s, he’s kind of learning more and, and he’s growing. You know? He’s, he becomes more courageous and, and, um, yeah. There’s, there’s more hope I think.

Jace: Familial relationships between the Poldarks have never been more tense, particularly with the feud between Ross and Francis at this point.  Jace: How does that shake out this season?

Aidan:With Ross and Francis? Um, that’s a difficult one for Ross, you know? It, it’s … Obviously when he comes to the first series and, and, and he, he gate crashes the engagement party and he’s, he’s shocked and he’s, he’s, he’s incredibly angry about what’s going on and, and he … I don’t think he, he doesn’t, he doesn’t ever care to see ’em again, I think. I think he’s let it go. I mean, Ross is very good at doing that. He’s very good at just annexing. You know? Cutting off, cauterizing, see you later, bye. You know, he’s, he’s, he’s great at that. He can, he can hold a grudge like nobody else, you know? The, the chip on his shoulder sometimes can be, can be so great and he can carry it. It’s, it’s, um, it’s one of, one of the flaws that I, that I really like about him. You know? He’s quite, um, he’s, uh, he’s quite single minded in that sense. But, um, it’s something he’s always treasured. You know? He’s, he was his best friend. You know? He was, he was almost the younger brother kind of thing. Um, I can imagine them, you know. We used to sort of … When you’re reading the books and, and, and you’re kind of going through in your head the back story and, uh, I just, I could always see them, you know, hanging out and Francis looking up to Ross and just his advice and this, you know, this, this inspiration and, um, it’s, it’s the two of them. It was the two of them in it all the time and, and when he returns, I think, Francis has changed an awful lot in Ross’ eyes. And he’s, he’s become a different person, the person that he never wanted him to be. You know, he’s hanging out with the likes of George Warleggan and it’s, um, he’s, uh … So that’s disappeared. You know, he’s lost his best friend and it, they begin to sort of get back on their feet again and Ross may be able to start burying some hatchets and they’re getting somewhere. And then he feels betrayed w-, with, with what happens with the Carnmore Copper Company and the names and, and he feels like Francis again has sold him down the river and, and he’s just, he has enough of it.

Barrett That was Poldark star Aidan Turner, in conversation with MASTERPIECE Studio host Jace Lacob. You can hear more of that interviews, and a whole lot more besides on our MASTERPIECE Studio podcast, available at pbs.org/MASTERPIECEStudio, or on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Radio Public or wherever else you listen to podcasts.

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Mining Poldark is hosted by me, Barrett Brountas, with co-host Robin Ellis. We’re produced by Nick Andersen, with help from Robyn Bissette. Thanks to Meredith Wheeler for off-site recording. Tina Tobey-Mack is our sound designer. Susanne Simpson is our executive producer. The executive producer of MASTERPIECE is Rebecca Eaton.

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