'Poldark': Season 4, Episode 3 Recap

Previously on Poldark: Ross manages to get himself elected to Parliament, despite the fact that he doesn’t actually think he’s going to win, and is only standing for election because young Hugh Armitage is literally on his deathbed and can’t run. Sadly, after a series of increasingly grotesque medical procedures and a bedside visit from a weepy Demelza, Hugh dies, and Ross doesn’t know how to feel about any of this. Neither, for that matter, does Demelza, who tries to act like she’s not that sad over Hugh’s loss, she’s just sobbing constantly about the terrible state of the world at large. Sure, girl.  Also, Sam Carne and Tom Harris have a wrestling match over a woman, because of course they did. (Reminder: If you need more details, our recap of Season 4, Episode 2 is right this way.)

Three episodes in and it’s time for Poldark Season 4’s big hook: Ross the politician. Which, unfortunately, doesn’t turn out to be that exciting. Mainly because we spend almost zero time on this particular subplot, and thus have no real sense of what Ross’ life in London might be like – outside of a few shots of prostitutes and fire eaters at a swanky party. (At least he manages to meet an aged-up Geoffrey Charles while he’s there.)

Sure, Ross campaigns for the rights of the poor and the end of slavery and all sorts of admirable progressive causes in Parliament. But for some reason, Poldark decides to do all of this as a montage, rather than give us, as viewers, any real chance to acclimate to Ross in a new environment. Instead, the focus remains quite firmly back in Cornwall. After what feels like mere moments to us but is actually months-worth of in-story time, Ross heads back home to deal with a problem at Wheal Grace (mining, remember, is still a thing on this show) and also handle all the other things in his life that are still a mess.