And, we’re back for more of my stream-of-consciousness thoughts on Poldark season 2! I’m taking one for the team, kids…
Things annoying me: Demelza has another baby, who we then don’t see for like 2 episodes. Caroline calling Dr. Ennis DWIGHT. I’m sorry, she’s a society lady, she’s been raised better than that! Elizabeth throwing herself at Ross and George Warleggan — ugh. Ross ignoring Demelza until he is reminded of what a good worker she is — does she get a biscuit? The fact that Ross is all Team Principles constantly and never notices how that negatively impacts those around him.
That is SO a dress from Marie Antoinette (2006), with the addition of a clunky stomacher.
Ever since reader Barbie pointed out that the actress playing Caroline was pregnant during filming, I can’t stop noticing all their attempts to hide her bump. Like, the waistline on this dress is WAY too short for the 1780s.
And, the point of her bodice sticks out!
Oh Ross, taking your shirt off doesn’t make you less of a jerk to your wife.
Verity has a cute jacket ensemble!
Stripes and a cutaway (zone) front! In other news, Demelza’s clunky jacket ISN’T showing center-front laced stays … that’s a built-in, randomly natural-waisted underlayer! Super weird.
Let’s look at Verity’s cute jacket instead.
Kendra, are you going to screencap EVERY shot of Horace the Pug? Yes, yes I am.
BUMP.
That, my friends, is Captain Benwick from Persuasion (1995).
Oooo, Uncle what’s-his-face gets THREE rows of waistcoat buttons!
Francis is looking quite spiffy these days!
Oh, the satisfaction of watching Ross kick George’s ass.
Anyone care to comment on the accuracy of a black shirt and cravat? I’m too lazy to look it up…
WEIRD seaming/pleat placement on the back of Verity’s dress!
OH MY GOD, THIS SCENE. 1. The fucking romance novel trope of “I am a spunky independent woman, I will show this by making stupid choices!” (not that Ross isn’t also being a butt). 2. Ross striding manfully into the surf to rescue Demelza! So ludicrous!
Just a nice costume line up…
I like Elizabeth’s wire frame hat!
HORACE.
I am SO Team Unwin.
Nice riding habit on this extra! Why don’t any of the leads get an outfit this nice?
I continue to be impressed by the men’s wigs.
Dr. Ennis (DWIGHT, sorry) is getting cuter and cuter.
Aunt Agatha was very meh in season 1, but she is total comic relief in season 2. LOVE her snarking George Warleggan.
Verity’s cute riding habit!
Nice hat, too!
UNWIN. TWO WAISTCOATS. WINNING!
Caroline has a heart-shaped mouche…
Oh Scottish guard captain, your ‘stache is very 70s porn star…
Another weird (maternity) dress on Caroline. They clearly didn’t want to corset her, as her boobs are always lost somewhere under her gown/chemise.
Another unnecessarily clunky jacket on Demelza!
Dear god, finally a new day outfit for Caroline! For an heiress she wears that red outfit WAY too much.
GREAT ribbon on the hat.
WHY IS AUNT AGATHA WEARING A PLACEMAT ON HER HEAD AT FRANCIS’S FUNERAL?
Demelza hit the Wedding Hat section at Macy’s I see…
Coming next Snark Week: our rant about shitty historical painting repros.
GRUMPY HORACE FACE!
Hi Dwight. (Giggles like a 12-year-old)
Bump! Back in red, are we… zzzz….
HORACE GOT TO BARK IN THIS SCENE!
GIVES US THE PRECIOUS!
Another shot of Verity’s riding habit!
HORACE! And, no cleavage/bust support.
Oh Elizabeth, I may have made fun of your hair, but it’s not the 1890s either…
Whatever.
Yet more good wigs!
George sports a tall-crowned hat. I’ve seen some search hits from people wondering why he’s wearing a top hat, but it’s not technically a top hat yet. You do see these style of hats in the late 18th century.
Ross looks GOOD in blue!
Hi Horace!
WHO’S A BUNNY??!!
What are you thinking of Poldark‘s second season? Tune in for more stream-of-consciousness ramblings!
This season has just been a real trainwreck. Season 1 was a guilty pleasure for me, but I’ve just been hanging on out of morbid interest–and for Horace! :)
On the subject of PBS costume drama second seasons, will there be any Indian Summers coverage later this year? I haven’t been watching yet, but I’m hoping it’s less ridiculous and more enjoyable than this.
On the whole, I felt the costumes were meh. Yes, Caro had some pretty ones, but by of her pregnancy, they weren’t lacing her up properly – baby safety I assume.
I just want to Gibbs slap (NCIS) Ross for his treatment of Demelza. And I want to give Demelza feminist literature – Wollstonecraft, possibly or Friedan or Gloria Steinem.
I want more of Verity, the doctor and of course, my personal favourite – HORACE.
I cannot wait for Season 3 of Outlander.
Ditto for Season 3 Outlander.
The horrible fit on most of Caroline’s gowns makes me want to cry.
My husband and I have been referring to the Scottish captain as the 70s porn star too! Overall, Poldark has been irritating/annoying on a number of levels – costumes, acting, script. It had its own flaws, but I have to say that I liked the original Poldark series much better.
two words for the captain: Ron Burgundy
Elizabeth throwing herself at Ross and George Warleggan — ugh.
Since when???
This season has just been a real trainwreck. Season 1 was a guilty pleasure for me, but I’ve just been hanging on out of morbid interest–and for Horace! :)
Aside from the changes made in Episode 8 regarding Elizabeth and Ross, I have no problems with Season 2 from a narrative point of view. It’s more interesting and the characters are not as ideal as they were in the first season. Also, how long are you guys going to solely blame Elizabeth for Ross’ mistakes regarding her?
It had its own flaws, but I have to say that I liked the original Poldark series much better.
I don’t. I don’t prefer either series over the other. The 70s series had its own set of some serious problems.
What is it about Demelza’s jackets that you find “clunky”?
I’ve pretty much lost all interest in Season 2. Ross is an ass. Elizabeth is not much better. But also, so much has been unrealistic. Elizabeth and Ross having the “can’t a woman love two men” conversation at a crowded dinner table and no one hears them? Demelza going to a society party unattended? Not to mention, where did she get that dress if they are so poor?
Demelza going to a society party unattended? Not to mention, where did she get that dress if they are so poor?
She probably got it before Ross lost his money around the end of Season 1. Or else she borrowed it from Verity.
I’ve pretty much lost all interest in Season 2. Ross is an ass. Elizabeth is not much better. But also, so much has been unrealistic. Elizabeth and Ross having the “can’t a woman love two men” conversation at a crowded dinner table and no one hears them?
Are you guys pissed that Ross never got over Elizabeth and that he will always have feelings for two women? Or that his relationships with both Demelza and Elizabeth will never be that clear cut and simple? After all, the “POLDARK” series is not a collection of romance novels.
But if you had enough of Season 2, I can only recommend that you avoid Season 3. Heck, I tried to get into “Outlander” and after four episodes, gave up.
The sidesaddle is out of period. The “leaping head” — the third horn that curves over the thigh and makes a sidesaddle a really safe ride, wasn’t invented until 1820. But for obvious safety reasons, you aren’t going to see an actress riding a real pre-1820 sidesaddle. The movie THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL was really bad about showing the modern sidesaddle. It IS possible to hide the third horn, or to cut back to a horse with an in-period saddle on it.
This is a very late response, but I wanted to point out that Caroline’s “weird (maternity) dress” looks strangely similar to this: https://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/art-object-page.32694.html. I wonder if the costume designer was inspired by the portrait. It doesn’t excuse the costume’s weird fit, however.
This picture provides a better view of the dress: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/49/78/7a/49787a154ec0dbf847d7475397412eaf.jpg. Vigée-Lebrun’s painting (https://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/art-object-page.32694.html) shows what looks like a belt under the brown, front-buttoning outer garment, which Caroline’s outfit doesn’t have. Instead, her robe has strange gold bands in front. I can’t even tell what the method of closure is supposed to be — pins, or hidden hook-and-eye, perhaps? It just looks sort of clunky. Still, the gold trim on the neckline of the underdress and the tiny ruffles on the ends of the sleeves look almost exactly like the details in the portrait.
And I agree with what has already been said: what year is this supposed to be, anyway? I haven’t watched Poldark, but I read in the Wikipedia article for the novels that Jeremy Poldark and Warleggan, the books adapted for Season 2, span the years 1790-1793. Season 3 should be set in the mid-1790s, but the screenshots I’m seeing online mostly show everyone still wearing 1780s and very, VERY early 1790s clothes. I can understand putting older-style clothes on characters who either live away from major cities, can’t afford new clothes, or don’t care about being fashionable, but if Caroline is intended to be the most fashion-conscious character, she shouldn’t be four or five years out of style.
In my opinion, this robe of Caroline’s is actually much better than the other one (that is, the one with gold fabric in front): http://screencapped.net/tv/poldark/albums/uploads/season2/pol209/pol209_0668.jpg. The printed gown she’s wearing underneath it doesn’t fit the early 1790s aesthetic as well as the gold-trimmed chemise-style gown she wears with the other robe, but at least it isn’t cringe-inducing. To be honest, though, I still don’t quite comprehend what the costume designers were going for with these outfits.
The british captain is just looking on the photo like having a huge black cravate. Black cravates are fairly typical for Military. Why not?
I certainly hate black Shirts. The mix of different Quality of costumes is similar to French TV-productions like “Nicolas Le Floch” from the 2000s.