‘Poldark’ episode 5 review: Francis’ devastation, riots, and Ross’ wish

Will life eventually get better for some of the characters on “Poldark”? We certainly hope so, given at at the moment, things certainly could not be much worse. Addiction was a theme for the story, as was fear. Francis’ devastation was one of the biggest talking points near the end of the episode, as his addiction to gambling put him in a position where he could lose anything, from his status to his income to the respect of many that he loved. What made this even worse for Elizabeth was the sole fact that Francis felt so sorry for himself through this process that he refused to seek help. He was throwing himself down a cycle thanks to his inner pain.

The eventual shutdown of the Poldark mine was by far the most depressing moment. It was a signal of failure, and a victory for the greedy elsewhere. Those bells will be what stick with us long after this episode airs.

What was largely a surprise to us was how big of a non-factor Demelza giving birth was during this episode. We almost thought this was going to be a huge, dramatic talking point, and instead it was almost thrown out of the way while the focus was put on Francis and Ross’ own plans to “rise again” and emerge from the ashes.

As a whole, we still feel like there is a more optimistic tone for this series than some other BBC series (looking at you, “Call the Midwife”). We feel like this may be the beginning of a redemption story, but as Ross himself commented in the closing moments, nothing is going to come easy. He almost may not have it any other way. Grade: B.

What was your take on tonight’s episode of “Poldark”? Share with a comment.