What was the last TV show you watched?

[AmateisGal]

I hear you. I shouldn't have been so flippant, because I do agree with your sense of ethics and behavior. However, at that time, she wasn't going to divorce or leave him. She couldn't. I'm relatively certain the law was in full favor of the man, let alone a respected landowner (isn't Ross a nobleman as well?). She had no realistic "out" of their marriage. She couldn't even accuse him without hard proof of x, y, or z. Accusations could have gotten her thrown in prison for slander or whatever other nonsense the laws supported. The best she could do was to live a secret life and hope she didn't get caught. I also believe the laws would have come down very hard on her if she was caught with other men. Even without proof, someone like Ross could have possibly had her imprisoned for adultery. All he had to do is make the right accusations (if adultery wasn't enough to get her locked up). Of course, that isn't the type of relationship they have insofar as Ross being that vindictive. Also unrealistically, Ross possesses some level of self-awareness, which I would assume was not common at all in that time. It's one thing to be an ethical, idealistic person, but it is quite another to be self-aware. That's a whole other level of luxury to a person and to a relationship. He knows how much he sucks at the marriage game, and he knows she knows, too. He reeks of guilt.

She's guilty of being young and theoretical in her youth and immaturity in her preachiness. One of the ways her character is growing, even if it feels in a negative direction, is that maturing into less theoretical and more pragmatic...and also coming circle to honor who she is. Sure, she could live a puritanical life of unhappiness, but that would be going backwards into the household of her youth. As a young girl, she wasn't capable of that. She ran from her father and that life. She couldn't be a caged wild animal. She still cannot be. I think she would be willing to try harder and longer if the cost/benefit calculated. Do I applaud her for adultery? No, but given the time, her make-up, and Ross's behavior, she hasn't harmed any of my expectations of her. I have no less respect for her. A great person once said, "Everything's a situation." I haven't read the books, and because so much of this story isn't true to the period, for most of this season, I've expected them to adopt a "don't ask. don't tell." verbal agreement. An open marriage in the 18th century? As if. I really have. It's one of the luxuries of being willy-nilly anachronistic, as this story is. In such chaos, morality becomes relative.

The book in which the adultery occurs is MUCH different than the show. There is not the antagonism between Ross and Demelza that we see on the show. Ross understands why Demelza is infatuated with Hugh but he believes that he can still trust her. I admit, when I read what she and Hugh did, I had to put the book aside for about a month. It was too triggering for me to deal with (because it reminded me of my now ex-husband's infidelity). Also, I think Hugh is despicable for doing what he did. Ross saved his life. And how does he repay him? By aggressively going after his wife. Demelza tried to put him off several times and Hugh didn't relent. He had no business doing what he did.

Demelza was actually packed and ready to leave after Ross's adultery. Only him begging her for another chance led her to stay and work on the marriage. So yes, she could have left - indeed, she nearly did.

I'm disappointed that the show's writer decided to "spice things up" in the show instead of following the book. Actually, I'm upset with Winston Graham himself because I've read all the books (I have about four left) and this is totally out of Demelza's character, to commit adultery with Hugh. I know Graham wrote this book 20 years after the original books, so maybe that had something to do with it.

 

[Worf]

Hmmm... Both The Flash and The Arrow are up against "brilliant" mental masterminds.... Just a little originality... please!!!!!

Worf

 

[Big J]

Interesting Poldark discussion. I think this version is much glossier than the original TV adaptation from 20 (+?) years ago and much more watchable, but seems a little 'aimed at a modern audience' if you get me.
Still, nice sideburns.
If it's annoying you, you should stay well, well away from the BBC (?) War & Peace.
I watched it last year after finishing the book as a kind of research on the Napoleonic Wars, and was deeply disappointed by how 'dumbed down' it was. Cheap sexual relationships angle, everything else stripped out. Sad.

 

[Edward]

BBC's The World War Two Farm. Fascinating stuff on the Home Front, not least just about how tough it was for Britain to be wholly dependent on itself for food production, and how hard rationing bit.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Hmmm... Both The Flash and The Arrow are up against "brilliant" mental masterminds.... Just a little originality... please!!!!!

Worf

I don't watch Arrow, but I'm forced to agree with this recap of The Flash episode pointing out that if your villain is the smartest man in the world, your writing needs to be smarter!

https://www.avclub.com/barry-falls-back-into-bad-old-habits-in-a-dull-set-up-e-1820637332

 

[Edward]

Britain was never wholly dependent on itself for food production during the war:

http://wartimecanada.ca/essay/eating/food-home-front-during-second-world-war


"Particularly after the fall of France in June 1940, Canadian food exports provided an essential lifeline to Britain. By the end of the war, it was estimated that Canadian exports accounted for 57 per cent of British wheat and flour consumption – down from its 1941 peak of 77 per cent – as well as 39 per cent of bacon, 15 per cent of eggs, 24 per cent of cheese, and 11 per cent of evaporated milk consumed in Britain. Much of this was achieved through major state intervention on Canadian farms. Between 1940 and 1943, the wheat acreage in the Prairie provinces was reduced by 42 percent through a combination of subsidies, price guarantees, and other controls. Areas sown for agricultural products needed to meet gaps in Canada’s domestic and export requirements like feed grains, on the other hand, increased by 72 percent, flaxseed by 800 percent, and hog marketings by 250 percent over the prewar period.2

Early in the war, Canadians were asked to contribute voluntarily to Canada’s food export commitments by avoiding foods that were needed in Britain and by consuming more Canadian foods whose European export markets had disappeared..."

Of course, yes - I exaggerate. There was the import of food from the Empire, if limited to what got past the U-boats. Faced with the same situation again, I suspect the Brits would struggle now the Empire has long passed.

 

[Edward]

We're still in the Commonwealth, and we have the best sub-hunting ships in NATO. We'll keep you fed when the EU turns on you...

What's this 'we'? I'm an Irish citizen.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

Also, I think Hugh is despicable for doing what he did. Ross saved his life. And how does he repay him? By aggressively going after his wife.

Agreed, and I don't believe the TV series developed much of a reason why Hugh is so infatuated with her. Suddenly, he just was. I get chemistry. One can instantly be strongly drawn to another person, but this is storytelling. TELL IT. I feel the TV series has implied that Ross knows he has a great woman in Demelza, and that makes him understanding of another man being interested in his wife. And as I mentioned before, they've also shown he is aware of his less than ideal treatment of her, so he almost comes across as he feels he has it coming. Guilt. The love interests in this show are very modern, which is one reason why it doesn't rise to greatness. A good show, but nothing great.

Demelza was actually packed and ready to leave after Ross's adultery. Only him begging her for another chance led her to stay and work on the marriage. So yes, she could have left - indeed, she nearly did.

I feel the need to reiterate: look into the laws of that period. They were brutal on women. Hell, they were brutal on men if they didn't have status or wealth. I'm willing to bet decent money that had she left in 1780, she could have been arrested for abandonment etc. You simply did not get divorced back then. Someone had to die (be murdered? like the vicar's first wife?) to get out of a marriage. One good reason why there is so much infidelity in the history of the aristocracy. You couldn't get out of the thing, so mistresses were abound. And the women gambled beheading because of the ever-present double-standards. Women had zero legal support or power. Not to mention Demelza being a mother. She certainly wasn't taking the children with her had she attempted to leave.

I believe it was Dowton Abbey where they talked divorce and adultery. This is the early 1900s. A man could simply accuse a woman of adultery and have the courts on their side. A woman needed proof. Multiple witnesses? They didn't go into details, but they implied it was a much different burden of proof for the woman. There was also that plotline where the publisher's wife was clinically insane. She didn't even know who he was, but he couldn't divorce her and re-marry. The power of the church and subsequent laws.

Ross and Demelza are a good match in this way. Both are justice-fighters. The difference being: he was socially allowed to seek justice socially and politically. He could be outward and direct. She wasn't afforded such. She was limited to fighting for justice through her marriage and within her marriage. She had to be indirect and covert. Obviously, neither type justice, or approach or process, was encouraged, but society had different tolerances for man/woman and rich/poor.

 

[Edward]

I know where you, and Liam Neeson, are really from...

Let's just say it's very much a matter of opinion and leave it there.

 

[belfastboy]

Hooked on "The Last Kingdom" a Brit series on Netflix. Alfred the Great battling the Danes.....kind of Game of Thrones without the dragons.

 

[AmateisGal]

Agreed, and I don't believe the TV series developed much of a reason why Hugh is so infatuated with her. Suddenly, he just was. I get chemistry. One can instantly be strongly drawn to another person, but this is storytelling. TELL IT. I feel the TV series has implied that Ross knows he has a great woman in Demelza, and that makes him understanding of another man being interested in his wife. And as I mentioned before, they've also shown he is aware of his less than ideal treatment of her, so he almost comes across as he feels he has it coming. Guilt. The love interests in this show are very modern, which is one reason why it doesn't rise to greatness. A good show, but nothing great.

I feel the need to reiterate: look into the laws of that period. They were brutal on women. Hell, they were brutal on men if they didn't have status or wealth. I'm willing to bet decent money that had she left in 1780, she could have been arrested for abandonment etc. You simply did not get divorced back then. Someone had to die (be murdered? like the vicar's first wife?) to get out of a marriage. One good reason why there is so much infidelity in the history of the aristocracy. You couldn't get out of the thing, so mistresses were abound. And the women gambled beheading because of the ever-present double-standards. Women had zero legal support or power. Not to mention Demelza being a mother. She certainly wasn't taking the children with her had she attempted to leave.

I believe it was Dowton Abbey where they talked divorce and adultery. This is the early 1900s. A man could simply accuse a woman of adultery and have the courts on their side. A woman needed proof. Multiple witnesses? They didn't go into details, but they implied it was a much different burden of proof for the woman. There was also that plotline where the publisher's wife was clinically insane. She didn't even know who he was, but he couldn't divorce her and re-marry. The power of the church and subsequent laws.

Ross and Demelza are a good match in this way. Both are justice-fighters. The difference being: he was socially allowed to seek justice socially and politically. He could be outward and direct. She wasn't afforded such. She was limited to fighting for justice through her marriage and within her marriage. She had to be indirect and covert. Obviously, neither type justice, or approach or process, was encouraged, but society had different tolerances for man/woman and rich/poor.

Yes, I'm well aware of the history of that time period and how abysmal it was in terms of marriage, divorce, infidelity, etc.

 

[Steve27752]

Peaky Blinders.

 

[Touchofevil]

A couple of episodes of season three of Narcos.

 

[Touchofevil]

More of Narcos.

 

[AmateisGal]

Another episode of The Punisher. My daughter and I are trying to take our time and not binge watch it, but it's hard! It's very well done.

 

[JasonLi]

I just finished the last season of "Fear the walking dead" from amc, it is a great show! I am watching the latest season of "The walking dead" now.

 

[belfastboy]

Watched the "Grey Cup"....Canada's super bowl. It was played in a bit of a blizzard to give it a real Canadian feel to it and it turned out to be a hell of a football game.

 

[Benzadmiral]

A classic The Fugitive from its first season. In a small town, Kimble saves a group of kids from a burning school bus, and the town is naturally very grateful to him. The town sheriff and his wife take him in to allow him to recover from the mild concussion he received. But an energetic local reporter snaps a pic of Kimble -- and Lt. Gerard sees it. Kimble winds up behind bars, waiting (ticking clock!) for the paperwork to come back from the state capitol so that Gerard can take him into custody. Though Gerard seems a little less 3-dimensional in this one (he is unwilling to admit that Kimble might be innocent, though that could be because diligent cop Gerard has checked every lead for over a year now), it's dynamite storytelling.

The episode opens with Kimble's recurring nightmare, that Gerard is personally hunting him and will shoot Kimble if he catches him. We see the nightmare again later . . . and Kimble wakes to find the real Gerard staring at him through the cell bars.

Kimble gets in one good shot. He wonders aloud if Gerard has his own nightmare: "You know, I think you have nightmares too. Your nightmare is that when I'm dead you'll find him [the one-armed man]."

[Gerard's jaw tightens slightly, then he turns to leave]

Kimble: "What are YOU running from, Gerard?"

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

SMILF. new show on Showtime. There's something interesting about this show, but I can't quite put a finger on it. I do like the cast. Not entirely consistent in the writing. It feels like something that could almost be on major network TV or pushed back onto FXX.

 

[AmateisGal]

Finished watching The Punisher last night. Wow. Gritty and violent and totally entertaining. Jon Bernthal really deserves an Emmy nod for his work in this.