window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"pop_41500": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_41500",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "41500",
"found": true
},
"parent": 41491,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-960x540.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 540
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_.jpg",
"width": 1100,
"height": 619
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Atlanta.MAIN_-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1476306210,
"modified": 1476306275,
"caption": "Brian Tyree Henry as Paper Boi in 'Atlanta.'",
"description": "Brian Tyree Henry as Paper Boi in 'Atlanta.'",
"title": "Atlanta.MAIN",
"credit": "Courtesy FX",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_40704": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_40704",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "40704",
"found": true
},
"parent": 40693,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-400x225.png",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 225
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-672x372.png",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure.png",
"width": 800,
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-50x50.png",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-96x96.png",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-800x450.png",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-64x64.png",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-150x150.png",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-32x32.png",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 32
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-768x432.png",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/insecure-128x128.png",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1475884801,
"modified": 1475884842,
"caption": "Issa Rae, the creator of \u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em>.",
"description": "Issa Rae, the creator of \u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em>.",
"title": "insecure",
"credit": "Photo: HBO",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_40653": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_40653",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "40653",
"found": true
},
"parent": 40652,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-400x262.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 262
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-960x629.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 629
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1310
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-1440x943.jpg",
"width": 1440,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 943
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-800x524.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 524
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-1920x1258.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1258
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-1180x773.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 773
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-768x503.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 503
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/gilmore-girls-1_enl-424967d32dcb9ebc0d3940ff6074152b3c0dd1ef-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1475861887,
"modified": 1475863007,
"caption": "Lorelei and Rory Gilmore get a cup of joe at Luke's Diner in a scene from the show Gilmore Girls. Luke's — and coffee — were a very big part of the show.",
"description": "Lorelei and Rory Gilmore get a cup of joe at Luke's Diner in a scene from the show Gilmore Girls. Luke's — and coffee — were a very big part of the show.",
"title": "Lorelei and Rory Gilmore get a cup of joe at Luke's Diner in a scene from the show Gilmore Girls. Luke's — and coffee — were a very big part of the show.",
"credit": "Photo: Saeed Adyani/Netflix",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_39856": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_39856",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "39856",
"found": true
},
"parent": 39450,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/poldark-demelza-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1475445852,
"modified": 1475464373,
"caption": "This week, almost every character wishes they could get a divorce. ",
"description": "This week, almost every character wishes they could get a divorce. ",
"title": "poldark-demelza",
"credit": "Photo: Masterpiece/PBS",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_38989": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_38989",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "38989",
"found": true
},
"parent": 38609,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-court-episode-1-season-2-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1474966880,
"modified": 1474966893,
"caption": "Photo: Masterpiece",
"description": null,
"title": "poldark-court-episode-1-season-2",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_38416": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_38416",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "38416",
"found": true
},
"parent": 38090,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-elizabeth-demelza-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1474677769,
"modified": 1474677769,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": "poldark-elizabeth-demelza",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_37907": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_37907",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "37907",
"found": true
},
"parent": 36613,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-shirtless-scythe-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1474416309,
"modified": 1474416333,
"caption": "Photo: Masterpiece",
"description": null,
"title": "poldark-shirtless-scythe",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_36611": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_36611",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "36611",
"found": true
},
"parent": 36381,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-s01e02-guns-duel-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1473727402,
"modified": 1473727429,
"caption": "Photo: Masterpiece",
"description": null,
"title": "poldark-s01e02-guns-duel",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_37705": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_37705",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "37705",
"found": true
},
"parent": 37696,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 449
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-800x449.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 449
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-768x431.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 431
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1474321148,
"modified": 1474321182,
"caption": "Julia Louis-Dreyfus",
"description": null,
"title": "ap_768759943498_wide-a6699ae81447e328ff454a13467b8f325f49b875-s800-c85",
"credit": "Phil McCarten/Invision for the Television Academy via NPR",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_36380": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_36380",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "36380",
"found": true
},
"parent": 33548,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-400x225.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 225
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-800x450.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-768x432.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1473626839,
"modified": 1473626839,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": "poldark",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_37091": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_37091",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "37091",
"found": true
},
"parent": 36785,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-1038x576.png",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-400x225.png",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 225
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-960x540.png",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 540
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-672x372.png",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14.png",
"width": 1280,
"height": 720
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-50x50.png",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-96x96.png",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-800x450.png",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-64x64.png",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-32x32.png",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 32
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-1180x664.png",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 664
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-150x150.png",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 150
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-768x432.png",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/2eg7a14-128x128.png",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1473976547,
"modified": 1473976547,
"caption": null,
"description": null,
"title": "2eg7a14",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"pop_36746": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "pop_36746",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "36746",
"found": true
},
"parent": 35764,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-400x225.png",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 225
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-672x372.png",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster.png",
"width": 800,
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-50x50.png",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-96x96.png",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-800x450.png",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 450
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-64x64.png",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 64
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-150x150.png",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-32x32.png",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 32
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-768x432.png",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 432
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-poster-128x128.png",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/png",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1473800395,
"modified": 1473800441,
"caption": "Stranger Things 's decidedly 1980s-inspired promotional illustrations. (Photo: Netflix)",
"description": null,
"title": "stranger-things-poster",
"credit": null,
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_pop_40693": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_pop_40693",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_pop_40693",
"name": "Brandon Yu",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_pop_40652": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_pop_40652",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_pop_40652",
"name": "Tove Danovich",
"isLoading": false
},
"byline_pop_37696": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_pop_37696",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_pop_37696",
"name": "Amita Kelly",
"isLoading": false
},
"ehapsis": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "27",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "27",
"found": true
},
"name": "Emmanuel Hapsis",
"firstName": "Emmanuel",
"lastName": "Hapsis",
"slug": "ehapsis",
"email": "ehapsis@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Emmanuel Hapsis is the creator and editor of KQED Pop and also the host of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cooler/id1041117499?mt=2\">The Cooler\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. He studied creative writing at University of Maryland and went on to receive his MFA in the field from California College of the Arts. In his free time, he sings his heart out at karaoke.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6302b6f7ef8b2dcd3acd9e2c6bc570b7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "xcusemybeauty",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"Contributor",
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Emmanuel Hapsis | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6302b6f7ef8b2dcd3acd9e2c6bc570b7?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6302b6f7ef8b2dcd3acd9e2c6bc570b7?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ehapsis"
},
"gmeline": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "185",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "185",
"found": true
},
"name": "Gabe Meline",
"firstName": "Gabe",
"lastName": "Meline",
"slug": "gmeline",
"email": "gmeline@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"arts"
],
"title": "Senior Editor, KQED Arts & Culture",
"bio": "Gabe Meline entered journalism at age 15 making photocopied zines, and has since earned awards from the Edward R. Murrow Awards, the Society for Professional Journalists, the Online Journalism Awards, the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Prior to KQED, he was the editor of the \u003cem>North Bay Bohemian\u003c/em> and a touring musician. He lives with his wife and daughter in his hometown of Santa Rosa, CA.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bebe57be0d8bc2dd318934feb47299e2d2d10cba28d09d8d7afb389a2ce2bdd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "artschool",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "food",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "hiphop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Gabe Meline | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor, KQED Arts & Culture",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bebe57be0d8bc2dd318934feb47299e2d2d10cba28d09d8d7afb389a2ce2bdd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bebe57be0d8bc2dd318934feb47299e2d2d10cba28d09d8d7afb389a2ce2bdd?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/gmeline"
},
"carlysevern": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "3243",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "3243",
"found": true
},
"name": "Carly Severn",
"firstName": "Carly",
"lastName": "Severn",
"slug": "carlysevern",
"email": "csevern@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Senior Editor, Audience News ",
"bio": "Carly is KQED's Senior Editor of Audience News on the Digital News team, and has reported for the California Report Magazine, Bay Curious and KQED Arts. She's formerly the host of \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/category/the-cooler/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Cooler\u003c/a> podcast.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/54037bf5c128fe678f0ef26cec97a93f2e7f220a22d7285703328f12c42c1b1d?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "teacupinthebay",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "about",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "mindshift",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "food",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "perspectives",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Carly Severn | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor, Audience News ",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/54037bf5c128fe678f0ef26cec97a93f2e7f220a22d7285703328f12c42c1b1d?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/54037bf5c128fe678f0ef26cec97a93f2e7f220a22d7285703328f12c42c1b1d?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/carlysevern"
},
"ralexandra": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11242",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11242",
"found": true
},
"name": "Rae Alexandra",
"firstName": "Rae",
"lastName": "Alexandra",
"slug": "ralexandra",
"email": "ralexandra@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "Reporter/Producer",
"bio": "Rae Alexandra is a Reporter/Producer for KQED Arts & Culture, and the creator/author of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/program/rebel-girls-from-bay-area-history\">Rebel Girls From Bay Area History\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bizarrebayarea\">Bizarre Bay Area\u003c/a> series. Her debut book, \u003ca href=\"https://citylights.com/politics-current-events-history/unsung-heroines35-women-who-changed/\">Unsung Heroines: 35 Women Who Changed the Bay Area\u003c/a> was published by City Lights in March 2026. In 2023, Rae was awarded an SPJ Excellence in Journalism Award for Arts & Culture. Rae was born and raised in Wales and subsequently — even after two decades in Northern California — still uses phrases that regularly baffle her coworkers.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edfee8176c80cc0a382b051190f5341997df378a934a5774dcb0977732dfd401?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"subscriber"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Rae Alexandra | KQED",
"description": "Reporter/Producer",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edfee8176c80cc0a382b051190f5341997df378a934a5774dcb0977732dfd401?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/edfee8176c80cc0a382b051190f5341997df378a934a5774dcb0977732dfd401?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/ralexandra"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"pop_category_tv": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_3",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "3",
"score": 12.6744375
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "TV",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "TV Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3,
"slug": "tv",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "TV",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "pop",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial",
"currentPage": 27
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/pop?category=tv",
"seeMore": false,
"paginated": true,
"page": 27
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"pop_41491": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_41491",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "41491",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1476307595000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1476307595,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "Last Night's 'Atlanta': Surreal and Provoking in All the Right Ways",
"title": "Last Night's 'Atlanta': Surreal and Provoking in All the Right Ways",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>If you didn't catch last night's episode of the FX series \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em>, it may be a little hard to describe. Suffice it to say that over 22 minutes, the episode broke all formats, cultivating a show-within-a-show that managed to make fun of BET, clown Don Lemon, subvert racist advertising campaigns with alternately hilarious and biting fake commercials, and raise prickly questions about gender, race, and identity. The whole thing felt inescapably like an aftershock of \u003cem>Chappelle's Show\u003c/em>, and I don't say that lightly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-800x800.jpg\" alt=\"ATL.mosaic\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-41501\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-800x800.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-400x400.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-768x768.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-32x32.jpg 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-50x50.jpg 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-64x64.jpg 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-96x96.jpg 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-128x128.jpg 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you've followed \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em>, ostensibly the escapades of two friends promoting a third friend's mixtape to get out of poverty, then you might have seen the opening gambit of a roundtable talk show called \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em> on the \"Black American Network\" with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/don-lemon-141118.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">verrrry familiar-looking host\u003c/a> and thought, \"This should be funny.\" It wasn't. Or, it was, and then it wasn't, and then it was again. And once it became clear that the episode wasn't going to cut away from this \u003cem>Inception\u003c/em>-esque layer, the commercials came.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first? A witty pitch for Dodge: \"Make a Statement Without Saying Anything at All.\" Then a customer in a convenience store goes to buy a 99¢ can of Arizona iced tea and is charged $1.49, uttering what becomes the tagline: \"The Price is on the Can, Though.\" Another advertises for Swisher Sweets, not at all trying to hide their primary purpose for rolling blunts. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supporting the idea that \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em> is \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/donald-glovers-atlanta-is-twin-peaks-for-rappers/3088575\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cem>Twin Peaks\u003c/em> with rappers\u003c/a>,\" there was also this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrXF6Kl6e0w&feature=youtu.be\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then the cereal commercial: an animated 1990s throwback to the Trix rabbit, in this case portrayed by a wolf hiding in Egyptian mummy wear, trying to steal bowls of Coconut Crunchos from three kids. Soon, he's thrown to the ground by a police officer, who immediately barks \"stop resisting.\" The commercial unfolds in the sadly predictable way of the kids protesting the officer's treatment, filming the arrest, and watching as the wolf cries mea culpas like \"I'm just hungry, man! They don't let wolves in stores!\" and \"I could be eatin' these kids! But I'm out here eatin' cereal!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUKSGJcYwMM\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a cheerful reminder that Coconut Chrunchos are part of this balanced breakfast, we're back to \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em>, the talk show-within-a-sitcom-that's-becoming-more-like-a-new-paradigm-of-woke-TV-by-the-second.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The issue under \"discussion\" on \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em> is trans rights, debated between a passionate Berkeley-mom-type author and upcoming rapper Paper Boi, one of \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em>’s main characters, who's recently tweeted his lack of attraction toward Caitlyn Jenner. Paper Boi is woefully unprepared, thinking he'd be paid for the appearance, and the discussion goes nowhere. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Montague-800x519.jpg\" alt=\"Montague\" width=\"800\" height=\"519\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-41502\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Montague.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Montague-400x260.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Montague-768x498.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em>’s second segment pivots into another issue about identity, concerning a \"trans-racial\" young black man who comes to realize that he is, inside, a 35-year-old white man. He plays golf, wears khakis, studies craft beer, and prepares for his reassignment procedure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hold up\u003c/em>, I can hear you saying. \u003cem>Is this show really conflating gender identity with race identity? Are they really going there?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, yes and no. While the Don Lemon host tries to uphold the comparison, the conceit quickly falls apart. If you remember \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/16/transracial-definition-destructive-rachel-dolezal-spokane-naacp\" target=\"_blank\">Rachel Dolezal's defense of portraying herself as black\u003c/a>, you realize the absurdity of claiming to be \"trans-racial\" under the security of the public's ongoing acceptance of trans issues. We've been here before. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then the entire idea of rational public discourse crumbles: the \"trans-racial\" kid blurts out that he's against same-sex marriage and transgender rights, the Berkeley mom starts agreeing with Paper Boi, the host buries his head in his hands, and \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em> ends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/glover.gif\" alt=\"glover\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-41503\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sure, the episode might've been designed solely for water-cooler discussion the next day, but I still felt like I saw TV history in the making, or at least the dawn of a new era for \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em>, a show that increasingly deviates from its story, or really, any rules at all. Earlier this month, the show \u003ca href=\"http://www.vulture.com/2016/09/donald-glover-atlanta-black-justin-bieber.html\" target=\"_blank\">presented Justin Bieber as a black teenager\u003c/a> with no explanation; the past two episodes of \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em> haven't even seen a trace of its so-called main character, Earn Marks, played by the show's creator Donald Glover.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his hip-hop career as Childish Gambino, Glover upends rap tropes and \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2014/10/13/erykah-badu-and-childish-gambino-the-queen-and-the-court-jester/\" target=\"_blank\">brings them into the internet age\u003c/a>. On \u003cem>Community\u003c/em> and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVh154SeIMM\" target=\"_blank\">an HBO standup special\u003c/a>, he flexed his comedic skills. He recently debuted his upcoming Afrofuturistic album in a \u003ca href=\"http://www.thefader.com/2016/09/07/childish-gambino-pharos-festival-review-donald-glover\" target=\"_blank\">no-cell-phones campout in the desert\u003c/a> that had everyone talking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em> is on another level. FX is obviously giving Glover free rein to do whatever he wants with the show, and it's going to be fascinating to watch where he takes it from here.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "41491 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=41491",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/10/12/last-nights-atlanta-surreal-and-provoking-in-all-the-right-ways/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 838,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 19
},
"modified": 1476308995,
"excerpt": "After last night's episode, it's safe to say that 'Atlanta' isn't just pushing the envelope — it's lighting the whole thing on fire.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "After last night's episode, it's safe to say that 'Atlanta' isn't just pushing the envelope — it's lighting the whole thing on fire.",
"title": "Last Night's 'Atlanta': Surreal and Provoking in All the Right Ways | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Last Night's 'Atlanta': Surreal and Provoking in All the Right Ways",
"datePublished": "2016-10-12T14:26:35-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-10-12T14:49:55-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "last-nights-atlanta-surreal-and-provoking-in-all-the-right-ways",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/pop/41491/last-nights-atlanta-surreal-and-provoking-in-all-the-right-ways",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>If you didn't catch last night's episode of the FX series \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em>, it may be a little hard to describe. Suffice it to say that over 22 minutes, the episode broke all formats, cultivating a show-within-a-show that managed to make fun of BET, clown Don Lemon, subvert racist advertising campaigns with alternately hilarious and biting fake commercials, and raise prickly questions about gender, race, and identity. The whole thing felt inescapably like an aftershock of \u003cem>Chappelle's Show\u003c/em>, and I don't say that lightly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-800x800.jpg\" alt=\"ATL.mosaic\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-41501\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-800x800.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-400x400.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-768x768.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-32x32.jpg 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-50x50.jpg 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-64x64.jpg 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-96x96.jpg 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-128x128.jpg 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/ATL.mosaic-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you've followed \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em>, ostensibly the escapades of two friends promoting a third friend's mixtape to get out of poverty, then you might have seen the opening gambit of a roundtable talk show called \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em> on the \"Black American Network\" with a \u003ca href=\"https://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/don-lemon-141118.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">verrrry familiar-looking host\u003c/a> and thought, \"This should be funny.\" It wasn't. Or, it was, and then it wasn't, and then it was again. And once it became clear that the episode wasn't going to cut away from this \u003cem>Inception\u003c/em>-esque layer, the commercials came.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first? A witty pitch for Dodge: \"Make a Statement Without Saying Anything at All.\" Then a customer in a convenience store goes to buy a 99¢ can of Arizona iced tea and is charged $1.49, uttering what becomes the tagline: \"The Price is on the Can, Though.\" Another advertises for Swisher Sweets, not at all trying to hide their primary purpose for rolling blunts. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supporting the idea that \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em> is \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/donald-glovers-atlanta-is-twin-peaks-for-rappers/3088575\" target=\"_blank\">\u003cem>Twin Peaks\u003c/em> with rappers\u003c/a>,\" there was also this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/LrXF6Kl6e0w'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/LrXF6Kl6e0w'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Then the cereal commercial: an animated 1990s throwback to the Trix rabbit, in this case portrayed by a wolf hiding in Egyptian mummy wear, trying to steal bowls of Coconut Crunchos from three kids. Soon, he's thrown to the ground by a police officer, who immediately barks \"stop resisting.\" The commercial unfolds in the sadly predictable way of the kids protesting the officer's treatment, filming the arrest, and watching as the wolf cries mea culpas like \"I'm just hungry, man! They don't let wolves in stores!\" and \"I could be eatin' these kids! But I'm out here eatin' cereal!\"\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/gUKSGJcYwMM'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/gUKSGJcYwMM'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>After a cheerful reminder that Coconut Chrunchos are part of this balanced breakfast, we're back to \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em>, the talk show-within-a-sitcom-that's-becoming-more-like-a-new-paradigm-of-woke-TV-by-the-second.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The issue under \"discussion\" on \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em> is trans rights, debated between a passionate Berkeley-mom-type author and upcoming rapper Paper Boi, one of \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em>’s main characters, who's recently tweeted his lack of attraction toward Caitlyn Jenner. Paper Boi is woefully unprepared, thinking he'd be paid for the appearance, and the discussion goes nowhere. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Montague-800x519.jpg\" alt=\"Montague\" width=\"800\" height=\"519\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-41502\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Montague.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Montague-400x260.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/Montague-768x498.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em>’s second segment pivots into another issue about identity, concerning a \"trans-racial\" young black man who comes to realize that he is, inside, a 35-year-old white man. He plays golf, wears khakis, studies craft beer, and prepares for his reassignment procedure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hold up\u003c/em>, I can hear you saying. \u003cem>Is this show really conflating gender identity with race identity? Are they really going there?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, yes and no. While the Don Lemon host tries to uphold the comparison, the conceit quickly falls apart. If you remember \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/16/transracial-definition-destructive-rachel-dolezal-spokane-naacp\" target=\"_blank\">Rachel Dolezal's defense of portraying herself as black\u003c/a>, you realize the absurdity of claiming to be \"trans-racial\" under the security of the public's ongoing acceptance of trans issues. We've been here before. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And then the entire idea of rational public discourse crumbles: the \"trans-racial\" kid blurts out that he's against same-sex marriage and transgender rights, the Berkeley mom starts agreeing with Paper Boi, the host buries his head in his hands, and \u003cem>Montague\u003c/em> ends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/glover.gif\" alt=\"glover\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-41503\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sure, the episode might've been designed solely for water-cooler discussion the next day, but I still felt like I saw TV history in the making, or at least the dawn of a new era for \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em>, a show that increasingly deviates from its story, or really, any rules at all. Earlier this month, the show \u003ca href=\"http://www.vulture.com/2016/09/donald-glover-atlanta-black-justin-bieber.html\" target=\"_blank\">presented Justin Bieber as a black teenager\u003c/a> with no explanation; the past two episodes of \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em> haven't even seen a trace of its so-called main character, Earn Marks, played by the show's creator Donald Glover.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his hip-hop career as Childish Gambino, Glover upends rap tropes and \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/2014/10/13/erykah-badu-and-childish-gambino-the-queen-and-the-court-jester/\" target=\"_blank\">brings them into the internet age\u003c/a>. On \u003cem>Community\u003c/em> and in \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVh154SeIMM\" target=\"_blank\">an HBO standup special\u003c/a>, he flexed his comedic skills. He recently debuted his upcoming Afrofuturistic album in a \u003ca href=\"http://www.thefader.com/2016/09/07/childish-gambino-pharos-festival-review-donald-glover\" target=\"_blank\">no-cell-phones campout in the desert\u003c/a> that had everyone talking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>Atlanta\u003c/em> is on another level. FX is obviously giving Glover free rein to do whatever he wants with the show, and it's going to be fascinating to watch where he takes it from here.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/41491/last-nights-atlanta-surreal-and-provoking-in-all-the-right-ways",
"authors": [
"185"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_2849"
],
"featImg": "pop_41500",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_40693": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_40693",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "40693",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1475886701000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1475886701,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "How Issa Rae’s 'Insecure' Is Leading a Quiet Revolution in Television",
"title": "How Issa Rae’s 'Insecure' Is Leading a Quiet Revolution in Television",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Following \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/watch-the-four-best-political-moments-from-the-emmys/\">last month's Primetime Emmy Awards\u003c/a>, there was a lot of hubbub over a perceived shift -- a reconfiguration of the old guard -- in how we celebrate, spotlight, and create television. Things just felt different. People of color won all around. Queer women took home golden statuettes. Jeffrey Tambour of \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Transparent\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> gracefully advocated for the trans community, as did the show’s creator Jill Soloway, who urged us to “Topple the patriarchy.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But then, amid the clamor of hurrahs, came the inevitable questions: What next? Is the job done? Operation Diversity achieved? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Enter Issa Rae, the star and co-creator of the new HBO comedy show, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insecure\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Partially based on her homemade YouTube series and memoir, \u003ci>The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl\u003c/i>, \u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em> has already garnered significant critical praise, but its existence signals a specific and new turn in the growing wave of “diverse” projects gracing the small screen.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MubTJyWukp8\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insecure\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> chronicles the life of 29-year-old Issa — a character who is, as you might imagine, predominantly based on Rae herself — as she navigates the struggles of living and working in South Los Angeles. Issa feels stuck in her relationship with her live-in boyfriend of five years and, at work, feels the need to fend off the tokenized blackness that colleagues assign her with an “aggressively passive” attitude. If the show’s title isn't foreshadowing enough, the pilot episode quickly establishes Issa as lovably self-pitying and seemingly teetering on a quarter-life crisis. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The plot is simple and familiar enough — being awkward and aimless in your twenties in “X” metropolis. It seems to be the basis of countless (and often too many) shows in every new fall TV season. But it’s also the plainness of its premise that makes \u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em> feel so incredibly groundbreaking. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes, color is flourishing on screen, compared to the one-dimensional, stereotypes of television of yore. But most of the current shows casting leads of color are given the go-ahead because of juicy-on-paper plot lines that are meant to ensure a viewing audience. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Scandal\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> deals with a steamy affair with the President. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to Get Away With Murder\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is full of plot-twisting murderous intrigue. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Empire\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> traces back-stabbing family politics in the bougie world of a music mogul. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The People v. OJ Simpson\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> recreated the drama of the “Trial of the Century.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile,\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Black-ish\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Carmichael Show\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fresh Off the Boat\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> find humor in the everyday but only according to the rules of the tried-and-true family sitcom, a television institution whose color barrier was broken decades earlier. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None of this is an effort to reduce the significance of these shows — they will forever be the trailblazers, the “firsts” in forcing the \u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s1\">obsolescence \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of ethnic caricatures on screen. Every show with “diversity” that’s untainted by stereotypes helps end the perceived uniformity of blackness or brownness or Asian-ness. However, the notion of spotlighting non-white protagonists solely against gimmicky narrative backdrops seems to imply that audiences need to be enticed with fireworks to find interest in characters of color. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail.jpeg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-40715 alignright\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-800x450.jpeg\" alt=\"issa rae insecure hbo\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-800x450.jpeg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-400x225.jpeg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-1180x664.jpeg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-960x540.jpeg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>Rae's show stands out for its depiction of colored ordinariness, or more importantly black female\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ordinariness. Because just as America has black music moguls, it also has funny, educated, and insecure black women just trying to figure things out. This type of narrative sparseness is an exercise in normalization and humanization, and ultimately a shift in how we give voice to color. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em> is not about glitz and glam, or murder in cold blood. It's about a singular, basic human experience in a particular setting at a particular age — and one partially informed by blackness and black femininity. It's a show about nothing and everything, where humor is derived from poking fun at quotidian micro-aggressions and drama comes from universal anxieties. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s Issa trying to figure out what she's doing with her life. Or why her relationship feels stagnant. It’s also Issa having to put up with her well-meaning white boss, who rocks a dashiki while asking her what James Baldwin would do to help kids of color. Or her co-workers asking her, “What's on \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fleek\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">?”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While the\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> inevitable comparisons to its HBO counterpart \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Girls\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://mic.com/articles/23205/lena-dunham-girls-is-white-girl-feminism-at-its-worst#.DUW3So7h4\">tiresome, diminishing and reductive,\u003c/a> they're \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">still a signifier of progress. If a show about a black woman can be broadly categorized in the same genre as a show about four white women just existing in New York, while also being critically commended, that's a sign that representation is starting to level out.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rae’s success is not entirely isolated. Her show joins the ranks of a few brilliant projects just now being made, in which stories of unadorned humanity are deemed worthy (a.k.a. financially backed) for cultural consumption. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yet even among those few, \u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em> stands out in how HBO took a chance on a relatively unknown African-American female newcomer. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Master of None\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> came from veteran star and comic Aziz Ansari. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Atlanta\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the brainchild of Donald Glover, an already successful rapper and Hollywood writer/actor. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Queen Sugar\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> was borne out of a collaboration between the established Ava Duvernay and Oprah, and is currently airing on Oprah’s channel. Rae does have some ties to Hollywood, co-creating the show with Larry Wilmore and once partnering with Shonda Rhimes for a show that fell short of the pilot stage. But in terms of an insider’s résumé, she's ultimately transitioning from modest, DIY YouTube fame. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insecure\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> hasn't been without its \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/09/is-insecure-preying-on-black-womens-insecurities/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">critics\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. And whatever progress it spells only emphasizes how tragically far behind the industry is in giving opportunities and visibility to other forms of intersectional representation, from queer women of color to the trans community. But it’s a step in the right direction, one that cements the fact that the steps we’ve already made haven't been for naught.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If 2016 was ostensibly the revolutionary year that the Emmys celebrated shows starring people of color, the next revolutionary year should be the one highlighting shows that are \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">about\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> people of color. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insecure\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> could very well be the crack in the glass ceiling.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "40693 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=40693",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/10/07/how-issa-raes-insecure-is-leading-a-quiet-revolution-in-television/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1100,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 17
},
"modified": 1475886701,
"excerpt": "'Insecure' uses normalcy to break new ground for people of color on television.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "'Insecure' uses normalcy to break new ground for people of color on television.",
"title": "How Issa Rae’s 'Insecure' Is Leading a Quiet Revolution in Television | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "How Issa Rae’s 'Insecure' Is Leading a Quiet Revolution in Television",
"datePublished": "2016-10-07T17:31:41-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-10-07T17:31:41-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-issa-raes-insecure-is-leading-a-quiet-revolution-in-television",
"status": "publish",
"nprByline": "Brandon Yu",
"path": "/pop/40693/how-issa-raes-insecure-is-leading-a-quiet-revolution-in-television",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Following \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/watch-the-four-best-political-moments-from-the-emmys/\">last month's Primetime Emmy Awards\u003c/a>, there was a lot of hubbub over a perceived shift -- a reconfiguration of the old guard -- in how we celebrate, spotlight, and create television. Things just felt different. People of color won all around. Queer women took home golden statuettes. Jeffrey Tambour of \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Transparent\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> gracefully advocated for the trans community, as did the show’s creator Jill Soloway, who urged us to “Topple the patriarchy.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But then, amid the clamor of hurrahs, came the inevitable questions: What next? Is the job done? Operation Diversity achieved? \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Enter Issa Rae, the star and co-creator of the new HBO comedy show, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insecure\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Partially based on her homemade YouTube series and memoir, \u003ci>The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl\u003c/i>, \u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em> has already garnered significant critical praise, but its existence signals a specific and new turn in the growing wave of “diverse” projects gracing the small screen.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/MubTJyWukp8'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/MubTJyWukp8'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insecure\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> chronicles the life of 29-year-old Issa — a character who is, as you might imagine, predominantly based on Rae herself — as she navigates the struggles of living and working in South Los Angeles. Issa feels stuck in her relationship with her live-in boyfriend of five years and, at work, feels the need to fend off the tokenized blackness that colleagues assign her with an “aggressively passive” attitude. If the show’s title isn't foreshadowing enough, the pilot episode quickly establishes Issa as lovably self-pitying and seemingly teetering on a quarter-life crisis. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The plot is simple and familiar enough — being awkward and aimless in your twenties in “X” metropolis. It seems to be the basis of countless (and often too many) shows in every new fall TV season. But it’s also the plainness of its premise that makes \u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em> feel so incredibly groundbreaking. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yes, color is flourishing on screen, compared to the one-dimensional, stereotypes of television of yore. But most of the current shows casting leads of color are given the go-ahead because of juicy-on-paper plot lines that are meant to ensure a viewing audience. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Scandal\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> deals with a steamy affair with the President. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">How to Get Away With Murder\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is full of plot-twisting murderous intrigue. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Empire\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> traces back-stabbing family politics in the bougie world of a music mogul. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The People v. OJ Simpson\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> recreated the drama of the “Trial of the Century.” \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meanwhile,\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Black-ish\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Carmichael Show\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fresh Off the Boat\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> find humor in the everyday but only according to the rules of the tried-and-true family sitcom, a television institution whose color barrier was broken decades earlier. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None of this is an effort to reduce the significance of these shows — they will forever be the trailblazers, the “firsts” in forcing the \u003c/span>\u003cspan class=\"s1\">obsolescence \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of ethnic caricatures on screen. Every show with “diversity” that’s untainted by stereotypes helps end the perceived uniformity of blackness or brownness or Asian-ness. However, the notion of spotlighting non-white protagonists solely against gimmicky narrative backdrops seems to imply that audiences need to be enticed with fireworks to find interest in characters of color. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail.jpeg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-40715 alignright\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-800x450.jpeg\" alt=\"issa rae insecure hbo\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-800x450.jpeg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-400x225.jpeg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-1180x664.jpeg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail-960x540.jpeg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/detail.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>Rae's show stands out for its depiction of colored ordinariness, or more importantly black female\u003c/span> \u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">ordinariness. Because just as America has black music moguls, it also has funny, educated, and insecure black women just trying to figure things out. This type of narrative sparseness is an exercise in normalization and humanization, and ultimately a shift in how we give voice to color. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em> is not about glitz and glam, or murder in cold blood. It's about a singular, basic human experience in a particular setting at a particular age — and one partially informed by blackness and black femininity. It's a show about nothing and everything, where humor is derived from poking fun at quotidian micro-aggressions and drama comes from universal anxieties. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s Issa trying to figure out what she's doing with her life. Or why her relationship feels stagnant. It’s also Issa having to put up with her well-meaning white boss, who rocks a dashiki while asking her what James Baldwin would do to help kids of color. Or her co-workers asking her, “What's on \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">fleek\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">?”\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">While the\u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> inevitable comparisons to its HBO counterpart \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Girls\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> are \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://mic.com/articles/23205/lena-dunham-girls-is-white-girl-feminism-at-its-worst#.DUW3So7h4\">tiresome, diminishing and reductive,\u003c/a> they're \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">still a signifier of progress. If a show about a black woman can be broadly categorized in the same genre as a show about four white women just existing in New York, while also being critically commended, that's a sign that representation is starting to level out.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rae’s success is not entirely isolated. Her show joins the ranks of a few brilliant projects just now being made, in which stories of unadorned humanity are deemed worthy (a.k.a. financially backed) for cultural consumption. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yet even among those few, \u003cem>Insecure\u003c/em> stands out in how HBO took a chance on a relatively unknown African-American female newcomer. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Master of None\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> came from veteran star and comic Aziz Ansari. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Atlanta\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the brainchild of Donald Glover, an already successful rapper and Hollywood writer/actor. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Queen Sugar\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> was borne out of a collaboration between the established Ava Duvernay and Oprah, and is currently airing on Oprah’s channel. Rae does have some ties to Hollywood, co-creating the show with Larry Wilmore and once partnering with Shonda Rhimes for a show that fell short of the pilot stage. But in terms of an insider’s résumé, she's ultimately transitioning from modest, DIY YouTube fame. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insecure\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> hasn't been without its \u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/09/is-insecure-preying-on-black-womens-insecurities/\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">critics\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. And whatever progress it spells only emphasizes how tragically far behind the industry is in giving opportunities and visibility to other forms of intersectional representation, from queer women of color to the trans community. But it’s a step in the right direction, one that cements the fact that the steps we’ve already made haven't been for naught.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If 2016 was ostensibly the revolutionary year that the Emmys celebrated shows starring people of color, the next revolutionary year should be the one highlighting shows that are \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">about\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> people of color. \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insecure\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> could very well be the crack in the glass ceiling.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/40693/how-issa-raes-insecure-is-leading-a-quiet-revolution-in-television",
"authors": [
"byline_pop_40693"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_271",
"pop_2915"
],
"featImg": "pop_40704",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_40652": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_40652",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "40652",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1475863118000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1475863118,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "Coffee! Coffee! Coffee! I Finally Got To Be A Gilmore Girl At Luke's Diner",
"title": "Coffee! Coffee! Coffee! I Finally Got To Be A Gilmore Girl At Luke's Diner",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>When we finally get close enough to see the \"Luke's\" sign on the side of the building, a group behind me erupts into song. \"Where you lead, I will follow,\" they belt out. The words to Carole King's 1971 single became an anthem for a whole new generation as the theme song to the \u003cem>Gilmore Girls.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The long-running show about Lorelei and Rory Gilmore, a mother-daughter duo with an enviably close relationship and a serious coffee addiction, hasn't aired a new episode since 2007. But its fans remain devoted, and as Netflix prepares to reboot the series for a four-part finale, it transformed some 200 coffee shops across the U.S. this week into replicas of Luke's Diner — the heart and evident headspring of coffee in Stars Hollow, the fictional Connecticut town where the show was set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Portland, Ore., on a wet, chilly Wednesday, I joined fans of the show to queue up for three hours in a line that snaked around nearly two full city blocks. As cars stopped to ask what we were waiting for, the women around me – and they were overwhelmingly women – answered, \"free coffee.\" But the real allure was a taste of of the \u003cem>Gilmore Girls\u003c/em> way of life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_40654\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-40654\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-800x527.jpg\" alt=\"Actor Scott Patterson hands out coffee at a "Gilmore Girls" themed pop-up of Luke's Diner on Oct. 5th in Beverly Hills, Calif. Pop-ups were scheduled throughout the country.\" width=\"800\" height=\"527\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-800x527.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-400x264.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-768x506.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-1440x949.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-1920x1265.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-1180x778.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-960x633.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Actor Scott Patterson hands out coffee at a \"Gilmore Girls\" themed pop-up of Luke's Diner on Oct. 5th in Beverly Hills, Calif. Pop-ups were scheduled throughout the country. \u003ccite>(Photo: Sarah Morris/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To give the uninitiated an idea of just how big a role this diner (and coffee) plays in the show, the first and last episodes of the series both end with a shot of the main characters sitting at a table in the window, drinking coffee. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that at least once an episode, someone mentions coffee: wanting it, looking for it, drinking it. People who arrived in line as early as 5 a.m. to wait for the popup to open at 7 a.m. could relate. We should have brought a coffee to drink while waiting for free coffee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While I didn't spot anyone wearing a school uniform, a la Rory, or a Lorelei-inspired tie-dye or rhinestone outfit, there were plenty of women dressed in flannel and backward baseball caps ala diner-owner Luke Danes — the easiest way to have a costume while keeping warm. Behind me, a woman waited with her 4-year-old daughter, Lorelai, for over two hours before they had to leave for ballet class. (Yes, the name was inspired by the show.) Most people come in groups — mother-daughter pairs or college-aged friends who seem to see waiting in line as a bonding experience, much like watching the show together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Taylor Ellis, 23, had been in line with two other friends until they had to leave to go to work. She waited out the last two hours of the line by herself. As we reached the door, I asked if she thought the wait would be worth it. \"At this point I'm so cold that I'm just excited to get inside and have a warm drink,\" she says. Ellis has been \"watching the show since I was a kid with my mom and cousins.\" When it was still on television, they'd get together and watch it once a week. \"Once it came out on DVD, my cousin and I would sit on the couch and watch episode after episode for hours.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.instagram.com/p/BLLs6rkBeLG/?taken-by=rcorrera\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ellis says that the mother-daughter relationship is her favorite part of the show and is, in fact, what the \u003cem>Gilmore Girls\u003c/em> is about. Most people in line have a similar story. They used to watch it with their mother or sister, or now rewatch episodes with a young daughter. Many, like Ellis, have close relationships with their moms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I, too, watched \u003cem>Gilmore Girls\u003c/em> with my mother all through middle school and part of high school. For us, the show was like an episodic vision board for our relationship: It was one of the few activities we could do together without fighting. Like Lorelei, she was for many years a single parent who put me through private school – but without the help of rich grandparents waiting in the wings. But we didn't have inside jokes or witty banter. While I was standing in line alone for hours, the time when I truly loved this show seemed far away. Watching it as a teenager, I hoped that someday my mother and I could be like Lorelai and Rory. Now, a few years from my thirties, it's just another dream that never panned out in real life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the Luke's popups provided ample Instagram fodder, they were missing something. (And it's not just because the Oregon popup wasn't one of the locations chosen to host a cardboard cut-out of Luke.) The baristas were dressed in Luke's Diner aprons and backwards baseball caps. Luke's memorable \"no cell phones\" sign was taped to the door. But the Luke's of Stars Hollow is a neighborhood spot antithetical to the pop-up by its very nature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_40655\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-40655\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-800x529.jpg\" alt=\"A cardboard cut-out at a pop-up of Luke's Diner in Beverly Hills, Calif.\" width=\"800\" height=\"529\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-800x529.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-400x264.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-768x508.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-1440x952.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-1920x1269.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-1180x780.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-960x634.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e.jpg 1993w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cardboard cut-out at a pop-up of Luke's Diner in Beverly Hills, Calif. \u003ccite>(Photo: Sarah Morris/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rory and Lorelai had a coffee pot at home, yet they walked over to demand coffee and sometimes breakfast from perma-grumpy Luke Danes seemingly every day. Sure, they said the coffee was the best in town, but the reason Luke's Diner was the heart of Stars Hollow is because it was a place where the Gilmores could start the day with the neighbors and friends they loved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Years ago, when I worked in a restaurant, breakfast was the worst shift in many ways. You had to wake up early, made less money, and had a lot of downtime to stare out the window or surreptitiously catch up on reading behind the bar. Its one good quality was that it was when the regulars — the ones whose orders you knew without asking — came to dine. One couple would sit at the same table every Monday and Wednesday, sharing a newspaper; one ordered toast with an over-easy egg, the other, an omelette. Another man liked to sit at the bar and do the crossword puzzle. Eventually, he started saving them for me and the other staff to help him out. I looked forward to these customers coming in every day and noticed when they weren't there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RiQDvPoJgc\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of us, especially those in cities, are alone during a large portion of our days. We're at offices hoping someone will notice us or our work; hoping we'll make friends over lunches that happen more infrequently, replaced by the solitary so-called \"sad desk lunch.\" We're looking for love on the Internet, ordering delivery sushi for dinner. Everyone wishes they had a Luke's — a place to be greeted first thing in the morning, where we know the staff well enough to not always be on our best behavior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And maybe that's why, despite the cold and the rain, and the fact that the coffee shop was out of \"free coffee\" by the time I got to the front, none of the people around me seemed cranky or mad. Even the shop's owner said there had only been \"two bad apples\" out of the 40-plus coffee urns worth of people he'd served that day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maybe we all believed some part of \u003cem>Gilmore Girls\u003c/em> was still out there, waiting for us in the real world: in the relationships we want to have with our mothers or our children, in a restaurant where we can go to feel connected, in a pop-up that gave us an excuse to spend three hours with friends, even though all we got out of it were some selfies and a blue-and-yellow coffee sleeve that said \"Luke's\" on the front.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.\u003cimg src=\"http://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Coffee%21+Coffee%21+Coffee%21+I+Finally+Got+To+Be+A+Gilmore+Girl+At+Luke%27s+Diner&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "40652 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=40652",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/10/07/coffee-coffee-coffee-i-finally-got-to-be-a-gilmore-girl-at-lukes-diner/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1383,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 16
},
"modified": 1475863118,
"excerpt": "Like many fans across America, I queued up for hours for a pop-up replica of the show's iconic diner. We were there for free coffee, but the real draw was a taste of the 'Gilmore Girls' way of life.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Like many fans across America, I queued up for hours for a pop-up replica of the show's iconic diner. We were there for free coffee, but the real draw was a taste of the 'Gilmore Girls' way of life.",
"title": "Coffee! Coffee! Coffee! I Finally Got To Be A Gilmore Girl At Luke's Diner | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Coffee! Coffee! Coffee! I Finally Got To Be A Gilmore Girl At Luke's Diner",
"datePublished": "2016-10-07T10:58:38-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-10-07T10:58:38-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "coffee-coffee-coffee-i-finally-got-to-be-a-gilmore-girl-at-lukes-diner",
"status": "publish",
"nprApiLink": "http://api.npr.org/query?id=496904255&apiKey=MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004",
"nprByline": "Tove Danovich",
"nprStoryDate": "Thu, 06 Oct 2016 16:24:00 -0400",
"nprLastModifiedDate": "Thu, 06 Oct 2016 16:35:22 -0400",
"nprHtmlLink": "http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/10/06/496904255/coffee-coffee-coffee-i-finally-got-to-be-a-gilmore-girl-at-lukes-diner?ft=nprml&f=496904255",
"nprImageAgency": "Saeed Adyani/Netflix",
"nprStoryId": "496904255",
"nprRetrievedStory": "1",
"nprPubDate": "Thu, 06 Oct 2016 16:35:00 -0400",
"path": "/pop/40652/coffee-coffee-coffee-i-finally-got-to-be-a-gilmore-girl-at-lukes-diner",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When we finally get close enough to see the \"Luke's\" sign on the side of the building, a group behind me erupts into song. \"Where you lead, I will follow,\" they belt out. The words to Carole King's 1971 single became an anthem for a whole new generation as the theme song to the \u003cem>Gilmore Girls.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The long-running show about Lorelei and Rory Gilmore, a mother-daughter duo with an enviably close relationship and a serious coffee addiction, hasn't aired a new episode since 2007. But its fans remain devoted, and as Netflix prepares to reboot the series for a four-part finale, it transformed some 200 coffee shops across the U.S. this week into replicas of Luke's Diner — the heart and evident headspring of coffee in Stars Hollow, the fictional Connecticut town where the show was set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Portland, Ore., on a wet, chilly Wednesday, I joined fans of the show to queue up for three hours in a line that snaked around nearly two full city blocks. As cars stopped to ask what we were waiting for, the women around me – and they were overwhelmingly women – answered, \"free coffee.\" But the real allure was a taste of of the \u003cem>Gilmore Girls\u003c/em> way of life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_40654\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-40654\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-800x527.jpg\" alt=\"Actor Scott Patterson hands out coffee at a "Gilmore Girls" themed pop-up of Luke's Diner on Oct. 5th in Beverly Hills, Calif. Pop-ups were scheduled throughout the country.\" width=\"800\" height=\"527\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-800x527.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-400x264.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-768x506.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-1440x949.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-1920x1265.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-1180x778.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c-960x633.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-1_enl-c872b909abf428cca622a4680c055be3adfcba7c.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Actor Scott Patterson hands out coffee at a \"Gilmore Girls\" themed pop-up of Luke's Diner on Oct. 5th in Beverly Hills, Calif. Pop-ups were scheduled throughout the country. \u003ccite>(Photo: Sarah Morris/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To give the uninitiated an idea of just how big a role this diner (and coffee) plays in the show, the first and last episodes of the series both end with a shot of the main characters sitting at a table in the window, drinking coffee. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that at least once an episode, someone mentions coffee: wanting it, looking for it, drinking it. People who arrived in line as early as 5 a.m. to wait for the popup to open at 7 a.m. could relate. We should have brought a coffee to drink while waiting for free coffee.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While I didn't spot anyone wearing a school uniform, a la Rory, or a Lorelei-inspired tie-dye or rhinestone outfit, there were plenty of women dressed in flannel and backward baseball caps ala diner-owner Luke Danes — the easiest way to have a costume while keeping warm. Behind me, a woman waited with her 4-year-old daughter, Lorelai, for over two hours before they had to leave for ballet class. (Yes, the name was inspired by the show.) Most people come in groups — mother-daughter pairs or college-aged friends who seem to see waiting in line as a bonding experience, much like watching the show together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Taylor Ellis, 23, had been in line with two other friends until they had to leave to go to work. She waited out the last two hours of the line by herself. As we reached the door, I asked if she thought the wait would be worth it. \"At this point I'm so cold that I'm just excited to get inside and have a warm drink,\" she says. Ellis has been \"watching the show since I was a kid with my mom and cousins.\" When it was still on television, they'd get together and watch it once a week. \"Once it came out on DVD, my cousin and I would sit on the couch and watch episode after episode for hours.\"\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "instagramLink",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"instagramUrl": "https://www.instagram.com/p/BLLs6rkBeLG/?taken-by=rcorrera"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ellis says that the mother-daughter relationship is her favorite part of the show and is, in fact, what the \u003cem>Gilmore Girls\u003c/em> is about. Most people in line have a similar story. They used to watch it with their mother or sister, or now rewatch episodes with a young daughter. Many, like Ellis, have close relationships with their moms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I, too, watched \u003cem>Gilmore Girls\u003c/em> with my mother all through middle school and part of high school. For us, the show was like an episodic vision board for our relationship: It was one of the few activities we could do together without fighting. Like Lorelei, she was for many years a single parent who put me through private school – but without the help of rich grandparents waiting in the wings. But we didn't have inside jokes or witty banter. While I was standing in line alone for hours, the time when I truly loved this show seemed far away. Watching it as a teenager, I hoped that someday my mother and I could be like Lorelai and Rory. Now, a few years from my thirties, it's just another dream that never panned out in real life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the Luke's popups provided ample Instagram fodder, they were missing something. (And it's not just because the Oregon popup wasn't one of the locations chosen to host a cardboard cut-out of Luke.) The baristas were dressed in Luke's Diner aprons and backwards baseball caps. Luke's memorable \"no cell phones\" sign was taped to the door. But the Luke's of Stars Hollow is a neighborhood spot antithetical to the pop-up by its very nature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_40655\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-40655\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-800x529.jpg\" alt=\"A cardboard cut-out at a pop-up of Luke's Diner in Beverly Hills, Calif.\" width=\"800\" height=\"529\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-800x529.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-400x264.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-768x508.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-1440x952.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-1920x1269.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-1180x780.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e-960x634.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/lukes-diner-2_enl-efc92b3c09b661125929a43e9074e04c54f01e2e.jpg 1993w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A cardboard cut-out at a pop-up of Luke's Diner in Beverly Hills, Calif. \u003ccite>(Photo: Sarah Morris/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rory and Lorelai had a coffee pot at home, yet they walked over to demand coffee and sometimes breakfast from perma-grumpy Luke Danes seemingly every day. Sure, they said the coffee was the best in town, but the reason Luke's Diner was the heart of Stars Hollow is because it was a place where the Gilmores could start the day with the neighbors and friends they loved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Years ago, when I worked in a restaurant, breakfast was the worst shift in many ways. You had to wake up early, made less money, and had a lot of downtime to stare out the window or surreptitiously catch up on reading behind the bar. Its one good quality was that it was when the regulars — the ones whose orders you knew without asking — came to dine. One couple would sit at the same table every Monday and Wednesday, sharing a newspaper; one ordered toast with an over-easy egg, the other, an omelette. Another man liked to sit at the bar and do the crossword puzzle. Eventually, he started saving them for me and the other staff to help him out. I looked forward to these customers coming in every day and noticed when they weren't there.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/1RiQDvPoJgc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/1RiQDvPoJgc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Many of us, especially those in cities, are alone during a large portion of our days. We're at offices hoping someone will notice us or our work; hoping we'll make friends over lunches that happen more infrequently, replaced by the solitary so-called \"sad desk lunch.\" We're looking for love on the Internet, ordering delivery sushi for dinner. Everyone wishes they had a Luke's — a place to be greeted first thing in the morning, where we know the staff well enough to not always be on our best behavior.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And maybe that's why, despite the cold and the rain, and the fact that the coffee shop was out of \"free coffee\" by the time I got to the front, none of the people around me seemed cranky or mad. Even the shop's owner said there had only been \"two bad apples\" out of the 40-plus coffee urns worth of people he'd served that day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maybe we all believed some part of \u003cem>Gilmore Girls\u003c/em> was still out there, waiting for us in the real world: in the relationships we want to have with our mothers or our children, in a restaurant where we can go to feel connected, in a pop-up that gave us an excuse to spend three hours with friends, even though all we got out of it were some selfies and a blue-and-yellow coffee sleeve that said \"Luke's\" on the front.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cem>Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.\u003cimg src=\"http://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=Coffee%21+Coffee%21+Coffee%21+I+Finally+Got+To+Be+A+Gilmore+Girl+At+Luke%27s+Diner&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/em>\u003c/div>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/40652/coffee-coffee-coffee-i-finally-got-to-be-a-gilmore-girl-at-lukes-diner",
"authors": [
"byline_pop_40652"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_725"
],
"featImg": "pop_40653",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_39450": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_39450",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "39450",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1475456408000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1475456408,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "'Poldark' Season 2, Episode 2 Recap: You Don't Bring Me Flowers",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 2, Episode 2 Recap: You Don't Bring Me Flowers",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/27/poldark-season-2-premiere-recap-court-and-spark/\">last week's season premiere\u003c/a>, the rich people of Cornwall almost hanged Ross, the poor people of Cornwall threw feces in someone's face, and Backstabber Cousin almost killed himself because even he can't stand the things he does and says. Will Demelza find ridiculous ways to hide her pregnancy from Ross \u003ca href=\"http://www.tvguide.com/news/scandal-ridiculous-ways-hide-kerry-washington-pregnancy-1080017/\">à la\u003cem> Scandal\u003c/em>\u003c/a>? Will Tarot Card Agatha go on a rant about how NASA is now saying that \u003ca href=\"http://time.com/4507672/nasa-on-zodiac-signs/\">all our star signs are apparently different than what we thought\u003c/a>? Will this entire episode be from the perspective of Horace the Pug (PLEASE)? Only one way to find out! On with the show!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We kick things off with Malfoy practicing for his inevitable fist fight with Ross... in heels. A drag queen is born! Rupaul is proud and wants Malfoy to audition for the next season of \u003cem>Drag Race\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/111778e7-d762-4272-b2f1-67af3573fbfe-2.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39551\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/111778e7-d762-4272-b2f1-67af3573fbfe-2.gif\" alt=\"111778e7-d762-4272-b2f1-67af3573fbfe-2\" width=\"500\" height=\"347\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39552\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-800x440.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-09-30 at 3.40.26 PM\" width=\"800\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-800x440.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-400x220.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-768x422.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-1440x792.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-1180x649.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-960x528.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM.png 1678w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy thinks, \u003cem>You know what? That's not a terrible idea. Cornwall is miserably cold and everyone thinks I'm a loser for not being able to get Ross hanged, so why not try pursuing a drag career?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, without further ado, meet Hisstina Snakespeare:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39601\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"hisstina-snakespeare\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare-400x266.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare-768x511.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at chez Ross, Mr. Pigpen is trying to make amends for his contribution to the \u003cem>Let's Murder Ross!\u003c/em> campaign. His interaction with Ross goes like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39699\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1.jpg\" alt=\"mean girls are you still mad\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1.jpg 500w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-400x400.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-32x32.jpg 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-50x50.jpg 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-64x64.jpg 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-96x96.jpg 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-128x128.jpg 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross receives a letter from one of his investors, which basically reads like the lyrics to Rihanna's \"Bitch Betta Have My Money.\" He has a few days to pay back £1,000. I converted how much that would be in today's money and it's around £56,000, so yeah, he's screwed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza walks in and Ross opens up about all his troubles because open communication is a cornerstone of any healthy marriage. Actually, that doesn't happen at all. Ross gives her the cold shoulder and acts like the rabbit from \u003cem>Alice in Wonderland\u003c/em>, in a rush, with zero time for Demelza or the secret baby growing inside of her. He leaves without touching or kissing her. All that constant sex had to dry up at some point, I guess.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross attends a quarterly meeting of his mine's shareholders. The news is bad (as always) and Ross' message stays the same: \u003cem>If we can find a bunch of copper, it'll all be good! \u003c/em>Uh, yeah, that's generally how mining works. Ross is really lucky he's hot because his business acumen leaves something to be desired.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Demelza is minding her business when Ross' friend from the war gallops up. He wants to drink rum with her. Demelza knows this will make her seem whorish in the eyes of the Cornish, but thinks \u003cem>Screw it! Imma do me!\u003c/em> 'cause her husband hasn't touched her in weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out War BFF wants Demelza to help Blondie's uncle's sick cow (???). Why would he assume Demelza knows anything about veterinary medicine? Is 'sick cow' a euphemism for something dirty? And how does War BFF even know Blondie's uncle?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before we can get answers to these questions, Ross walks in and throws a passive-aggressive hissy fit. How dare Demelza be hospitable to one of his best friends?! He bets she has the hots for Blondie's uncle too! He storms out. Demelza resists breaking a bottle over his head and instead opts for the tried-and-true weapon of all wronged pacifists: the side-eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39739\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-800x448.jpg\" alt=\"sideeye-demelza-poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-800x448.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-768x430.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-1440x807.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-1180x661.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-960x538.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark.jpg 1672w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Blondie looks out from her coach and says, \u003cem>Ewww, poverty!\u003c/em> Parliament Wannabe pleads with her to return to London, where she won't have to stomach such \"loathsome sights.\" Blondie spots her crush, Doc, talking to some street urchins, and brainstorms potential couple-name portmanteaus. Blondoc? Dlocdie? Hmm, needs work, but there's no time for that now because it's that part of the episode where we get to revel in the cute overload of Horace the Pug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39740\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-800x447.jpg\" alt=\"horace\" width=\"800\" height=\"447\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-800x447.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-400x223.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-768x429.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-1440x804.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-1180x659.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-960x536.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace.jpg 1676w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Pinky Ring's house, Backstabber Cousin is a walking, talking personification of the end of that sad egg Zoloft commercial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39748\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark-800x525.jpg\" alt=\"zoloft-francis-poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"525\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark-800x525.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark-400x262.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark-768x504.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark.jpg 852w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He's loving life again, working hard in the fields, kicking it with his son, and no longer metaphorically shoving middle fingers in Pinky Ring's face for no reason all day long. Huzzah!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the flip side of this coin, Malfoy/Hisstina is the walking, talking personification of the beginning of that sad egg Zoloft commercial. You see, Pinky Ring declined an invitation and still doesn't want to have sex with him. And all the money he spent on getting Parliament Wannabe elected isn't really coming to much. But -- take heart! -- there is something that always gets his spirits up: messing with Ross. He hatches a plan that involves Mr. Pigpen in some way. Uh-oh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the ranch, Demelza busts into Ross' office, puts her hands on her hips, and asks:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/are-you-serious-right-now-kanye-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39914\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/are-you-serious-right-now-kanye-gif.gif\" alt=\"are you serious right now kanye gif\" width=\"320\" height=\"180\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He replies that he is. He also suggests that, because Demelza is a common miner's daughter, she might not be able to control her lust around War BFF's fancy uniform. Does anyone have an Advil? I can't take much more of this man-baby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york-.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39750\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york-.gif\" alt=\"tiffany new york\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york-.gif 200w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza and her cute, shy puppy are like, \u003cem>Forget this! We're out of here!\u003c/em> They don't get very far before running into Pinky Ring, who doesn't waste any time getting into full-on gossip mode. \u003cem>Hey, girl! How's Ross handling the post-trial blues? And is he excited about your pregnancy? OMG, you haven't told him?! Well, sorry I kind of, sort of killed your first baby. Anyway, TTYL. Bye! \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, after pulling an all-nighter in the mine, Ross approaches Demelza and wants to apologize, not for treating her like the crap that was thrown into Parliament Wannabe's face last episode, but because he needs to sell all her nice things to pay off his loan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saint Demelza hatches another plan to save Ross' butt. She heads over to Blondie's uncle's house, takes one look at his sick cow and is like, \u003cem>Dump this one and get a new one. You can have mine... for a price. \u003c/em>(See what she did there?) He creepily touches her face and then just goes ahead and grabs her butt. (See what he did there?) The price will be one roll in the hay. Demelza counter-offers:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/my-girlfriends-reaction-when-i-want-a-kiss-and-shes-still-mad-at-me-18625-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39758\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/my-girlfriends-reaction-when-i-want-a-kiss-and-shes-still-mad-at-me-18625-1.gif\" alt=\"my-girlfriends-reaction-when-i-want-a-kiss-and-shes-still-mad-at-me-18625 (1)\" width=\"210\" height=\"193\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I guess he likes it rough because he agrees to buy the cow. Ross and Demelza go into town to sell basically everything else they own: their chickens, pigs, goats, carpets, plates, and candle holders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emboldened by all the jiu-jitsu training he's been doing in pumps, Malfoy decides it's a good idea to strut on over to them and tell Ross the trial has made him look like crap. Demelza pulls Ross away and prevents this from taking place:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sub-zero-fatality-mortal-kombat.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39759\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sub-zero-fatality-mortal-kombat.gif\" alt=\"sub zero fatality mortal kombat\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few paces away, Blondie approaches Doc and says, \"I have a tingling... in my throat.\" Mmhmm, I bet you do. He gives her all the I'm-just-not-that-into-you vibes, with a dash of you're-a-snob-and-a-half thrown in for good measure, and walks off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the woods, Mr. Pigpen is taking a stroll after a productive day at the bar when the two evil dudes who bribed him to testify against Ross jump out of the brush. They don't want their money back (they have plenty); they just want to kick all his organs in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Ross is making faces about the dinner Demelza cooked for him. She's like, \u003cem>Dude, you sold all our animals and pots and pans and plates and things. What did you expect? \u003c/em>Before she can reveal that she's not only pregnant but also filing for divorce, Twitter blows up with the news of Mr. Pigpen's death!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, everyone stands around Mr. Pigpen's dead body, as Mrs. Pigpen has a depressive mental breakdown. This evolves into an irate mental breakdown when the people who found his body reveal that he had 15 gold coins on him, and further evolves into a consumerist mental breakdown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross reminisces about the time Mr. Pigpen taught him how to smoke when he was a child. Cool memory. Then, it finally dawns on him that the money was probably a bribe for testifying at the trial. I wish Ross was smarter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Malfoy's Manor, he's in drag again, practicing punching in a mirror. You better work, Hisstina Snakespeare!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/rupaul-you-better-work.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39839\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/rupaul-you-better-work.gif\" alt=\"rupaul you better work\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross and Demelza decide to make amends with Backstabber Cousin and Pinky Ring because it'll piss Malfoy off. They happen upon Backstabber Cousin as he's scything. It's just like that time Ross was scything shirtless, only with absolutely zero-percent sex appeal. Now that they've reconciled, Backstabber Cousin is the end of that sad egg Zoloft commercial, but at double speed. He throws a block party and everyone twerks, dabs and dougies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Malfoy gets word that his henchmen murdered Mr. Pigpen. They were only supposed to paralyze him! Now Malfoy is smoking-weed-for-the-first-time paranoid. Ross is going to kill him!! He's probably outside right now!! And the government probably has his room tapped!! There's a knock at the door. Malfoy grabs his pistol. But it's just Parliament Wannabe. Hisstina Snakespeare lives to lip-sync another day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Blondie pretends to be sick so she can be treated by Doc and then promptly lose her virginity to him. But who cares about that? Horace the Pug is getting more screen time!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39840\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-800x446.jpg\" alt=\"horace-pug\" width=\"800\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-800x446.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-400x223.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-768x428.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-1440x803.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-1180x658.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-960x535.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug.jpg 1677w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the party, Backstabber Cousin and Ross list the reasons why Malfoy sucks. In a different room, Tarot Card Agatha opens a door and yells, \"Where's my port?!\" (That isn't one of my jokes; that actually happens.) Bless her heart.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring's mother loudly proclaims how it's a shame her daughter has to hang out with maids and other riff-raff. Demelza is so over this. Get new material, people! She heads outside to get away from all the jerks and happens upon a hysterical Mrs. Pigpen. Someone has snatched Mr. Pigpen's corpse!!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doc arrives to help Blondie and it turns out she wasn't faking after all. There was a fish bone stuck in her throat! Blondie is now feeling him for several reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A. He's cute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>B. He's a doctor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>C. He took a fish bone out of her throat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D. He asked, \"Can I do anything for Horace while I'm here?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first three are whatever, but that last one is a real doozy. Horace better be the ring-bearer at their wedding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Downstairs, Ross and Backstabber Cousin take shots and bond over mining and how boring they've become.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Demelza, various poor people and Mrs. Pigpen are really freaked out by the missing corpse. And are even more freaked out when Mr. Pigpen busts in! He's alive? He's alive! What the hell is going on?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the party, some rich dude is hysterical because he signed away his shares in Ross' mine to Malfoy. What else is new?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mr. Pigpen shares the story of his Lazarus party trick. He woke up on the funeral prep table super thirsty for some gin, so he went down to the bar and everyone thought he was a ghost and ran off, which he was cool with 'cause that meant free booze. Then he came back home to find his wife all dressed up in widow gear and his friends eating a feast at the expense of his 15 coins. \u003cstrong>TL;DR version:\u003c/strong> People in the 1700s couldn't tell the difference between being blackout drunk and being dead. And almost dying doesn't make cheap alcoholics any less cheap or alcoholic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The party is over and the only two people left awake are Ross and Pinky Ring. Ross tells Pinky Ring how hot she is and how he wonders what could've been if they had gotten together and how their love would have overcome the fact that he's kind of a prick and how much he appreciates that she's a lady and not just a scullery maid. Demelza is standing right outside the door and hears every word.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Ross gets tired of coming onto his married ex, he goes upstairs. Demelza is waiting. Their interaction goes like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> Oh, hey. Mr. Pigpen is alive. Night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross: \u003c/strong>OMG what?! Tell me everything!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> Nope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> Remember last time we were here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> Yeah, you told me 'I love you' for the first time and you were stoked about my pregnancy. Crazy how everything's the opposite of that now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> Listen, every man has a roving eye. It's natural! Get over it! And -- wait a second -- you're pregnant again?!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> You told me you didn't want another one so I didn't tell you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> I didn't! And I still don't! UGH, this sucks!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39739\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-800x448.jpg\" alt=\"sideeye-demelza-poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-800x448.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-768x430.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-1440x807.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-1180x661.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-960x538.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark.jpg 1672w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Ross.\u003c/strong> The jury finds the defendant guilty on all counts of being the worst husband ever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em> \u003cstrong>Mr. Pigpen's liver. \u003c/strong>Hardest worker in all of Cornwall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Horace. \u003c/strong>I hope you outlive all of these people, which would probably be hard since pugs only live 15 years max, but I can dream.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Tarot Card Agatha\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>. Is there anything more relatable than screaming \"Where's my [insert booze of choice here]\" at a party? No, there is not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> Demelza. \u003c/strong>When TLC's Left Eye was fed up with her scrub of a man, she set his sneakers on fire, threw them into a fiberglass tub and accidentally burned down his entire mansion. I'm not advocating for arson, but... actually, I am. Burn it all down, Demelza!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty/status/782762054696394752\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003cem>\u003cstrong>More recaps:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin’ Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1, Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1, Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\"> 'Poldark' Season 1, Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/27/poldark-season-2-premiere-recap-court-and-spark/\">'Poldark' Season 2, Episode 1 Recap: Court and Spark\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "39450 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=39450",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/10/02/poldark-season-2-episode-2-recap-you-dont-bring-me-flowers/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 2465,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 81
},
"modified": 1478466539,
"excerpt": "This week, almost every character wishes they could get a divorce.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "This week, almost every character wishes they could get a divorce.",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 2, Episode 2 Recap: You Don't Bring Me Flowers | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "'Poldark' Season 2, Episode 2 Recap: You Don't Bring Me Flowers",
"datePublished": "2016-10-02T18:00:08-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-11-06T13:08:59-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "poldark-season-2-episode-2-recap-you-dont-bring-me-flowers",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/pop/39450/poldark-season-2-episode-2-recap-you-dont-bring-me-flowers",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/27/poldark-season-2-premiere-recap-court-and-spark/\">last week's season premiere\u003c/a>, the rich people of Cornwall almost hanged Ross, the poor people of Cornwall threw feces in someone's face, and Backstabber Cousin almost killed himself because even he can't stand the things he does and says. Will Demelza find ridiculous ways to hide her pregnancy from Ross \u003ca href=\"http://www.tvguide.com/news/scandal-ridiculous-ways-hide-kerry-washington-pregnancy-1080017/\">à la\u003cem> Scandal\u003c/em>\u003c/a>? Will Tarot Card Agatha go on a rant about how NASA is now saying that \u003ca href=\"http://time.com/4507672/nasa-on-zodiac-signs/\">all our star signs are apparently different than what we thought\u003c/a>? Will this entire episode be from the perspective of Horace the Pug (PLEASE)? Only one way to find out! On with the show!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We kick things off with Malfoy practicing for his inevitable fist fight with Ross... in heels. A drag queen is born! Rupaul is proud and wants Malfoy to audition for the next season of \u003cem>Drag Race\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/111778e7-d762-4272-b2f1-67af3573fbfe-2.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39551\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/111778e7-d762-4272-b2f1-67af3573fbfe-2.gif\" alt=\"111778e7-d762-4272-b2f1-67af3573fbfe-2\" width=\"500\" height=\"347\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39552\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-800x440.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-09-30 at 3.40.26 PM\" width=\"800\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-800x440.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-400x220.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-768x422.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-1440x792.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-1180x649.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM-960x528.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-30-at-3.40.26-PM.png 1678w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy thinks, \u003cem>You know what? That's not a terrible idea. Cornwall is miserably cold and everyone thinks I'm a loser for not being able to get Ross hanged, so why not try pursuing a drag career?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, without further ado, meet Hisstina Snakespeare:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39601\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"hisstina-snakespeare\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare-400x266.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare-768x511.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/hisstina-snakespeare.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at chez Ross, Mr. Pigpen is trying to make amends for his contribution to the \u003cem>Let's Murder Ross!\u003c/em> campaign. His interaction with Ross goes like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39699\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1.jpg\" alt=\"mean girls are you still mad\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1.jpg 500w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-400x400.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-32x32.jpg 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-50x50.jpg 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-64x64.jpg 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-96x96.jpg 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-128x128.jpg 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/large-1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross receives a letter from one of his investors, which basically reads like the lyrics to Rihanna's \"Bitch Betta Have My Money.\" He has a few days to pay back £1,000. I converted how much that would be in today's money and it's around £56,000, so yeah, he's screwed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza walks in and Ross opens up about all his troubles because open communication is a cornerstone of any healthy marriage. Actually, that doesn't happen at all. Ross gives her the cold shoulder and acts like the rabbit from \u003cem>Alice in Wonderland\u003c/em>, in a rush, with zero time for Demelza or the secret baby growing inside of her. He leaves without touching or kissing her. All that constant sex had to dry up at some point, I guess.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross attends a quarterly meeting of his mine's shareholders. The news is bad (as always) and Ross' message stays the same: \u003cem>If we can find a bunch of copper, it'll all be good! \u003c/em>Uh, yeah, that's generally how mining works. Ross is really lucky he's hot because his business acumen leaves something to be desired.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Demelza is minding her business when Ross' friend from the war gallops up. He wants to drink rum with her. Demelza knows this will make her seem whorish in the eyes of the Cornish, but thinks \u003cem>Screw it! Imma do me!\u003c/em> 'cause her husband hasn't touched her in weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out War BFF wants Demelza to help Blondie's uncle's sick cow (???). Why would he assume Demelza knows anything about veterinary medicine? Is 'sick cow' a euphemism for something dirty? And how does War BFF even know Blondie's uncle?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before we can get answers to these questions, Ross walks in and throws a passive-aggressive hissy fit. How dare Demelza be hospitable to one of his best friends?! He bets she has the hots for Blondie's uncle too! He storms out. Demelza resists breaking a bottle over his head and instead opts for the tried-and-true weapon of all wronged pacifists: the side-eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39739\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-800x448.jpg\" alt=\"sideeye-demelza-poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-800x448.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-768x430.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-1440x807.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-1180x661.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-960x538.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark.jpg 1672w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Blondie looks out from her coach and says, \u003cem>Ewww, poverty!\u003c/em> Parliament Wannabe pleads with her to return to London, where she won't have to stomach such \"loathsome sights.\" Blondie spots her crush, Doc, talking to some street urchins, and brainstorms potential couple-name portmanteaus. Blondoc? Dlocdie? Hmm, needs work, but there's no time for that now because it's that part of the episode where we get to revel in the cute overload of Horace the Pug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39740\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-800x447.jpg\" alt=\"horace\" width=\"800\" height=\"447\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-800x447.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-400x223.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-768x429.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-1440x804.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-1180x659.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-960x536.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace.jpg 1676w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Pinky Ring's house, Backstabber Cousin is a walking, talking personification of the end of that sad egg Zoloft commercial.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39748\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark-800x525.jpg\" alt=\"zoloft-francis-poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"525\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark-800x525.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark-400x262.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark-768x504.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/zoloft-francis-poldark.jpg 852w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He's loving life again, working hard in the fields, kicking it with his son, and no longer metaphorically shoving middle fingers in Pinky Ring's face for no reason all day long. Huzzah!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the flip side of this coin, Malfoy/Hisstina is the walking, talking personification of the beginning of that sad egg Zoloft commercial. You see, Pinky Ring declined an invitation and still doesn't want to have sex with him. And all the money he spent on getting Parliament Wannabe elected isn't really coming to much. But -- take heart! -- there is something that always gets his spirits up: messing with Ross. He hatches a plan that involves Mr. Pigpen in some way. Uh-oh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the ranch, Demelza busts into Ross' office, puts her hands on her hips, and asks:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/are-you-serious-right-now-kanye-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39914\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/are-you-serious-right-now-kanye-gif.gif\" alt=\"are you serious right now kanye gif\" width=\"320\" height=\"180\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He replies that he is. He also suggests that, because Demelza is a common miner's daughter, she might not be able to control her lust around War BFF's fancy uniform. Does anyone have an Advil? I can't take much more of this man-baby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york-.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39750\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york-.gif\" alt=\"tiffany new york\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york-.gif 200w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/tiffany-new-york--150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza and her cute, shy puppy are like, \u003cem>Forget this! We're out of here!\u003c/em> They don't get very far before running into Pinky Ring, who doesn't waste any time getting into full-on gossip mode. \u003cem>Hey, girl! How's Ross handling the post-trial blues? And is he excited about your pregnancy? OMG, you haven't told him?! Well, sorry I kind of, sort of killed your first baby. Anyway, TTYL. Bye! \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, after pulling an all-nighter in the mine, Ross approaches Demelza and wants to apologize, not for treating her like the crap that was thrown into Parliament Wannabe's face last episode, but because he needs to sell all her nice things to pay off his loan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Saint Demelza hatches another plan to save Ross' butt. She heads over to Blondie's uncle's house, takes one look at his sick cow and is like, \u003cem>Dump this one and get a new one. You can have mine... for a price. \u003c/em>(See what she did there?) He creepily touches her face and then just goes ahead and grabs her butt. (See what he did there?) The price will be one roll in the hay. Demelza counter-offers:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/my-girlfriends-reaction-when-i-want-a-kiss-and-shes-still-mad-at-me-18625-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39758\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/my-girlfriends-reaction-when-i-want-a-kiss-and-shes-still-mad-at-me-18625-1.gif\" alt=\"my-girlfriends-reaction-when-i-want-a-kiss-and-shes-still-mad-at-me-18625 (1)\" width=\"210\" height=\"193\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I guess he likes it rough because he agrees to buy the cow. Ross and Demelza go into town to sell basically everything else they own: their chickens, pigs, goats, carpets, plates, and candle holders.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emboldened by all the jiu-jitsu training he's been doing in pumps, Malfoy decides it's a good idea to strut on over to them and tell Ross the trial has made him look like crap. Demelza pulls Ross away and prevents this from taking place:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sub-zero-fatality-mortal-kombat.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39759\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sub-zero-fatality-mortal-kombat.gif\" alt=\"sub zero fatality mortal kombat\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few paces away, Blondie approaches Doc and says, \"I have a tingling... in my throat.\" Mmhmm, I bet you do. He gives her all the I'm-just-not-that-into-you vibes, with a dash of you're-a-snob-and-a-half thrown in for good measure, and walks off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the woods, Mr. Pigpen is taking a stroll after a productive day at the bar when the two evil dudes who bribed him to testify against Ross jump out of the brush. They don't want their money back (they have plenty); they just want to kick all his organs in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Ross is making faces about the dinner Demelza cooked for him. She's like, \u003cem>Dude, you sold all our animals and pots and pans and plates and things. What did you expect? \u003c/em>Before she can reveal that she's not only pregnant but also filing for divorce, Twitter blows up with the news of Mr. Pigpen's death!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, everyone stands around Mr. Pigpen's dead body, as Mrs. Pigpen has a depressive mental breakdown. This evolves into an irate mental breakdown when the people who found his body reveal that he had 15 gold coins on him, and further evolves into a consumerist mental breakdown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross reminisces about the time Mr. Pigpen taught him how to smoke when he was a child. Cool memory. Then, it finally dawns on him that the money was probably a bribe for testifying at the trial. I wish Ross was smarter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Malfoy's Manor, he's in drag again, practicing punching in a mirror. You better work, Hisstina Snakespeare!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/rupaul-you-better-work.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39839\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/rupaul-you-better-work.gif\" alt=\"rupaul you better work\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross and Demelza decide to make amends with Backstabber Cousin and Pinky Ring because it'll piss Malfoy off. They happen upon Backstabber Cousin as he's scything. It's just like that time Ross was scything shirtless, only with absolutely zero-percent sex appeal. Now that they've reconciled, Backstabber Cousin is the end of that sad egg Zoloft commercial, but at double speed. He throws a block party and everyone twerks, dabs and dougies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Malfoy gets word that his henchmen murdered Mr. Pigpen. They were only supposed to paralyze him! Now Malfoy is smoking-weed-for-the-first-time paranoid. Ross is going to kill him!! He's probably outside right now!! And the government probably has his room tapped!! There's a knock at the door. Malfoy grabs his pistol. But it's just Parliament Wannabe. Hisstina Snakespeare lives to lip-sync another day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Blondie pretends to be sick so she can be treated by Doc and then promptly lose her virginity to him. But who cares about that? Horace the Pug is getting more screen time!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39840\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-800x446.jpg\" alt=\"horace-pug\" width=\"800\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-800x446.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-400x223.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-768x428.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-1440x803.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-1180x658.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug-960x535.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/horace-pug.jpg 1677w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the party, Backstabber Cousin and Ross list the reasons why Malfoy sucks. In a different room, Tarot Card Agatha opens a door and yells, \"Where's my port?!\" (That isn't one of my jokes; that actually happens.) Bless her heart.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring's mother loudly proclaims how it's a shame her daughter has to hang out with maids and other riff-raff. Demelza is so over this. Get new material, people! She heads outside to get away from all the jerks and happens upon a hysterical Mrs. Pigpen. Someone has snatched Mr. Pigpen's corpse!!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doc arrives to help Blondie and it turns out she wasn't faking after all. There was a fish bone stuck in her throat! Blondie is now feeling him for several reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A. He's cute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>B. He's a doctor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>C. He took a fish bone out of her throat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>D. He asked, \"Can I do anything for Horace while I'm here?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first three are whatever, but that last one is a real doozy. Horace better be the ring-bearer at their wedding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Downstairs, Ross and Backstabber Cousin take shots and bond over mining and how boring they've become.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Demelza, various poor people and Mrs. Pigpen are really freaked out by the missing corpse. And are even more freaked out when Mr. Pigpen busts in! He's alive? He's alive! What the hell is going on?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the party, some rich dude is hysterical because he signed away his shares in Ross' mine to Malfoy. What else is new?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mr. Pigpen shares the story of his Lazarus party trick. He woke up on the funeral prep table super thirsty for some gin, so he went down to the bar and everyone thought he was a ghost and ran off, which he was cool with 'cause that meant free booze. Then he came back home to find his wife all dressed up in widow gear and his friends eating a feast at the expense of his 15 coins. \u003cstrong>TL;DR version:\u003c/strong> People in the 1700s couldn't tell the difference between being blackout drunk and being dead. And almost dying doesn't make cheap alcoholics any less cheap or alcoholic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The party is over and the only two people left awake are Ross and Pinky Ring. Ross tells Pinky Ring how hot she is and how he wonders what could've been if they had gotten together and how their love would have overcome the fact that he's kind of a prick and how much he appreciates that she's a lady and not just a scullery maid. Demelza is standing right outside the door and hears every word.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Ross gets tired of coming onto his married ex, he goes upstairs. Demelza is waiting. Their interaction goes like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> Oh, hey. Mr. Pigpen is alive. Night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross: \u003c/strong>OMG what?! Tell me everything!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> Nope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> Remember last time we were here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> Yeah, you told me 'I love you' for the first time and you were stoked about my pregnancy. Crazy how everything's the opposite of that now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> Listen, every man has a roving eye. It's natural! Get over it! And -- wait a second -- you're pregnant again?!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> You told me you didn't want another one so I didn't tell you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> I didn't! And I still don't! UGH, this sucks!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-39739\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-800x448.jpg\" alt=\"sideeye-demelza-poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-800x448.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-768x430.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-1440x807.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-1180x661.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark-960x538.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/10/sideeye-demelza-poldark.jpg 1672w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Ross.\u003c/strong> The jury finds the defendant guilty on all counts of being the worst husband ever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em> \u003cstrong>Mr. Pigpen's liver. \u003c/strong>Hardest worker in all of Cornwall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Horace. \u003c/strong>I hope you outlive all of these people, which would probably be hard since pugs only live 15 years max, but I can dream.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Tarot Card Agatha\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>. Is there anything more relatable than screaming \"Where's my [insert booze of choice here]\" at a party? No, there is not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> Demelza. \u003c/strong>When TLC's Left Eye was fed up with her scrub of a man, she set his sneakers on fire, threw them into a fiberglass tub and accidentally burned down his entire mansion. I'm not advocating for arson, but... actually, I am. Burn it all down, Demelza!\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "782762054696394752"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center\">\u003cem>\u003cstrong>More recaps:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin’ Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1, Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1, Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\"> 'Poldark' Season 1, Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/27/poldark-season-2-premiere-recap-court-and-spark/\">'Poldark' Season 2, Episode 1 Recap: Court and Spark\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/39450/poldark-season-2-episode-2-recap-you-dont-bring-me-flowers",
"authors": [
"27"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_2905",
"pop_8"
],
"featImg": "pop_39856",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_38609": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_38609",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "38609",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1474969194000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1474969194,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "'Poldark' Season 2 Premiere Recap: Court and Spark",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 2 Premiere Recap: Court and Spark",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Hi there! You might remember me from \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/downton-abbey/\">Downton Abbey recaps\u003c/a> of yore. Since that show wrapped, I've felt a void in my spirit that can only be filled by PBS-approved British imports. So I'm going to try falling in love again; this time, with a show called Poldark that a bunch of you are supposedly crazy about. I have to be honest, I was skeptical at first. But my doubt was no match for \u003ca href=\"http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article5383476.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200/Poldark-star-Aidan-Turner-getting-the-brush-off-from-a-crew-member.jpg\">this photo\u003c/a>, so here I am. I hope you'll join me. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those who have no idea what this show is about, I advise you to read \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/poldark/\">my Season 1 recaps\u003c/a>. If you're too busy or impatient for all of that, here's the much-abbreviated gist:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross Poldark fought in the American Revolutionary War on the British side. As we know, things didn't really work out. Presumed dead, his ex got with his lame cousin because there were apparently no other men around who flaked on the war. Ross returns alive and everyone is supremely inconvenienced by his not-deadness. Ross proceeds to spend a lot of time hanging out with poor people. He even marries one! His scullery maid! And has a baby with her! But don't get too excited, the baby dies of strep throat or something like that. Oh, and there's a former classmate of Ross' who is hell-bent on ruining his life and has one of those faces that's just begging for a knuckle sandwich. At the end of Season 1, said classmate bribes some soldiers to arrest Ross over some made-up nonsense.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, got all that? Great. Let's do this...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dramatic music, dramatic waves, dramatic cliffs, dramatic drone footage, all lead us to the edge of the world where Ross is being led to prison by a bunch of snappily-dressed soldiers. They take him to a tribunal, where a judge reads Ross' alleged crimes aloud.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Charge #1:\u003c/strong> Leading a blood-thirsty mob to pillage a shipwreck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross' defense:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> Well...technically, they weren't thirsty for blood, they were thirsty for \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/22/why-is-everyone-so-obsessed-with-lacroix-and-mercury-in-retrograde/\">LaCroix\u003c/a> (who isn't, amirite?) and, you know, food to eat. But not blood, no. Next!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Charge #2:\u003c/strong> Encouraging a riot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross' defense:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> I mean, what is a riot, really? All these people were doing was stealing tons of expensive cargo and murdering rich people. If that's wrong, then I don't want to be right. Got anything else?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Charge #3:\u003c/strong> Killing that jerk who cheated at cards and tried to steal your entire inheritance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross' defense:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> OMG, I WISH!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The judges chat amongst themselves and decide they have had...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/drag-race-ive-had-it-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38616\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/drag-race-ive-had-it-gif.gif\" alt=\"drag race i've had it gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"224\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They tell Ross he is going on trial for his criminal good looks and his criminal behavior too. This is all very concerning and all, but can we pause for a second to process the fact that Aidan Turner (Ross) got a haircut? Have we learned nothing from when Keri Russell cut off all her curly locks in the beginning of the second season of \u003cem>Felicity\u003c/em> and everyone lost their damn minds and stopped watching the show?!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anywho, Demelza is at home, inventing the FML acronym. Her baby is dead, but her cute little bed is still right there. Her husband is in prison, where people get gangrene and typhus and homesick. It's too bad that LiveJournal hasn't been created yet, because Demelza has earned the right to write some terrible, teen-angsty poetry right about now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before Demelza has a chance to think of something that rhymes with siiiiiiiigh, Ross walks through the door! He's on parole! But he's probably going to be sentenced to prison in five days. Demelza thinks, \u003cem>Ugh, I bet \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/22/why-is-everyone-so-obsessed-with-lacroix-and-mercury-in-retrograde/\">Mercury is in retrograde\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Backstabber Cousin is pretending to be outraged over the charges, as if he didn't spend the entirety of Season 1 sabotaging Ross and wanting him to die in a stampede or avalanche or tsunami. Not buying it, buddy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the edge of a cliff, Ross looks off into the distance and proclaims, \"A storm is coming.\" What can I say? Subtlety is not this show's strong suit. But there's shirtless scything so who cares?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza talks to Ross about their dead baby and the trial. Ross is in denial about both and says, \u003cem>You know what would be fun right now? Mining!\u003c/em> So they run off to their mine and the miners feel awkward, partly because their boss won't admit he's probably going to jail, but mostly because he cut his hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Malfoy is meeting with a lawyer. He wants Ross tried for murder because Ross doesn't want to be friends. Even his evil uncle is like, \u003cem>Really, dude?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a poor part of town, Mrs. Pigpen (Ross' former servant) is doing her laundry in a dirty puddle, as one in the 18th century does. Two men from the prosecution try to get her to sell out Ross. She's like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38850\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500.gif\" alt=\"no drag race gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500.gif 245w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a rich part of town, Pinky Ring (Ross' ex, now cousin-in-law) is unaccompanied (*gasp*). But no worries, evil Malfoy shows up to escort and salivate all over her. She's like, \u003cem>Ew, can you not? This is suede. Also, can you do me a solid and stop trying to get Ross thrown in jail? \u003c/em>Malfoy responds, \u003cem>So if I do that, will you be open to me then using this act of kindness to coerce you into making out with me whenever I want? And do you think Ross will finally want to hang out with me?\u003c/em> Pinky Ring is like, ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ \u003cem>yeah, sure\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross meets with Suze Orman's ancestor, who is appalled at the state of Ross' finances. Because he spent all of season 1 hiring people, he now has no money and will leave Demelza with a mountain of debt. Ross doesn't have much to say for himself, other than: \u003cem>My bad!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Pinky Ring writes Demelza a letter: \u003cem>Sorry about giving you the strep throat that killed your baby. And sorry about my husband ruining your husband. Wanna come over?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in town, some rich dude and a blonde woman pass Ross. Blondie is like, \u003cem>Yum! Who is that?!\u003c/em> Rich Dude is like, \u003cem>Just some nobody\u003c/em>. Ross catches Blondie doing a double take and thinks,\u003cem> I may be bankrupt and my hairs might be short, but I still got it!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But more important than all that is Blondie's travel companion, a cute little pug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38866\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-800x448.jpg\" alt=\"pug-poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-800x448.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-768x430.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-1440x806.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-1180x660.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-960x537.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark.jpg 1676w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38865\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-800x444.jpg\" alt=\"pug-poldark-2\" width=\"800\" height=\"444\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-800x444.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-400x222.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-768x426.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-1440x798.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-1180x654.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-960x532.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-672x372.jpg 672w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-1038x576.jpg 1038w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2.jpg 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38864\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-800x448.jpg\" alt=\"pug-poldark-3\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-800x448.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-768x430.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-1440x807.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-1180x661.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-960x538.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3.jpg 1680w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His name is Horace! I'm in love!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyway, Horace's mom, Blondie, is in Cornwall to visit her uncle. The rich dude she's with is running for a seat in Parliament and wants to marry her. She's just not that into him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a beach, Mr. Pigpen is passed out drunk (his default setting). The two dudes from prosecution try to bribe him with booze in exchange for testimony against Ross. And Mr. Pigpen is about to give it to them... until Mrs. Pigpen swoops in to say:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/no-michelle-visage-drag-race-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/no-michelle-visage-drag-race-gif.gif\" alt=\"no michelle visage drag race gif\" width=\"540\" height=\"304\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross and Demelza agree to accept Pinky Ring's invitation and regret it immediately. Malfoy is there, doing his creepy I'll-help-you-in-exchange-for-bestie-status-and-make-outs-with-Pinky-Ring thing. Ross does not have time for this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38869\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif.gif\" alt=\"viola davis purse leaving gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif.gif 245w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Tarot Card Agatha is in the corner living for every moment, snacking on popcorn:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38977\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-800x445.jpg\" alt=\"poldark-agatha-popcorn\" width=\"800\" height=\"445\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-800x445.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-400x223.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-768x427.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-1440x801.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-1180x657.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-960x534.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-1038x576.jpg 1038w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn.jpg 1680w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he gets home, Ross calls Malfoy an \"upstart poodle.\" He says some other stuff too, but I couldn't hear over my laughter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Upstart Poodle is proofreading a pamphlet he's having printed. It's the page from his Burn Book dedicated to Ross. It basically says this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/burn-book-mean-girls-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38870\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/burn-book-mean-girls-gif.gif\" alt=\"burn book mean girls gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza is out for a walk and stops in on Blondie's uncle. You see, this guy apparently knows the judge who will preside over Ross' trial. She pretends to have gotten queasy as she was walking. You can take the girl out of the street, but you can't take the street smarts out of the girl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the mine, Ross takes out all his aggression by hammering a rock really hard without a shirt on. This is a thank you from the show's producers to all the straight woman and gay men watching. Keep the gratitude, coming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overlooking his closed mine, Backstabber Cousin whines like a baby about how he sucks at life and wishes he was Ross. Pinky Ring tries to say something reassuring, but is cut off by Backstabber Cousin storming off like the brat that he is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Demelza sneakily gets into Blondie's uncle's favor. Parliament Wannabe and Blondie return home just in time to see Demelza leaving, and the former says she must be up to no good because she looks like a \"dangerous woman.\" If by that, he means that she is one of the best pop vocalists of her era, then yes, she is indeed a Dangerous Woman™:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38877\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande.jpg\" alt=\"demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande\" width=\"620\" height=\"620\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande.jpg 620w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-400x400.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-32x32.jpg 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-50x50.jpg 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-64x64.jpg 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-96x96.jpg 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-128x128.jpg 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a heath somewhere, Ross runs into Backstabber Cousin and does that thing where you see an acquaintance on public transportation but really just wanna keep reading your book so you hide behind strangers or just get off and wait for the next bus or train. But unfortunately for Ross, there's nowhere to hide in a big open field and nowhere to go other than off the cliff, which does actually seem like a kinder fate than dealing with this loser. Anyway, that's a long-winded way of saying Ross still hates Backstabber Cousin for ruining his business, marrying his girlfriend and killing his newborn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Pinky Ring's house, Malfoy drops by and slobbers over her some more. He calls her ravishing and then realizes Tarot Card Agatha is still alive and sitting right there. He extends the compliment to her as well and, without missing a beat, Tarot Card Agatha calls him \"pasty-faced\" and says it's a \"consequence of sitting too long indoors fingering coin.\" MVP!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin walks in and whines about Ross not wanting to chit chat like old pals on the heath. Malfoy is like, \u003cem>Typical!\u003c/em> Pinky Ring sighs. Tarot Card Agatha thinks,\u003cem> I hate everyone in this room.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin shows everyone the page from Malfoy's Burn Book that's making the round and accuses Malfoy of having something to do with it, in the most polite, British way possible. Malfoy returns the favor by calling him bankrupt, in the most polite, British way possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a dirty side street, Mr. Pigpen is drunk as ever and cornered by the prosecutors. Mrs. Pigpen is not around to say:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/no-michlle-visage-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38884\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/no-michlle-visage-gif.gif\" alt=\"no michlle visage gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at chez Ross, Demelza is at the piano, playing the first single off of her new album \u003cem>Dangerous Woman\u003c/em>. Ross likes what he hears so much that he strips naked and they proceed to have sensual sex for a while (another thank you from the show's producers).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few miles away, now that he no longer has the money for a prostitute, Backstabber Cousin tries his hand at getting some from his wife. Pinky Ring is not having it:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/14-01-Clueless-quotes.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38885\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/14-01-Clueless-quotes.gif\" alt=\"ew get off me clueless as if gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Blue Ball'd Backstabber Cousin looks up at a portrait of his dead father, whose disapproving face sends a clear message:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/07/tyra-rooting-for-you.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16986\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/07/tyra-rooting-for-you.gif\" alt=\"tyra-rooting-for-you\" width=\"500\" height=\"303\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin announces he's going to Ross' trial. Pinky Ring wants to come, but Backstabber Cousin says \"court is no place for a woman.\" I'd like to see you tell that to these women:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter wp-image-38886 size-medium\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-800x531.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"531\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-800x531.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-400x266.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-768x510.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-1180x784.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-960x638.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin is feeling emotional with the trial just around the corner and confesses to kind of being in love with Ross. Pinky Ring is like, \u003cem>SAME!\u003c/em> Finally they agree on something.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a fancy coach, Horace the pug is redefining cuteness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38887\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-800x453.jpg\" alt=\"horace-4\" width=\"800\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-800x453.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-400x226.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-768x435.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-1440x815.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-1180x668.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-960x543.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4.jpg 1673w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blondie is arguing with her uncle over whether she has to be by Parliament Wannabe's side as he finds out if he's been voted into office or not. Blondie says she's going to stay in and eat jellies with Horace instead. Now here's someone with their priorities in order!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross arrives to court and finds Malfoy's Burn Book pages all over the place. He accepts his fate: a guest starring role in the next season of \u003cem>Orange Is The New Black\u003c/em>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/orange-is-the-new-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38888\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/orange-is-the-new-poldark.jpg\" alt=\"orange-is-the-new-poldark\" width=\"386\" height=\"477\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the local inn, Backstabber Cousin is complaining about there not being any rooms for him. Ross' doctor friend offers to share his room, but offers in that way you do when you want to be nice, but don't actually expect the person to take you up on it. Backstabber Cousin is all about making things awkward and being inappropriate, so get ready, roomie!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, as Doc is getting settled, there is an urgent call. Someone is gravely ill! Let it be Malfoy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at chez Ross, Demelza is packing. Even though Ross forbade her from coming to the trial, she decides:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3a2daPXy81rtszxfo1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38896\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3a2daPXy81rtszxfo1_250.gif\" alt=\"tumblr_n3a2daPXy81rtszxfo1_250\" width=\"245\" height=\"300\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/BEYONCE-GIF-16-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38897\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/BEYONCE-GIF-16-1.gif\" alt=\"BEYONCE-GIF-16-1\" width=\"500\" height=\"250\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She hitches a ride with Verity (yay, the Queen is back!), who seems to be much happier now that she doesn't have to live with Backstabber Cousin and be reminded of how old everyone thinks 25 is every single day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doc shows up to help the gravely ill person. It's sadly not Malfoy, it's HORACE!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NOOOOOOO!!!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38889\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-800x447.jpg\" alt=\"horace-pug-5\" width=\"800\" height=\"447\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-800x447.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-768x429.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-1440x805.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-1180x660.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-960x537.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5.jpg 1676w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He's been having spasms. Dear \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em> writer, kill off human babies if you must, but not Horace! Never Horace!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Phew! Horace just needs to be carried less. This whole thing was simply a way for Doc to have a meet cute with Blondie. I can live with that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross meets with his lawyer, who advises him to be apologetic. Ross being Ross says, \u003cem>HA HA HA! NO.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some ballroom, everyone is voting and talking about Malfoy's Burn Book. Backstabber Cousin shows up to confront Malfoy over it and say that, no matter how much money he acquires:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/CwMdBE5KXRpLExcXERkfABgAChxdBgwfSgMTWgobGhEXHRFMBxUYDBYNB1tXQkJTTEJTWwYbDBMVCxEWSwQbAw.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38899\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/CwMdBE5KXRpLExcXERkfABgAChxdBgwfSgMTWgobGhEXHRFMBxUYDBYNB1tXQkJTTEJTWwYbDBMVCxEWSwQbAw.gif\" alt=\"money can't buy you class gif countess\" width=\"245\" height=\"190\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy's reply:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/rs_500x300-151117115948-giphy_4.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38900\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/rs_500x300-151117115948-giphy_4.gif\" alt=\"shut up regina george mean girls gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a hotel room, Verity tries to convince Demelza not to go out alone on some mysterious errand because the streets are full of drunkards, since it's Election Day. Demelza is like,\u003cem> I used to be homeless. I got this.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza immediately runs into her born again father, who brings up her dead baby and her soon-to-be-dead husband as evidence of her sins. Demelza responds by hugging him and saying:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/26704-god-is-not-real.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38901\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/26704-god-is-not-real.gif\" alt=\"god is not real beyonce gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"193\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the room, Verity is minding her own goddamn business when there's a knock at the door. It's Backstabber Cousin, who proceeds to barge in, chug all the booze that can be found, and say things like \"How does it feel to be married to a drunken brute?\" with zero self-awareness. And because this wouldn't be a Backstabber Cousin meltdown without some whining about Ross, he laments that Ross is so important that people publish Burn Books about him to get him hanged. \u003cem>What about me?? I want a Burn Book! I want to be hanged!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity does what Verity does best and serves up a hot helping of \u003cem>Girl, really?\u003c/em>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/grlly.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38902\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/grlly.gif\" alt=\"girl really gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza finally makes it to her destination, the ballroom where everyone is voting and where Blondie's uncle is hanging out. But not so fast! Malfoy, who seems to be everywhere at once, tells the guards Demelza is \"a harlot\" and shouldn't be let inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Kristen-Wiig-pissed.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38909\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Kristen-Wiig-pissed.gif\" alt=\"Kristen-Wiig-pissed\" width=\"343\" height=\"194\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the hotel, an employee lets Backstabber Cousin into Doc's room. The employee wonders if there's something gay going on: \"It's a small chamber, sir, and but a single bed!\" Backstabber Cousin assures him, \u003cem>I'm not planning on gay stuff, but I am planning on probably committing suicide. \u003c/em>The employee is like,\u003cem> Phew! Okay, bye!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In prison, Ross is chilling in his cell, awaiting trial. Malfoy shows up, as he always does. Someone get this villain a FitBit; he gets around! 10k steps before noon, easy. Anyway, Malfoy offers to help and Ross essentially says, \u003cem>Go F yourself. \u003c/em>Malfoy rejoices. Now he can tell Pinky Ring he tried to help, but was turned away, and she'll fall madly in love with him and have all the sex. Mmhm, keep telling yourself that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At chez Pinky Ring, Tarot Card Agatha is -- what else -- pulling tarot cards! Justice, The Tower, Death. Before we can even guess what that all means, we are taken back to the hotel where Backstabber Cousin puts a gun to his head and pulls the trigger. I'll let you guess which person in this gif represents me:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-11.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38941\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-11.gif\" alt=\"survivor smile shocked gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"226\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in prison, Ross finds out Mr. Pigpen intends to testify against him. Wow. I wonder if the old lady sees Mr. Pigpen being torn apart by wild dogs in her tarot reading.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In town, Demelza manages to sneak into the fancy ballroom and walks right up to Blondie, her uncle and Parliament Wannabe. Blondie is like, \u003cem>OMG, is your husband guilty?! What did he do? Let's dish, girlfriend!\u003c/em> Demelza is like, \u003cem>Ew.\u003c/em> A mob roars outside and Parliament Wannabe assumes they're \"clamoring\" for him. Hmm, clamoring to put your fancy head on a pike is more like it, but go ahead and check it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the pub, everyone is talking about how badass French people are and how fun guillotines seem. They promise to start murdering rich people soon, but first they have to go to court to cheer on Ross.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the fancy ballroom, Demelza's sweet talking only goes so far. Blondie's uncle just wants to drink his port and chill tonight, sorry. So she decides to talk to the judge herself. Uh oh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, the election results are being read. It's a tie! So the sensible thing to do is to recount or revote, right? Apparently not. The omnipresent Malfoy is there, whispering in Parliament Wannabe's ear to just sit in the winner's chair (a literal chair) and just act like he deserves it (you know, revel in his white male privilege). So he does. The crowd carries around his chair like he just got Jewish married. But unlike what usually happens at weddings, the crowd also starts throwing feces directly into his face! Dear Cornwall, never change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/alyssa-edwards-poop-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38985\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/alyssa-edwards-poop-gif.gif\" alt=\"alyssa edwards poop gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"279\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The feces instigator is thrown in the jail cell across from Ross. He speaks eloquently about civil rights... until a soldier knocks him unconscious with the butt of a rifle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the ballroom, Blondie is flirting a little too antagonistically for Doc's liking. She's offended that he's offended. Then he's offended that she's offended that he's offended. Cliff's Notes version: they will be married in two episodes or less.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few paces away, Demelza is saying all the right things to the judge. \u003cem>OMG, you hate drinking? Me too! What a coinkidink! So anywayyy, what would you say if I told you someone was trying to bribe people into giving false testimonies??\u003c/em> Before the judge can answer, Malfoy slithers up and outs Demelza as Ross' wife. The judge is appalled! Malfoy's heart shrinks another size.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The judge and Malfoy walk approximately three feet away to discuss how important it is to make an example of Ross so that poor people know their place (this place does not involve feces-throwing or basic human rights). This experience is going to make for a killer single on Demelza's next album.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the hotel, Ross' doctor friend is ready for bed, but his door is locked. The employee is like, \u003cem>Your maybe gay lover is in there.\u003c/em> Doc knocks, but there's no answer. The music swells and just as Doc is about to break down the door, Backstabber Cousin opens it, looking a hot mess. He's alive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/unimpressed-whitney.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38948\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/unimpressed-whitney.gif\" alt=\"unimpressed whitney\" width=\"350\" height=\"303\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin tells Doc all about how his gun malfunctioned. He sucks at life and so do his belongings. He then proceeds to ramble about how he's still planning on killing himself, but wants to have a drink beforehand. Doc spends this whole time thinking about how anyone else would have picked up that his offering his room was just a formality. It wasn't a real suggestion. What is wrong with this dude?! Doc just wants a good night's sleep. Ugh!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the ballroom, Demelza yells at Malfoy and calls him out for being a blacksmith's grandson. He calls her out for being a miner's daughter and, soon, a gentleman's widow. Yikes. Lord Voldemort would be proud.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/voldemort-hug-malfoy.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38986\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/voldemort-hug-malfoy.gif\" alt=\"voldemort hug malfoy\" width=\"500\" height=\"210\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next morning, Backstabber Cousin is fiddling with his gun. Doc is lying on his bed, watching and feeling very awkward.Backstabber Cousin asks, \"Ask me, am I cleaning it to put away or do I intend to use it again?\" Doc is like, \u003cem>Ummm, are you cleaning it or do you intend to use it again?\u003c/em> Backstabber Cousin is like, \u003cem>OMG, thanks for asking! I'm not sure. I might kill someone else or myself. Still deciding.\u003c/em> What does a boring lunatic have to do for some attention and validation around here?! Apparently, brag for hours about maybe or maybe not committing suicide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, Malfoy and one of his Slytherin cronies are planning on stacking the courthouse with loud people who don't like Ross. Goodie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In prison, Ross and the Feces Thrower shoot the sh*t (pardon the pun; Carrie Bradshaw taught me). They hope they both get justice, but aren't too optimistic. And they shouldn't be because Feces Thrower is found guilty. The judge does not leave much to the imagination with his sentence: \"You are to be taken from hence to a place of execution, where you will be hanged from the neck... until you die.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38987\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam.gif\" alt=\"your tone seems very pointed right now gif willam\" width=\"232\" height=\"232\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam.gif 232w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Ross enters the courtroom, almost everyone yells \"Murderer!\" and other fun things Malfoy paid them to say. Other people paid by Malfoy take the stand and say Ross kicked injured people and body slammed puppies, among other evil acts. Speaking of evil, Demelza's dad busts in to call Ross the Devil Incarnate. Cool story, bro; now off you go to the dentist to fix those black teeth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza starts hyperventilating and runs from the courtroom. Pinky Ring follows her out and blurts out, \"I came for Backstabber Cousin.\" Um, ok. She then says, \u003cem>Sorry I killed your baby with my germs. Is having a dead kid the worst?!\u003c/em> There's no real way to respond to that so Demelza blurts out, \u003cem>I'M PREGNANT!\u003c/em> That's nice if she is, but it would be awesome if she wasn't and she just uses that line to get out of awkward social situations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside, Mr. Pigpen takes the stand and starts selling Ross out for a few coins. Everyone on #TeamRoss is disgusted. But then Mr. Pigpen changes his story either because his booze is wearing off or just kicking in (not sure what kind of drunk he is). His testimony is thrown out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The captain of the shipwreck, a reverse Sully if you will, takes the stand. He says the beach that night was like Dante's Inferno (oo, someone took AP English!) and adds that everyone really misbehaved. Ross speaks up and has a...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/destinys-child-question-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38956\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/destinys-child-question-gif.gif\" alt=\"destiny's child question gif\" width=\"535\" height=\"291\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross goes, \u003cem>Hey, Captain dude, remember when I protected you and your men and brought you to my house to keep you safe, even though I had just buried my baby and my wife was on her death bed?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Captain replies:\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38957\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah.gif\" alt=\"Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah\" width=\"263\" height=\"263\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah.gif 263w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross looks at the judge and jury and does this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/i-told-you-so-stephen-colbert.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38958\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/i-told-you-so-stephen-colbert.gif\" alt=\"i told you so stephen colbert\" width=\"332\" height=\"352\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's Doc's turn to take the stand. He basically says, \u003cem>Hey, guys! I'm a doctor and I can say Ross was kind of nuts that night 'cause of his dead baby and maybe dead wife. Plus, all the drinking he was doing for like a week straight. And the not sleeping for days on end. So yeah, he didn't do it, but if he did, he was just temporarily a little cray cray. Thanks for your time. Bye! \u003c/em>Everyone on #TeamRoss wishes Doc had stayed home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The court takes a short recess and Slytherin Crony asks why Malfoy isn't giddier. Malfoy is like, \u003cem>I mean, it's cool that Ross is going to die for not wanting to be my friend, but I want his mine too. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/veruca-salt-i-want-it-now.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38959\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/veruca-salt-i-want-it-now.gif\" alt=\"veruca salt i want it now\" width=\"480\" height=\"343\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, Backstabber Cousin approaches Pinky Ring to remind her he forbade her from coming and let her know he's still an insanely jealous, insecure prick. Then he walks away from her, as she's asking him a question, just to make sure she didn't forget how awful he is. How long does it take to fix a malfunctioning gun? (Too soon?)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The court regroups and Ross' lawyer tells him to either grovel or be hanged. So Ross gets ready to grit his teeth and apologize, until he doesn't. \u003cem>Hi, y'all. So yeah, there was kind of a riot and some people took things that didn't belong to them.... BUT I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. ENGLAND'S CLASS SYSTEM IS BULLSHIT. SORRY NOT SORRY. I WOULD DO IT ALL AGAIN. I'M OUT!\u003c/em> Ross drops the mic and sits back down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross' lawyer looks like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/marcia-clark-crying.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38960\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/marcia-clark-crying.gif\" alt=\"marcia clark crying\" width=\"500\" height=\"200\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The judge tells the jury,\u003cem> That was a cute speech and all, but he totally did it and I want you to convict him so I can hang him. K thx bai!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jury takes approximately two whole minutes and comes back with their verdict. The defendant is....\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>.....\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>.........\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>..................\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NOT GUILTY!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>#TeamRoss loses their sh*t, as if Oprah just gave them all cars...or, um, new horse-drawn carriages or whatever:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-12.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38967\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-12.gif\" alt=\"giphy (12)\" width=\"575\" height=\"394\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprah-audience.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38970\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprah-audience.gif\" alt=\"oprah-audience\" width=\"431\" height=\"233\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/6yic0l.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38971\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/6yic0l.gif\" alt=\"6yic0l\" width=\"400\" height=\"224\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5191284244_9b4bb75ffa_o.gif\"> \u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38968\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5191284244_9b4bb75ffa_o.gif\" alt=\"5191284244_9b4bb75ffa_o\" width=\"350\" height=\"197\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprahgif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38973\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprahgif.gif\" alt=\"oprahgif\" width=\"350\" height=\"197\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/favoritethingsprayer.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38974\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/favoritethingsprayer.gif\" alt=\"favoritethingsprayer\" width=\"350\" height=\"233\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/amypoehlerhead.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38969\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/amypoehlerhead.gif\" alt=\"amypoehlerhead\" width=\"320\" height=\"179\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Malfoy and his Slytherin Crony are all:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprah02.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38972\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprah02.gif\" alt=\"oprah02\" width=\"356\" height=\"200\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swept up in all the hope fulfillment, Verity runs to her brother, Backstabber Cousin, and is like, \u003cem>Yayyyyyy! Also, let's not fight anymore, okay? Life is short and stuff.\u003c/em> Despite the wondrous optimism of the moment, Backstabber Cousin can't help but rain on the parade: \u003cem>Yeah, no. I still hate your husband for shooting me in the neck that one time.\u003c/em> Verity runs away crying. His magical power is inspiring that reaction in people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring walks up and has to pretend not to be elated about Ross not being hanged because it might send Backstabber Cousin into another one of his jealous tantrums. Just get a divorce! If it's good enough for Brangelina, it's good enough for you!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross and Demelza ride to the beach, where all their poor friends are having a chill bonfire. Everyone rejoices, violins and fiddles are played, the 18th century version of twerking occurs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Tarot Card Agatha shows Backstabber Cousin and Pinky Ring a card and proclaims, \"Not guilty!\" She should open up a stand or something.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Malfoy is busy doing this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/veruca-salt-willy-wonka.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38976\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/veruca-salt-willy-wonka.gif\" alt=\"veruca-salt-willy-wonka\" width=\"500\" height=\"272\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Slytherin Crony is like, \u003cem>Um, so we tried to kill Ross and it didn't work. Aren't you scared that he's going to try to kill us now?\u003c/em> Malfoy is like, \u003cem>Oh sh*t.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At chez Ross, Demelza and Ross run into the Pigpens. Ross is still mad about the whole you-almost-got-me-killed-for-50-cents thing. But it seems as though he'll rehire them tomorrow because he just loves hiring people that much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a mansion across town, Malfoy locks and loads a pistol and puts it in his bedside table, as he should. Be afraid, be very afraid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza tells Ross she is perfectly happy... except that all that she wants is another baby, just as Ace of Base predicted. Ross says now is not a good time. Demelza realizes her strategy for revealing her pregnancy in a cute, fun way wasn't thought out so well, after all. They have sex anyway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Malfoy:\u003c/strong> He reached Scar-throwing-his-own-brother-to-his-death levels of evil here. It's only a matter of time before Ross uses the Avada Kedavra spell on him, and I will be watching next to Tarot Card Agatha with popcorn in my lap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em> \u003cstrong>Demelza\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>It's awesome that she tried to sneakily get Ross off the hook several times. If only she was actually any good at being sneaky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Tarot Card Agatha\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> Everyone forgets she's still alive and/or assumes she's senile, but -- \u003cem>au contraire\u003c/em> -- she knows all, sees all, judges all. She's basically half Nostradamus, half insult comic. Keep on truckin', centenarian!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Ross\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>He lives! Well, technically, he doesn't since this is set centuries ago, but you know what I mean. Yay!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> Horace\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> If you don't agree with my awarding the number one spot to a dog, scroll back up and take in those photos of the beloved pug one more time. You'll understand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin’ Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\"> 'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "38609 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=38609",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/27/poldark-season-2-premiere-recap-court-and-spark/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 4940,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 159
},
"modified": 1478466604,
"excerpt": "The O.J. trial of the 18th century. Will our hero be hanged? Or will he live to scythe shirtless another day?",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The O.J. trial of the 18th century. Will our hero be hanged? Or will he live to scythe shirtless another day?",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 2 Premiere Recap: Court and Spark | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "'Poldark' Season 2 Premiere Recap: Court and Spark",
"datePublished": "2016-09-27T02:39:54-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-11-06T13:10:04-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "poldark-season-2-premiere-recap-court-and-spark",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/pop/38609/poldark-season-2-premiere-recap-court-and-spark",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Hi there! You might remember me from \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/downton-abbey/\">Downton Abbey recaps\u003c/a> of yore. Since that show wrapped, I've felt a void in my spirit that can only be filled by PBS-approved British imports. So I'm going to try falling in love again; this time, with a show called Poldark that a bunch of you are supposedly crazy about. I have to be honest, I was skeptical at first. But my doubt was no match for \u003ca href=\"http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article5383476.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200/Poldark-star-Aidan-Turner-getting-the-brush-off-from-a-crew-member.jpg\">this photo\u003c/a>, so here I am. I hope you'll join me. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those who have no idea what this show is about, I advise you to read \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/poldark/\">my Season 1 recaps\u003c/a>. If you're too busy or impatient for all of that, here's the much-abbreviated gist:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross Poldark fought in the American Revolutionary War on the British side. As we know, things didn't really work out. Presumed dead, his ex got with his lame cousin because there were apparently no other men around who flaked on the war. Ross returns alive and everyone is supremely inconvenienced by his not-deadness. Ross proceeds to spend a lot of time hanging out with poor people. He even marries one! His scullery maid! And has a baby with her! But don't get too excited, the baby dies of strep throat or something like that. Oh, and there's a former classmate of Ross' who is hell-bent on ruining his life and has one of those faces that's just begging for a knuckle sandwich. At the end of Season 1, said classmate bribes some soldiers to arrest Ross over some made-up nonsense.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, got all that? Great. Let's do this...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dramatic music, dramatic waves, dramatic cliffs, dramatic drone footage, all lead us to the edge of the world where Ross is being led to prison by a bunch of snappily-dressed soldiers. They take him to a tribunal, where a judge reads Ross' alleged crimes aloud.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Charge #1:\u003c/strong> Leading a blood-thirsty mob to pillage a shipwreck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross' defense:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> Well...technically, they weren't thirsty for blood, they were thirsty for \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/22/why-is-everyone-so-obsessed-with-lacroix-and-mercury-in-retrograde/\">LaCroix\u003c/a> (who isn't, amirite?) and, you know, food to eat. But not blood, no. Next!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Charge #2:\u003c/strong> Encouraging a riot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross' defense:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> I mean, what is a riot, really? All these people were doing was stealing tons of expensive cargo and murdering rich people. If that's wrong, then I don't want to be right. Got anything else?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Charge #3:\u003c/strong> Killing that jerk who cheated at cards and tried to steal your entire inheritance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross' defense:\u003c/strong>\u003cem> OMG, I WISH!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The judges chat amongst themselves and decide they have had...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/drag-race-ive-had-it-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38616\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/drag-race-ive-had-it-gif.gif\" alt=\"drag race i've had it gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"224\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They tell Ross he is going on trial for his criminal good looks and his criminal behavior too. This is all very concerning and all, but can we pause for a second to process the fact that Aidan Turner (Ross) got a haircut? Have we learned nothing from when Keri Russell cut off all her curly locks in the beginning of the second season of \u003cem>Felicity\u003c/em> and everyone lost their damn minds and stopped watching the show?!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anywho, Demelza is at home, inventing the FML acronym. Her baby is dead, but her cute little bed is still right there. Her husband is in prison, where people get gangrene and typhus and homesick. It's too bad that LiveJournal hasn't been created yet, because Demelza has earned the right to write some terrible, teen-angsty poetry right about now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before Demelza has a chance to think of something that rhymes with siiiiiiiigh, Ross walks through the door! He's on parole! But he's probably going to be sentenced to prison in five days. Demelza thinks, \u003cem>Ugh, I bet \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/22/why-is-everyone-so-obsessed-with-lacroix-and-mercury-in-retrograde/\">Mercury is in retrograde\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Backstabber Cousin is pretending to be outraged over the charges, as if he didn't spend the entirety of Season 1 sabotaging Ross and wanting him to die in a stampede or avalanche or tsunami. Not buying it, buddy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the edge of a cliff, Ross looks off into the distance and proclaims, \"A storm is coming.\" What can I say? Subtlety is not this show's strong suit. But there's shirtless scything so who cares?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza talks to Ross about their dead baby and the trial. Ross is in denial about both and says, \u003cem>You know what would be fun right now? Mining!\u003c/em> So they run off to their mine and the miners feel awkward, partly because their boss won't admit he's probably going to jail, but mostly because he cut his hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Malfoy is meeting with a lawyer. He wants Ross tried for murder because Ross doesn't want to be friends. Even his evil uncle is like, \u003cem>Really, dude?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a poor part of town, Mrs. Pigpen (Ross' former servant) is doing her laundry in a dirty puddle, as one in the 18th century does. Two men from the prosecution try to get her to sell out Ross. She's like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38850\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500.gif\" alt=\"no drag race gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500.gif 245w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o6kfajYkhG1rkxo5g_500-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a rich part of town, Pinky Ring (Ross' ex, now cousin-in-law) is unaccompanied (*gasp*). But no worries, evil Malfoy shows up to escort and salivate all over her. She's like, \u003cem>Ew, can you not? This is suede. Also, can you do me a solid and stop trying to get Ross thrown in jail? \u003c/em>Malfoy responds, \u003cem>So if I do that, will you be open to me then using this act of kindness to coerce you into making out with me whenever I want? And do you think Ross will finally want to hang out with me?\u003c/em> Pinky Ring is like, ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ \u003cem>yeah, sure\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross meets with Suze Orman's ancestor, who is appalled at the state of Ross' finances. Because he spent all of season 1 hiring people, he now has no money and will leave Demelza with a mountain of debt. Ross doesn't have much to say for himself, other than: \u003cem>My bad!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Pinky Ring writes Demelza a letter: \u003cem>Sorry about giving you the strep throat that killed your baby. And sorry about my husband ruining your husband. Wanna come over?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in town, some rich dude and a blonde woman pass Ross. Blondie is like, \u003cem>Yum! Who is that?!\u003c/em> Rich Dude is like, \u003cem>Just some nobody\u003c/em>. Ross catches Blondie doing a double take and thinks,\u003cem> I may be bankrupt and my hairs might be short, but I still got it!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But more important than all that is Blondie's travel companion, a cute little pug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38866\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-800x448.jpg\" alt=\"pug-poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-800x448.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-768x430.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-1440x806.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-1180x660.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-960x537.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark.jpg 1676w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38865\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-800x444.jpg\" alt=\"pug-poldark-2\" width=\"800\" height=\"444\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-800x444.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-400x222.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-768x426.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-1440x798.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-1180x654.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-960x532.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-672x372.jpg 672w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2-1038x576.jpg 1038w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-2.jpg 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38864\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-800x448.jpg\" alt=\"pug-poldark-3\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-800x448.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-768x430.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-1440x807.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-1180x661.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3-960x538.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/pug-poldark-3.jpg 1680w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His name is Horace! I'm in love!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyway, Horace's mom, Blondie, is in Cornwall to visit her uncle. The rich dude she's with is running for a seat in Parliament and wants to marry her. She's just not that into him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a beach, Mr. Pigpen is passed out drunk (his default setting). The two dudes from prosecution try to bribe him with booze in exchange for testimony against Ross. And Mr. Pigpen is about to give it to them... until Mrs. Pigpen swoops in to say:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/no-michelle-visage-drag-race-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38868\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/no-michelle-visage-drag-race-gif.gif\" alt=\"no michelle visage drag race gif\" width=\"540\" height=\"304\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross and Demelza agree to accept Pinky Ring's invitation and regret it immediately. Malfoy is there, doing his creepy I'll-help-you-in-exchange-for-bestie-status-and-make-outs-with-Pinky-Ring thing. Ross does not have time for this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38869\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif.gif\" alt=\"viola davis purse leaving gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif.gif 245w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/viola-davis-purse-leaving-gif-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Tarot Card Agatha is in the corner living for every moment, snacking on popcorn:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38977\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-800x445.jpg\" alt=\"poldark-agatha-popcorn\" width=\"800\" height=\"445\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-800x445.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-400x223.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-768x427.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-1440x801.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-1180x657.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-960x534.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn-1038x576.jpg 1038w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-agatha-popcorn.jpg 1680w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he gets home, Ross calls Malfoy an \"upstart poodle.\" He says some other stuff too, but I couldn't hear over my laughter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Upstart Poodle is proofreading a pamphlet he's having printed. It's the page from his Burn Book dedicated to Ross. It basically says this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/burn-book-mean-girls-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38870\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/burn-book-mean-girls-gif.gif\" alt=\"burn book mean girls gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza is out for a walk and stops in on Blondie's uncle. You see, this guy apparently knows the judge who will preside over Ross' trial. She pretends to have gotten queasy as she was walking. You can take the girl out of the street, but you can't take the street smarts out of the girl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the mine, Ross takes out all his aggression by hammering a rock really hard without a shirt on. This is a thank you from the show's producers to all the straight woman and gay men watching. Keep the gratitude, coming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overlooking his closed mine, Backstabber Cousin whines like a baby about how he sucks at life and wishes he was Ross. Pinky Ring tries to say something reassuring, but is cut off by Backstabber Cousin storming off like the brat that he is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Demelza sneakily gets into Blondie's uncle's favor. Parliament Wannabe and Blondie return home just in time to see Demelza leaving, and the former says she must be up to no good because she looks like a \"dangerous woman.\" If by that, he means that she is one of the best pop vocalists of her era, then yes, she is indeed a Dangerous Woman™:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38877\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande.jpg\" alt=\"demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande\" width=\"620\" height=\"620\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande.jpg 620w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-400x400.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-32x32.jpg 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-50x50.jpg 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-64x64.jpg 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-96x96.jpg 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-128x128.jpg 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/demelza-dangerous-woman-ariana-grande-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a heath somewhere, Ross runs into Backstabber Cousin and does that thing where you see an acquaintance on public transportation but really just wanna keep reading your book so you hide behind strangers or just get off and wait for the next bus or train. But unfortunately for Ross, there's nowhere to hide in a big open field and nowhere to go other than off the cliff, which does actually seem like a kinder fate than dealing with this loser. Anyway, that's a long-winded way of saying Ross still hates Backstabber Cousin for ruining his business, marrying his girlfriend and killing his newborn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Pinky Ring's house, Malfoy drops by and slobbers over her some more. He calls her ravishing and then realizes Tarot Card Agatha is still alive and sitting right there. He extends the compliment to her as well and, without missing a beat, Tarot Card Agatha calls him \"pasty-faced\" and says it's a \"consequence of sitting too long indoors fingering coin.\" MVP!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin walks in and whines about Ross not wanting to chit chat like old pals on the heath. Malfoy is like, \u003cem>Typical!\u003c/em> Pinky Ring sighs. Tarot Card Agatha thinks,\u003cem> I hate everyone in this room.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin shows everyone the page from Malfoy's Burn Book that's making the round and accuses Malfoy of having something to do with it, in the most polite, British way possible. Malfoy returns the favor by calling him bankrupt, in the most polite, British way possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a dirty side street, Mr. Pigpen is drunk as ever and cornered by the prosecutors. Mrs. Pigpen is not around to say:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/no-michlle-visage-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38884\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/no-michlle-visage-gif.gif\" alt=\"no michlle visage gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at chez Ross, Demelza is at the piano, playing the first single off of her new album \u003cem>Dangerous Woman\u003c/em>. Ross likes what he hears so much that he strips naked and they proceed to have sensual sex for a while (another thank you from the show's producers).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few miles away, now that he no longer has the money for a prostitute, Backstabber Cousin tries his hand at getting some from his wife. Pinky Ring is not having it:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/14-01-Clueless-quotes.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38885\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/14-01-Clueless-quotes.gif\" alt=\"ew get off me clueless as if gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Blue Ball'd Backstabber Cousin looks up at a portrait of his dead father, whose disapproving face sends a clear message:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/07/tyra-rooting-for-you.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16986\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2015/07/tyra-rooting-for-you.gif\" alt=\"tyra-rooting-for-you\" width=\"500\" height=\"303\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin announces he's going to Ross' trial. Pinky Ring wants to come, but Backstabber Cousin says \"court is no place for a woman.\" I'd like to see you tell that to these women:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter wp-image-38886 size-medium\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-800x531.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"531\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-800x531.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-400x266.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-768x510.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-1180x784.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters-960x638.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Judges-bey-voters.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin is feeling emotional with the trial just around the corner and confesses to kind of being in love with Ross. Pinky Ring is like, \u003cem>SAME!\u003c/em> Finally they agree on something.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a fancy coach, Horace the pug is redefining cuteness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38887\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-800x453.jpg\" alt=\"horace-4\" width=\"800\" height=\"453\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-800x453.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-400x226.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-768x435.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-1440x815.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-1180x668.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4-960x543.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-4.jpg 1673w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blondie is arguing with her uncle over whether she has to be by Parliament Wannabe's side as he finds out if he's been voted into office or not. Blondie says she's going to stay in and eat jellies with Horace instead. Now here's someone with their priorities in order!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross arrives to court and finds Malfoy's Burn Book pages all over the place. He accepts his fate: a guest starring role in the next season of \u003cem>Orange Is The New Black\u003c/em>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/orange-is-the-new-poldark.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38888\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/orange-is-the-new-poldark.jpg\" alt=\"orange-is-the-new-poldark\" width=\"386\" height=\"477\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the local inn, Backstabber Cousin is complaining about there not being any rooms for him. Ross' doctor friend offers to share his room, but offers in that way you do when you want to be nice, but don't actually expect the person to take you up on it. Backstabber Cousin is all about making things awkward and being inappropriate, so get ready, roomie!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, as Doc is getting settled, there is an urgent call. Someone is gravely ill! Let it be Malfoy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at chez Ross, Demelza is packing. Even though Ross forbade her from coming to the trial, she decides:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3a2daPXy81rtszxfo1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38896\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3a2daPXy81rtszxfo1_250.gif\" alt=\"tumblr_n3a2daPXy81rtszxfo1_250\" width=\"245\" height=\"300\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/BEYONCE-GIF-16-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38897\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/BEYONCE-GIF-16-1.gif\" alt=\"BEYONCE-GIF-16-1\" width=\"500\" height=\"250\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She hitches a ride with Verity (yay, the Queen is back!), who seems to be much happier now that she doesn't have to live with Backstabber Cousin and be reminded of how old everyone thinks 25 is every single day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doc shows up to help the gravely ill person. It's sadly not Malfoy, it's HORACE!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NOOOOOOO!!!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38889\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-800x447.jpg\" alt=\"horace-pug-5\" width=\"800\" height=\"447\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-800x447.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-400x224.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-768x429.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-1440x805.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-1180x660.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5-960x537.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/horace-pug-5.jpg 1676w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He's been having spasms. Dear \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em> writer, kill off human babies if you must, but not Horace! Never Horace!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Phew! Horace just needs to be carried less. This whole thing was simply a way for Doc to have a meet cute with Blondie. I can live with that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross meets with his lawyer, who advises him to be apologetic. Ross being Ross says, \u003cem>HA HA HA! NO.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some ballroom, everyone is voting and talking about Malfoy's Burn Book. Backstabber Cousin shows up to confront Malfoy over it and say that, no matter how much money he acquires:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/CwMdBE5KXRpLExcXERkfABgAChxdBgwfSgMTWgobGhEXHRFMBxUYDBYNB1tXQkJTTEJTWwYbDBMVCxEWSwQbAw.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38899\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/CwMdBE5KXRpLExcXERkfABgAChxdBgwfSgMTWgobGhEXHRFMBxUYDBYNB1tXQkJTTEJTWwYbDBMVCxEWSwQbAw.gif\" alt=\"money can't buy you class gif countess\" width=\"245\" height=\"190\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy's reply:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/rs_500x300-151117115948-giphy_4.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38900\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/rs_500x300-151117115948-giphy_4.gif\" alt=\"shut up regina george mean girls gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"300\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a hotel room, Verity tries to convince Demelza not to go out alone on some mysterious errand because the streets are full of drunkards, since it's Election Day. Demelza is like,\u003cem> I used to be homeless. I got this.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza immediately runs into her born again father, who brings up her dead baby and her soon-to-be-dead husband as evidence of her sins. Demelza responds by hugging him and saying:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/26704-god-is-not-real.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38901\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/26704-god-is-not-real.gif\" alt=\"god is not real beyonce gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"193\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the room, Verity is minding her own goddamn business when there's a knock at the door. It's Backstabber Cousin, who proceeds to barge in, chug all the booze that can be found, and say things like \"How does it feel to be married to a drunken brute?\" with zero self-awareness. And because this wouldn't be a Backstabber Cousin meltdown without some whining about Ross, he laments that Ross is so important that people publish Burn Books about him to get him hanged. \u003cem>What about me?? I want a Burn Book! I want to be hanged!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity does what Verity does best and serves up a hot helping of \u003cem>Girl, really?\u003c/em>:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/grlly.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38902\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/grlly.gif\" alt=\"girl really gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza finally makes it to her destination, the ballroom where everyone is voting and where Blondie's uncle is hanging out. But not so fast! Malfoy, who seems to be everywhere at once, tells the guards Demelza is \"a harlot\" and shouldn't be let inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Kristen-Wiig-pissed.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38909\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Kristen-Wiig-pissed.gif\" alt=\"Kristen-Wiig-pissed\" width=\"343\" height=\"194\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the hotel, an employee lets Backstabber Cousin into Doc's room. The employee wonders if there's something gay going on: \"It's a small chamber, sir, and but a single bed!\" Backstabber Cousin assures him, \u003cem>I'm not planning on gay stuff, but I am planning on probably committing suicide. \u003c/em>The employee is like,\u003cem> Phew! Okay, bye!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In prison, Ross is chilling in his cell, awaiting trial. Malfoy shows up, as he always does. Someone get this villain a FitBit; he gets around! 10k steps before noon, easy. Anyway, Malfoy offers to help and Ross essentially says, \u003cem>Go F yourself. \u003c/em>Malfoy rejoices. Now he can tell Pinky Ring he tried to help, but was turned away, and she'll fall madly in love with him and have all the sex. Mmhm, keep telling yourself that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At chez Pinky Ring, Tarot Card Agatha is -- what else -- pulling tarot cards! Justice, The Tower, Death. Before we can even guess what that all means, we are taken back to the hotel where Backstabber Cousin puts a gun to his head and pulls the trigger. I'll let you guess which person in this gif represents me:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-11.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38941\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-11.gif\" alt=\"survivor smile shocked gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"226\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in prison, Ross finds out Mr. Pigpen intends to testify against him. Wow. I wonder if the old lady sees Mr. Pigpen being torn apart by wild dogs in her tarot reading.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In town, Demelza manages to sneak into the fancy ballroom and walks right up to Blondie, her uncle and Parliament Wannabe. Blondie is like, \u003cem>OMG, is your husband guilty?! What did he do? Let's dish, girlfriend!\u003c/em> Demelza is like, \u003cem>Ew.\u003c/em> A mob roars outside and Parliament Wannabe assumes they're \"clamoring\" for him. Hmm, clamoring to put your fancy head on a pike is more like it, but go ahead and check it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the pub, everyone is talking about how badass French people are and how fun guillotines seem. They promise to start murdering rich people soon, but first they have to go to court to cheer on Ross.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the fancy ballroom, Demelza's sweet talking only goes so far. Blondie's uncle just wants to drink his port and chill tonight, sorry. So she decides to talk to the judge herself. Uh oh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, the election results are being read. It's a tie! So the sensible thing to do is to recount or revote, right? Apparently not. The omnipresent Malfoy is there, whispering in Parliament Wannabe's ear to just sit in the winner's chair (a literal chair) and just act like he deserves it (you know, revel in his white male privilege). So he does. The crowd carries around his chair like he just got Jewish married. But unlike what usually happens at weddings, the crowd also starts throwing feces directly into his face! Dear Cornwall, never change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/alyssa-edwards-poop-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38985\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/alyssa-edwards-poop-gif.gif\" alt=\"alyssa edwards poop gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"279\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The feces instigator is thrown in the jail cell across from Ross. He speaks eloquently about civil rights... until a soldier knocks him unconscious with the butt of a rifle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the ballroom, Blondie is flirting a little too antagonistically for Doc's liking. She's offended that he's offended. Then he's offended that she's offended that he's offended. Cliff's Notes version: they will be married in two episodes or less.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few paces away, Demelza is saying all the right things to the judge. \u003cem>OMG, you hate drinking? Me too! What a coinkidink! So anywayyy, what would you say if I told you someone was trying to bribe people into giving false testimonies??\u003c/em> Before the judge can answer, Malfoy slithers up and outs Demelza as Ross' wife. The judge is appalled! Malfoy's heart shrinks another size.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The judge and Malfoy walk approximately three feet away to discuss how important it is to make an example of Ross so that poor people know their place (this place does not involve feces-throwing or basic human rights). This experience is going to make for a killer single on Demelza's next album.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the hotel, Ross' doctor friend is ready for bed, but his door is locked. The employee is like, \u003cem>Your maybe gay lover is in there.\u003c/em> Doc knocks, but there's no answer. The music swells and just as Doc is about to break down the door, Backstabber Cousin opens it, looking a hot mess. He's alive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/unimpressed-whitney.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38948\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/unimpressed-whitney.gif\" alt=\"unimpressed whitney\" width=\"350\" height=\"303\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin tells Doc all about how his gun malfunctioned. He sucks at life and so do his belongings. He then proceeds to ramble about how he's still planning on killing himself, but wants to have a drink beforehand. Doc spends this whole time thinking about how anyone else would have picked up that his offering his room was just a formality. It wasn't a real suggestion. What is wrong with this dude?! Doc just wants a good night's sleep. Ugh!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the ballroom, Demelza yells at Malfoy and calls him out for being a blacksmith's grandson. He calls her out for being a miner's daughter and, soon, a gentleman's widow. Yikes. Lord Voldemort would be proud.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/voldemort-hug-malfoy.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38986\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/voldemort-hug-malfoy.gif\" alt=\"voldemort hug malfoy\" width=\"500\" height=\"210\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next morning, Backstabber Cousin is fiddling with his gun. Doc is lying on his bed, watching and feeling very awkward.Backstabber Cousin asks, \"Ask me, am I cleaning it to put away or do I intend to use it again?\" Doc is like, \u003cem>Ummm, are you cleaning it or do you intend to use it again?\u003c/em> Backstabber Cousin is like, \u003cem>OMG, thanks for asking! I'm not sure. I might kill someone else or myself. Still deciding.\u003c/em> What does a boring lunatic have to do for some attention and validation around here?! Apparently, brag for hours about maybe or maybe not committing suicide.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, Malfoy and one of his Slytherin cronies are planning on stacking the courthouse with loud people who don't like Ross. Goodie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In prison, Ross and the Feces Thrower shoot the sh*t (pardon the pun; Carrie Bradshaw taught me). They hope they both get justice, but aren't too optimistic. And they shouldn't be because Feces Thrower is found guilty. The judge does not leave much to the imagination with his sentence: \"You are to be taken from hence to a place of execution, where you will be hanged from the neck... until you die.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38987\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam.gif\" alt=\"your tone seems very pointed right now gif willam\" width=\"232\" height=\"232\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam.gif 232w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/your-tone-seems-very-pointed-right-now-gif-willam-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Ross enters the courtroom, almost everyone yells \"Murderer!\" and other fun things Malfoy paid them to say. Other people paid by Malfoy take the stand and say Ross kicked injured people and body slammed puppies, among other evil acts. Speaking of evil, Demelza's dad busts in to call Ross the Devil Incarnate. Cool story, bro; now off you go to the dentist to fix those black teeth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza starts hyperventilating and runs from the courtroom. Pinky Ring follows her out and blurts out, \"I came for Backstabber Cousin.\" Um, ok. She then says, \u003cem>Sorry I killed your baby with my germs. Is having a dead kid the worst?!\u003c/em> There's no real way to respond to that so Demelza blurts out, \u003cem>I'M PREGNANT!\u003c/em> That's nice if she is, but it would be awesome if she wasn't and she just uses that line to get out of awkward social situations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside, Mr. Pigpen takes the stand and starts selling Ross out for a few coins. Everyone on #TeamRoss is disgusted. But then Mr. Pigpen changes his story either because his booze is wearing off or just kicking in (not sure what kind of drunk he is). His testimony is thrown out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The captain of the shipwreck, a reverse Sully if you will, takes the stand. He says the beach that night was like Dante's Inferno (oo, someone took AP English!) and adds that everyone really misbehaved. Ross speaks up and has a...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/destinys-child-question-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38956\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/destinys-child-question-gif.gif\" alt=\"destiny's child question gif\" width=\"535\" height=\"291\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross goes, \u003cem>Hey, Captain dude, remember when I protected you and your men and brought you to my house to keep you safe, even though I had just buried my baby and my wife was on her death bed?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Captain replies:\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38957\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah.gif\" alt=\"Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah\" width=\"263\" height=\"263\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah.gif 263w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Elaine-Benes-Yeah-Yeah-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross looks at the judge and jury and does this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/i-told-you-so-stephen-colbert.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38958\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/i-told-you-so-stephen-colbert.gif\" alt=\"i told you so stephen colbert\" width=\"332\" height=\"352\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's Doc's turn to take the stand. He basically says, \u003cem>Hey, guys! I'm a doctor and I can say Ross was kind of nuts that night 'cause of his dead baby and maybe dead wife. Plus, all the drinking he was doing for like a week straight. And the not sleeping for days on end. So yeah, he didn't do it, but if he did, he was just temporarily a little cray cray. Thanks for your time. Bye! \u003c/em>Everyone on #TeamRoss wishes Doc had stayed home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The court takes a short recess and Slytherin Crony asks why Malfoy isn't giddier. Malfoy is like, \u003cem>I mean, it's cool that Ross is going to die for not wanting to be my friend, but I want his mine too. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/veruca-salt-i-want-it-now.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38959\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/veruca-salt-i-want-it-now.gif\" alt=\"veruca salt i want it now\" width=\"480\" height=\"343\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, Backstabber Cousin approaches Pinky Ring to remind her he forbade her from coming and let her know he's still an insanely jealous, insecure prick. Then he walks away from her, as she's asking him a question, just to make sure she didn't forget how awful he is. How long does it take to fix a malfunctioning gun? (Too soon?)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The court regroups and Ross' lawyer tells him to either grovel or be hanged. So Ross gets ready to grit his teeth and apologize, until he doesn't. \u003cem>Hi, y'all. So yeah, there was kind of a riot and some people took things that didn't belong to them.... BUT I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. ENGLAND'S CLASS SYSTEM IS BULLSHIT. SORRY NOT SORRY. I WOULD DO IT ALL AGAIN. I'M OUT!\u003c/em> Ross drops the mic and sits back down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross' lawyer looks like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/marcia-clark-crying.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38960\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/marcia-clark-crying.gif\" alt=\"marcia clark crying\" width=\"500\" height=\"200\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The judge tells the jury,\u003cem> That was a cute speech and all, but he totally did it and I want you to convict him so I can hang him. K thx bai!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The jury takes approximately two whole minutes and comes back with their verdict. The defendant is....\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>.....\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>.........\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>..................\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NOT GUILTY!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>#TeamRoss loses their sh*t, as if Oprah just gave them all cars...or, um, new horse-drawn carriages or whatever:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-12.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38967\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-12.gif\" alt=\"giphy (12)\" width=\"575\" height=\"394\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprah-audience.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38970\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprah-audience.gif\" alt=\"oprah-audience\" width=\"431\" height=\"233\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/6yic0l.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38971\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/6yic0l.gif\" alt=\"6yic0l\" width=\"400\" height=\"224\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5191284244_9b4bb75ffa_o.gif\"> \u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38968\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5191284244_9b4bb75ffa_o.gif\" alt=\"5191284244_9b4bb75ffa_o\" width=\"350\" height=\"197\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprahgif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38973\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprahgif.gif\" alt=\"oprahgif\" width=\"350\" height=\"197\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/favoritethingsprayer.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38974\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/favoritethingsprayer.gif\" alt=\"favoritethingsprayer\" width=\"350\" height=\"233\">\u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/amypoehlerhead.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38969\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/amypoehlerhead.gif\" alt=\"amypoehlerhead\" width=\"320\" height=\"179\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Malfoy and his Slytherin Crony are all:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprah02.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38972\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oprah02.gif\" alt=\"oprah02\" width=\"356\" height=\"200\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Swept up in all the hope fulfillment, Verity runs to her brother, Backstabber Cousin, and is like, \u003cem>Yayyyyyy! Also, let's not fight anymore, okay? Life is short and stuff.\u003c/em> Despite the wondrous optimism of the moment, Backstabber Cousin can't help but rain on the parade: \u003cem>Yeah, no. I still hate your husband for shooting me in the neck that one time.\u003c/em> Verity runs away crying. His magical power is inspiring that reaction in people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring walks up and has to pretend not to be elated about Ross not being hanged because it might send Backstabber Cousin into another one of his jealous tantrums. Just get a divorce! If it's good enough for Brangelina, it's good enough for you!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross and Demelza ride to the beach, where all their poor friends are having a chill bonfire. Everyone rejoices, violins and fiddles are played, the 18th century version of twerking occurs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Tarot Card Agatha shows Backstabber Cousin and Pinky Ring a card and proclaims, \"Not guilty!\" She should open up a stand or something.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere, Malfoy is busy doing this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/veruca-salt-willy-wonka.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38976\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/veruca-salt-willy-wonka.gif\" alt=\"veruca-salt-willy-wonka\" width=\"500\" height=\"272\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Slytherin Crony is like, \u003cem>Um, so we tried to kill Ross and it didn't work. Aren't you scared that he's going to try to kill us now?\u003c/em> Malfoy is like, \u003cem>Oh sh*t.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At chez Ross, Demelza and Ross run into the Pigpens. Ross is still mad about the whole you-almost-got-me-killed-for-50-cents thing. But it seems as though he'll rehire them tomorrow because he just loves hiring people that much.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a mansion across town, Malfoy locks and loads a pistol and puts it in his bedside table, as he should. Be afraid, be very afraid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza tells Ross she is perfectly happy... except that all that she wants is another baby, just as Ace of Base predicted. Ross says now is not a good time. Demelza realizes her strategy for revealing her pregnancy in a cute, fun way wasn't thought out so well, after all. They have sex anyway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Malfoy:\u003c/strong> He reached Scar-throwing-his-own-brother-to-his-death levels of evil here. It's only a matter of time before Ross uses the Avada Kedavra spell on him, and I will be watching next to Tarot Card Agatha with popcorn in my lap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em> \u003cstrong>Demelza\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>It's awesome that she tried to sneakily get Ross off the hook several times. If only she was actually any good at being sneaky.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Tarot Card Agatha\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> Everyone forgets she's still alive and/or assumes she's senile, but -- \u003cem>au contraire\u003c/em> -- she knows all, sees all, judges all. She's basically half Nostradamus, half insult comic. Keep on truckin', centenarian!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Ross\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>He lives! Well, technically, he doesn't since this is set centuries ago, but you know what I mean. Yay!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> Horace\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> If you don't agree with my awarding the number one spot to a dog, scroll back up and take in those photos of the beloved pug one more time. You'll understand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin’ Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\"> 'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/38609/poldark-season-2-premiere-recap-court-and-spark",
"authors": [
"27"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_2905",
"pop_8"
],
"featImg": "pop_38989",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_38090": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_38090",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "38090",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1474678294000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1474678294,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">Last episode\u003c/a>, everything that could have happened did. Pinky Ring gave birth, Uncle almost croaked, Backstabber Cousin boinked a prostitute, Demelza lost her V Card, Ross did chores nearly naked, oh yeah, and Ross and Demelza randomly got married and... you know what, it's just too much to list so go back and \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">read all about it\u003c/a>. I'll wait...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>...Now that we're all caught up, I wonder what's in store for us this time around? Will Ross and Demelza go to Mykonos for their honeymoon, realize Cornwall and everyone in it sucks, and decide to just stay? Will Pinky Ring find out about her boring husband sleeping with a prostitute and pull a Lorena Bobbitt? Will Verity join the old lady with the tarot cards' coven and start punishing some of these a-holes? Only one way to find out! On with the show!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza sings and skips in a field. Wouldn't you if you landed a hottie like that for a husband?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen are back at home, talking smack about her. They really hope this is like Britney Spears' 55-hour Vegas marriage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Ross watches Demelza cook. So she still has to be the maid, even though they're married now? The power dynamics in this relationship are troubling. The look on Ross' face communicates that he agrees. It also communicates, \u003cem>Holy crap, what in the world was I thinking?!?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He gets over these thoughts though and enters the kitchen, startling Demelza, who's like \u003cem>Ahh, my boss! I mean... my husband? \u003c/em>He flips her around and makes out with her. Demelza is like,\u003cem> I don't have time for this. I have chores!\u003c/em> And he's like,\u003cem> Oh, I have a chore for you to do... \u003c/em>They laugh conspiratorially like horny monsters.\u003cem> \u003c/em>Before you know it, they're naked in bed. So this show is now basically \u003cem>Melrose Place\u003c/em> minus a couple of centuries and LA's warm weather. Got it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Backstabber Cousin's mine, he's breaking all the management training rules. He pushes one of his workers for asking to be paid. Wow. Class act. Ross turns up to remind him of the man he isn't, so Backstabber Cousin naturally goes into a man baby tantrum (his default setting). \u003cem>Waaah! Did my daddy send you to tell me I'm not good enough? Waaaah! Did my wife send you to tell me I'm a bad lay? Waaaah!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross is like, \u003cem>Um, woah.\u003c/em> Before he can say anything else, Backstabber Cousin brags about how much he's \"gaming and whoring.\" \u003cem>Every man does it\u003c/em>, he says. Ross replies, \u003cem>Not me. Spoiler: I got married to a poor person.\u003c/em> Backstabber Cousin is scandalized and secretly so very glad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/grinch-stole-christmas.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38260\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/grinch-stole-christmas.gif\" alt=\"grinch stole christmas\" width=\"498\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin says the obvious things he's supposed to say: \u003cem>But she's so poor! You'll be ruined! And you won't be invited to Christmas dinner! \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross' response is repetitive but to the point:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy5HQfeQKao\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We get a montage of everyone talking about how \"deranged\" this marriage is. Pinky Ring is in major denial and pretends to play the harp. Verity is eating it all up 'cause now everyone will forget the scandal that was that one single date she went on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even the village prostitute has something to say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prostitute:\u003c/strong> \"Is she beautiful?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"...in a way.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-10.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38267\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-10.gif\" alt=\"so rude kim kardashian gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Exsqueeze me?! How very dare you!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But I'll let it slide because it's directly followed by a quote that's way worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Malfoy's Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Doors which were open will be slammed in his face. His ventures will fail. And you can enjoy the sight of him in the gutter, along with his slut.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can an anvil fall on this dude's head already?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at chez Ross, Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen tell Demelza this whole thing is weird because she's still technically doing maid things. Demelza agrees and has a freshman-year-of-college-existential-crisis. Who am I?? No, \u003cem>what\u003c/em> am I? *takes a hit of some medicinal weed*\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross gets bad news: the mine is not turning up any copper so he needs more funding to continue the digging or whatever. So he goes to meet with his rich donors and it isn't even a full 30 seconds before the village doctor says the following about people who don't have enough to eat: \"Those who cannot feed, should not breed.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One more anvil please!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After taking Ross' rash behavior (his teenage misdemeanors, his freakout at Jim's trial, his marriage to a poor person) into consideration, some of the rich dudes decide not to give him any more money for the mine. Two dudes hand over some cash either because they're nice or they just felt too awkward to say no.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Ross gets home, he gives Demelza a gift. It's a book. Um, who's gonna tell him she can't read? \"To practice your letters!\" I'm pretty sure handing an illiterate person a copy of\u003cem> Ulysses\u003c/em> and expecting them to be educated by the mere sight of all the weird squiggly shapes on the page isn't how that works. He also gives her ribbon to tie up her \"unruly mane.\" Ross is cute and all, but he's not really good at this whole not-making-a-woman-feel-like-total-crap thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oh, and this exchange about their nascent marriage happens:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> \"Nothing's changed.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"Nothing??\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> \"I do get less sleep.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n19y4rrbwl1rrx588o1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38275\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n19y4rrbwl1rrx588o1_500.gif\" alt=\"addams family eyebrow raise gif\" width=\"464\" height=\"328\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This next scene speaks for itself:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>[Uncle is struggling to get on a horse to go see his mine.]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"Dr. Choke ordered bed rest!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Dr. Choke doesn't have a failing mind or a son whose neither use nor ornament!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Touched by your faith, father.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Not sufficiently touched to act like a man!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>[Uncle's roast is interrupted by another heart attack.]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If one must die, one might as well go down talking sh*t about Backstabber Cousin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Ross has a bit of a problem. You see, Demelza still acts like a poor person because marrying someone doesn't instantly change everything about you (imagine that!). She goes to the mine and says something about sticking a fork in her eye (soooo unladylike!) and she wrestles Mr. Pigpen to the ground for eating one of her pies (soooo unbecoming!). But Ross has a solution because he always does. I bet it involves hiring someone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there it is! He decides to hire recently incarcerated Jim's baby mama a.k.a. Child Bride to be Demelza's lady's maid. Having someone to look down on and order around should have her acting like an entitled rich person in no time!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Ross heads over to hang out with his dying uncle. When he gets there, the doctor is bloodletting Uncle. Umm, I was an English major, but I'm pretty sure that's not the right thing to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Uncle, Verity and Ross talk about Ross' new marriage. Verity, down chick that she is, is thrilled for all the right reasons and congratulates Ross warmly. And then this happens:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Francis especially was quick to see the advantage...\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"Father!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"Of what?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"A wife to divert you. He feels it marginally less likely that you'll ride over and steal Pinky Ring from him. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH!!!!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity\u003c/strong>: \"Father, compose yourself!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA OHHHHH MY HEART!!!!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>[Uncle has yet another heart attack.]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On his death bed, Uncle tells Ross: \"We both know Backstabber Cousin is not the man you are.\" Damn. The only person who dislikes Backstabber Cousin more than me is his own father.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the funeral, Backstabber Cousin basically hocks a loogie on his father's fresh grave:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"He'll be missed.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Not by me. Is it terrible to feel nothing but relief?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Um, yeah, I'd say so. At this rate, Backstabber Cousin is going to turn into the monster from \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/08/can-disagreeing-over-stranger-things-lead-to-divorce-probably/\">\u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by the end of the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/monster-meme-stranger-things-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38369\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/monster-meme-stranger-things-gif.gif\" alt=\"monster meme stranger things gif\" width=\"600\" height=\"331\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the funeral reception, the old lady with the tarot cards says Uncle probably died because he ate too much custard. Considering that the \"doctor\" was casually bloodletting, I'll take her medical opinion over his.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few paces away, Malfoy and his uncle do what they do best: say super rude things loud enough for everyone to hear. Malfoy, who's supposed to be Backstabber Cousin's BFF, even name drops the prostitute they both have been sharing. Why do these two keep getting invites? Block them! Unfollow! Good day!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upstairs, Pinky Ring does what she does best: feeling sorry for herself, while looking out a window. Verity interrupts her moping to say one of them has to go downstairs and play the hostess and it probably should be Pinky Ring because she's the mistress of the house and Verity is blacklisted as a harlot for going on one innocent date with a man who kind of sort of murdered his wife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It soon becomes clear that all Pinky Ring's moping isn't about the person who just died at all:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pinky Ring:\u003c/strong> \"She didn't come. His wife...\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"This isn't the occasion.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pinky Ring:\u003c/strong> \"Will you give him my good wishes?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"Shouldn't you do that yourself?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity keeps it so real. She is the patron saint of \"Girl, really?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/latrice-girl-really-gif-drag-race.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38370\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/latrice-girl-really-gif-drag-race.gif\" alt=\"latrice girl really gif drag race\" width=\"400\" height=\"275\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Backstabber Cousin continues to be evil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"You must be relieved.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"How?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"You're not the only one to disgrace the family with an unsuitable attachment.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hit 'em with another one, Verity:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/girl-really-jujubee-gif-drag-race.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38377\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/girl-really-jujubee-gif-drag-race.gif\" alt=\"girl really jujubee gif drag race\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy continues the tradition of being the mosquito that won't stop buzzing in your ear while you're sleeping. Ross is unbothered and basically says:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/harry-potter-who-are-you-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38378\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/harry-potter-who-are-you-gif.gif\" alt=\"harry potter who are you gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"204\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy gets even by cornering the disgraced doctor and buying his shares in Ross' mine from him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some days later, Ross has a surprise for Demelza: Verity is coming over for a slumber party! Demelza immediately has an anxiety attack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All three of them sit for lunch and Verity catches them up on what's been going on at her house: Pinky Ring has been playing the harp (zzz), Pinky Ring has been speaking French to the baby (zzzzz), Verity has her needlework (zzzzzzzz) and old lady with the tarot cards, whose name is apparently Agatha, has her spinning (zzzzzzzzzzzz). While these fancy 18th century ladies have been bored out of their minds, Backstabber Cousin has been \"often away.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/darla-can-crush-gif-little-rascals.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38385\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/darla-can-crush-gif-little-rascals.gif\" alt=\"darla can crush gif little rascals\" width=\"390\" height=\"219\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross decides to go to work because the idea of forcing Verity and Demelza to make awkward cross-class small talk is hilarious. Verity is like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/dont-leave-me-here-orange-is-the-new-black-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38386\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/dont-leave-me-here-orange-is-the-new-black-gif.gif\" alt=\"don't leave me here orange is the new black gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"193\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the mine, they can't find copper and are running out of money. Sounds like it's time for Ross to take my earlier advice of turning the mine into a spot where hipsters can buy overpriced avocado toast and fresh-pressed juices. He could make a fortune!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Demelza and Verity are needlepointing in awkward silence. Demelza wonders what a fancy lady would do and thinks,\u003cem> I know! I'll ring the maid bell! I'll ask for tea! Fancy ladies love super hot beverages you spend 25 minutes blowing on and only 1 minute actually enjoying! \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faux pas alert: it's way too early for tea! Oops!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After what seems like an eternity, the girls get to the real talk. Demelza is like, \u003cem>You think I'm trash, right?\u003c/em> And Verity is like, \u003cem>No, you are perfect for Ross. You're like his Rachel, you know? Oh, of course you don't know, that TV couple won't be imagined for some time. Anyway, you seem cool.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like at most slumber parties, talk turns to love and boys. Demelza doesn't believe Ross will ever truly love her but:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"When we're abed, I have reason to believe I please him.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38388\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-800x441.png\" alt=\"verity shocked poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-800x441.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-400x221.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-768x424.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-1440x794.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-1180x651.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-960x530.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM.png 1675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity is to a gospel hymn as Demelza is to Salt n Pepa's \"Let's Talk About Sex.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she's not judgmental 'cause she's a down chick with a heart of gold. \"Do you think I care a jot where you come from or who your father is or how well you curtsey?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity then teaches Demelza how to curtsey, dance, and set a table. It's basically a mash-up of the first parts of \u003cem>My Fair Lady\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Princess Diaries. \u003c/em>Cute overload.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/lauren-conrad-aww-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38389\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/lauren-conrad-aww-gif.gif\" alt=\"lauren conrad aww gif\" width=\"357\" height=\"200\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, despite the limits of time and space, Beyonce's impact is still felt in 18th century Cornwall:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty/status/779435919979925504\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That night, Demelza asks if they can get Verity and the captain back together. Ross says no, strips naked and enjoys some kinky newlywed sex. That's certainly one way to answer a simple question.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Verity is like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/get-in-loser-mean-girls-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38390\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/get-in-loser-mean-girls-gif.gif\" alt=\"get in loser mean girls gif\" width=\"600\" height=\"337\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They go to Mood Fabrics to pick out material for a hot new dress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On their way home, Verity asks, \u003cem>Dude, what's wrong. You suffering from buyers remorse or something?\u003c/em> Demelza says, \u003cem>God no, nothing like that! I just won't get to wear the dress for much longer 'cause I'm super duper pregnant! \u003c/em>Verity is like,\u003cem> I'm combelling!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that day, everyone in the region is freaking out over something. Bells are ringing, people are running and shouting, some dude is waving branches in the air like a lunatic. Ross rushes home and tells Demelza to quickly jump on his horse. She chooses this moment to have a heart-to-heart about how she feels he's always disappointed in her. Ross is like, \u003cem>Girl, you are tripping, now get on.\u003c/em> She's like \u003cem>Good talk\u003c/em> and gets on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out all the commotion was about the fishermen coming back with tons and tons of seafood! No one will starve this winter! Yay!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, word on the street is that the bloodletting doctor is talking a lot of mess about Ross' marriage and trying to convince others to stop financing his mine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/michelle-full-house-haters-gonna-hate-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38397\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/michelle-full-house-haters-gonna-hate-gif.gif\" alt=\"michelle full house haters gonna hate gif\" width=\"473\" height=\"341\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Time passes. Winter comes. Demelza throws up a lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An invitation to Christmas dinner from Backstabber Cousin comes in the mail. Demelza is like, \u003cem>HARD PASS!\u003c/em> But Ross RSVPs anyway because men know best.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the time comes, Demelza enters Backstabber Cousin's house and feels French-peasants-storming-Versailles feelings. Pinky Ring appears and everyone is expecting this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_leazlv0T901qe4ty6o1_400.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38399\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_leazlv0T901qe4ty6o1_400.gif\" alt=\"gossip girl purse throw gif fight\" width=\"350\" height=\"259\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this happens instead:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_lli6dj08jC1qibbuw.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38400\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_lli6dj08jC1qibbuw.gif\" alt=\"gossip girl excited hug gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solidarity, sister!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But things take a turn for the awkward when Tarot Card Agatha asks Demelza a bunch of questions that only rich people know the answer to. She's not doing it to be mean; she's just kind of senile, which explains why she says this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Go and sit by Pinky Ring so I can see how you measure up.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Agatha decides, \u003cem>Ehhh, B minus.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Backstabber Cousin bullies Pinky Ring for no reason.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"You think I don't know what you're about. Taking her under your wing, making her your friend. Oh, Ross, see how kind and generous I am? Look at what a pearl you've lost!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pinky Ring:\u003c/strong> \"You're being ridiculous.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin: \"\u003c/strong>Am I?!?!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, so did a demonic spirit take over Backstabber Cousin's body or something? He was low-key deplorable in the beginning of the series, but this is some Scar-throwing-his-own-brother-off-a-cliff kind of evil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a different bedroom, a package arrives for Demelza. It's the dress she ordered on her shopping trip with Verity! I really hope there are harem pants in that box.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Downstairs, Ross hangs out with Pinky Ring like they didn't used to think they were soul mates. Pinky Ring complains about how Backstabber Cousin is gambling away all their money and having lots of sex that doesn't involve her. Ross is in the middle of being scandalized when Backstabber Cousin walks in and is like, \u003cem>Hey, y'all. Whatcha talking about? Derp derp derp.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upstairs, Demelza is having another anxiety attack. What if she morning-sicknesses all over her new dress at dinner?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Downstairs, there's a knock on the door. Uninvited guests on Christmas, how very gauche! It's Malfoy, his uncle, that thirsty girl who is still upset that Ross didn't want to dance with her that one time, and some random. Oh, goodie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's time for dinner. Everyone is about to sit down when a shadow at the door appears. Decked out in her brand new dress, Demelza walks into the dining room like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/violet-chacki-drag-race-dress-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38402\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/violet-chacki-drag-race-dress-gif.gif\" alt=\"violet chacki drag race dress gif\" width=\"375\" height=\"212\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Everyone thinks, \u003cem>Slay, queen, slay!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dinner is served and the thirsty girl doesn't waste any time throwing digs Demelza's way. She brings up what a scandal the marriage was, how maids are always getting ideas of rising above their station, how any unwed woman above 23 should just kill herself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity, who is 25, dies a little inside. I wish Verity would stand up, splash wine in this girl's face and say, \"'Tis my Christmas wish for you to get the F out of my house. Now scram!\" But this is 18th century England so she doesn't say anything. :-*(\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Pinky Ring plays the harp while everyone tries to stay awake. When she's done, Thirsty Girl grabs Demelza and tries to force her to play a lick on the harp too. Surely her governess taught her, right? Grrrrr.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross mentions that Demelza can sing and forces her to audition for \u003cem>The Voice\u003c/em> with no warning. She thinks, \u003cem>Oh, what the hell\u003c/em> and lets a folk song rip. She is the Tori Amos of her time and everyone is spell-bound, even the haters. They all think, \u003cem>I'll totally buy her album on iTunes, and I never pay for music anymore.\u003c/em> Nice try, Thirsty Girl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross and Demelza are walking home and hear bells coming from the mine. Did a canary die? Turns out no. But they found a crazy amount of copper though! Everyone laughs and hugs in slow motion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That night, Ross is so happy that he finally tells Demelza that he loves her. Demelza tells him that she's pregnant. They have sex.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Thirsty Girl: \u003c/strong>This (dis)honor almost went to Backstabber Cousin because duh, but his dad just died, so I'll cut him some slack. If there's a special place in hell for women who don't support other women (like \u003cdel>Taylor Swift\u003c/del> Madeleine Albright said), Thirsty Girl certainly lives there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em> \u003cstrong>The Prostitute\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Anyone who has to sleep with an insufferable bore like Backstabber Cousin that much deserves some kind of award.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Whoever Found The Copper: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Now maybe we won't have to hear about the mine every other minute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Demelza\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Kudos on the runway walk and the song. A star is born!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> Verity\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Between her \u003cem>Girl, really?\u003c/em> moments and her consistent kindness, what's not to love? I hope she gets to have sex before she dies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin’ Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "38090 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=38090",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 3296,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 142
},
"modified": 1478466635,
"excerpt": "Ross' ex and his new girl have to spend Christmas together. Someone dies. These two things may or may not be related.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Ross' ex and his new girl have to spend Christmas together. Someone dies. These two things may or may not be related.",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover",
"datePublished": "2016-09-23T17:51:34-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-11-06T13:10:35-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/pop/38090/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">Last episode\u003c/a>, everything that could have happened did. Pinky Ring gave birth, Uncle almost croaked, Backstabber Cousin boinked a prostitute, Demelza lost her V Card, Ross did chores nearly naked, oh yeah, and Ross and Demelza randomly got married and... you know what, it's just too much to list so go back and \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">read all about it\u003c/a>. I'll wait...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>...Now that we're all caught up, I wonder what's in store for us this time around? Will Ross and Demelza go to Mykonos for their honeymoon, realize Cornwall and everyone in it sucks, and decide to just stay? Will Pinky Ring find out about her boring husband sleeping with a prostitute and pull a Lorena Bobbitt? Will Verity join the old lady with the tarot cards' coven and start punishing some of these a-holes? Only one way to find out! On with the show!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza sings and skips in a field. Wouldn't you if you landed a hottie like that for a husband?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen are back at home, talking smack about her. They really hope this is like Britney Spears' 55-hour Vegas marriage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Ross watches Demelza cook. So she still has to be the maid, even though they're married now? The power dynamics in this relationship are troubling. The look on Ross' face communicates that he agrees. It also communicates, \u003cem>Holy crap, what in the world was I thinking?!?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He gets over these thoughts though and enters the kitchen, startling Demelza, who's like \u003cem>Ahh, my boss! I mean... my husband? \u003c/em>He flips her around and makes out with her. Demelza is like,\u003cem> I don't have time for this. I have chores!\u003c/em> And he's like,\u003cem> Oh, I have a chore for you to do... \u003c/em>They laugh conspiratorially like horny monsters.\u003cem> \u003c/em>Before you know it, they're naked in bed. So this show is now basically \u003cem>Melrose Place\u003c/em> minus a couple of centuries and LA's warm weather. Got it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Backstabber Cousin's mine, he's breaking all the management training rules. He pushes one of his workers for asking to be paid. Wow. Class act. Ross turns up to remind him of the man he isn't, so Backstabber Cousin naturally goes into a man baby tantrum (his default setting). \u003cem>Waaah! Did my daddy send you to tell me I'm not good enough? Waaaah! Did my wife send you to tell me I'm a bad lay? Waaaah!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross is like, \u003cem>Um, woah.\u003c/em> Before he can say anything else, Backstabber Cousin brags about how much he's \"gaming and whoring.\" \u003cem>Every man does it\u003c/em>, he says. Ross replies, \u003cem>Not me. Spoiler: I got married to a poor person.\u003c/em> Backstabber Cousin is scandalized and secretly so very glad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/grinch-stole-christmas.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38260\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/grinch-stole-christmas.gif\" alt=\"grinch stole christmas\" width=\"498\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin says the obvious things he's supposed to say: \u003cem>But she's so poor! You'll be ruined! And you won't be invited to Christmas dinner! \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross' response is repetitive but to the point:\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/Wy5HQfeQKao'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/Wy5HQfeQKao'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>We get a montage of everyone talking about how \"deranged\" this marriage is. Pinky Ring is in major denial and pretends to play the harp. Verity is eating it all up 'cause now everyone will forget the scandal that was that one single date she went on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even the village prostitute has something to say.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prostitute:\u003c/strong> \"Is she beautiful?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"...in a way.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-10.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38267\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-10.gif\" alt=\"so rude kim kardashian gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Exsqueeze me?! How very dare you!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But I'll let it slide because it's directly followed by a quote that's way worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Malfoy's Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Doors which were open will be slammed in his face. His ventures will fail. And you can enjoy the sight of him in the gutter, along with his slut.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can an anvil fall on this dude's head already?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at chez Ross, Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen tell Demelza this whole thing is weird because she's still technically doing maid things. Demelza agrees and has a freshman-year-of-college-existential-crisis. Who am I?? No, \u003cem>what\u003c/em> am I? *takes a hit of some medicinal weed*\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross gets bad news: the mine is not turning up any copper so he needs more funding to continue the digging or whatever. So he goes to meet with his rich donors and it isn't even a full 30 seconds before the village doctor says the following about people who don't have enough to eat: \"Those who cannot feed, should not breed.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One more anvil please!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After taking Ross' rash behavior (his teenage misdemeanors, his freakout at Jim's trial, his marriage to a poor person) into consideration, some of the rich dudes decide not to give him any more money for the mine. Two dudes hand over some cash either because they're nice or they just felt too awkward to say no.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Ross gets home, he gives Demelza a gift. It's a book. Um, who's gonna tell him she can't read? \"To practice your letters!\" I'm pretty sure handing an illiterate person a copy of\u003cem> Ulysses\u003c/em> and expecting them to be educated by the mere sight of all the weird squiggly shapes on the page isn't how that works. He also gives her ribbon to tie up her \"unruly mane.\" Ross is cute and all, but he's not really good at this whole not-making-a-woman-feel-like-total-crap thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oh, and this exchange about their nascent marriage happens:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> \"Nothing's changed.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"Nothing??\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> \"I do get less sleep.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n19y4rrbwl1rrx588o1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38275\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n19y4rrbwl1rrx588o1_500.gif\" alt=\"addams family eyebrow raise gif\" width=\"464\" height=\"328\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This next scene speaks for itself:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>[Uncle is struggling to get on a horse to go see his mine.]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"Dr. Choke ordered bed rest!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Dr. Choke doesn't have a failing mind or a son whose neither use nor ornament!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Touched by your faith, father.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Not sufficiently touched to act like a man!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>[Uncle's roast is interrupted by another heart attack.]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If one must die, one might as well go down talking sh*t about Backstabber Cousin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Ross has a bit of a problem. You see, Demelza still acts like a poor person because marrying someone doesn't instantly change everything about you (imagine that!). She goes to the mine and says something about sticking a fork in her eye (soooo unladylike!) and she wrestles Mr. Pigpen to the ground for eating one of her pies (soooo unbecoming!). But Ross has a solution because he always does. I bet it involves hiring someone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there it is! He decides to hire recently incarcerated Jim's baby mama a.k.a. Child Bride to be Demelza's lady's maid. Having someone to look down on and order around should have her acting like an entitled rich person in no time!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Ross heads over to hang out with his dying uncle. When he gets there, the doctor is bloodletting Uncle. Umm, I was an English major, but I'm pretty sure that's not the right thing to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Uncle, Verity and Ross talk about Ross' new marriage. Verity, down chick that she is, is thrilled for all the right reasons and congratulates Ross warmly. And then this happens:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Francis especially was quick to see the advantage...\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"Father!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"Of what?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"A wife to divert you. He feels it marginally less likely that you'll ride over and steal Pinky Ring from him. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH!!!!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity\u003c/strong>: \"Father, compose yourself!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA OHHHHH MY HEART!!!!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>[Uncle has yet another heart attack.]\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On his death bed, Uncle tells Ross: \"We both know Backstabber Cousin is not the man you are.\" Damn. The only person who dislikes Backstabber Cousin more than me is his own father.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the funeral, Backstabber Cousin basically hocks a loogie on his father's fresh grave:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"He'll be missed.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Not by me. Is it terrible to feel nothing but relief?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Um, yeah, I'd say so. At this rate, Backstabber Cousin is going to turn into the monster from \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/08/can-disagreeing-over-stranger-things-lead-to-divorce-probably/\">\u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>\u003c/a> by the end of the season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/monster-meme-stranger-things-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38369\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/monster-meme-stranger-things-gif.gif\" alt=\"monster meme stranger things gif\" width=\"600\" height=\"331\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the funeral reception, the old lady with the tarot cards says Uncle probably died because he ate too much custard. Considering that the \"doctor\" was casually bloodletting, I'll take her medical opinion over his.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few paces away, Malfoy and his uncle do what they do best: say super rude things loud enough for everyone to hear. Malfoy, who's supposed to be Backstabber Cousin's BFF, even name drops the prostitute they both have been sharing. Why do these two keep getting invites? Block them! Unfollow! Good day!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upstairs, Pinky Ring does what she does best: feeling sorry for herself, while looking out a window. Verity interrupts her moping to say one of them has to go downstairs and play the hostess and it probably should be Pinky Ring because she's the mistress of the house and Verity is blacklisted as a harlot for going on one innocent date with a man who kind of sort of murdered his wife.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It soon becomes clear that all Pinky Ring's moping isn't about the person who just died at all:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pinky Ring:\u003c/strong> \"She didn't come. His wife...\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"This isn't the occasion.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pinky Ring:\u003c/strong> \"Will you give him my good wishes?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"Shouldn't you do that yourself?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity keeps it so real. She is the patron saint of \"Girl, really?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/latrice-girl-really-gif-drag-race.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38370\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/latrice-girl-really-gif-drag-race.gif\" alt=\"latrice girl really gif drag race\" width=\"400\" height=\"275\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Backstabber Cousin continues to be evil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"You must be relieved.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"How?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"You're not the only one to disgrace the family with an unsuitable attachment.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hit 'em with another one, Verity:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/girl-really-jujubee-gif-drag-race.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38377\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/girl-really-jujubee-gif-drag-race.gif\" alt=\"girl really jujubee gif drag race\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy continues the tradition of being the mosquito that won't stop buzzing in your ear while you're sleeping. Ross is unbothered and basically says:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/harry-potter-who-are-you-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38378\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/harry-potter-who-are-you-gif.gif\" alt=\"harry potter who are you gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"204\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy gets even by cornering the disgraced doctor and buying his shares in Ross' mine from him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some days later, Ross has a surprise for Demelza: Verity is coming over for a slumber party! Demelza immediately has an anxiety attack.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All three of them sit for lunch and Verity catches them up on what's been going on at her house: Pinky Ring has been playing the harp (zzz), Pinky Ring has been speaking French to the baby (zzzzz), Verity has her needlework (zzzzzzzz) and old lady with the tarot cards, whose name is apparently Agatha, has her spinning (zzzzzzzzzzzz). While these fancy 18th century ladies have been bored out of their minds, Backstabber Cousin has been \"often away.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/darla-can-crush-gif-little-rascals.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38385\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/darla-can-crush-gif-little-rascals.gif\" alt=\"darla can crush gif little rascals\" width=\"390\" height=\"219\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross decides to go to work because the idea of forcing Verity and Demelza to make awkward cross-class small talk is hilarious. Verity is like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/dont-leave-me-here-orange-is-the-new-black-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38386\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/dont-leave-me-here-orange-is-the-new-black-gif.gif\" alt=\"don't leave me here orange is the new black gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"193\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the mine, they can't find copper and are running out of money. Sounds like it's time for Ross to take my earlier advice of turning the mine into a spot where hipsters can buy overpriced avocado toast and fresh-pressed juices. He could make a fortune!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Demelza and Verity are needlepointing in awkward silence. Demelza wonders what a fancy lady would do and thinks,\u003cem> I know! I'll ring the maid bell! I'll ask for tea! Fancy ladies love super hot beverages you spend 25 minutes blowing on and only 1 minute actually enjoying! \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Faux pas alert: it's way too early for tea! Oops!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After what seems like an eternity, the girls get to the real talk. Demelza is like, \u003cem>You think I'm trash, right?\u003c/em> And Verity is like, \u003cem>No, you are perfect for Ross. You're like his Rachel, you know? Oh, of course you don't know, that TV couple won't be imagined for some time. Anyway, you seem cool.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like at most slumber parties, talk turns to love and boys. Demelza doesn't believe Ross will ever truly love her but:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"When we're abed, I have reason to believe I please him.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-38388\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-800x441.png\" alt=\"verity shocked poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-800x441.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-400x221.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-768x424.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-1440x794.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-1180x651.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM-960x530.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-23-at-2.35.01-PM.png 1675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity is to a gospel hymn as Demelza is to Salt n Pepa's \"Let's Talk About Sex.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But she's not judgmental 'cause she's a down chick with a heart of gold. \"Do you think I care a jot where you come from or who your father is or how well you curtsey?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity then teaches Demelza how to curtsey, dance, and set a table. It's basically a mash-up of the first parts of \u003cem>My Fair Lady\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Princess Diaries. \u003c/em>Cute overload.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/lauren-conrad-aww-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38389\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/lauren-conrad-aww-gif.gif\" alt=\"lauren conrad aww gif\" width=\"357\" height=\"200\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Also, despite the limits of time and space, Beyonce's impact is still felt in 18th century Cornwall:\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "779435919979925504"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>That night, Demelza asks if they can get Verity and the captain back together. Ross says no, strips naked and enjoys some kinky newlywed sex. That's certainly one way to answer a simple question.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Verity is like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/get-in-loser-mean-girls-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38390\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/get-in-loser-mean-girls-gif.gif\" alt=\"get in loser mean girls gif\" width=\"600\" height=\"337\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They go to Mood Fabrics to pick out material for a hot new dress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On their way home, Verity asks, \u003cem>Dude, what's wrong. You suffering from buyers remorse or something?\u003c/em> Demelza says, \u003cem>God no, nothing like that! I just won't get to wear the dress for much longer 'cause I'm super duper pregnant! \u003c/em>Verity is like,\u003cem> I'm combelling!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that day, everyone in the region is freaking out over something. Bells are ringing, people are running and shouting, some dude is waving branches in the air like a lunatic. Ross rushes home and tells Demelza to quickly jump on his horse. She chooses this moment to have a heart-to-heart about how she feels he's always disappointed in her. Ross is like, \u003cem>Girl, you are tripping, now get on.\u003c/em> She's like \u003cem>Good talk\u003c/em> and gets on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out all the commotion was about the fishermen coming back with tons and tons of seafood! No one will starve this winter! Yay!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, word on the street is that the bloodletting doctor is talking a lot of mess about Ross' marriage and trying to convince others to stop financing his mine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/michelle-full-house-haters-gonna-hate-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38397\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/michelle-full-house-haters-gonna-hate-gif.gif\" alt=\"michelle full house haters gonna hate gif\" width=\"473\" height=\"341\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Time passes. Winter comes. Demelza throws up a lot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An invitation to Christmas dinner from Backstabber Cousin comes in the mail. Demelza is like, \u003cem>HARD PASS!\u003c/em> But Ross RSVPs anyway because men know best.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the time comes, Demelza enters Backstabber Cousin's house and feels French-peasants-storming-Versailles feelings. Pinky Ring appears and everyone is expecting this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_leazlv0T901qe4ty6o1_400.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38399\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_leazlv0T901qe4ty6o1_400.gif\" alt=\"gossip girl purse throw gif fight\" width=\"350\" height=\"259\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this happens instead:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_lli6dj08jC1qibbuw.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38400\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_lli6dj08jC1qibbuw.gif\" alt=\"gossip girl excited hug gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Solidarity, sister!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But things take a turn for the awkward when Tarot Card Agatha asks Demelza a bunch of questions that only rich people know the answer to. She's not doing it to be mean; she's just kind of senile, which explains why she says this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Go and sit by Pinky Ring so I can see how you measure up.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Agatha decides, \u003cem>Ehhh, B minus.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Backstabber Cousin bullies Pinky Ring for no reason.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"You think I don't know what you're about. Taking her under your wing, making her your friend. Oh, Ross, see how kind and generous I am? Look at what a pearl you've lost!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pinky Ring:\u003c/strong> \"You're being ridiculous.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin: \"\u003c/strong>Am I?!?!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, so did a demonic spirit take over Backstabber Cousin's body or something? He was low-key deplorable in the beginning of the series, but this is some Scar-throwing-his-own-brother-off-a-cliff kind of evil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a different bedroom, a package arrives for Demelza. It's the dress she ordered on her shopping trip with Verity! I really hope there are harem pants in that box.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Downstairs, Ross hangs out with Pinky Ring like they didn't used to think they were soul mates. Pinky Ring complains about how Backstabber Cousin is gambling away all their money and having lots of sex that doesn't involve her. Ross is in the middle of being scandalized when Backstabber Cousin walks in and is like, \u003cem>Hey, y'all. Whatcha talking about? Derp derp derp.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upstairs, Demelza is having another anxiety attack. What if she morning-sicknesses all over her new dress at dinner?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Downstairs, there's a knock on the door. Uninvited guests on Christmas, how very gauche! It's Malfoy, his uncle, that thirsty girl who is still upset that Ross didn't want to dance with her that one time, and some random. Oh, goodie.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's time for dinner. Everyone is about to sit down when a shadow at the door appears. Decked out in her brand new dress, Demelza walks into the dining room like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/violet-chacki-drag-race-dress-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-38402\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/violet-chacki-drag-race-dress-gif.gif\" alt=\"violet chacki drag race dress gif\" width=\"375\" height=\"212\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Everyone thinks, \u003cem>Slay, queen, slay!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dinner is served and the thirsty girl doesn't waste any time throwing digs Demelza's way. She brings up what a scandal the marriage was, how maids are always getting ideas of rising above their station, how any unwed woman above 23 should just kill herself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity, who is 25, dies a little inside. I wish Verity would stand up, splash wine in this girl's face and say, \"'Tis my Christmas wish for you to get the F out of my house. Now scram!\" But this is 18th century England so she doesn't say anything. :-*(\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Pinky Ring plays the harp while everyone tries to stay awake. When she's done, Thirsty Girl grabs Demelza and tries to force her to play a lick on the harp too. Surely her governess taught her, right? Grrrrr.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross mentions that Demelza can sing and forces her to audition for \u003cem>The Voice\u003c/em> with no warning. She thinks, \u003cem>Oh, what the hell\u003c/em> and lets a folk song rip. She is the Tori Amos of her time and everyone is spell-bound, even the haters. They all think, \u003cem>I'll totally buy her album on iTunes, and I never pay for music anymore.\u003c/em> Nice try, Thirsty Girl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross and Demelza are walking home and hear bells coming from the mine. Did a canary die? Turns out no. But they found a crazy amount of copper though! Everyone laughs and hugs in slow motion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That night, Ross is so happy that he finally tells Demelza that he loves her. Demelza tells him that she's pregnant. They have sex.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Thirsty Girl: \u003c/strong>This (dis)honor almost went to Backstabber Cousin because duh, but his dad just died, so I'll cut him some slack. If there's a special place in hell for women who don't support other women (like \u003cdel>Taylor Swift\u003c/del> Madeleine Albright said), Thirsty Girl certainly lives there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em> \u003cstrong>The Prostitute\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Anyone who has to sleep with an insufferable bore like Backstabber Cousin that much deserves some kind of award.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Whoever Found The Copper: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Now maybe we won't have to hear about the mine every other minute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Demelza\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Kudos on the runway walk and the song. A star is born!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> Verity\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Between her \u003cem>Girl, really?\u003c/em> moments and her consistent kindness, what's not to love? I hope she gets to have sex before she dies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin’ Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/38090/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover",
"authors": [
"27"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_2905",
"pop_8"
],
"featImg": "pop_38416",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_36613": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_36613",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "36613",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1474466498000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1474466498,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">Last episode\u003c/a>, fragile masculinity led to several guns going off, but who cares about all that 'cause Ross went skinny dipping! Will Ross realize that, instead of reopening the mine, he could make more money by converting it into a spot for hipsters to buy overpriced avocado toast and fresh-pressed juices? Will Verity end up joining the village prostitute's #squad, since everyone already thinks she's a woman of the night? Will Pinky Ring's baby end up looking like Ross because that's how penetrating his gaze is? Only one way to find out! On with the show!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's opening day for Ross' mine and the whole town shows up for a hootenanny (actually, there's no music; I just really wanted to use the word hootenanny). Ross has hired everyone within a 15 mile radius because, like I said last episode, he really gets off on job creation. Ross does not use a huge pair of scissors to cut a red ribbon, which is a missed opportunity, if you ask me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some old dudes watch Demelza pour Ross some wine from the sidelines and wonder if the rumors of them getting it on are true. Both agree Ross would be a fool if they weren't.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a hill, Ross' uncle and wimpy cousin try to decide if they're still mad at Ross. Uncle decides nah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"He saved your life! Time for you to demonstrate it wasn't wasted.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-2.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36622\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-2.gif\" alt=\"preach gif\" width=\"260\" height=\"194\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But wait. It appears as though I was a bit too hasty with the Encouraging Preach Hand™. Uncle didn't mean that Backstabber Cousin should help Ross. He instead wants him to make sure Ross' mine doesn't do better than theirs. They ride off without attending the hootenanny because why stop being a-holes when they've been so good at it for two full episodes?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Pinky Ring is reading a book because there wasn't really much else for a woman to do in those days. She suffers a pain in her pregnant belly. As someone who is still not over Sybil's death from preeclampsia on \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em>, this is very triggering for me. #HaremPantsForever\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at chez Ross, Demelza breaks up a physical fight between the Pigpens because they've been drinking rum. Mrs. Pigpen fakes a sprained wrist so Demelza will have to do all the chores. If Verity ever finds that matriarchal society, I hope she invites Demelza to come with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the mine, there is concern over some boy named Jim. You see, he's been poaching, which is illegal, and he also found time to knock someone up. Ross is so good at helping people by this point that he hires both the boy and his baby mama to fix up an old shed that they will then live in, then arranges for Jim to ask this girl's father for her hand and plans their wedding, all within the span of two minutes. You have as many hours in a day as Beyonce... and Ross Poldark. Do something with your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Demelza is nervous about her first foray into cooking. She serves Ross some sort of savory pie that she glazed and everything. Ross takes his time masticating and making the this-sponge-is-a-bit-too-moist face, just like that rude bald judge on \u003cem>The Great British Bake Off\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"So Mrs. Pigpen's recovery will take some time?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> \"About a month or so, sir.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"Have it delayed as long as possible.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5e9d9e699c9de7a3fdf58a50cbe90fd17f4f97e8.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter wp-image-36648 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5e9d9e699c9de7a3fdf58a50cbe90fd17f4f97e8.gif\" alt=\"great british baking show yay gif\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nv6v36PPbS1s5v14qo2_r1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36649\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nv6v36PPbS1s5v14qo2_r1_500.gif\" alt=\"great british baking show yay gif 2\" width=\"499\" height=\"271\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-1-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36650\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-1-1.gif\" alt=\"great british baking show yay gif 3\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Verity's Den of Sorrow, she's hanging out with Pinky Ring, needle-pointing (zzzz). I can't see what Verity is working on, but it's most likely fancy lettering spelling out: \u003cem>I'm going to die a virgin. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring is like \u003cem>I wish you would get over your almost husband. Being super dramatic about boys is kind of my thing.\u003c/em> Verity considers decking her, but right then Pinky Ring has another weird pregnancy pain so the brawl must wait.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In town, Jim's wedding is already happening (I told you Ross works quickly). Everyone's having such a good time that no one pauses long enough to be like, \u003cem>Ew, Jim married a literal child.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36657\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-800x439.png\" alt=\"poldark wedding\" width=\"800\" height=\"439\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-800x439.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-400x219.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-768x421.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-1440x790.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-1180x647.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-960x526.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM.png 1678w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SHE'S THE TINY, SAD, PREGNANT ONE IN BLUE!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few paces away, a priest is lecturing Ross about how he should give up his fornicating ways for a proper marriage. Ross is probably thinking, \u003cem>Someone just married a 10 year old and you're worried about me having sex with consenting adult women?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross ditches Mr. Holier Than Thou and watches Demelza and other poor people do the 18th century version of twerking. It looks fun so he joins in and looks at Demelza in a way that suggest they'll be fornicating pre-marriage very, very soon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Pinky Ring primly pushes a human being out of her body. It's a boy so everyone is pleased.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"The line continues! Well done, my boy.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Oh, thank Pinky Ring. She did the work.\" (OMG, is Backstabber Cousin a feminist?!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Doctor:\u003c/strong> \"Ah, women.\" (Nothing good can follow this phrase). \"They make a song and dance about it, but if things are properly managed...\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nnieusKZWj1tsuskao2_1280.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36665\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nnieusKZWj1tsuskao2_1280.jpg\" alt=\"beyonce mad\" width=\"592\" height=\"334\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Someone hold me back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Ross finds a letter announcing the arrival of his ex's baby. He secretly wishes he had let Backstabber Cousin bleed out after that duel in his backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, there's a fancy let's-all-get-drunk-and-touch-the-new-baby-with-our-germy-hands cocktail hour. Ross shows up, ready to put a hex on the rugrat à la Maleficent. Everyone gawks and imagines how much cuter the baby would have been with Ross' genetics. Such a shame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy pops up with his miserable uncle to say rude things about poor people and Ross' mine. Pinky Ring's mother slides in with her own classist BS. Ross deals with these people expertly:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/diss.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37158\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/diss.gif\" alt=\"chappelle show diss gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross walks over to Pinky Ring and Backstabber Cousin to get the whole pretending-to-be-happy-for-them thing over with. Backstabber Cousin, the least perceptive person on the planet, is like, \u003cem>HOLD THE BABY I MADE WITH YOUR EX! ISN'T THIS FUN?!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring takes it a step further and tells Ross she wishes he could be the child's godfather instead of Malfoy. I wish Demelza was here so she could serve up another one of her \"Girl, are you serious?\" looks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy whisper some sweet nothing into Backstabber Cousin's ear and B.C. goes from unaware dope to jealous homicidal psycho in less than 2 seconds:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37159\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-800x443.png\" alt=\"francis poldark psycho\" width=\"800\" height=\"443\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-800x443.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-400x222.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-768x425.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-1440x798.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-1180x654.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-960x532.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-672x372.png 672w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-1038x576.png 1038w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM.png 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stare at him staring, while listening to this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOy6hqzfsAs\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But who is he kidding? If he couldn't kill a random middle-aged captain, there's no way he's taking down Ross Adonis Poldark.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Uncle gives a speech all about how this new baby named after him proves that his lineage is thriving and will continue forevermore... and then has a heart attack. The old lady with the tarot cards doesn't even need to bring them out to say this isn't a great omen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As that harlot Verity selflessly tends to her father, Backstabber Cousin just stands there, still doing that staring like a murderous maniac thing:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37161\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-800x442.png\" alt=\"francis poldark sucks\" width=\"800\" height=\"442\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-800x442.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-400x221.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-768x424.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-1440x795.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-1180x652.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-960x530.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-672x372.png 672w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM.png 1675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOy6hqzfsAs\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On his way home, Ross overhears the thirsty girl from the ball, her mother, and Pinky Ring's mother all gossiping about how he's probably sleeping with the help. When he storms past them, thirsty girl's mom yells after him: \"Ross Poldark is no gentleman!\" This is not the way you treat a war hero! This is also not the way you persuade a war hero to marry your rude daughter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upstairs, Pinky Ring puts her cursed baby to bed and is about to enjoy some precious me time, when Backstabber Cousin comes in and insists on dry-humping her. Pinky Ring is like, \u003cem>Dude, I literally just had a baby, can we not?\u003c/em>, which evokes a man child tantrum about how he's sure she wishes their baby belonged to Ross. Okay, I can get down with a glacier-paced love triangle (see: my high school obsession with the WB show \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/felicity/\">\u003cem>Felicity\u003c/em>\u003c/a>), but this is getting out-of-hand and frankly boring. I hope \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em> has more to offer than this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin storms out of the bedroom and finds another woman to bully, this time it's Hester Prynne! Uh, I mean Verity. He accuses her of trying to eavesdrop at his keyhole, taking Ross' side and knowing diddly squat about how marriage is actually \"misery.\" In essence, he tells her:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tenor.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37767\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tenor.gif\" alt=\"you're a virgin who can't drive clueless tai gif\" width=\"496\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity rightly thinks that's way harsh, especially 'cause he's the reason she has yet to find out how miserable marriage is. She looks at the sea captain's painted portrait hidden in a locket. He's still creepy looking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Jim's child bride complains to Demelza about how her husband is still poaching and gonna get himself locked up. And she can't count on supporting herself with a check from MTV's \u003cem>Teen Mom\u003c/em> because the channel and the show haven't been invented yet!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that day, Uncle tells Backstabber Cousin he needs to start working. Backstabber Cousin is like, \u003cem>Work? Me? But I don't know how to do anything! \u003c/em>Uncle insists so Backstabber Cousin heads to his mine and tries making small chat with the workers... while seated on his horse, wearing a top hat. The poor people spend their day's allowance of side eye on him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That night, Ross gives Demelza a stellar employee review. She always anticipates his needs and works the fields like no one else. Demelza almost brings up that it's unfair that she makes 79 cents to Mr. Pigpen's dollar, but instead brings up Jim's poaching. Ross responds the only way he knows how: \u003cem>I'll hire him to do something else for me! That should solve it! \u003c/em>Suze Orman thinks it's a very bad idea to hire hundreds of people when you are already bankrupt, but alas, she won't be around to tell Ross that for another couple of centuries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following day, Child Bride shows up to cry in Demelza's face. You see, Jim went poaching again and his stupid chronic cough got him caught.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross runs into a phone booth, twirls around a bunch and comes out Super(AdvocateForPoorFolk)Man! Off the caped crusader rides to convince the rich person whose pheasants Jim was trying to steal to drop the charges. But he's too late! Jim is already set for trial! And the rich dude hopes they hang him! Ross returns home to tell Demelza and says, \u003cem>Ugh, rich people are the worst!!!\u003c/em> Demelza responds, \u003cem>I know, right?!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross goes to pick up Child Bride to attend the trial, but she's in labor because her life doesn't suck enough right now. Ross enters the court and asks a different rich dude if Jim's bad lungs might preclude a prison sentence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rich dude:\u003c/strong> \"No good will come of being sentimental of such folk. They're a different breed! A different breed!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n9s57vLwqM1smcbm7o1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37954\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n9s57vLwqM1smcbm7o1_250.gif\" alt=\"how dare you mindy kaling gif\" width=\"160\" height=\"174\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Homeboy said it twice, in case the first time wasn't infuriating enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross takes the stand to combine his good looks with a rendition of Jim's sob story in order to emancipate good ol' Jim. The old bewigged dudes are not buying any of it. He's too sick to go to prison, but he's not too sick to run around stealing pheasants and knocking up tweens? This is not going well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And things aren't going that much better in a field near chez Ross. Demelza's dad and his black teeth are back again. This time, he's wearing a nice suit because he got married and started believing in god! Unlike Jesus, he's not very understanding or compassionate and goes right into accusing Demelza of giving into the Temptation of the Flesh (Ross' flesh, that is) and being touched by the Devil. Demelza defends herself with a statement that could easily be taken the wrong way: \"He's my master and I'm his servant!\" #50Shades, anyone? Demelza's dad says he'll be back tomorrow to fetch her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at court, the judges announce they've decided to take Ross' testimony and cute face into account. They will grant young Jim some leniency. Before Ross has the chance to flip his hair in triumph, the judges proclaim: TWO YEARS IMPRISONMENT!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/large-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37891\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/large-1.gif\" alt=\"phoebe friends shock gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"245\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim immediately starts coughing. You couldn't have done a little more of that during deliberation? It's too late now!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross sees red and decides to go all the way off. His rant is basically this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=af7Jctuqhcg\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross heads to the pub to get alcohol poisoning. It isn't long before the prostitute shows up, but Ross declines this time. On his way out, he sees her mounting someone else... IT'S BACKSTABBER COUSIN!!!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-8.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37892\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-8.gif\" alt=\"mr bean shocked gif\" width=\"435\" height=\"245\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prostitute:\u003c/strong> Poldark, you say?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> Not \u003cem>a\u003c/em> Poldark. \u003cem>THE\u003c/em> Poldark!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prostitute:\u003c/strong> What other Poldark is there?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> *aroused, erotic sigh*\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin is totally the guy who gently weeps, while having sex. He's also the type of guy who ends up dying mid coitus. We can only hope...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the ranch, Demelza is bummed she has to leave Ross and all his cool things. She says goodbye to each one and then pauses when she finds a beautiful gown hidden in a chest. She tries it on because how else is Ross going to find her in it and freak out?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right on schedule, Ross comes home and starts screaming for Demelza. His back is turned so maybe she can get away with serving him without being spotted? Ross rants about poor imprisoned Jim and the terrible state of the justice system, while Demelza tries to tiptoe out. But of course he sees her at the last moment. What ensues is essentially the \u003cem>Beauty and the Beast\u003c/em> scene in which the Beast freaks the F out on Belle for touching his stuff:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJZuQl5hT2U\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eventually he calms down enough to rub her face and kind of sort of apologize and... MAKE OUT WITH HER!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/full-house-shocked-gif-15767-16276-hd-wallpapers.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37900\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/full-house-shocked-gif-15767-16276-hd-wallpapers.gif\" alt=\"full-house-shocked-gif-15767-16276-hd-wallpapers\" width=\"447\" height=\"313\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza immediately blames herself because that's what the patriarchy has taught her to do and Ross yells at her to go to bed because that's what the patriarchy has taught him to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few minutes later, Demelza knocks on his bedroom door.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-3.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37901\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-3.gif\" alt=\"raw (3)\" width=\"498\" height=\"360\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She asks him to unlace her corset.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37904\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5.gif\" alt=\"raw (5)\" width=\"244\" height=\"246\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5.gif 244w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 244px) 100vw, 244px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He does so while breathing very heavily on her neck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37906\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-4.gif\" alt=\"raw (4)\" width=\"498\" height=\"322\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He mentions how everyone gossips about them getting it on and how they would be proving those a-holes right. \"Then let it be true,\" she responds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37903\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-6.gif\" alt=\"raw (6)\" width=\"498\" height=\"278\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they proceed to have crazy sex all night long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/officehappygasp.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37902\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/officehappygasp.gif\" alt=\"officehappygasp\" width=\"320\" height=\"175\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wow. \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em> is out-doing \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em> with all these twists and turns! Even super boring plot points like whether to merge hospitals or whatever took \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em> seven entire episodes to settle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next morning, Demelza creeps out of bed and we get a lingering shot of Ross without his shirt on because the producers care about straight women and gay men demographics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Pinky Ring's house, it's revealed that Backstabber Cousin did not come home last night. Oooooohhh boy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Ross grumpily uses a scythe without his shirt on. The infamous scene that set Twitter alight and got people interested in the show in the first place! It's finally happening! And, again, because the producers know who's watching, they revel in the moment by utilizing slow motion. Wow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza is hiding in the field nearby, watching his sweat-glistened body work the field, smiles to herself and thinks, \u003cem>I tapped that.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because every party has a pooper, Pinky Ring approaches in the distance. UGH. CAN WE NOT?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross puts on his shirt and returns home to see what she wants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5166520_15-reasons-why-poldarks-aidan-turner_t38c8705b.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37916\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5166520_15-reasons-why-poldarks-aidan-turner_t38c8705b.gif\" alt=\"5166520_15-reasons-why--poldarks-aidan-turner_t38c8705b\" width=\"736\" height=\"432\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out she wants what she always wants: to complain about her marriage. You made your choice, girl. Now scram so Ross can get back to the fields!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza accidentally barges in and is crushed. She offers Pinky Ring flowers because what else do you do in this kind of awkward situation? Pinky Ring doesn't want them. \"They're fading already. Corn flowers are like that.\" This is 18th century speak for \"You're basic.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring finally decides to go home (yayyy!) and Ross sees her out. Crushed, Demelza runs off with her cute, shy puppy. Ross chases her down and asks why she's running off. He's nice to look at, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza explains that, after last night, she can no longer be his servant. Ross agrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cut to a chapel. AND WTF OMG THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37905\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o50z3p6L051rict0a_500.gif\" alt=\"tumblr_inline_o50z3p6L051rict0a_500\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene! Drop mic! What just happened?! Ahh!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> I'm going to leave this section word-for-word from last week because it all still applies:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>His fragile masculinity\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He's never had a job and doesn't know how to do anything\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He is not smart and so easily manipulated by Malfoy\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He gets physical with a woman because he's really mad that another man got physical with a woman\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He didn't die\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Etc.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em> \u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>Thanks for the shirtless chores, but go easy on the blind rages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>The Prostitute: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>She's an entrepreneur with good business acumen. Get them coins, girl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Verity: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>It's good of her to keep taking care of her a-hole dad who ruined her chance at marriage just last episode. Hang in there. It gets better... in a couple of centuries... kinda.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> \u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Demelza: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>She managed to lose her virginity to Ross and marry him over the course of two days. Props.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin’ Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "36613 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=36613",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 3134,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 111
},
"modified": 1478466649,
"excerpt": "Someone is born, someone almost dies, someone gets married, someone gets laid and someone does his chores shirtless.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Someone is born, someone almost dies, someone gets married, someone gets laid and someone does his chores shirtless.",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt",
"datePublished": "2016-09-21T07:01:38-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-11-06T13:10:49-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/pop/36613/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">Last episode\u003c/a>, fragile masculinity led to several guns going off, but who cares about all that 'cause Ross went skinny dipping! Will Ross realize that, instead of reopening the mine, he could make more money by converting it into a spot for hipsters to buy overpriced avocado toast and fresh-pressed juices? Will Verity end up joining the village prostitute's #squad, since everyone already thinks she's a woman of the night? Will Pinky Ring's baby end up looking like Ross because that's how penetrating his gaze is? Only one way to find out! On with the show!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It's opening day for Ross' mine and the whole town shows up for a hootenanny (actually, there's no music; I just really wanted to use the word hootenanny). Ross has hired everyone within a 15 mile radius because, like I said last episode, he really gets off on job creation. Ross does not use a huge pair of scissors to cut a red ribbon, which is a missed opportunity, if you ask me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some old dudes watch Demelza pour Ross some wine from the sidelines and wonder if the rumors of them getting it on are true. Both agree Ross would be a fool if they weren't.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a hill, Ross' uncle and wimpy cousin try to decide if they're still mad at Ross. Uncle decides nah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"He saved your life! Time for you to demonstrate it wasn't wasted.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-2.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36622\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-2.gif\" alt=\"preach gif\" width=\"260\" height=\"194\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But wait. It appears as though I was a bit too hasty with the Encouraging Preach Hand™. Uncle didn't mean that Backstabber Cousin should help Ross. He instead wants him to make sure Ross' mine doesn't do better than theirs. They ride off without attending the hootenanny because why stop being a-holes when they've been so good at it for two full episodes?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Pinky Ring is reading a book because there wasn't really much else for a woman to do in those days. She suffers a pain in her pregnant belly. As someone who is still not over Sybil's death from preeclampsia on \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em>, this is very triggering for me. #HaremPantsForever\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at chez Ross, Demelza breaks up a physical fight between the Pigpens because they've been drinking rum. Mrs. Pigpen fakes a sprained wrist so Demelza will have to do all the chores. If Verity ever finds that matriarchal society, I hope she invites Demelza to come with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the mine, there is concern over some boy named Jim. You see, he's been poaching, which is illegal, and he also found time to knock someone up. Ross is so good at helping people by this point that he hires both the boy and his baby mama to fix up an old shed that they will then live in, then arranges for Jim to ask this girl's father for her hand and plans their wedding, all within the span of two minutes. You have as many hours in a day as Beyonce... and Ross Poldark. Do something with your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Demelza is nervous about her first foray into cooking. She serves Ross some sort of savory pie that she glazed and everything. Ross takes his time masticating and making the this-sponge-is-a-bit-too-moist face, just like that rude bald judge on \u003cem>The Great British Bake Off\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"So Mrs. Pigpen's recovery will take some time?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Demelza:\u003c/strong> \"About a month or so, sir.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"Have it delayed as long as possible.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5e9d9e699c9de7a3fdf58a50cbe90fd17f4f97e8.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter wp-image-36648 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5e9d9e699c9de7a3fdf58a50cbe90fd17f4f97e8.gif\" alt=\"great british baking show yay gif\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nv6v36PPbS1s5v14qo2_r1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36649\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nv6v36PPbS1s5v14qo2_r1_500.gif\" alt=\"great british baking show yay gif 2\" width=\"499\" height=\"271\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-1-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36650\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-1-1.gif\" alt=\"great british baking show yay gif 3\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Verity's Den of Sorrow, she's hanging out with Pinky Ring, needle-pointing (zzzz). I can't see what Verity is working on, but it's most likely fancy lettering spelling out: \u003cem>I'm going to die a virgin. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring is like \u003cem>I wish you would get over your almost husband. Being super dramatic about boys is kind of my thing.\u003c/em> Verity considers decking her, but right then Pinky Ring has another weird pregnancy pain so the brawl must wait.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In town, Jim's wedding is already happening (I told you Ross works quickly). Everyone's having such a good time that no one pauses long enough to be like, \u003cem>Ew, Jim married a literal child.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36657\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-800x439.png\" alt=\"poldark wedding\" width=\"800\" height=\"439\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-800x439.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-400x219.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-768x421.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-1440x790.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-1180x647.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM-960x526.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.29.55-PM.png 1678w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SHE'S THE TINY, SAD, PREGNANT ONE IN BLUE!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few paces away, a priest is lecturing Ross about how he should give up his fornicating ways for a proper marriage. Ross is probably thinking, \u003cem>Someone just married a 10 year old and you're worried about me having sex with consenting adult women?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross ditches Mr. Holier Than Thou and watches Demelza and other poor people do the 18th century version of twerking. It looks fun so he joins in and looks at Demelza in a way that suggest they'll be fornicating pre-marriage very, very soon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Pinky Ring primly pushes a human being out of her body. It's a boy so everyone is pleased.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"The line continues! Well done, my boy.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Oh, thank Pinky Ring. She did the work.\" (OMG, is Backstabber Cousin a feminist?!)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Doctor:\u003c/strong> \"Ah, women.\" (Nothing good can follow this phrase). \"They make a song and dance about it, but if things are properly managed...\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nnieusKZWj1tsuskao2_1280.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36665\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nnieusKZWj1tsuskao2_1280.jpg\" alt=\"beyonce mad\" width=\"592\" height=\"334\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Someone hold me back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at home, Ross finds a letter announcing the arrival of his ex's baby. He secretly wishes he had let Backstabber Cousin bleed out after that duel in his backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, there's a fancy let's-all-get-drunk-and-touch-the-new-baby-with-our-germy-hands cocktail hour. Ross shows up, ready to put a hex on the rugrat à la Maleficent. Everyone gawks and imagines how much cuter the baby would have been with Ross' genetics. Such a shame.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy pops up with his miserable uncle to say rude things about poor people and Ross' mine. Pinky Ring's mother slides in with her own classist BS. Ross deals with these people expertly:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/diss.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37158\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/diss.gif\" alt=\"chappelle show diss gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross walks over to Pinky Ring and Backstabber Cousin to get the whole pretending-to-be-happy-for-them thing over with. Backstabber Cousin, the least perceptive person on the planet, is like, \u003cem>HOLD THE BABY I MADE WITH YOUR EX! ISN'T THIS FUN?!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring takes it a step further and tells Ross she wishes he could be the child's godfather instead of Malfoy. I wish Demelza was here so she could serve up another one of her \"Girl, are you serious?\" looks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Malfoy whisper some sweet nothing into Backstabber Cousin's ear and B.C. goes from unaware dope to jealous homicidal psycho in less than 2 seconds:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37159\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-800x443.png\" alt=\"francis poldark psycho\" width=\"800\" height=\"443\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-800x443.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-400x222.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-768x425.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-1440x798.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-1180x654.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-960x532.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-672x372.png 672w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM-1038x576.png 1038w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.23.30-PM.png 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stare at him staring, while listening to this:\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/cOy6hqzfsAs'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/cOy6hqzfsAs'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>But who is he kidding? If he couldn't kill a random middle-aged captain, there's no way he's taking down Ross Adonis Poldark.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Uncle gives a speech all about how this new baby named after him proves that his lineage is thriving and will continue forevermore... and then has a heart attack. The old lady with the tarot cards doesn't even need to bring them out to say this isn't a great omen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As that harlot Verity selflessly tends to her father, Backstabber Cousin just stands there, still doing that staring like a murderous maniac thing:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37161\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-800x442.png\" alt=\"francis poldark sucks\" width=\"800\" height=\"442\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-800x442.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-400x221.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-768x424.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-1440x795.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-1180x652.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-960x530.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM-672x372.png 672w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-15-at-10.36.28-PM.png 1675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/cOy6hqzfsAs'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/cOy6hqzfsAs'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>On his way home, Ross overhears the thirsty girl from the ball, her mother, and Pinky Ring's mother all gossiping about how he's probably sleeping with the help. When he storms past them, thirsty girl's mom yells after him: \"Ross Poldark is no gentleman!\" This is not the way you treat a war hero! This is also not the way you persuade a war hero to marry your rude daughter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upstairs, Pinky Ring puts her cursed baby to bed and is about to enjoy some precious me time, when Backstabber Cousin comes in and insists on dry-humping her. Pinky Ring is like, \u003cem>Dude, I literally just had a baby, can we not?\u003c/em>, which evokes a man child tantrum about how he's sure she wishes their baby belonged to Ross. Okay, I can get down with a glacier-paced love triangle (see: my high school obsession with the WB show \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/felicity/\">\u003cem>Felicity\u003c/em>\u003c/a>), but this is getting out-of-hand and frankly boring. I hope \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em> has more to offer than this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin storms out of the bedroom and finds another woman to bully, this time it's Hester Prynne! Uh, I mean Verity. He accuses her of trying to eavesdrop at his keyhole, taking Ross' side and knowing diddly squat about how marriage is actually \"misery.\" In essence, he tells her:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tenor.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37767\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tenor.gif\" alt=\"you're a virgin who can't drive clueless tai gif\" width=\"496\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity rightly thinks that's way harsh, especially 'cause he's the reason she has yet to find out how miserable marriage is. She looks at the sea captain's painted portrait hidden in a locket. He's still creepy looking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Jim's child bride complains to Demelza about how her husband is still poaching and gonna get himself locked up. And she can't count on supporting herself with a check from MTV's \u003cem>Teen Mom\u003c/em> because the channel and the show haven't been invented yet!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that day, Uncle tells Backstabber Cousin he needs to start working. Backstabber Cousin is like, \u003cem>Work? Me? But I don't know how to do anything! \u003c/em>Uncle insists so Backstabber Cousin heads to his mine and tries making small chat with the workers... while seated on his horse, wearing a top hat. The poor people spend their day's allowance of side eye on him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That night, Ross gives Demelza a stellar employee review. She always anticipates his needs and works the fields like no one else. Demelza almost brings up that it's unfair that she makes 79 cents to Mr. Pigpen's dollar, but instead brings up Jim's poaching. Ross responds the only way he knows how: \u003cem>I'll hire him to do something else for me! That should solve it! \u003c/em>Suze Orman thinks it's a very bad idea to hire hundreds of people when you are already bankrupt, but alas, she won't be around to tell Ross that for another couple of centuries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following day, Child Bride shows up to cry in Demelza's face. You see, Jim went poaching again and his stupid chronic cough got him caught.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross runs into a phone booth, twirls around a bunch and comes out Super(AdvocateForPoorFolk)Man! Off the caped crusader rides to convince the rich person whose pheasants Jim was trying to steal to drop the charges. But he's too late! Jim is already set for trial! And the rich dude hopes they hang him! Ross returns home to tell Demelza and says, \u003cem>Ugh, rich people are the worst!!!\u003c/em> Demelza responds, \u003cem>I know, right?!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross goes to pick up Child Bride to attend the trial, but she's in labor because her life doesn't suck enough right now. Ross enters the court and asks a different rich dude if Jim's bad lungs might preclude a prison sentence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Rich dude:\u003c/strong> \"No good will come of being sentimental of such folk. They're a different breed! A different breed!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n9s57vLwqM1smcbm7o1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37954\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n9s57vLwqM1smcbm7o1_250.gif\" alt=\"how dare you mindy kaling gif\" width=\"160\" height=\"174\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Homeboy said it twice, in case the first time wasn't infuriating enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross takes the stand to combine his good looks with a rendition of Jim's sob story in order to emancipate good ol' Jim. The old bewigged dudes are not buying any of it. He's too sick to go to prison, but he's not too sick to run around stealing pheasants and knocking up tweens? This is not going well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And things aren't going that much better in a field near chez Ross. Demelza's dad and his black teeth are back again. This time, he's wearing a nice suit because he got married and started believing in god! Unlike Jesus, he's not very understanding or compassionate and goes right into accusing Demelza of giving into the Temptation of the Flesh (Ross' flesh, that is) and being touched by the Devil. Demelza defends herself with a statement that could easily be taken the wrong way: \"He's my master and I'm his servant!\" #50Shades, anyone? Demelza's dad says he'll be back tomorrow to fetch her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at court, the judges announce they've decided to take Ross' testimony and cute face into account. They will grant young Jim some leniency. Before Ross has the chance to flip his hair in triumph, the judges proclaim: TWO YEARS IMPRISONMENT!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/large-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37891\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/large-1.gif\" alt=\"phoebe friends shock gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"245\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim immediately starts coughing. You couldn't have done a little more of that during deliberation? It's too late now!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross sees red and decides to go all the way off. His rant is basically this:\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/af7Jctuqhcg'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/af7Jctuqhcg'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Ross heads to the pub to get alcohol poisoning. It isn't long before the prostitute shows up, but Ross declines this time. On his way out, he sees her mounting someone else... IT'S BACKSTABBER COUSIN!!!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-8.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37892\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-8.gif\" alt=\"mr bean shocked gif\" width=\"435\" height=\"245\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prostitute:\u003c/strong> Poldark, you say?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> Not \u003cem>a\u003c/em> Poldark. \u003cem>THE\u003c/em> Poldark!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Prostitute:\u003c/strong> What other Poldark is there?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> *aroused, erotic sigh*\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin is totally the guy who gently weeps, while having sex. He's also the type of guy who ends up dying mid coitus. We can only hope...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the ranch, Demelza is bummed she has to leave Ross and all his cool things. She says goodbye to each one and then pauses when she finds a beautiful gown hidden in a chest. She tries it on because how else is Ross going to find her in it and freak out?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Right on schedule, Ross comes home and starts screaming for Demelza. His back is turned so maybe she can get away with serving him without being spotted? Ross rants about poor imprisoned Jim and the terrible state of the justice system, while Demelza tries to tiptoe out. But of course he sees her at the last moment. What ensues is essentially the \u003cem>Beauty and the Beast\u003c/em> scene in which the Beast freaks the F out on Belle for touching his stuff:\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/hJZuQl5hT2U'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/hJZuQl5hT2U'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Eventually he calms down enough to rub her face and kind of sort of apologize and... MAKE OUT WITH HER!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/full-house-shocked-gif-15767-16276-hd-wallpapers.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37900\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/full-house-shocked-gif-15767-16276-hd-wallpapers.gif\" alt=\"full-house-shocked-gif-15767-16276-hd-wallpapers\" width=\"447\" height=\"313\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza immediately blames herself because that's what the patriarchy has taught her to do and Ross yells at her to go to bed because that's what the patriarchy has taught him to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few minutes later, Demelza knocks on his bedroom door.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-3.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37901\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-3.gif\" alt=\"raw (3)\" width=\"498\" height=\"360\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She asks him to unlace her corset.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37904\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5.gif\" alt=\"raw (5)\" width=\"244\" height=\"246\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5.gif 244w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-5-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 244px) 100vw, 244px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He does so while breathing very heavily on her neck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37906\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-4.gif\" alt=\"raw (4)\" width=\"498\" height=\"322\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He mentions how everyone gossips about them getting it on and how they would be proving those a-holes right. \"Then let it be true,\" she responds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37903\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/raw-6.gif\" alt=\"raw (6)\" width=\"498\" height=\"278\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they proceed to have crazy sex all night long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/officehappygasp.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37902\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/officehappygasp.gif\" alt=\"officehappygasp\" width=\"320\" height=\"175\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wow. \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em> is out-doing \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em> with all these twists and turns! Even super boring plot points like whether to merge hospitals or whatever took \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em> seven entire episodes to settle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next morning, Demelza creeps out of bed and we get a lingering shot of Ross without his shirt on because the producers care about straight women and gay men demographics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Pinky Ring's house, it's revealed that Backstabber Cousin did not come home last night. Oooooohhh boy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Ross grumpily uses a scythe without his shirt on. The infamous scene that set Twitter alight and got people interested in the show in the first place! It's finally happening! And, again, because the producers know who's watching, they revel in the moment by utilizing slow motion. Wow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza is hiding in the field nearby, watching his sweat-glistened body work the field, smiles to herself and thinks, \u003cem>I tapped that.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because every party has a pooper, Pinky Ring approaches in the distance. UGH. CAN WE NOT?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross puts on his shirt and returns home to see what she wants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5166520_15-reasons-why-poldarks-aidan-turner_t38c8705b.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37916\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/5166520_15-reasons-why-poldarks-aidan-turner_t38c8705b.gif\" alt=\"5166520_15-reasons-why--poldarks-aidan-turner_t38c8705b\" width=\"736\" height=\"432\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out she wants what she always wants: to complain about her marriage. You made your choice, girl. Now scram so Ross can get back to the fields!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza accidentally barges in and is crushed. She offers Pinky Ring flowers because what else do you do in this kind of awkward situation? Pinky Ring doesn't want them. \"They're fading already. Corn flowers are like that.\" This is 18th century speak for \"You're basic.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring finally decides to go home (yayyy!) and Ross sees her out. Crushed, Demelza runs off with her cute, shy puppy. Ross chases her down and asks why she's running off. He's nice to look at, but not the sharpest tool in the shed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza explains that, after last night, she can no longer be his servant. Ross agrees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cut to a chapel. AND WTF OMG THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-37905\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_inline_o50z3p6L051rict0a_500.gif\" alt=\"tumblr_inline_o50z3p6L051rict0a_500\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene! Drop mic! What just happened?! Ahh!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> I'm going to leave this section word-for-word from last week because it all still applies:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>His fragile masculinity\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He's never had a job and doesn't know how to do anything\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He is not smart and so easily manipulated by Malfoy\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He gets physical with a woman because he's really mad that another man got physical with a woman\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He didn't die\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Etc.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em> \u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>Thanks for the shirtless chores, but go easy on the blind rages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>The Prostitute: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>She's an entrepreneur with good business acumen. Get them coins, girl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Verity: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>It's good of her to keep taking care of her a-hole dad who ruined her chance at marriage just last episode. Hang in there. It gets better... in a couple of centuries... kinda.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> \u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Demelza: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>She managed to lose her virginity to Ross and marry him over the course of two days. Props.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">‘Poldark’ Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin’ Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/36613/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt",
"authors": [
"27"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_2905",
"pop_8"
],
"featImg": "pop_37907",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_36381": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_36381",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "36381",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1474381899000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1474381899,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">Last episode\u003c/a>, Ross returned from the war alive and everyone felt very inconvenienced. Will the deplorable behavior from basically everyone in Cornwall be explained by the fact that the region is built directly over the Hellmouth? Will Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen finally take a much-needed shower? Will Ross finally take off his shirt? Only one way to find out! On with the show!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The camera lingers on inanimate objects -- a lantern, a rope, a straw hat, a bell, as Mr. Pigpen waxes poetic: \"Mining, 'tis in the blood! Eat, sleep, live and breathe it. She's your salvation and downfall.\" Elsewhere, some fancy red coats nail a \"Notice of Closure\" sign on a mine entrance. I really think we 21st century dwellers should get back into the habit of nailing dramatic proclamations on people's doors. It's not like we're using that hammer we got from IKEA for anything else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyway, the mine workers show up and are like, \u003cem>Um, how dare you\u003c/em>. A guy wearing eyeliner, who might be hotter than Ross, responds by assaulting one of the workers. A very uncool move, but did I mention he might be hotter than Ross? Take a look for yourself:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36391\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-800x445.png\" alt=\"poldark evil hottie\" width=\"800\" height=\"445\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-800x445.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-400x223.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-768x427.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-1440x801.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-1180x656.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-960x534.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-1038x576.png 1038w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM.png 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, some old dude gets dressed, dabs cologne on his neck and puts on his cutest wig, while people bang on his door, yelling about what's going down at the mine. Old dude then picks up a gun and shoots himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed5Bh_DbHPU\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at Ross' place, Demelza is screaming while washing her hair at the outdoor spigot. She yells up to Ross' window that she really hates being clean and then storms off, but not before expertly recreating this iconic redhead-with-wet-hair moment:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_m67d87iHIx1qhfc59o1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36394\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_m67d87iHIx1qhfc59o1_250.gif\" alt=\"ariel little mermaid hair gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"234\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Ross' evil former classmate George, who is basically Malfoy from \u003cem>Harry Potter\u003c/em>, is worried that the random old dude's suicide will reflect poorly on him. You see, Malfoy and his uncle declined to extend the recently departed's loans, leading to the closing of the mine and all the rest. Malfoy's uncle asks, \"Are we in the business of sentiment or profit?\" and then blasts Rihanna's \"Bitch Betta Have My Money.\" Point taken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At this moment, a woman with dyed hair (so she must be a prostitute) emerges because this is her jam, but also because she wants to know if she is excused or if she has to have sex with Malfoy again. He impolitely tells her to be more polite by calling him Sir from now on and sure, he'll take another roll in the hay, thanks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at Ross', the worker who was knocked out by hot eyeliner guy is telling Ross all about the closing of the mine and how his mother and sisters will starve, if he doesn't get another gig soon. Ross agrees to employ him because hiring randoms, despite not having any money whatsoever, has kind of become his \"thing.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross heads over to his uncle's house and Pinky Ring is, of course, in the window staring down at him as he approaches. Get a life, girlfriend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Downstairs, Verity (a.k.a. Daisy: The Prequel) is super jazzed that Ross has arrived 'cause everyone she lives with is so awful. Ross announces that he's not moving to London and returns his uncle's money. He misses a great opportunity to do this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nqr5wkWggS1sjc5sqo1_r1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36401\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nqr5wkWggS1sjc5sqo1_r1_500.gif\" alt=\"rihanna money throw gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"230\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They get to talking about the suicide and Ross shares that he thinks it's worrisome that almost everyone has loans through Malfoy and his Slytherin relative. Ross' uncle is not worried because Malfoy is Backstabber Cousin's best friend, which makes a lot of sense. Ross invites Verity over (maybe he plans to hire her too?), but his uncle quickly shuts down their hangout. She apparently needs to stay home to pour his cream and wipe his butt. #JusticeforVerity!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Ross leaves, Pinky Ring is \u003cem>still\u003c/em> creepily watching from the window. Take up crocheting or scrapbooking, something! She sits down to think about how maybe it wasn't the greatest idea to hook up with her ex's cousin. The aphorism goes: Think of the boring Devil and he shall appear. Backstabber Cousin enters and Pinky Ring tries to avoid him by saying that she's tired and plans to lie down. He asks, \"Can I join you?\", creepily molests her braid and then basically does this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/a9acc365a74c869454847a20279d55de.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36402\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/a9acc365a74c869454847a20279d55de.gif\" alt=\"creepy gross kiss gif\" width=\"240\" height=\"180\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the road, the miners who beat up all those bros last episode find Ross and ask him if he can hire them too. Ross still has zero dollars, but says \u003cem>Probably!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross heads to his father's abandoned mine to see if there's anything salvageable to be had there. Backstabber Cousin shows up because the writers of this show never want me to have a moment's peace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Father says you intend to remain.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"Does that disappoint you?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Snap-Reaction-Gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36410\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Snap-Reaction-Gif.gif\" alt=\"snap latrice gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross says he feels bad about all the unemployed miners. Backstabber Cousin is like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7HJH0IH3dc\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross suggests the possibility of reopening the mine together. Job creation clearly gets him off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a backyard across town, Pinky Ring is collecting eggs. Verity is scandalized! Only dowdy girls who are 25 and over are supposed to do menial chores! Pretty girls are meant to spend their days gazing out of windows at the men they wish they were still sleeping with. Everybody knows that!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In town, Ross tells his banker that he wants to reopen the mine. His banker's response:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQSsrvsszcs\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Malfoy's prostitute comes onto Ross at the pub (wouldn't you?). A banker laughing in your face is kind of a boner killer though so he passes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the road back home (so much commuting in Cornwall!), Ross runs into Verity, who has a favor to ask: will he escort her to a ball? She wants to do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Backstabber Cousin is asking the same favor of Pinky Ring: \"My dear, tonight's assembly, will you not reconsider? You know how I love to show off my wife to the world!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/mrm33.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36464\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/mrm33.gif\" alt=\"jennifer lawrence disgusted gif\" width=\"268\" height=\"359\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The party \u003ca href=\"http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Lit\">is lit\u003c/a>. No, I mean literally. Candles everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All the women are fanning themselves and looking at Poldark. Verity warns him that he could have one of these girls naked by the end of this song.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In another room, a bunch of old snobs are tut-tutting about the miners. Why do commoners have to be so \u003cem>loud\u003c/em> about their rights? Backstabber Cousin brings up the #AllMenAreCreatedEqual hashtag that is sweeping America. Everyone laughs and says it won't be trending for much longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back home, Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen are taking advantage of Demelza, making her wash their clothes and the floors and give them pillows for their backs and feet. Is there any chance Demelza will develop telekinesis soon and exact revenge on these two, her bro-y family, Ross' uncle, etc? A boy can dream...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the house party, Malfoy follows Ross around saying rude things that initially sound like pleasantries, and Ross says veiled rude things in return with a smile because they're British and this is how rivalries work over there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the ballroom, Verity is thinking about how she's going to be a virgin forever and ever, until she's interrupted by a sea captain! Verity says all the ship-related words she knows: sails and masts. You go, girl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere on the dance floor, the girl from episode one, who talked sh*t about the Poldarks while Ross was asleep in the coach on his way home, shows up and pukes boring small talk all over Ross. His name is no, his sign is no, his number is no; you need to let it go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back home, Demelza sneaks into Ross' room and touches all his stuff. She sits at the piano and dreams of being a proto-Tori Amos. She already has a lot of experiences to pull from: the lice, the dog fight, the hot employer. This could work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the rave, things are heating up between Verity and the captain. He is teaching her new boat words, some of which are downright salacious, like \"spanker boom,\" which is \u003ca href=\"http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Spanker+boom\">apparently a real thing\u003c/a>. Then this happens:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain:\u003c/strong> \"I'd really like us to be better acquainted.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"Me too. ...I should not have said that! What must you think of me!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36471\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3.gif\" alt=\"i'm a slut wiig gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3.gif 245w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at chez Ross, Demelza is sneaking back out of his room when Mr. Pigpen catches her and tells her she should go back to her bro-family and that she'll never amount to anything. Where's that telekinesis when a girl needs it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the fiesta, Ross is cornered by coach girl, who wants to dance. His name is still no, his sign is still no, his number is still no, you still need to let it go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He ditches her and approaches Backstabber Cousin and Pinky Ring 'cause dealing with them always ends well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Have you come to take my wife off my hands?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/67zOY.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36472\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/67zOY.gif\" alt=\"edward scissorhands nodding gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"269\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They engage in a fancy do-si-do and everyone is scandalized. Except for Backstabber Cousin who is all derp derp derp, until Malfoy gets in his ear and warns him that he's about to get cuckolded in a major way. He looks at his wife and her ex and is finally like, \u003cem>Ohhh yeahhhh, they are soul mates and I'm just... here.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring is kicking wine back and laughing really loudly with Ross. Verity runs over to say, \u003cem>Um, hi, I might have said something slutty before, but this is way worse! You might as well have dyed hair! Go dance with your husband!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Verity gets back to her new admirer, the Captain gets fresher by the minute. He wants to meet Verity's father to ask for her hand. Wow. Turns out all you gotta do to bag a husband is let him mansplain boats to you. Spanker boom boom room, here they come! But wait, he must tell her a deep, dark secret before things go any further... Intrigue!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross storms out of the party and runs to the inn to find the prostitute. His name is yes, his sign is yes, his number is yes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After another night of spooning, Demelza and her cute, shy puppy are picking flowers along the cliffs. Demelza spots Ross on his horse trot of shame. He strips naked and goes skinny dipping in the chilly sea (his 18th century spin on the cold shower). He even gets in on this action:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_m67d87iHIx1qhfc59o1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36394\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_m67d87iHIx1qhfc59o1_250.gif\" alt=\"ariel little mermaid hair gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"234\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-ep2-25-36.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37727\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-ep2-25-36.gif\" alt=\"poldark skinny dip gif\" width=\"643\" height=\"382\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza likes what she sees. (For all the pervs out there, this happens around the 30:15 mark; you're very welcome.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that morning, Demelza has to serve Ross like she hasn't seen his twig and berries. It's hard. (The task of pretending, I mean. Not sure about the other thing.) And she'll have to pretend all day long because Ross invites her to come into town with him. He tells her to get her cloak. She's like, \u003cem>Um, I'm poor, remember? I'm already wearing everything I own.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they get to town, they split up to run errands. Ross immediately runs into Pinky Ring because duh. He helps her carry some fabric because they're uneducated so textbooks weren't an option. Malfoy lurks in the background, spying, because this town is apparently the size of a studio apartment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross meets up with Backstabber Cousin, who is supposed to help pitch the idea of reopening the mine to a bunch of moneyed men. But, oops, Malfoy has been talking smack in his ear and Backstabber Cousin announces he no longer wants to go. Ross does not have time for this and is like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nlu3avBaaS1tkrthjo1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36480\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nlu3avBaaS1tkrthjo1_500.gif\" alt=\"nene ok girl bye gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the board meeting, Ross basically says:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/GIF-No-idea-Have-no-idea-what-im-doing-Kim-Kardashian-Kardashian-WTF-am-i-doing-Confused-Confusing-GIF.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36481\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/GIF-No-idea-Have-no-idea-what-im-doing-Kim-Kardashian-Kardashian-WTF-am-i-doing-Confused-Confusing-GIF.gif\" alt=\"GIF-No-idea-Have-no-idea-what-im-doing-Kim-Kardashian-Kardashian-WTF-am-i-doing-Confused-Confusing-GIF\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, like Kim, he's pretty so all the men are like, \u003cem>Take our money!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To celebrate his nonsensical victory, Ross buys Demelza her very first bad ass cape and she walks down the street past a bunch of judgmental jerks like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-4.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36549\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-4.gif\" alt=\"kathie lee cape gif\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Backstabber Cousin and his dad can not believe what went down at the ball. How could a woman of a certain station act like such a whore in front of everyone?? Pinky Ring eavesdrops from the adjoining room and slut shames herself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at chez Ross, there's a knock at the door. The Pigpens are nowhere to be found (typical) so Demelza has to answer it and it's Pinky Ring, the floozy who dared to square dance with a man that isn't her husband. The horror!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like in the last episode, Demelza gives Pinky Ring a withering \"Girl, are you serious?\" look:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36550\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-800x446.png\" alt=\"demelza poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-800x446.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-400x223.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-768x429.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-1440x804.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-1180x659.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-960x536.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM.png 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring has come to cry in Ross' face about what she overheard. The family knows about their sizzling hot sexual chemistry! The jig is up! Ross is jazzed and is moments away from trying to make out with her, when Mr. Pigpen waltzes in for the c*ckblock. It's a scene snatched from every dorm room in America. Roommates are the worst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross rushes over to his uncle's place to formally announce that he's stealing Pinky Ring back. When he arrives, his uncle, his cousin and the tarot-reading old lady are all distraught... over what a loose woman \u003cem>Verity\u003c/em> has become. *record scratch*\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Olympic conclusion jumper Pinky Ring sits in the corner like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oo.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36558\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oo.gif\" alt=\"oops real housewives gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plan is to keep Verity locked up so she doesn't have sex with the captain, who allegedly likes a cocktail every now and then and also maybe sorta beat his wife to death. Verity is a \"plain girl\" and they need to save her from her urge to get with the only man who's ever hit on her. Ross agrees to help and somehow manages not to hire any new employees. Progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, as Ross is leaving, Verity pops up, but oddly isn't wearing her scarlet letter (the embroiderer must still be working on it). She says that her family is lying. The captain barely pushed his wife, who then did technically die, but it was sort of an accident and, despite not knowing his star sign or favorite color, she just \u003cem>knows\u003c/em> that he would never ever hurt her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cut to Verity and her man hanging out at Ross' house because he loves helping people (if hiring them isn't a possibility).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Ross handles some heavy bales of hay with his shirt completely on, a worker notices the tops of parasols over the fence. It's the thirsty girl from the ball and her mom. Why would she bring her mother, you ask? Because who else is going to just come out and say: \"One only has to taste her syllabubs to know they are succulent.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/19c9m7otofxjtgif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36596\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/19c9m7otofxjtgif.gif\" alt=\"family feud shocked scandalized gif\" width=\"370\" height=\"260\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In case you don't watch \u003cem>The\u003c/em> \u003cem>Great British Bake Off\u003c/em>, syllabubs are a whipped cream dessert.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy8.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36597\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy8.gif\" alt=\"katy perry whipped cream bikini gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/6efdf885-c528-4459-a83f-72a6f69bf1b2-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36598\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/6efdf885-c528-4459-a83f-72a6f69bf1b2-1.gif\" alt=\"whipped cream bikini varsity gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"256\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Ross is not hungry. He tells them NEVER GONNA HAPPEN and walks away (in the politest, British way possible of course).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the house, the captain is telling Verity about his multiple children. Run, Verity! 25 might be too old to be desirable by 18th century standards, but 25 is too young to be a stepmom to a bunch of kids who will hate you no matter what because you're not their dead mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, storm clouds are gathering, which, according to the rules of obvious TV tropes, means that sh*t is about to go down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As expected, Backstabber Cousin and his dad crash Verity's super sexy I'll-sit-way-over-here-on-this-bench-while-you-teach-me-boring-boat-terms-from-way-over-there hangout. Backstabber Cousin challenges the Captain to an epithet-hurling contest. Backstabber Cousin volleys a \"Filthy skunk!\", but it's no match for the Captain's spike of \"Insolent puppy!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What is Backstabber Cousin to do now, after two long episodes of his masculinity being trampled all over? GUN FIGHT, that's what!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross could easily stop this madness from happening, but opts for this approach instead:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/98d4f16.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36599\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/98d4f16.gif\" alt=\"romy michele gif popcorn\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity tries to put an end to the insanity, but is knocked down by her brother, proving that this has nothing to do with caring about her and everything to do with people thinking he does in fact have testicles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The men take their paces, turn and shoot. Who's dead?? Is it both? Let it be both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope. Francis got shot in the neck and the Captain is unhurt, minus the pain of how awkward this now is for him. \u003cem>Oops, murdered your brother. Wanna honeymoon in Maui?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross rushes Backstabber Cousin's dying body into the house and saves his life, a fact that doesn't stop Pinky Ring from yelling at him nor his uncle from blaming Ross for everything and calling him a disgrace. With friends like these...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the coup de grace: Pinky Ring is like, \u003cem>Thanks for saving that twerp's life because I forgot to tell you: I'm pregnant with a baby that's definitely not yours, k thx bai!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Backstabber Cousin: \u003c/strong>It was a tight race for Worst Person Ever this week, but B.C. eked out a win for several reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>He gets physical with a woman because he's really mad that another man got physical with a woman\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He's never had a job and doesn't know how to do anything\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He is not smart and so easily manipulated by Malfoy\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He didn't die\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>His fragile masculinity\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Etc.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Thirtsy Girl's Mom: \u003c/strong>She's shameless and kind of gross, but both take nerve so hat's off to her for pimping out her daughter so brazenly centuries before \u003cem>Toddlers and Tiaras\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>He heard the world's call for him to take off his shirt and, because he loves to help people, took off all his clothes and even got wet. A true humanitarian.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Verity\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> She deserves better than being born in an age where everyone hates women this much. I hope she finds a time machine or a hidden matriarchal society soon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> \u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Demelza: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Her self-care regiment is truly inspirational:\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>After a long week of hard work, it's only right to reward oneself with some me time and a skinny dip peep show feat. Ross.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin' Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "36381 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=36381",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 3215,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 105
},
"modified": 1478466667,
"excerpt": "This episode begins with a gun going off, ends with a gun going off, but more importantly involves our hero going skinny dipping.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "This episode begins with a gun going off, ends with a gun going off, but more importantly involves our hero going skinny dipping.",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang",
"datePublished": "2016-09-20T07:31:39-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-11-06T13:11:07-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/pop/36381/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">Last episode\u003c/a>, Ross returned from the war alive and everyone felt very inconvenienced. Will the deplorable behavior from basically everyone in Cornwall be explained by the fact that the region is built directly over the Hellmouth? Will Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen finally take a much-needed shower? Will Ross finally take off his shirt? Only one way to find out! On with the show!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The camera lingers on inanimate objects -- a lantern, a rope, a straw hat, a bell, as Mr. Pigpen waxes poetic: \"Mining, 'tis in the blood! Eat, sleep, live and breathe it. She's your salvation and downfall.\" Elsewhere, some fancy red coats nail a \"Notice of Closure\" sign on a mine entrance. I really think we 21st century dwellers should get back into the habit of nailing dramatic proclamations on people's doors. It's not like we're using that hammer we got from IKEA for anything else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyway, the mine workers show up and are like, \u003cem>Um, how dare you\u003c/em>. A guy wearing eyeliner, who might be hotter than Ross, responds by assaulting one of the workers. A very uncool move, but did I mention he might be hotter than Ross? Take a look for yourself:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36391\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-800x445.png\" alt=\"poldark evil hottie\" width=\"800\" height=\"445\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-800x445.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-400x223.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-768x427.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-1440x801.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-1180x656.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-960x534.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM-1038x576.png 1038w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-2.47.34-PM.png 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, some old dude gets dressed, dabs cologne on his neck and puts on his cutest wig, while people bang on his door, yelling about what's going down at the mine. Old dude then picks up a gun and shoots himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/Ed5Bh_DbHPU'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/Ed5Bh_DbHPU'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Over at Ross' place, Demelza is screaming while washing her hair at the outdoor spigot. She yells up to Ross' window that she really hates being clean and then storms off, but not before expertly recreating this iconic redhead-with-wet-hair moment:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_m67d87iHIx1qhfc59o1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36394\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_m67d87iHIx1qhfc59o1_250.gif\" alt=\"ariel little mermaid hair gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"234\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Ross' evil former classmate George, who is basically Malfoy from \u003cem>Harry Potter\u003c/em>, is worried that the random old dude's suicide will reflect poorly on him. You see, Malfoy and his uncle declined to extend the recently departed's loans, leading to the closing of the mine and all the rest. Malfoy's uncle asks, \"Are we in the business of sentiment or profit?\" and then blasts Rihanna's \"Bitch Betta Have My Money.\" Point taken.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At this moment, a woman with dyed hair (so she must be a prostitute) emerges because this is her jam, but also because she wants to know if she is excused or if she has to have sex with Malfoy again. He impolitely tells her to be more polite by calling him Sir from now on and sure, he'll take another roll in the hay, thanks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at Ross', the worker who was knocked out by hot eyeliner guy is telling Ross all about the closing of the mine and how his mother and sisters will starve, if he doesn't get another gig soon. Ross agrees to employ him because hiring randoms, despite not having any money whatsoever, has kind of become his \"thing.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross heads over to his uncle's house and Pinky Ring is, of course, in the window staring down at him as he approaches. Get a life, girlfriend.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Downstairs, Verity (a.k.a. Daisy: The Prequel) is super jazzed that Ross has arrived 'cause everyone she lives with is so awful. Ross announces that he's not moving to London and returns his uncle's money. He misses a great opportunity to do this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nqr5wkWggS1sjc5sqo1_r1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36401\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nqr5wkWggS1sjc5sqo1_r1_500.gif\" alt=\"rihanna money throw gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"230\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They get to talking about the suicide and Ross shares that he thinks it's worrisome that almost everyone has loans through Malfoy and his Slytherin relative. Ross' uncle is not worried because Malfoy is Backstabber Cousin's best friend, which makes a lot of sense. Ross invites Verity over (maybe he plans to hire her too?), but his uncle quickly shuts down their hangout. She apparently needs to stay home to pour his cream and wipe his butt. #JusticeforVerity!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Ross leaves, Pinky Ring is \u003cem>still\u003c/em> creepily watching from the window. Take up crocheting or scrapbooking, something! She sits down to think about how maybe it wasn't the greatest idea to hook up with her ex's cousin. The aphorism goes: Think of the boring Devil and he shall appear. Backstabber Cousin enters and Pinky Ring tries to avoid him by saying that she's tired and plans to lie down. He asks, \"Can I join you?\", creepily molests her braid and then basically does this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/a9acc365a74c869454847a20279d55de.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36402\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/a9acc365a74c869454847a20279d55de.gif\" alt=\"creepy gross kiss gif\" width=\"240\" height=\"180\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the road, the miners who beat up all those bros last episode find Ross and ask him if he can hire them too. Ross still has zero dollars, but says \u003cem>Probably!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross heads to his father's abandoned mine to see if there's anything salvageable to be had there. Backstabber Cousin shows up because the writers of this show never want me to have a moment's peace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Father says you intend to remain.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong> \"Does that disappoint you?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Snap-Reaction-Gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36410\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Snap-Reaction-Gif.gif\" alt=\"snap latrice gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross says he feels bad about all the unemployed miners. Backstabber Cousin is like:\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/M7HJH0IH3dc'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/M7HJH0IH3dc'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Ross suggests the possibility of reopening the mine together. Job creation clearly gets him off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a backyard across town, Pinky Ring is collecting eggs. Verity is scandalized! Only dowdy girls who are 25 and over are supposed to do menial chores! Pretty girls are meant to spend their days gazing out of windows at the men they wish they were still sleeping with. Everybody knows that!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In town, Ross tells his banker that he wants to reopen the mine. His banker's response:\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/BQSsrvsszcs'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/BQSsrvsszcs'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Later, Malfoy's prostitute comes onto Ross at the pub (wouldn't you?). A banker laughing in your face is kind of a boner killer though so he passes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the road back home (so much commuting in Cornwall!), Ross runs into Verity, who has a favor to ask: will he escort her to a ball? She wants to do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Backstabber Cousin is asking the same favor of Pinky Ring: \"My dear, tonight's assembly, will you not reconsider? You know how I love to show off my wife to the world!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/mrm33.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36464\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/mrm33.gif\" alt=\"jennifer lawrence disgusted gif\" width=\"268\" height=\"359\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The party \u003ca href=\"http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Lit\">is lit\u003c/a>. No, I mean literally. Candles everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All the women are fanning themselves and looking at Poldark. Verity warns him that he could have one of these girls naked by the end of this song.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In another room, a bunch of old snobs are tut-tutting about the miners. Why do commoners have to be so \u003cem>loud\u003c/em> about their rights? Backstabber Cousin brings up the #AllMenAreCreatedEqual hashtag that is sweeping America. Everyone laughs and says it won't be trending for much longer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back home, Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen are taking advantage of Demelza, making her wash their clothes and the floors and give them pillows for their backs and feet. Is there any chance Demelza will develop telekinesis soon and exact revenge on these two, her bro-y family, Ross' uncle, etc? A boy can dream...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the house party, Malfoy follows Ross around saying rude things that initially sound like pleasantries, and Ross says veiled rude things in return with a smile because they're British and this is how rivalries work over there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the ballroom, Verity is thinking about how she's going to be a virgin forever and ever, until she's interrupted by a sea captain! Verity says all the ship-related words she knows: sails and masts. You go, girl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere on the dance floor, the girl from episode one, who talked sh*t about the Poldarks while Ross was asleep in the coach on his way home, shows up and pukes boring small talk all over Ross. His name is no, his sign is no, his number is no; you need to let it go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back home, Demelza sneaks into Ross' room and touches all his stuff. She sits at the piano and dreams of being a proto-Tori Amos. She already has a lot of experiences to pull from: the lice, the dog fight, the hot employer. This could work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the rave, things are heating up between Verity and the captain. He is teaching her new boat words, some of which are downright salacious, like \"spanker boom,\" which is \u003ca href=\"http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Spanker+boom\">apparently a real thing\u003c/a>. Then this happens:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Captain:\u003c/strong> \"I'd really like us to be better acquainted.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Verity:\u003c/strong> \"Me too. ...I should not have said that! What must you think of me!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36471\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3.gif\" alt=\"i'm a slut wiig gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"245\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3.gif 245w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-3-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at chez Ross, Demelza is sneaking back out of his room when Mr. Pigpen catches her and tells her she should go back to her bro-family and that she'll never amount to anything. Where's that telekinesis when a girl needs it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the fiesta, Ross is cornered by coach girl, who wants to dance. His name is still no, his sign is still no, his number is still no, you still need to let it go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He ditches her and approaches Backstabber Cousin and Pinky Ring 'cause dealing with them always ends well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Have you come to take my wife off my hands?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/67zOY.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36472\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/67zOY.gif\" alt=\"edward scissorhands nodding gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"269\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They engage in a fancy do-si-do and everyone is scandalized. Except for Backstabber Cousin who is all derp derp derp, until Malfoy gets in his ear and warns him that he's about to get cuckolded in a major way. He looks at his wife and her ex and is finally like, \u003cem>Ohhh yeahhhh, they are soul mates and I'm just... here.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring is kicking wine back and laughing really loudly with Ross. Verity runs over to say, \u003cem>Um, hi, I might have said something slutty before, but this is way worse! You might as well have dyed hair! Go dance with your husband!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Verity gets back to her new admirer, the Captain gets fresher by the minute. He wants to meet Verity's father to ask for her hand. Wow. Turns out all you gotta do to bag a husband is let him mansplain boats to you. Spanker boom boom room, here they come! But wait, he must tell her a deep, dark secret before things go any further... Intrigue!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross storms out of the party and runs to the inn to find the prostitute. His name is yes, his sign is yes, his number is yes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After another night of spooning, Demelza and her cute, shy puppy are picking flowers along the cliffs. Demelza spots Ross on his horse trot of shame. He strips naked and goes skinny dipping in the chilly sea (his 18th century spin on the cold shower). He even gets in on this action:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_m67d87iHIx1qhfc59o1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36394\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_m67d87iHIx1qhfc59o1_250.gif\" alt=\"ariel little mermaid hair gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"234\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-ep2-25-36.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37727\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poldark-ep2-25-36.gif\" alt=\"poldark skinny dip gif\" width=\"643\" height=\"382\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza likes what she sees. (For all the pervs out there, this happens around the 30:15 mark; you're very welcome.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later that morning, Demelza has to serve Ross like she hasn't seen his twig and berries. It's hard. (The task of pretending, I mean. Not sure about the other thing.) And she'll have to pretend all day long because Ross invites her to come into town with him. He tells her to get her cloak. She's like, \u003cem>Um, I'm poor, remember? I'm already wearing everything I own.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they get to town, they split up to run errands. Ross immediately runs into Pinky Ring because duh. He helps her carry some fabric because they're uneducated so textbooks weren't an option. Malfoy lurks in the background, spying, because this town is apparently the size of a studio apartment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross meets up with Backstabber Cousin, who is supposed to help pitch the idea of reopening the mine to a bunch of moneyed men. But, oops, Malfoy has been talking smack in his ear and Backstabber Cousin announces he no longer wants to go. Ross does not have time for this and is like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nlu3avBaaS1tkrthjo1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36480\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_nlu3avBaaS1tkrthjo1_500.gif\" alt=\"nene ok girl bye gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the board meeting, Ross basically says:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/GIF-No-idea-Have-no-idea-what-im-doing-Kim-Kardashian-Kardashian-WTF-am-i-doing-Confused-Confusing-GIF.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36481\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/GIF-No-idea-Have-no-idea-what-im-doing-Kim-Kardashian-Kardashian-WTF-am-i-doing-Confused-Confusing-GIF.gif\" alt=\"GIF-No-idea-Have-no-idea-what-im-doing-Kim-Kardashian-Kardashian-WTF-am-i-doing-Confused-Confusing-GIF\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, like Kim, he's pretty so all the men are like, \u003cem>Take our money!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To celebrate his nonsensical victory, Ross buys Demelza her very first bad ass cape and she walks down the street past a bunch of judgmental jerks like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-4.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36549\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-4.gif\" alt=\"kathie lee cape gif\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Backstabber Cousin and his dad can not believe what went down at the ball. How could a woman of a certain station act like such a whore in front of everyone?? Pinky Ring eavesdrops from the adjoining room and slut shames herself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over at chez Ross, there's a knock at the door. The Pigpens are nowhere to be found (typical) so Demelza has to answer it and it's Pinky Ring, the floozy who dared to square dance with a man that isn't her husband. The horror!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like in the last episode, Demelza gives Pinky Ring a withering \"Girl, are you serious?\" look:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36550\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-800x446.png\" alt=\"demelza poldark\" width=\"800\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-800x446.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-400x223.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-768x429.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-1440x804.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-1180x659.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM-960x536.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-12-at-11.58.57-AM.png 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring has come to cry in Ross' face about what she overheard. The family knows about their sizzling hot sexual chemistry! The jig is up! Ross is jazzed and is moments away from trying to make out with her, when Mr. Pigpen waltzes in for the c*ckblock. It's a scene snatched from every dorm room in America. Roommates are the worst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross rushes over to his uncle's place to formally announce that he's stealing Pinky Ring back. When he arrives, his uncle, his cousin and the tarot-reading old lady are all distraught... over what a loose woman \u003cem>Verity\u003c/em> has become. *record scratch*\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Olympic conclusion jumper Pinky Ring sits in the corner like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oo.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36558\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/oo.gif\" alt=\"oops real housewives gif\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plan is to keep Verity locked up so she doesn't have sex with the captain, who allegedly likes a cocktail every now and then and also maybe sorta beat his wife to death. Verity is a \"plain girl\" and they need to save her from her urge to get with the only man who's ever hit on her. Ross agrees to help and somehow manages not to hire any new employees. Progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, as Ross is leaving, Verity pops up, but oddly isn't wearing her scarlet letter (the embroiderer must still be working on it). She says that her family is lying. The captain barely pushed his wife, who then did technically die, but it was sort of an accident and, despite not knowing his star sign or favorite color, she just \u003cem>knows\u003c/em> that he would never ever hurt her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cut to Verity and her man hanging out at Ross' house because he loves helping people (if hiring them isn't a possibility).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Ross handles some heavy bales of hay with his shirt completely on, a worker notices the tops of parasols over the fence. It's the thirsty girl from the ball and her mom. Why would she bring her mother, you ask? Because who else is going to just come out and say: \"One only has to taste her syllabubs to know they are succulent.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/19c9m7otofxjtgif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36596\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/19c9m7otofxjtgif.gif\" alt=\"family feud shocked scandalized gif\" width=\"370\" height=\"260\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In case you don't watch \u003cem>The\u003c/em> \u003cem>Great British Bake Off\u003c/em>, syllabubs are a whipped cream dessert.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy8.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36597\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy8.gif\" alt=\"katy perry whipped cream bikini gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\">\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/6efdf885-c528-4459-a83f-72a6f69bf1b2-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36598\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/6efdf885-c528-4459-a83f-72a6f69bf1b2-1.gif\" alt=\"whipped cream bikini varsity gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"256\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Ross is not hungry. He tells them NEVER GONNA HAPPEN and walks away (in the politest, British way possible of course).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the house, the captain is telling Verity about his multiple children. Run, Verity! 25 might be too old to be desirable by 18th century standards, but 25 is too young to be a stepmom to a bunch of kids who will hate you no matter what because you're not their dead mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Outside, storm clouds are gathering, which, according to the rules of obvious TV tropes, means that sh*t is about to go down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As expected, Backstabber Cousin and his dad crash Verity's super sexy I'll-sit-way-over-here-on-this-bench-while-you-teach-me-boring-boat-terms-from-way-over-there hangout. Backstabber Cousin challenges the Captain to an epithet-hurling contest. Backstabber Cousin volleys a \"Filthy skunk!\", but it's no match for the Captain's spike of \"Insolent puppy!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What is Backstabber Cousin to do now, after two long episodes of his masculinity being trampled all over? GUN FIGHT, that's what!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross could easily stop this madness from happening, but opts for this approach instead:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/98d4f16.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36599\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/98d4f16.gif\" alt=\"romy michele gif popcorn\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Verity tries to put an end to the insanity, but is knocked down by her brother, proving that this has nothing to do with caring about her and everything to do with people thinking he does in fact have testicles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The men take their paces, turn and shoot. Who's dead?? Is it both? Let it be both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope. Francis got shot in the neck and the Captain is unhurt, minus the pain of how awkward this now is for him. \u003cem>Oops, murdered your brother. Wanna honeymoon in Maui?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross rushes Backstabber Cousin's dying body into the house and saves his life, a fact that doesn't stop Pinky Ring from yelling at him nor his uncle from blaming Ross for everything and calling him a disgrace. With friends like these...\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the coup de grace: Pinky Ring is like, \u003cem>Thanks for saving that twerp's life because I forgot to tell you: I'm pregnant with a baby that's definitely not yours, k thx bai!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Backstabber Cousin: \u003c/strong>It was a tight race for Worst Person Ever this week, but B.C. eked out a win for several reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>He gets physical with a woman because he's really mad that another man got physical with a woman\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He's never had a job and doesn't know how to do anything\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He is not smart and so easily manipulated by Malfoy\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>He didn't die\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>His fragile masculinity\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Etc.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Thirtsy Girl's Mom: \u003c/strong>She's shameless and kind of gross, but both take nerve so hat's off to her for pimping out her daughter so brazenly centuries before \u003cem>Toddlers and Tiaras\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Ross:\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>He heard the world's call for him to take off his shirt and, because he loves to help people, took off all his clothes and even got wet. A true humanitarian.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>Verity\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong> She deserves better than being born in an age where everyone hates women this much. I hope she finds a time machine or a hidden matriarchal society soon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> \u003c/strong>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Demelza: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Her self-care regiment is truly inspirational:\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>After a long week of hard work, it's only right to reward oneself with some me time and a skinny dip peep show feat. Ross.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin' Alive\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/36381/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang",
"authors": [
"27"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_2905",
"pop_8"
],
"featImg": "pop_36611",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_37696": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_37696",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "37696",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1474321394000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1474321394,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "WATCH: The Four Best Political Moments From The Emmys",
"title": "WATCH: The Four Best Political Moments From The Emmys",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>As further proof that this presidential campaign is everywhere, Sunday night's Emmys stage featured several nods to the candidates as well as the current political climate. Here are some highlights:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>1. Julia Louis-Dreyfus' wall\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Accepting an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy, the \u003cem>Veep\u003c/em> star issued a \"personal apology\" for today's political climate and made light of Donald Trump's proposal to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. \"Our show started out as a political satire, but it now feels more like a sobering documentary,\" she said. \"So I certainly do promise to rebuild that wall and make Mexico pay for it.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaCLhIaqimY\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>2. Jeb! is back\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who floundered in the presidential primary, came back Sunday night as an Uber driver to host Jimmy Kimmel (\"I'm in between jobs right now,\" Bush says). The scene was part of Kimmel's opening monologue in which he's trying to get to the ceremony. Bush picks him up, then kicks him out of the car and speeds off, poking fun at the negativity of the race along the way:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Bush: Are you nominated?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimmel: I am, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bush: Wow, what's that like?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimmel: It's nice, it's nice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bush: You think you can win?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimmel: There's a lot of competition. And, probably not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bush: Well, here's what I know. If you run a positive campaign, the voters ultimately will make the right choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimmel: It's funny you say that, my psychic —\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bush: Jimmy, that was a joke. Get out of the car. And shave that wig off your face you godless Hollywood hippie. Jeb exclamation point!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r54CqBhoIjk\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>3. Kate McKinnon thanks Hillary Clinton\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SNL's McKinnon, who has portrayed Clinton on the show, won for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series. She thanked Hillary Clinton in her speech. Here's a throwback to McKinnon and Clinton on the show together:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>http://www.hulu.com/watch/852289\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>4. \"Obama out\"\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Courtney B. Vance won an Emmy for his performance as lawyer Johnnie Cochran in \u003cem>The People v. O.J. Simpson\u003c/em>. After thanking his laundry list, he ended his speech with a (rather odd) shoutout: \"Obama out, Hillary in!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://gifs.com/gif/2kMm5A\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cimg src=\"http://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=WATCH%3A+The+4+Best+Political+Moments+From+The+Emmys&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "37696 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=37696",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/watch-the-four-best-political-moments-from-the-emmys/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 406,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 21
},
"modified": 1474510019,
"excerpt": "Julia Louis-Dreyfus issued a personal apology for the political climate and Jeb Bush called Jimmy Kimmel a \"godless Hollywood hippie.\"",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Julia Louis-Dreyfus issued a personal apology for the political climate and Jeb Bush called Jimmy Kimmel a "godless Hollywood hippie."",
"title": "WATCH: The Four Best Political Moments From The Emmys | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "WATCH: The Four Best Political Moments From The Emmys",
"datePublished": "2016-09-19T14:43:14-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-09-21T19:06:59-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "watch-the-four-best-political-moments-from-the-emmys",
"status": "publish",
"nprApiLink": "http://api.npr.org/query?id=494570920&apiKey=MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004",
"nprByline": "Amita Kelly",
"nprStoryDate": "Mon, 19 Sep 2016 12:06:00 -0400",
"nprLastModifiedDate": "Mon, 19 Sep 2016 14:51:00 -0400",
"nprHtmlLink": "http://www.npr.org/2016/09/19/494570920/watch-the-4-best-political-moments-from-the-emmys?ft=nprml&f=494570920",
"nprStoryId": "494570920",
"nprRetrievedStory": "1",
"nprPubDate": "Mon, 19 Sep 2016 14:51:00 -0400",
"path": "/pop/37696/watch-the-four-best-political-moments-from-the-emmys",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As further proof that this presidential campaign is everywhere, Sunday night's Emmys stage featured several nods to the candidates as well as the current political climate. Here are some highlights:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>1. Julia Louis-Dreyfus' wall\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Accepting an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy, the \u003cem>Veep\u003c/em> star issued a \"personal apology\" for today's political climate and made light of Donald Trump's proposal to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. \"Our show started out as a political satire, but it now feels more like a sobering documentary,\" she said. \"So I certainly do promise to rebuild that wall and make Mexico pay for it.\"\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/DaCLhIaqimY'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/DaCLhIaqimY'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>2. Jeb! is back\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who floundered in the presidential primary, came back Sunday night as an Uber driver to host Jimmy Kimmel (\"I'm in between jobs right now,\" Bush says). The scene was part of Kimmel's opening monologue in which he's trying to get to the ceremony. Bush picks him up, then kicks him out of the car and speeds off, poking fun at the negativity of the race along the way:\u003c/p>\n\u003cblockquote>\u003cp>Bush: Are you nominated?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimmel: I am, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bush: Wow, what's that like?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimmel: It's nice, it's nice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bush: You think you can win?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimmel: There's a lot of competition. And, probably not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bush: Well, here's what I know. If you run a positive campaign, the voters ultimately will make the right choice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kimmel: It's funny you say that, my psychic —\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bush: Jimmy, that was a joke. Get out of the car. And shave that wig off your face you godless Hollywood hippie. Jeb exclamation point!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r54CqBhoIjk\u003c/p>\u003c/blockquote>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>3. Kate McKinnon thanks Hillary Clinton\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SNL's McKinnon, who has portrayed Clinton on the show, won for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series. She thanked Hillary Clinton in her speech. Here's a throwback to McKinnon and Clinton on the show together:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>http://www.hulu.com/watch/852289\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>4. \"Obama out\"\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Courtney B. Vance won an Emmy for his performance as lawyer Johnnie Cochran in \u003cem>The People v. O.J. Simpson\u003c/em>. After thanking his laundry list, he ended his speech with a (rather odd) shoutout: \"Obama out, Hillary in!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://gifs.com/gif/2kMm5A\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003cimg src=\"http://www.google-analytics.com/__utm.gif?utmac=UA-5828686-4&utmdt=WATCH%3A+The+4+Best+Political+Moments+From+The+Emmys&utme=8(APIKey)9(MDAxOTAwOTE4MDEyMTkxMDAzNjczZDljZA004)\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cdiv class=\"fullattribution\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/37696/watch-the-four-best-political-moments-from-the-emmys",
"authors": [
"byline_pop_37696"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_49"
],
"featImg": "pop_37705",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_33548": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_33548",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "33548",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1474293616000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1474293616,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "'Poldark' Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin' Alive",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin' Alive",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Hi there! You might remember me from \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/downton-abbey/\">Downton Abbey recaps\u003c/a> of yore. Since that show wrapped, I've felt a void in my spirit that can only be filled by PBS-approved British imports. So I'm going to try falling in love again; this time, with a show called Poldark that a bunch of you are supposedly crazy about. I have to be honest, I was skeptical at first. But my doubt was no match for \u003ca href=\"http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article5383476.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200/Poldark-star-Aidan-Turner-getting-the-brush-off-from-a-crew-member.jpg\">this photo\u003c/a> so here I am, recapping season 1, in anticipation of the imminent second season. I hope you'll join me. Let's do this...\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The series starts with a shot of leaves. No dog butt, no bell tolling, no slowly falling rose petal, no feather duster flirting with a chandelier. It's only been 3 seconds, but watching \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em> already feels like dating too soon after a breakup. You just can't help comparing the new person to your ex. But I will push through because \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em> and I are never ever getting back together (unless those film spin-off rumors end up being true).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes, leaves. A bunch of British soldiers are kicking it in the woods of Virginia in 1781. The hottest one is named Ross Poldark. He's gambling because killing people can get boring after a while. His friend wants Ross to bet his pinky ring. Ross refuses because he's mad his friend brought up the fact that he's wearing a pinky ring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some killjoy emerges to complain about Ross' gambling ways and his lack of excitement about the war. Ross laughs because that's what he does to nerds. Apparently, Ross is only here because he was avoiding punishment for a laundry list of bad boy activities, mainly punching people in the face.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Killjoy continues complaining... until he gets shot! The gang of Britain-haters hiding in the bushes apparently don't like nerds either. Everyone freaks out and Ross grabs a gun and yells at his friend, \"Do you want to leave here or die here?!?\" Um, leave, most likely? Because Ross was preoccupied with asking useless rhetorical questions, one of the attackers gets the chance to knock him out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flashback to some girl who's running along a cliff back home. We'll call her Pinky Ring. She giggles because this is her first relationship and she has no idea how wack long-distance relationships are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in America, Ross is unconscious, surrounded by dead people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two years later in Cornwall (okay, we're not wasting any time here!), Ross is napping in a horse-drawn coach, while strangers talk sh*t about him very loudly. \u003cem>He was declared dead and yet here he is, wearing that pinky ring as ever. Better off dead, if you ask me, because his family's credit score sucks. Also, his dad is totally dead.\u003c/em> Ross stops pretending to be asleep and is like \u003cem>Wait, what?!\u003c/em> The rude gossipers are like \u003cem>Oops, didn't realize you could hear us! Our b! And yeah, your dad is totally dead.\u003c/em> Kill them, Ross. You're a war hero. No one will mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the strangers asks how the war was. Ross is like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/latrice-really-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33552\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/latrice-really-gif.gif\" alt=\"latrice really gif\" width=\"494\" height=\"266\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a list of things not to ask people who barely survived a war, this ranks somewhere in the neighborhood of \u003cem>How many friends did you have to watch die?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross asks to be let out because wouldn't you? All the rude strangers remind him that his house is further down. And Ross reminds them that his father is apparently super dead and won't be there. The strangers think to themselves, \u003cem>If we stay very, very still, maybe he will forget we're here?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/homer-simpson-bush-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33558\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/homer-simpson-bush-gif.gif\" alt=\"homer-simpson-bush-gif\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross ditches them and walks to what looks like the edge of the Earth. The sky mingles with the mist of crashing waves and it's a damn shame Instagram will take another 240 years to be invented because Ross would get soooo many likes for this vista.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our favorite bad boy gets over his could've-been social media fame and makes his way over to his uncle's mansion. Inside, everyone is basically having a seated rave. Dead Ross and his dead daddy who? No one is the least bit bothered. Least of all, Pinky Ring, who is kicking it with a new dude, who tells her he likes her just the way she is. Nice try, buddy, but Colin Firth \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZu2JfM2Aq8\">already used that line\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The door opens and a girl who is too much like Daisy from \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em> not to be her great great grandmother or something gets excited. Her dad tells her she shouldn't even dream about gentlemen callers. She will instead pour him his wine and serve him his weird British food forevermore cause the patriarchy is strong and she won't have any rights for... well, the rest of her life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The visitor turns out to be none other than Ross, back from the dead! Only Daisy's great great grandmother and Pinky Ring's new man, who turns out to be Ross' cousin (et tu, Brute?), get up to greet a man everyone thought they'd never see again. That's cool, everyone; stay seated. This isn't a miracle or anything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Girlfriend-stealing cousin tells Ross that he and Pinky Ring were very worried about him. Mmhmmm, suuuure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Puppy-in-love Ross doesn't sniff out all the weirdness and instead thinks: \u003cem>Pinky Ring! You're here! Yay! What a coinkidink! I'm so excited to make out with you!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before he gets the chance, Pinky Ring's mom takes a page out of the stage-coach strangers' book of zero manners. \"Do tell us how we managed to lose the war.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/murder-she-wrote-wtf-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33554\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/murder-she-wrote-wtf-gif.gif\" alt=\"murder she wrote wtf gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"170\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross brushes her rude prompt off 'cause, after years upon years abroad, he's gonna get some tonight! Not so fast, says everyone. \u003cem>Pinky Ring is marrying your cousin! Isn't that exciting?!\u003c/em> Ross' entire FML demeanor seems to suggest: No, that is not exciting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross' uncle adds to the despair 'cause why not: \u003cem>P.S. Your dad left you basically nothing and Cornwall is poorer than ever. Welcome home, I guess!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross decides these people are gross and that he wants to be alone (#introvertsgonnaintrovert). But before he goes, he proposes a toast to the happy couple that ruined his life and didn't even apologize for it. Everyone feels first-day-of-school-after-a-summer-of-puberty awkward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33553\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/britney-awkward-gif.gif\" alt=\"britney awkward gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"280\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross passes several Instagram opportunities on his way to his father's house. When he gets there, everything is in ruin. Rats and hens are running things now. Ross walks upstairs to find two snoring lumps in his dad's bed. He considers setting them on fire because it's just one of them days, but he opts for throwing a pail of cold water on them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They're his father's good-for-nothing servants (picture any person you've ever seen on \u003cem>Hoarders\u003c/em> and multiply that person by two). Ross accuses them of starting the rumor that he was dead and threatens to hit them with the side of his foot. Go off, Ross! You've earned a good freak out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the uncle's house, Backstabber Cousin, some old lady and Daisy: The Prequel talk about how the Pinky Ring wedding should probably be moved up. \u003cem>Did y'all see Ross' curls?? I didn't remember them being so bouncy! Yeah, you need to lock that girl down before she realizes you're a 4 to Ross' 10.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross goes to visit some of his buddies/tenants. Because this entire part of the country has no idea how to small talk without saying triggering things, someone asks Ross how the war was. HOW DO YOU THINK IT WAS, A-HOLE?! Another asks, What happened out there? SIGH.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere in the region, Pinky Ring is sitting on a bench thinking\u003cem> I forgot just how bouncy Ross' curls are! \u003c/em>She hears the distant sound of hoofs and gets butterflies in her stomach.\u003cem> OMG, here's the part where he asks me to run away with him and I say I can't but almost kiss him anyway and then lead him on for months and months and months before settling for his cousin after all! \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A servant comes and announces Poldark. Pinky Ring turns and -- boom! -- it's his cousin because THEY HAVE THE SAME LAST NAME, which really drives the point home that what she's doing is really gross. There were no other men around who flaked on the war?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In town, a lawyer reminds Ross for the 324th time that he's broke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a manor, a former classmate and his bewigged uncle talk about manipulating Ross to their advantage. Geez, no wonder Ben Franklin and co. seceded. Everyone in England is apparently awful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at Pinky Ring's house, Pinky Ring picks up her skirts and gets ready to run to wherever Ross is because Backstabber Cousin just isn't cute enough, his title be damned. Pinky Ring's mother pops out of a bush just in time to catch her and say, \u003cem>Actually, his title be NOT damned\u003c/em>. Pinky Ring is like, \u003cem>Moooooom\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a field, Ross gallops upon his lazy servants who look like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/a23abb12a709450e5a07af2859079d8d.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35943\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/a23abb12a709450e5a07af2859079d8d.jpg\" alt=\"a23abb12a709450e5a07af2859079d8d\" width=\"219\" height=\"329\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He tells Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen that they're actually going to have to help him turn things around if they don't want to die of starvation. They're like, \u003cem>Mooooooom\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up gallops, Daisy: The Prequel, who is like \u003cem>Girl, let's dish!\u003c/em> Ross is like,\u003cem> I'm kind of busy thinking of how I can climb out of poverty, but ok, sure. \u003c/em>D.T.P. calls out how weird it was for Pinky Ring to all of a sudden pounce on Backstabber Cousin (his name is apparently Francis and I'll maybe consider using it after I stop being pissed at him). Ross thinks she's in it for the cash and proceeds to sing selections from Kanye West's \"Gold Digger.\" Daisy informs Ross that their wedding is in two weeks, tosses him a \"sorry, bro\" and one of these: \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 22px;font-weight: bold;line-height: 1.09091\">¯\\_(ツ)_/¯\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Ross moves heavy rocks around and uses a hammer very aggressively. His shirt stays on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following day, Backstabber Cousin sneaks up on Pinky Ring, who seems to be perpetually on a stroll in her backyard. He gives a sad little speech that boils down to: \u003cem>Hey, girl. I know I'm boring and not cute and understand if you want to call this off to be with my interesting and very cute cousin. Is there something you wish to tell me?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/THISGONBGUD.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35948\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/THISGONBGUD.gif\" alt=\"THISGONBGUD\" width=\"350\" height=\"191\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go ahead, Pinky Ring! Say it! Say you hope you can still be friends and how it's not him, it's you and give him a Post-It that has \u003ca href=\"https://offmydottyrocker.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/img_6878.jpg?w=560&h=400&crop=1\">I Can't, I'm Sorry, Don't Hate Me \u003c/a>scribbled on it!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3eu9epuZO1smcbm7o1_400.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35949\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3eu9epuZO1smcbm7o1_400.gif\" alt=\"go on gif\" width=\"300\" height=\"161\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I wish to tell you...\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35950\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-1.gif\" alt=\"i dream genie gif popcorn\" width=\"500\" height=\"275\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"...that I cannot wait to be your wife.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/aaa-spill-popcorn-mean-girls.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35951\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/aaa-spill-popcorn-mean-girls.gif\" alt=\"aaa-spill-popcorn-mean-girls\" width=\"350\" height=\"219\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin makes out with her hand. Nice knowing ya, Pinky Ring. Enjoy watching paint dry for the rest of your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Backstabber Cousin gets all dolled up, puts on a top hat and gallops up to Ross, who is laboring with not only a shirt on, but a vest too. Backstabber Cousin says Ross' dad wouldn't want him working in the muck like that. Ross tries not to murder him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But maybe he will because they end up venturing into a dilapidated mine together. Backstabber Cousin brings up how Ross should probably leave town, but not before attending his wedding. He then proceeds to go into detail about how one thing led to another with Pinky Ring, prompting Ross to yell MUST YOU RUB MY NOSE IN IT!!! so loudly that Backstabber Cousin falls into a very random, very deep puddle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He apparently can't swim and Ross is unbothered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35963\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200.gif\" alt=\"mindy kaling whatever loser the office gif\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200.gif 200w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a nice, luxurious pause, Ross eventually saves him and immediately disses him for not knowing how to swim. His cousin shares that he thought Ross was going to let him drown. Ross shares that he strongly considered it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two weeks later, Ross stands grumpy and in all of his FML glory in the back of a church as Backstabber Cousin and Pinky Ring say \"I do.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the after party, up-to-something former classmate and his uncle are loudly talking sh*t about how the Poldarks are impoverished losers. Ross doesn't have time for it and walks away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3vzjp6qrQ1qlgh5qo1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35966\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3vzjp6qrQ1qlgh5qo1_250.gif\" alt=\"britney whatever stronger gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"131\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former classmate, whose name is George but deserves to be called Malfoy, follows Ross into a room and continues the Cornwall tradition of saying triggering things. \u003cem>Nice scar! How did you get it? Oh, and sorry that your dad is so dead! Oh, and LOL about you being at your ex's wedding. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thankfully, Daisy: The Prequel interrupts and escorts Ross past a cock fight (naturally) and into a room where Pinky Ring is waiting to complain about how he never came to see her. Girl, are you serious? Apparently, she is because she goes on to make excuses for why he's currently dying inside at his cousin's wedding. And she wants him to commit to being her friend. Nooooope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before things get any sloppier and more brutal, her mom waltzes in and says, \u003cem>Ooo, I'm telling Backstabber Cousin\u003c/em>, who promptly shows up and actually says, \"May I claim my bride, Ross?\" Ross is like, \u003cem>By all means\u003c/em>, and hums Kanye's \"Gold Digger\" some more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That night, the old lady who sometimes hangs out with Daisy: The Prequel is being really hipster and reading tarot cards. Prognosis: All is fair in love and war (i.e. sorry, Ross). Across town, Ross is getting plastered and throws his pinky ring. Be gone, wack accessory!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross' uncle shows up to kick him while he's down. He reminds him of the state of things:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Estate: In Debt.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Servants: Wastrels.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Mines: Derelict.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Land: Barren.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Father: Dead.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And suggests Ross move his hot bod far, far away from Pinky Ring. He'll even finance the move. You know you're boring and ugly when your dad has to pay cooler, better looking people to scram.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day is a market day, which means that all the horrible, dirty people of Cornwall gather in one place to sell things, buy things and convince anyone living in 2016 that there's nothing about the 18th century worth being nostalgic for. No time machine needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross sells his dead dad's pocket watch and buys a cow. The village people (not to be confused with the fun '70s gay group) want to get the party started so they do what any awful 18th century person would do: throw a cute, shy puppy into a vicious dog fight. The cute, shy puppy's owner is like OH HELL NO and throws herself into the mix. The village people assault her because again everyone in this place and time is awful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross, the only decent person (other than Daisy: The Prequel and maybe the tarot-reading granny) steps in and is like \u003cem>Not on my watch! Uhhh, the metaphorical one, not the real one I just sold. Oh, you know what I mean!\u003c/em> A townie decides \u003cem>Hey, this is a great time to make a huge mistake\u003c/em> and gets in Ross' face. An amorphous \u003cem>Mortal Kombat\u003c/em> voice yells out FINISH HIM! and Ross abides by brutally smacking the townie right in the face with his walking stick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, inside a pub, where a completely different dog is sitting on a bench in front of beer like a real human drunk, Ross buys food for cute, shy puppy owner. Turns out her name is Demelza. She has six brothers and a father. They all are terrible bros and beat her every day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before Ross can even take that all in, Pinky Ring barges in to say she thinks Ross did the right thing. He doesn't need your approval! Go find your boring husband! Oh, but she doesn't have to bother finding him because Backstabber Cousin pops in to make sure his wife isn't having sex with his hot cousin. And because this parade of a-holes isn't robust enough, Malfoy shows up to talk some smack and then plot with his uncle in the next room. He uses the word 'impecunious' to make sure we all know he got a very admirable score on his SAT verbal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross and Demelza share a horse on the way home because the HOV lane is always faster. She's singing under her breath, probably something from the new Britney album, which is really quite good. As they're about to part ways, Ross thinks of her family of abusive bros and offers her a job as a kitchen maid. She's down if cute, shy puppy can come too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they get home, Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen are pissed because they don't want to share their mac and cheese or whatever people ate back then. Ross tells them to chill out, while casually washing the lice out of Demelza's hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_noogenkh0F1qk08n1o1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36233\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_noogenkh0F1qk08n1o1_500.gif\" alt=\"real housewives gross gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mr. Pigpen makes Demelza feel welcome by threatening to beat her up. The list of people who deserve to die on this show is getting really long. It might be easier to make a list of people who \u003cem>don't\u003c/em> deserve to die.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross' uncle, the least subtle man alive, sends along a bunch of cash that says \u003cem>JUST MOVE ALREADY!!\u003c/em> and \u003cem>WHY COULDN'T YOU STAY DEAD?!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross asks Demelza if the Pigpens are being nice. She's like \u003cem>We're in 18th century Cornwall, the most miserable place ever to exist, what do you think?\u003c/em> He recommends that she lean in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite Ross' No Dogs in the House rule (he's more of a cat person), Demelza sneaks cute, shy puppy inside and spoons him all night long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross goes to his uncle's house to say:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/anigif_enhanced-4773-1430938663-26.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36234\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/anigif_enhanced-4773-1430938663-26.gif\" alt=\"get off my jock gif bethenny\" width=\"500\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Uncle isn't home, but Pinky Ring is (ugh, this again). She tries to bait him into some emotional exchange, but he's not biting. She brings up how not everyone liked how he intervened to save Demelza from the crowd. And how not everyone will like how he is now employing her. And how she wishes they could be friends. Ross responds with exactly what's on my mind: \"Good God, Elizabeth.\" (Yeah, Pinky Ring has a name, believe it or not.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They bicker next to a harp. Did she not mean those things she said before he left for the war? She thought he was dead! Does she not still have the hots for him? She can't say because she's married! And round and round they go, just like your friend (everyone has this friend) who can't stop texting their ex and complains about all the drama, while secretly luxuriating in it all. Enough is enough, Ross and Pinky Ring. MOVE ON.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring eventually asks him to move away and leave her alone. Ross screams, \u003cem>Fine!\u003c/em> As he's riding off, drama addict Pinky Ring runs outside to ask if they can be friends. Make up your mind! Ross blasts Taylor Swift's \"We Are Never Ever Ever Getting Back Together\" from his horse's speaker system and rides away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross returns home and tells Mrs. Pigpen that he's moving to London because everyone in Cornwall sucks. She's like \u003cem>Oh, you haven't seen nothing yet! Demelza's sucky family is here. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza's dad and two of his friends are ready to throw down. They don't care if their teeth get knocked out because they're already black with decay and falling out anyway. And thanks to the Bro Signal they sent up into the sky earlier, more mouth breathers are on their way to murder Ross. Bros hunt in packs, after all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Intense violins play as Demelza's dad and co. head-butt and uppercut Ross all over the place for several minutes. They even stomp on his beautiful head! Not the money-maker! Outside, Mr. Pigpen and the tenants battle a mob of bros. Someone gets kicked in the nuts so hard that there will be no heirs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty/status/775051320914874368\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mrs. Pigpen runs to Ross' uncle's house, yelling \"They be killin' Mr. Ross!!\" Pinky Ring wants Backstabber Cousin to go help, but he knows he'll just get a deadly wedgie or get his head flushed so he stays put with a look of fake concern on his face. Uncle says Mrs. Pigpen is exaggerating and slams the door on her, hoping Ross dies for real this time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite all the skull stomping, Ross gets a second wind and beats up Demelza's dad. Ross and the bros eventually come to a truce and Ross celebrates being alive and finally having some alone time by guzzling wine (18th century hotties! They're just like us!).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Pinky Ring is kicking back with a good book 'cause that's what people do when the love of their life is in the process of being murdered. She overhears Backstabber Cousin and Uncle talking about the plan to get Ross to move away. You are who you hang out with, Pinky Ring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the road, Ross meets up with the tenants and Mr. Pigpen, who are on a high after an afternoon of nut-cracking (see tweet above). They vow to always have his back. *adds these dudes to my People Who Don't Deserve to Die list*\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at Uncle's house, Backstabber Cousin almost dies from being dissed really hard by his own father:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"I don't like it, father.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"You'd like it less if you lost your wife.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Assuming I can't keep her myself!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Can you?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-2.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36370\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-2.gif\" alt=\"shade gif\" width=\"350\" height=\"250\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross finds Demelza roaming the moors and is in the process of bringing her home, when Pinky Ring rides up on a white horse. This leave-me-alone-no-wait-pay-attention-to-me cycle is getting very tired. Pinky Ring declares that she's changed her mind about that whole \u003cem>Move away and leave me alone forever!\u003c/em> thing and now wants Ross to stay in Cornwall. Judging by the look on Demelza's face, I'm not the only one wondering: \"Is she serious?!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36371\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-800x441.png\" alt=\"poldark demelza\" width=\"800\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-800x441.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-400x220.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-768x423.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-1440x793.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-1180x650.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-960x529.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM.png 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross promises to stick around so they can keep doing this sexy love-hate thing for at least seven more episodes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Basically Everyone in Cornwall: \u003c/strong>From evil former classmates to Ross' uncle to Demelza's dad to everyone who showed up for Market Day, it was a team effort to secure the title for Most Deplorable this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Cute, Shy Puppy: \u003c/strong>He's a pacifist and likes to be the little spoon. Also, he's cute and shy. What's not to love?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>The Old Lady with the Tarot Cards:\u003c/strong> She's a pioneer of hipster hobbies so we must pay credit where credit is due.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Daisy: The Prequel: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Any ancestor of Daisy's is a friend of mine. Plus, she is chill, likes to talk smack when it's deserved, and seems to generally disdain everyone in Cornwall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> Ross\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> I mean, was it even a question? He survived the war, survived a brutal beating, survived being surrounded by a-holes, with nary a hair out of place. May his skull never be stomped upon again!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "33548 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=33548",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/19/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 4076,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 114
},
"modified": 1478466683,
"excerpt": "Did the end of 'Downton Abbey' leave a void in your spirit? 'Poldark' is here to fill it.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Did the end of 'Downton Abbey' leave a void in your spirit? 'Poldark' is here to fill it.",
"title": "'Poldark' Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin' Alive | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "'Poldark' Season 1 Premiere Recap: Stayin' Alive",
"datePublished": "2016-09-19T07:00:16-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-11-06T13:11:23-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/pop/33548/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Hi there! You might remember me from \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/downton-abbey/\">Downton Abbey recaps\u003c/a> of yore. Since that show wrapped, I've felt a void in my spirit that can only be filled by PBS-approved British imports. So I'm going to try falling in love again; this time, with a show called Poldark that a bunch of you are supposedly crazy about. I have to be honest, I was skeptical at first. But my doubt was no match for \u003ca href=\"http://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article5383476.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200/Poldark-star-Aidan-Turner-getting-the-brush-off-from-a-crew-member.jpg\">this photo\u003c/a> so here I am, recapping season 1, in anticipation of the imminent second season. I hope you'll join me. Let's do this...\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The series starts with a shot of leaves. No dog butt, no bell tolling, no slowly falling rose petal, no feather duster flirting with a chandelier. It's only been 3 seconds, but watching \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em> already feels like dating too soon after a breakup. You just can't help comparing the new person to your ex. But I will push through because \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em> and I are never ever getting back together (unless those film spin-off rumors end up being true).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes, leaves. A bunch of British soldiers are kicking it in the woods of Virginia in 1781. The hottest one is named Ross Poldark. He's gambling because killing people can get boring after a while. His friend wants Ross to bet his pinky ring. Ross refuses because he's mad his friend brought up the fact that he's wearing a pinky ring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some killjoy emerges to complain about Ross' gambling ways and his lack of excitement about the war. Ross laughs because that's what he does to nerds. Apparently, Ross is only here because he was avoiding punishment for a laundry list of bad boy activities, mainly punching people in the face.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Killjoy continues complaining... until he gets shot! The gang of Britain-haters hiding in the bushes apparently don't like nerds either. Everyone freaks out and Ross grabs a gun and yells at his friend, \"Do you want to leave here or die here?!?\" Um, leave, most likely? Because Ross was preoccupied with asking useless rhetorical questions, one of the attackers gets the chance to knock him out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Flashback to some girl who's running along a cliff back home. We'll call her Pinky Ring. She giggles because this is her first relationship and she has no idea how wack long-distance relationships are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in America, Ross is unconscious, surrounded by dead people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two years later in Cornwall (okay, we're not wasting any time here!), Ross is napping in a horse-drawn coach, while strangers talk sh*t about him very loudly. \u003cem>He was declared dead and yet here he is, wearing that pinky ring as ever. Better off dead, if you ask me, because his family's credit score sucks. Also, his dad is totally dead.\u003c/em> Ross stops pretending to be asleep and is like \u003cem>Wait, what?!\u003c/em> The rude gossipers are like \u003cem>Oops, didn't realize you could hear us! Our b! And yeah, your dad is totally dead.\u003c/em> Kill them, Ross. You're a war hero. No one will mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the strangers asks how the war was. Ross is like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/latrice-really-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33552\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/latrice-really-gif.gif\" alt=\"latrice really gif\" width=\"494\" height=\"266\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a list of things not to ask people who barely survived a war, this ranks somewhere in the neighborhood of \u003cem>How many friends did you have to watch die?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross asks to be let out because wouldn't you? All the rude strangers remind him that his house is further down. And Ross reminds them that his father is apparently super dead and won't be there. The strangers think to themselves, \u003cem>If we stay very, very still, maybe he will forget we're here?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/homer-simpson-bush-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33558\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/homer-simpson-bush-gif.gif\" alt=\"homer-simpson-bush-gif\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross ditches them and walks to what looks like the edge of the Earth. The sky mingles with the mist of crashing waves and it's a damn shame Instagram will take another 240 years to be invented because Ross would get soooo many likes for this vista.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our favorite bad boy gets over his could've-been social media fame and makes his way over to his uncle's mansion. Inside, everyone is basically having a seated rave. Dead Ross and his dead daddy who? No one is the least bit bothered. Least of all, Pinky Ring, who is kicking it with a new dude, who tells her he likes her just the way she is. Nice try, buddy, but Colin Firth \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZu2JfM2Aq8\">already used that line\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The door opens and a girl who is too much like Daisy from \u003cem>Downton\u003c/em> not to be her great great grandmother or something gets excited. Her dad tells her she shouldn't even dream about gentlemen callers. She will instead pour him his wine and serve him his weird British food forevermore cause the patriarchy is strong and she won't have any rights for... well, the rest of her life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The visitor turns out to be none other than Ross, back from the dead! Only Daisy's great great grandmother and Pinky Ring's new man, who turns out to be Ross' cousin (et tu, Brute?), get up to greet a man everyone thought they'd never see again. That's cool, everyone; stay seated. This isn't a miracle or anything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Girlfriend-stealing cousin tells Ross that he and Pinky Ring were very worried about him. Mmhmmm, suuuure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Puppy-in-love Ross doesn't sniff out all the weirdness and instead thinks: \u003cem>Pinky Ring! You're here! Yay! What a coinkidink! I'm so excited to make out with you!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before he gets the chance, Pinky Ring's mom takes a page out of the stage-coach strangers' book of zero manners. \"Do tell us how we managed to lose the war.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/murder-she-wrote-wtf-gif.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33554\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/murder-she-wrote-wtf-gif.gif\" alt=\"murder she wrote wtf gif\" width=\"245\" height=\"170\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross brushes her rude prompt off 'cause, after years upon years abroad, he's gonna get some tonight! Not so fast, says everyone. \u003cem>Pinky Ring is marrying your cousin! Isn't that exciting?!\u003c/em> Ross' entire FML demeanor seems to suggest: No, that is not exciting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross' uncle adds to the despair 'cause why not: \u003cem>P.S. Your dad left you basically nothing and Cornwall is poorer than ever. Welcome home, I guess!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross decides these people are gross and that he wants to be alone (#introvertsgonnaintrovert). But before he goes, he proposes a toast to the happy couple that ruined his life and didn't even apologize for it. Everyone feels first-day-of-school-after-a-summer-of-puberty awkward.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-33553\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/08/britney-awkward-gif.gif\" alt=\"britney awkward gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"280\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross passes several Instagram opportunities on his way to his father's house. When he gets there, everything is in ruin. Rats and hens are running things now. Ross walks upstairs to find two snoring lumps in his dad's bed. He considers setting them on fire because it's just one of them days, but he opts for throwing a pail of cold water on them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They're his father's good-for-nothing servants (picture any person you've ever seen on \u003cem>Hoarders\u003c/em> and multiply that person by two). Ross accuses them of starting the rumor that he was dead and threatens to hit them with the side of his foot. Go off, Ross! You've earned a good freak out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at the uncle's house, Backstabber Cousin, some old lady and Daisy: The Prequel talk about how the Pinky Ring wedding should probably be moved up. \u003cem>Did y'all see Ross' curls?? I didn't remember them being so bouncy! Yeah, you need to lock that girl down before she realizes you're a 4 to Ross' 10.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross goes to visit some of his buddies/tenants. Because this entire part of the country has no idea how to small talk without saying triggering things, someone asks Ross how the war was. HOW DO YOU THINK IT WAS, A-HOLE?! Another asks, What happened out there? SIGH.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elsewhere in the region, Pinky Ring is sitting on a bench thinking\u003cem> I forgot just how bouncy Ross' curls are! \u003c/em>She hears the distant sound of hoofs and gets butterflies in her stomach.\u003cem> OMG, here's the part where he asks me to run away with him and I say I can't but almost kiss him anyway and then lead him on for months and months and months before settling for his cousin after all! \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A servant comes and announces Poldark. Pinky Ring turns and -- boom! -- it's his cousin because THEY HAVE THE SAME LAST NAME, which really drives the point home that what she's doing is really gross. There were no other men around who flaked on the war?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In town, a lawyer reminds Ross for the 324th time that he's broke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a manor, a former classmate and his bewigged uncle talk about manipulating Ross to their advantage. Geez, no wonder Ben Franklin and co. seceded. Everyone in England is apparently awful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at Pinky Ring's house, Pinky Ring picks up her skirts and gets ready to run to wherever Ross is because Backstabber Cousin just isn't cute enough, his title be damned. Pinky Ring's mother pops out of a bush just in time to catch her and say, \u003cem>Actually, his title be NOT damned\u003c/em>. Pinky Ring is like, \u003cem>Moooooom\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a field, Ross gallops upon his lazy servants who look like this:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/a23abb12a709450e5a07af2859079d8d.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35943\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/a23abb12a709450e5a07af2859079d8d.jpg\" alt=\"a23abb12a709450e5a07af2859079d8d\" width=\"219\" height=\"329\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He tells Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen that they're actually going to have to help him turn things around if they don't want to die of starvation. They're like, \u003cem>Mooooooom\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Up gallops, Daisy: The Prequel, who is like \u003cem>Girl, let's dish!\u003c/em> Ross is like,\u003cem> I'm kind of busy thinking of how I can climb out of poverty, but ok, sure. \u003c/em>D.T.P. calls out how weird it was for Pinky Ring to all of a sudden pounce on Backstabber Cousin (his name is apparently Francis and I'll maybe consider using it after I stop being pissed at him). Ross thinks she's in it for the cash and proceeds to sing selections from Kanye West's \"Gold Digger.\" Daisy informs Ross that their wedding is in two weeks, tosses him a \"sorry, bro\" and one of these: \u003cspan style=\"font-size: 22px;font-weight: bold;line-height: 1.09091\">¯\\_(ツ)_/¯\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Ross moves heavy rocks around and uses a hammer very aggressively. His shirt stays on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The following day, Backstabber Cousin sneaks up on Pinky Ring, who seems to be perpetually on a stroll in her backyard. He gives a sad little speech that boils down to: \u003cem>Hey, girl. I know I'm boring and not cute and understand if you want to call this off to be with my interesting and very cute cousin. Is there something you wish to tell me?\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/THISGONBGUD.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35948\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/THISGONBGUD.gif\" alt=\"THISGONBGUD\" width=\"350\" height=\"191\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Go ahead, Pinky Ring! Say it! Say you hope you can still be friends and how it's not him, it's you and give him a Post-It that has \u003ca href=\"https://offmydottyrocker.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/img_6878.jpg?w=560&h=400&crop=1\">I Can't, I'm Sorry, Don't Hate Me \u003c/a>scribbled on it!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3eu9epuZO1smcbm7o1_400.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35949\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3eu9epuZO1smcbm7o1_400.gif\" alt=\"go on gif\" width=\"300\" height=\"161\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"I wish to tell you...\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-1.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35950\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-1.gif\" alt=\"i dream genie gif popcorn\" width=\"500\" height=\"275\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"...that I cannot wait to be your wife.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/aaa-spill-popcorn-mean-girls.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35951\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/aaa-spill-popcorn-mean-girls.gif\" alt=\"aaa-spill-popcorn-mean-girls\" width=\"350\" height=\"219\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Backstabber Cousin makes out with her hand. Nice knowing ya, Pinky Ring. Enjoy watching paint dry for the rest of your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, Backstabber Cousin gets all dolled up, puts on a top hat and gallops up to Ross, who is laboring with not only a shirt on, but a vest too. Backstabber Cousin says Ross' dad wouldn't want him working in the muck like that. Ross tries not to murder him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But maybe he will because they end up venturing into a dilapidated mine together. Backstabber Cousin brings up how Ross should probably leave town, but not before attending his wedding. He then proceeds to go into detail about how one thing led to another with Pinky Ring, prompting Ross to yell MUST YOU RUB MY NOSE IN IT!!! so loudly that Backstabber Cousin falls into a very random, very deep puddle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He apparently can't swim and Ross is unbothered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35963\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200.gif\" alt=\"mindy kaling whatever loser the office gif\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200.gif 200w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-32x32.gif 32w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-50x50.gif 50w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-64x64.gif 64w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-96x96.gif 96w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-128x128.gif 128w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/azc2u1jpg.gif-c200-150x150.gif 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a nice, luxurious pause, Ross eventually saves him and immediately disses him for not knowing how to swim. His cousin shares that he thought Ross was going to let him drown. Ross shares that he strongly considered it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two weeks later, Ross stands grumpy and in all of his FML glory in the back of a church as Backstabber Cousin and Pinky Ring say \"I do.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the after party, up-to-something former classmate and his uncle are loudly talking sh*t about how the Poldarks are impoverished losers. Ross doesn't have time for it and walks away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3vzjp6qrQ1qlgh5qo1_250.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-35966\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_n3vzjp6qrQ1qlgh5qo1_250.gif\" alt=\"britney whatever stronger gif\" width=\"250\" height=\"131\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Former classmate, whose name is George but deserves to be called Malfoy, follows Ross into a room and continues the Cornwall tradition of saying triggering things. \u003cem>Nice scar! How did you get it? Oh, and sorry that your dad is so dead! Oh, and LOL about you being at your ex's wedding. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thankfully, Daisy: The Prequel interrupts and escorts Ross past a cock fight (naturally) and into a room where Pinky Ring is waiting to complain about how he never came to see her. Girl, are you serious? Apparently, she is because she goes on to make excuses for why he's currently dying inside at his cousin's wedding. And she wants him to commit to being her friend. Nooooope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before things get any sloppier and more brutal, her mom waltzes in and says, \u003cem>Ooo, I'm telling Backstabber Cousin\u003c/em>, who promptly shows up and actually says, \"May I claim my bride, Ross?\" Ross is like, \u003cem>By all means\u003c/em>, and hums Kanye's \"Gold Digger\" some more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That night, the old lady who sometimes hangs out with Daisy: The Prequel is being really hipster and reading tarot cards. Prognosis: All is fair in love and war (i.e. sorry, Ross). Across town, Ross is getting plastered and throws his pinky ring. Be gone, wack accessory!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross' uncle shows up to kick him while he's down. He reminds him of the state of things:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Estate: In Debt.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Servants: Wastrels.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Mines: Derelict.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Land: Barren.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Father: Dead.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And suggests Ross move his hot bod far, far away from Pinky Ring. He'll even finance the move. You know you're boring and ugly when your dad has to pay cooler, better looking people to scram.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day is a market day, which means that all the horrible, dirty people of Cornwall gather in one place to sell things, buy things and convince anyone living in 2016 that there's nothing about the 18th century worth being nostalgic for. No time machine needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross sells his dead dad's pocket watch and buys a cow. The village people (not to be confused with the fun '70s gay group) want to get the party started so they do what any awful 18th century person would do: throw a cute, shy puppy into a vicious dog fight. The cute, shy puppy's owner is like OH HELL NO and throws herself into the mix. The village people assault her because again everyone in this place and time is awful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross, the only decent person (other than Daisy: The Prequel and maybe the tarot-reading granny) steps in and is like \u003cem>Not on my watch! Uhhh, the metaphorical one, not the real one I just sold. Oh, you know what I mean!\u003c/em> A townie decides \u003cem>Hey, this is a great time to make a huge mistake\u003c/em> and gets in Ross' face. An amorphous \u003cem>Mortal Kombat\u003c/em> voice yells out FINISH HIM! and Ross abides by brutally smacking the townie right in the face with his walking stick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, inside a pub, where a completely different dog is sitting on a bench in front of beer like a real human drunk, Ross buys food for cute, shy puppy owner. Turns out her name is Demelza. She has six brothers and a father. They all are terrible bros and beat her every day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before Ross can even take that all in, Pinky Ring barges in to say she thinks Ross did the right thing. He doesn't need your approval! Go find your boring husband! Oh, but she doesn't have to bother finding him because Backstabber Cousin pops in to make sure his wife isn't having sex with his hot cousin. And because this parade of a-holes isn't robust enough, Malfoy shows up to talk some smack and then plot with his uncle in the next room. He uses the word 'impecunious' to make sure we all know he got a very admirable score on his SAT verbal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross and Demelza share a horse on the way home because the HOV lane is always faster. She's singing under her breath, probably something from the new Britney album, which is really quite good. As they're about to part ways, Ross thinks of her family of abusive bros and offers her a job as a kitchen maid. She's down if cute, shy puppy can come too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they get home, Mr. and Mrs. Pigpen are pissed because they don't want to share their mac and cheese or whatever people ate back then. Ross tells them to chill out, while casually washing the lice out of Demelza's hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_noogenkh0F1qk08n1o1_500.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36233\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/tumblr_noogenkh0F1qk08n1o1_500.gif\" alt=\"real housewives gross gif\" width=\"500\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mr. Pigpen makes Demelza feel welcome by threatening to beat her up. The list of people who deserve to die on this show is getting really long. It might be easier to make a list of people who \u003cem>don't\u003c/em> deserve to die.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross' uncle, the least subtle man alive, sends along a bunch of cash that says \u003cem>JUST MOVE ALREADY!!\u003c/em> and \u003cem>WHY COULDN'T YOU STAY DEAD?!\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross asks Demelza if the Pigpens are being nice. She's like \u003cem>We're in 18th century Cornwall, the most miserable place ever to exist, what do you think?\u003c/em> He recommends that she lean in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite Ross' No Dogs in the House rule (he's more of a cat person), Demelza sneaks cute, shy puppy inside and spoons him all night long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, Ross goes to his uncle's house to say:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/anigif_enhanced-4773-1430938663-26.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36234\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/anigif_enhanced-4773-1430938663-26.gif\" alt=\"get off my jock gif bethenny\" width=\"500\" height=\"280\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Uncle isn't home, but Pinky Ring is (ugh, this again). She tries to bait him into some emotional exchange, but he's not biting. She brings up how not everyone liked how he intervened to save Demelza from the crowd. And how not everyone will like how he is now employing her. And how she wishes they could be friends. Ross responds with exactly what's on my mind: \"Good God, Elizabeth.\" (Yeah, Pinky Ring has a name, believe it or not.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They bicker next to a harp. Did she not mean those things she said before he left for the war? She thought he was dead! Does she not still have the hots for him? She can't say because she's married! And round and round they go, just like your friend (everyone has this friend) who can't stop texting their ex and complains about all the drama, while secretly luxuriating in it all. Enough is enough, Ross and Pinky Ring. MOVE ON.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pinky Ring eventually asks him to move away and leave her alone. Ross screams, \u003cem>Fine!\u003c/em> As he's riding off, drama addict Pinky Ring runs outside to ask if they can be friends. Make up your mind! Ross blasts Taylor Swift's \"We Are Never Ever Ever Getting Back Together\" from his horse's speaker system and rides away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross returns home and tells Mrs. Pigpen that he's moving to London because everyone in Cornwall sucks. She's like \u003cem>Oh, you haven't seen nothing yet! Demelza's sucky family is here. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Demelza's dad and two of his friends are ready to throw down. They don't care if their teeth get knocked out because they're already black with decay and falling out anyway. And thanks to the Bro Signal they sent up into the sky earlier, more mouth breathers are on their way to murder Ross. Bros hunt in packs, after all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Intense violins play as Demelza's dad and co. head-butt and uppercut Ross all over the place for several minutes. They even stomp on his beautiful head! Not the money-maker! Outside, Mr. Pigpen and the tenants battle a mob of bros. Someone gets kicked in the nuts so hard that there will be no heirs.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "singleTwitterStatus",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"id": "775051320914874368"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Mrs. Pigpen runs to Ross' uncle's house, yelling \"They be killin' Mr. Ross!!\" Pinky Ring wants Backstabber Cousin to go help, but he knows he'll just get a deadly wedgie or get his head flushed so he stays put with a look of fake concern on his face. Uncle says Mrs. Pigpen is exaggerating and slams the door on her, hoping Ross dies for real this time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite all the skull stomping, Ross gets a second wind and beats up Demelza's dad. Ross and the bros eventually come to a truce and Ross celebrates being alive and finally having some alone time by guzzling wine (18th century hotties! They're just like us!).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across town, Pinky Ring is kicking back with a good book 'cause that's what people do when the love of their life is in the process of being murdered. She overhears Backstabber Cousin and Uncle talking about the plan to get Ross to move away. You are who you hang out with, Pinky Ring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the road, Ross meets up with the tenants and Mr. Pigpen, who are on a high after an afternoon of nut-cracking (see tweet above). They vow to always have his back. *adds these dudes to my People Who Don't Deserve to Die list*\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back at Uncle's house, Backstabber Cousin almost dies from being dissed really hard by his own father:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"I don't like it, father.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"You'd like it less if you lost your wife.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Backstabber Cousin:\u003c/strong> \"Assuming I can't keep her myself!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Uncle:\u003c/strong> \"Can you?\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-2.gif\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-36370\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/giphy-2.gif\" alt=\"shade gif\" width=\"350\" height=\"250\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross finds Demelza roaming the moors and is in the process of bringing her home, when Pinky Ring rides up on a white horse. This leave-me-alone-no-wait-pay-attention-to-me cycle is getting very tired. Pinky Ring declares that she's changed her mind about that whole \u003cem>Move away and leave me alone forever!\u003c/em> thing and now wants Ross to stay in Cornwall. Judging by the look on Demelza's face, I'm not the only one wondering: \"Is she serious?!\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM.png\">\u003cimg class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-36371\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-800x441.png\" alt=\"poldark demelza\" width=\"800\" height=\"441\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-800x441.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-400x220.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-768x423.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-1440x793.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-1180x650.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM-960x529.png 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-11-at-1.00.45-PM.png 1679w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ross promises to stick around so they can keep doing this sexy love-hate thing for at least seven more episodes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>End scene!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>After every episode, it’s only right to reward characters who’ve impressed and diss the ones that haven’t, so here goes:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>PIECE OF COAL:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Basically Everyone in Cornwall: \u003c/strong>From evil former classmates to Ross' uncle to Demelza's dad to everyone who showed up for Market Day, it was a team effort to secure the title for Most Deplorable this week.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>HONORABLE MENTION:\u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong> Cute, Shy Puppy: \u003c/strong>He's a pacifist and likes to be the little spoon. Also, he's cute and shy. What's not to love?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>BRONZE: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>The Old Lady with the Tarot Cards:\u003c/strong> She's a pioneer of hipster hobbies so we must pay credit where credit is due.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cstrong>SILVER: \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>Daisy: The Prequel: \u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>Any ancestor of Daisy's is a friend of mine. Plus, she is chill, likes to talk smack when it's deserved, and seems to generally disdain everyone in Cornwall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>GOLD:\u003c/em> Ross\u003cstrong>\u003cstrong>:\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong>\u003c/strong> I mean, was it even a question? He survived the war, survived a brutal beating, survived being surrounded by a-holes, with nary a hair out of place. May his skull never be stomped upon again!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until next week! If you miss my thoughts on \u003cem>Poldark\u003c/em>, follow me on Twitter \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/xcusemybeauty\">@xcusemybeauty\u003c/a> or read all the \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/tag/recaps/\">other recaps\u003c/a> below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>More recaps:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/20/poldark-season-1-episode-2-recap-guns-and-ships-bang-bang/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 2 Recap: Bang Bang\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/21/poldark-season-1-episode-3-recap-oops-there-goes-my-shirt/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 3 Recap: Oops, There Goes My Shirt\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/23/poldark-season-1-episode-4-recap-send-my-love-to-your-new-lover/\">'Poldark' Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: Send My Love to Your New Lover\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/33548/poldark-season-1-premiere-recap-stayin-alive",
"authors": [
"27"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_2905"
],
"featImg": "pop_36380",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_36785": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_36785",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "36785",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1474041628000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1474041628,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "Does Gwen Stefani's 'Harajuku' Cartoon Really Have Zero Japanese Characters In It?",
"title": "Does Gwen Stefani's 'Harajuku' Cartoon Really Have Zero Japanese Characters In It?",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>In 2004, if there had been an unofficial Queen of Cultural Appropriation, there is no doubt (pun intended) that Gwen Stefani would have worn the crown. The singer had previously committed a multitude of \u003ca href=\"http://cdn1-www.thefashionspot.com/assets/uploads/gallery/gwen-stefani-birthday/52969824.jpg\">bindi-related\u003c/a> crimes when still fronting her band, but nothing she'd done previously came even close to what happened when she released her debut solo album, \u003cem>Love. Angel. Music. Baby.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Truly, the entire promotional cycle for this thing largely revolved around using silent, smiling Japanese women as human accessories. The four women were given dehumanizing pet names -- Love, Angel, Music and Baby (unsurprisingly) -- and paraded around as dancing props who, quite often, were dressed up in outfits that overtly played into Japanese stereotypes, including ones about schoolgirls. Their likenesses were also turned into perfume bottles and a variety of other clothing accessories for Stefani's L.A.M.B. brand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In case you missed the horror show the first time around, hang onto your jaws and click play:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qecNL1266ms\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vocal opposition to Stefani's cultural insensitivity was loud at the time -- Margaret Cho comparing the Harajuku girls to a Minstrel show was \u003ca href=\"http://margaretcho.com/2005/10/31/harajuku-girls/\">particularly memorable\u003c/a> -- and it hasn't ever really died down. In 2014, \u003cem>Time\u003c/em> reminded us that Stefani had \"\u003ca href=\"http://time.com/3524847/gwen-stefani-racist-harajuku-girls/\">perpetuated some extremely racist stereotypes\u003c/a>,\" and \u003cem>Vice\u003c/em> did a 10-year anniversary article to pointedly look back on Stefani's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.vice.com/read/revisiting-gwen-stefanis-racist-pop-frankenstein-ten-years-later-567\">Racist Pop Frankenstein Years\u003c/a>.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between that, plus the incident in 2012 when No Doubt had to apologize to Native Americans for the \"cowboys and Indians-themed\" video for \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40OSktBigHw\">\"Looking Hot\"\u003c/a> (which featured Stefani wearing traditional tribal clothing and DANCING IN A TEEPEE), you'd have thought the singer would have learned to question her own appropriation problems before making them yet again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this week, \u003ca href=\"http://www.nick.com/\">Nickelodeon\u003c/a> announced the Oct. 3 debut of \u003ca href=\"http://www.nick.com/kuu-kuu-harajuku/\">\u003cem>Kuu Kuu Harajuku\u003c/em>\u003c/a> -- a cartoon that revives Love, Angel, Music and Baby and puts them in a band (named HJ5) alongside a blond named \"G\" (guess who?). Stefani has said that the animated series is \"for young girls\" and \"celebrates creativity, imagination and individuality.\" Which sounds great until you see what the characters actually look like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-36792\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-800x446.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-09-13 at 10.04.12 PM\" width=\"800\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-800x446.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-400x223.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-768x429.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-1440x804.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-1920x1071.png 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-1180x658.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-960x536.png 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might be wondering where the Japanese girls are here. It's hard not to. The school uniforms are still there. And one girl has hair sticks. But these \"Harajuku\" girls, with their long legs, tiny waists, big boots and oversized, made-up eyes, more closely resemble \u003ca href=\"http://www.toysrus.com/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-20937459enh-z6.jpg\">Bratz\u003c/a> dolls (a brand frequently criticized for marketing overly-sexualized female body ideals to tweens) than anything related to \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harajuku\" target=\"_blank\">Harajuku culture.\u003c/a> It seems Stefani (or network executives) thought the best way to deal with the overt cultural appropriation was simply \"let's not have them be Asian anymore.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are Stefani fans who will undoubtedly argue that if she had gone with an animated band of obviously Asian characters, that too would have been culturally insensitive. They will say that Gwen is damned if she does, and damned if she doesn't. But there is a very obvious and simple way for Stefani to avoid any more racial and cultural shadiness here: Just remove the word \"Harajuku\" from the show. Problem solved!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOHAU13FfiI\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gwen Stefani is a well-established enough artist to make a successful animated show about five girls forming a Spice Girls-style band and having adventures without chucking the word \"Harajuku\" into the title -- especially, seemingly, for the sake of clinging to a problematic theme that she already exhausted 12 years ago. Too late now, though: the show has already been on in Australia for almost a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It might seem foolish to be upset about anything Gwen Stefani does at this point. Sure, this is \"only\" pop music and a children's TV show we're talking about. But to maintain a career this long, in the face of so much criticism, and to continue carelessly running amok with other nations' cultural, religious and traditional symbolism is truly astonishing at this point -- as is hanging onto the thinnest threads of stolen Harajuku girl culture to sell a very American cartoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November of last year, in an interview with Australia's \u003cem>Sunshine Coast Daily\u003c/em>, to promote \u003cem>Kuu Kuu Harajuku\u003c/em>, Stefani said: \"The Harajuku Girls can do anything, they can wear anything, and they can be anything.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anything, apparently, but inoffensive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "36785 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=36785",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/16/does-gwen-stefanis-harajuku-cartoon-really-have-zero-japanese-characters-in-it/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 760,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 16
},
"modified": 1473978879,
"excerpt": "Gwen Stefani's received plenty of criticism for her appropriation of Japanese culture. So why is she still not getting it right -- with a children's show, no less?",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Gwen Stefani's received plenty of criticism for her appropriation of Japanese culture. So why is she still not getting it right -- with a children's show, no less?",
"title": "Does Gwen Stefani's 'Harajuku' Cartoon Really Have Zero Japanese Characters In It? | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Does Gwen Stefani's 'Harajuku' Cartoon Really Have Zero Japanese Characters In It?",
"datePublished": "2016-09-16T09:00:28-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-09-15T15:34:39-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "does-gwen-stefanis-harajuku-cartoon-really-have-zero-japanese-characters-in-it",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/pop/36785/does-gwen-stefanis-harajuku-cartoon-really-have-zero-japanese-characters-in-it",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In 2004, if there had been an unofficial Queen of Cultural Appropriation, there is no doubt (pun intended) that Gwen Stefani would have worn the crown. The singer had previously committed a multitude of \u003ca href=\"http://cdn1-www.thefashionspot.com/assets/uploads/gallery/gwen-stefani-birthday/52969824.jpg\">bindi-related\u003c/a> crimes when still fronting her band, but nothing she'd done previously came even close to what happened when she released her debut solo album, \u003cem>Love. Angel. Music. Baby.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Truly, the entire promotional cycle for this thing largely revolved around using silent, smiling Japanese women as human accessories. The four women were given dehumanizing pet names -- Love, Angel, Music and Baby (unsurprisingly) -- and paraded around as dancing props who, quite often, were dressed up in outfits that overtly played into Japanese stereotypes, including ones about schoolgirls. Their likenesses were also turned into perfume bottles and a variety of other clothing accessories for Stefani's L.A.M.B. brand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In case you missed the horror show the first time around, hang onto your jaws and click play:\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/qecNL1266ms'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/qecNL1266ms'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Vocal opposition to Stefani's cultural insensitivity was loud at the time -- Margaret Cho comparing the Harajuku girls to a Minstrel show was \u003ca href=\"http://margaretcho.com/2005/10/31/harajuku-girls/\">particularly memorable\u003c/a> -- and it hasn't ever really died down. In 2014, \u003cem>Time\u003c/em> reminded us that Stefani had \"\u003ca href=\"http://time.com/3524847/gwen-stefani-racist-harajuku-girls/\">perpetuated some extremely racist stereotypes\u003c/a>,\" and \u003cem>Vice\u003c/em> did a 10-year anniversary article to pointedly look back on Stefani's \"\u003ca href=\"http://www.vice.com/read/revisiting-gwen-stefanis-racist-pop-frankenstein-ten-years-later-567\">Racist Pop Frankenstein Years\u003c/a>.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between that, plus the incident in 2012 when No Doubt had to apologize to Native Americans for the \"cowboys and Indians-themed\" video for \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40OSktBigHw\">\"Looking Hot\"\u003c/a> (which featured Stefani wearing traditional tribal clothing and DANCING IN A TEEPEE), you'd have thought the singer would have learned to question her own appropriation problems before making them yet again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nope!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this week, \u003ca href=\"http://www.nick.com/\">Nickelodeon\u003c/a> announced the Oct. 3 debut of \u003ca href=\"http://www.nick.com/kuu-kuu-harajuku/\">\u003cem>Kuu Kuu Harajuku\u003c/em>\u003c/a> -- a cartoon that revives Love, Angel, Music and Baby and puts them in a band (named HJ5) alongside a blond named \"G\" (guess who?). Stefani has said that the animated series is \"for young girls\" and \"celebrates creativity, imagination and individuality.\" Which sounds great until you see what the characters actually look like:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-36792\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-800x446.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-09-13 at 10.04.12 PM\" width=\"800\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-800x446.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-400x223.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-768x429.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-1440x804.png 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-1920x1071.png 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-1180x658.png 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Screen-Shot-2016-09-13-at-10.04.12-PM-960x536.png 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might be wondering where the Japanese girls are here. It's hard not to. The school uniforms are still there. And one girl has hair sticks. But these \"Harajuku\" girls, with their long legs, tiny waists, big boots and oversized, made-up eyes, more closely resemble \u003ca href=\"http://www.toysrus.com/graphics/product_images/pTRU1-20937459enh-z6.jpg\">Bratz\u003c/a> dolls (a brand frequently criticized for marketing overly-sexualized female body ideals to tweens) than anything related to \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harajuku\" target=\"_blank\">Harajuku culture.\u003c/a> It seems Stefani (or network executives) thought the best way to deal with the overt cultural appropriation was simply \"let's not have them be Asian anymore.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are Stefani fans who will undoubtedly argue that if she had gone with an animated band of obviously Asian characters, that too would have been culturally insensitive. They will say that Gwen is damned if she does, and damned if she doesn't. But there is a very obvious and simple way for Stefani to avoid any more racial and cultural shadiness here: Just remove the word \"Harajuku\" from the show. Problem solved!\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/uOHAU13FfiI'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/uOHAU13FfiI'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Gwen Stefani is a well-established enough artist to make a successful animated show about five girls forming a Spice Girls-style band and having adventures without chucking the word \"Harajuku\" into the title -- especially, seemingly, for the sake of clinging to a problematic theme that she already exhausted 12 years ago. Too late now, though: the show has already been on in Australia for almost a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It might seem foolish to be upset about anything Gwen Stefani does at this point. Sure, this is \"only\" pop music and a children's TV show we're talking about. But to maintain a career this long, in the face of so much criticism, and to continue carelessly running amok with other nations' cultural, religious and traditional symbolism is truly astonishing at this point -- as is hanging onto the thinnest threads of stolen Harajuku girl culture to sell a very American cartoon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November of last year, in an interview with Australia's \u003cem>Sunshine Coast Daily\u003c/em>, to promote \u003cem>Kuu Kuu Harajuku\u003c/em>, Stefani said: \"The Harajuku Girls can do anything, they can wear anything, and they can be anything.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anything, apparently, but inoffensive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/36785/does-gwen-stefanis-harajuku-cartoon-really-have-zero-japanese-characters-in-it",
"authors": [
"11242"
],
"categories": [
"pop_4",
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_2912",
"pop_2911",
"pop_2849"
],
"featImg": "pop_37091",
"label": "pop"
},
"pop_35764": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "pop_35764",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "35764",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1473859253000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "pop"
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1473859253,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "Hear Me Out... 'Stranger Things' Is Not That Good",
"title": "Hear Me Out... 'Stranger Things' Is Not That Good",
"headTitle": "KQED Pop | KQED Arts",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This 2016 story was inspired by an episode of \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cooler/id1041117499?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Cooler\u003c/a>, KQED’s gone-but-not-forgotten pop culture podcast that ended in 2020. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">(\u003cstrong>Note:\u003c/strong> Spoilers for Season 1 of \u003c/span>\u003c/em>Stranger Things\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> abound in this article.)\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months—and friend, given 2016’s track record so far, you could certainly be forgiven for retreating there—it was the summer of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.netflix.com/title/80057281\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stranger Things\u003c/a>\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After an intense few months of teasing hype, Netflix’s 8-episode homage to the 1980s scifi-horror-fantasy cinematic landscape came as close to “watercooler TV” as non-TV can upon its release. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>’ plot, look and feel all resemble a big blend of \u003cem>E.T.\u003c/em>, \u003cem>The Goonies\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Poltergeist\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Nightmare on Elm Street\u003c/em> and every Stephen King miniseries you ever saw, it is—and that’s decidedly the point.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnd7sFt5c3A\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The show’s creators, twins Matt and Ross Duffer (aka The Duffer Brothers) have been completely open in their intentions to make \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a loving, detail-oriented homage to the movies they love—and it’s for this that the show has been so lauded by fans. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And honestly, that’s a big, big problem: for this show, for pop culture in general and more.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Let’s get this out of the way: The near-universal adoration heaped on this show by its binge-watching viewers makes any criticism seem like a willful attempt at flying in the face of the zeitgeist. And there’s nothing \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">actually\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> wrong with nostalgia, or enjoying revisiting the cultural pleasures of your past. (God knows that my colleagues and I on \u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cooler/id1041117499?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">KQED’s \u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cooler/id1041117499?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Cooler\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> podcast wax lyrical about our nostalgic obsessions from our young adulthood on most episodes, from \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clueless\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carmen: A Hip-Hopera\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.) \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s also nothing wrong with creativity that nods to the past. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36432\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36432 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-400x200.jpg\" alt=\"Plucky young kids being plucky in Stranger Things\" width=\"400\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-400x200.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-800x400.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-768x384.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-1440x720.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-1920x960.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-1180x590.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-960x480.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plucky young kids being plucky in \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>. (Photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’d also like to acknowledge this: I \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">liked\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> watching \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>. As an homage to the 1980s young’uns-in-peril horror genre, it’s stunningly rendered—from its pitch-perfect visuals (matte, dark) to its superb soundtrack. The acting, particularly from the youngest members of its cast and Matt Harbour as the haunted town sheriff, is fantastic. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But the problem comes when a screen creation is predicated entirely upon nostalgia—and the feelings it provokes. For all its surface-level strengths, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is essentially an 8 episode mood board, with a plot retrofitted to accommodate it. Its pleasures, while enjoyable in the moment, vanish as soon as they’ve left the screen, resulting in a show that is a high to consume but is ultimately fatally lacking in substance. It borrows its characters, plots and atmospheric beats wholesale from the 1980s supernatural classics that inspired it—but instead of creating something fresh and surprising, produces only a perfectly-smooth pastiche supercut of those movies. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36433\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36433 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-400x267.jpg\" alt=\"High school is a cruel place in Stranger Things\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-400x267.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-768x512.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-1180x787.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-960x640.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">High school is a cruel place in Stranger Things. (Photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The more you know about the development of \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>, the harder it is to deny this. Needing a trailer to pitch the series to Netflix, the Duffer Brothers \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/2016/08/19/490671346/stranger-things-creators-on-barb-eleven-and-how-glitter-delayed-productionhttp://www.npr.org/2016/08/19/490671346/stranger-things-creators-on-barb-eleven-and-how-glitter-delayed-production\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">literally made a supercut to demonstrate their intentions\u003c/a>—comprised of clips from the very '80s movies they wanted to borrow from. Furthermore, the show came into being after the duo were \u003ca href=\"http://moviepilot.com/posts/4027804\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">turned down for the job of remaking Stephen King’s creep-fest\u003cem> IT\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. For those of you who’ve watched that still-scary 1990 miniseries, with its band of resourceful, bullied kids in a small town facing down a supernatural horror from another dimension that wants to consume them—tell me that these two didn’t just go and basically remake it anyway in the form of \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things?\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None of this would be an issue if this show sought to create anything fresh or surprising from its myriad references—but it simply doesn’t. Paying genuine tribute to a creative force involves more than putting on their clothes. Otherwise all we’re getting is the karaoke version. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And as \u003ca href=\"http://www.ew.com/article/2016/07/13/stranger-things-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Entertainment Weekly\u003c/em>’s Jeff Jensen observes\u003c/a>, the characters of \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em> are\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> literally wearing someone else’s clothes,\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> from teen heroine Nancy in her pajamas that are a dead ringer for those worn in \u003cem>Nightmare on Elm Street\u003c/em> by the character, uh, Nancy, from the little tot that’s styled to be a dead-ringer for Drew Barrymore’s Gertie in \u003cem>E.T.\u003c/em>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36434\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36434 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960-400x225.jpg\" alt=\"Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers in Stranger Things (Photo: Netflix)\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960-768x432.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers in 'Stranger Things' (Photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Plot-wise, \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>’ heaviest debt is probably to the incomparable \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084516/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Poltergeist\u003c/em>\u003c/a> (1982)—a child sucked into the demonic netherworld, communicating with a distraught, determined mother through household appliances. Yet why would this show’s creators seem so utterly disinterested in doing anything dramatically new with the subject matter? (And no, swapping out holiday lights for a static-filled TV doesn’t count.) \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s not just the derivativeness that irks; it’s the way that, when \u003cem>Stranger Thing\u003c/em>s nods most to \u003cem>Poltergeist,\u003c/em> its emotional themes lose all their power. How can I, as a viewer, hear Winona Ryder begging her missing son to communicate with her in the \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">exact\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> same way that \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXDdGan2kdQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">JoBeth Williams cries for Carol Anne in \u003cem>Poltergeist\u003c/em>\u003c/a>—in some moments, word-for-word—and still be moved by anything that’s taking place? That’s line-reading, not acting. (Or to borrow an earlier analogy: It’s karaoke, not singing.)\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36439\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36439 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poltergeist-dominique-dunne-jobeth-williams-craig-t-nelson-oliver-robins-beatrice-straight-400x216.jpg\" alt=\"JoBeth Williams and the cast of Poltergeist (photo: MGM)\" width=\"400\" height=\"216\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poltergeist-dominique-dunne-jobeth-williams-craig-t-nelson-oliver-robins-beatrice-straight-400x216.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poltergeist-dominique-dunne-jobeth-williams-craig-t-nelson-oliver-robins-beatrice-straight.jpg 656w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">JoBeth Williams and the cast of Poltergeist (Photo: MGM)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The way \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> limits itself in its tributes goes beyond plot and script. It's also evident in its musical choices, which seem to be more concerned with making sure the lyrics in question match what’s being seen on screen. The opening lines of \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EdUjlawLJM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joy Division’s \"Atmosphere\"\u003c/a>—“Don’t walk away in silence”—play over an emotionally-fraught scene in which someone \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">literally\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> walks away in silence. \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K94QvVXoHCY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\"Bargain Store\" by Dolly Parton\u003c/a> accompanies characters Nancy and Jonathan on a mission to purchase an arsenal of weaponry for an affordable price at at army surplus store. Overwrought emo-synth classic \"Sunglasses at Night\"—about spying on your probably-cheating girlfriend—plays as series heartthrob Steve drives out to… you get the picture. As presumably-highly-considered artistic choices, they’re weirdly literal ones, in the “everything is explicit” way you might expect from a reality TV show.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36435\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36435 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture-400x223.png\" alt=\"Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard in Stranger Things. (Photo: Netflix)\" width=\"400\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture-400x223.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture-800x447.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture-768x429.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture.png 829w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard in Stranger Things. (Photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The killer evidence here, as much as it pains me to write this, is Winona Ryder. Her casting was promoted as the ultimate demonstration of \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">’ commitment to its 1980s vision (“Look, we even have Winona!”). Yet her casting is \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">such\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a meta-nod to the people who grew up watching and idolizing her—wanting to be her or be with her—that it actually interferes with the concept of her character, who is ostensibly the emotional lynchpin of the entire enterprise. Joyce Byers was \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/2016/08/19/490671346/stranger-things-creators-on-barb-eleven-and-how-glitter-delayed-production\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">originally written as a chain-smoking, tough-talking Long Island mother\u003c/a>, but was rewritten once Ryder came aboard. (This bears repeating: The show’s creators changed almost everything about a key character so that they could have Winona Ryder play her.) And accordingly, this utterly pivotal character ends up being… Winona Ryder.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36440\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36440 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/qmapoqgkzdroftarfe0o-400x213.png\" alt=\"Winona Ryder in Stranger Things (photo: Netflix)\" width=\"400\" height=\"213\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/qmapoqgkzdroftarfe0o-400x213.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/qmapoqgkzdroftarfe0o.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/qmapoqgkzdroftarfe0o-768x409.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Winona Ryder in Stranger Things (photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You might ask: Who \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">cares\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> if \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is a purel pleasurable karaoke version of 1980s sci-fi horror (or to quote \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/emilyyoshida/status/762469349143683073\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Emily Yoshida of \u003cem>The Verge\u003c/em>’s astute tweet analysis\u003c/a>, “a really slickly executed ganache without any cake inside”)? \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">To which I’d answer: When a pop culture phenomenon achieves its success by co-opting nostalgia—while failing to question that very nostalgia—it misses the point. And when we unquestioningly consume it, we’re missing the point too. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Because one thing \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em> really gets wrong is that the sci-fi horror it’s paying homage to was \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">scary\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. This show is many things, but can anyone really say that it truly scared them? \u003cem>Poltergeist\u003c/em>, the movie it unabashedly borrows from most heavily, understood that the power of its child-in-peril story was rooted in the need for that peril to be truly, deliciously scary. \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em> is so busy trying to present a perfect facsimile of a 1983 horror that it forgets to be... horrific.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36436\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36436 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-400x225.jpg\" alt=\"Jessica Pare and Jon Hamm in Mad Men. (Photo: Michael Yarish/AMC)\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-800x449.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-768x431.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-1180x663.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-960x539.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jessica Pare and Jon Hamm in Mad Men. (Photo: Michael Yarish/AMC)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The perfect exemplar of this might be \u003ca href=\"http://www.amc.com/shows/mad-men\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Initially embraced as a super-stylish evocation of a super-stylish time and place (New York on the cusp of the 1960s), this show’s value beyond its look and feel became clear very quickly. \u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em> succeeded and endured in the way it used its setting not as its reason to be, but as the jump-off point for an unbelievably considered, almost unbearably empathetic examination of the traps of being human.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What \u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em> was \u003ci>not\u003c/i> was a mere sexy-suits-and-stylish-gals ‘60s shagfest—a fact so many of its vastly inferior TV copycats failed to realize in their rush to get commissioned. One of the crappiest copycats was the swiftly-canceled Christina Ricci vehicle \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_(TV_series)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pan Am\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> a show set in the whirlwind world of 1960s air stewardessing, and so embarrassingly brazen in its desire to co-opt some reflected \u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em> glory that it totally failed to grasp what elevated that show above mere '60s cosplay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36438\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36438 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-400x225.jpg\" alt=\"The cast of Pam Am (photo: ABC)\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-768x432.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-960x540.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The cast of Pan Am (photo: ABC)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And that—what happens when pop culture serves up empty nostalgia without stopping to question it—is why we get \u003cem>Pan Am\u003c/em> instead of \u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em>. Or \u003cem>Stranger Things,\u003c/em> instead of the show many of us wanted it to be: a smart, critical take on the 1980s visual culture that it merely winds up cloning. Pop culture, so often derided as inconsequential distraction from the “real stuff,” is always the mirror that reflects the way we’re living and thinking now. In 2016—when fetishizing the past is a reflex, and people talk unironically of making America \"great again\"—could there be a more suitable year to be curious and critical in how we think about, and live with, the past in our present—and demand that our entertainment does the same?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Want even more \u003c/em>Stranger Things\u003cem> thoughts and feelings? Give this episode of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cooler/id1041117499?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Cooler\u003c/a>\u003cem> a listen:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/281927627&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "35764 http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/?p=35764",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/pop/2016/09/14/counterpoint-stranger-things-isnt-that-good/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": true,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1840,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 23
},
"modified": 1653677373,
"excerpt": "What 'Stranger Things' gets wrong about the very 1980s pop culture it's riffing on.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "What 'Stranger Things' gets wrong about the very 1980s pop culture it's riffing on.",
"title": "Hear Me Out... 'Stranger Things' Is Not That Good - KQED Pop",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Hear Me Out... 'Stranger Things' Is Not That Good",
"datePublished": "2016-09-14T06:20:53-07:00",
"dateModified": "2022-05-27T11:49:33-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "counterpoint-stranger-things-isnt-that-good",
"status": "publish",
"customPermalink": "stranger-things-and-the-problem-of-nostalgia-as-entertainment/",
"templateType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"path": "/pop/35764/counterpoint-stranger-things-isnt-that-good",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This 2016 story was inspired by an episode of \u003ca href=\"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cooler/id1041117499?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Cooler\u003c/a>, KQED’s gone-but-not-forgotten pop culture podcast that ended in 2020. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">(\u003cstrong>Note:\u003c/strong> Spoilers for Season 1 of \u003c/span>\u003c/em>Stranger Things\u003cem>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> abound in this article.)\u003c/span>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months—and friend, given 2016’s track record so far, you could certainly be forgiven for retreating there—it was the summer of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.netflix.com/title/80057281\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stranger Things\u003c/a>\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">After an intense few months of teasing hype, Netflix’s 8-episode homage to the 1980s scifi-horror-fantasy cinematic landscape came as close to “watercooler TV” as non-TV can upon its release. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">If \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>’ plot, look and feel all resemble a big blend of \u003cem>E.T.\u003c/em>, \u003cem>The Goonies\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Poltergeist\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Nightmare on Elm Street\u003c/em> and every Stephen King miniseries you ever saw, it is—and that’s decidedly the point.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/mnd7sFt5c3A'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/mnd7sFt5c3A'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The show’s creators, twins Matt and Ross Duffer (aka The Duffer Brothers) have been completely open in their intentions to make \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a loving, detail-oriented homage to the movies they love—and it’s for this that the show has been so lauded by fans. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And honestly, that’s a big, big problem: for this show, for pop culture in general and more.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Let’s get this out of the way: The near-universal adoration heaped on this show by its binge-watching viewers makes any criticism seem like a willful attempt at flying in the face of the zeitgeist. And there’s nothing \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">actually\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> wrong with nostalgia, or enjoying revisiting the cultural pleasures of your past. (God knows that my colleagues and I on \u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cooler/id1041117499?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">KQED’s \u003c/a>\u003c/span>\u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cooler/id1041117499?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Cooler\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> podcast wax lyrical about our nostalgic obsessions from our young adulthood on most episodes, from \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clueless\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Carmen: A Hip-Hopera\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">.) \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">There’s also nothing wrong with creativity that nods to the past. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36432\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36432 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-400x200.jpg\" alt=\"Plucky young kids being plucky in Stranger Things\" width=\"400\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-400x200.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-800x400.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-768x384.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-1440x720.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-1920x960.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-1180x590.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies-960x480.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/header3-stranger-things-80s-movies.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plucky young kids being plucky in \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>. (Photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">I’d also like to acknowledge this: I \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">liked\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> watching \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>. As an homage to the 1980s young’uns-in-peril horror genre, it’s stunningly rendered—from its pitch-perfect visuals (matte, dark) to its superb soundtrack. The acting, particularly from the youngest members of its cast and Matt Harbour as the haunted town sheriff, is fantastic. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But the problem comes when a screen creation is predicated entirely upon nostalgia—and the feelings it provokes. For all its surface-level strengths, \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is essentially an 8 episode mood board, with a plot retrofitted to accommodate it. Its pleasures, while enjoyable in the moment, vanish as soon as they’ve left the screen, resulting in a show that is a high to consume but is ultimately fatally lacking in substance. It borrows its characters, plots and atmospheric beats wholesale from the 1980s supernatural classics that inspired it—but instead of creating something fresh and surprising, produces only a perfectly-smooth pastiche supercut of those movies. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36433\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36433 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-400x267.jpg\" alt=\"High school is a cruel place in Stranger Things\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-400x267.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-800x533.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-768x512.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-1180x787.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0-960x640.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/stranger-things-01_0.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">High school is a cruel place in Stranger Things. (Photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The more you know about the development of \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>, the harder it is to deny this. Needing a trailer to pitch the series to Netflix, the Duffer Brothers \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/2016/08/19/490671346/stranger-things-creators-on-barb-eleven-and-how-glitter-delayed-productionhttp://www.npr.org/2016/08/19/490671346/stranger-things-creators-on-barb-eleven-and-how-glitter-delayed-production\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">literally made a supercut to demonstrate their intentions\u003c/a>—comprised of clips from the very '80s movies they wanted to borrow from. Furthermore, the show came into being after the duo were \u003ca href=\"http://moviepilot.com/posts/4027804\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">turned down for the job of remaking Stephen King’s creep-fest\u003cem> IT\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. For those of you who’ve watched that still-scary 1990 miniseries, with its band of resourceful, bullied kids in a small town facing down a supernatural horror from another dimension that wants to consume them—tell me that these two didn’t just go and basically remake it anyway in the form of \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things?\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">None of this would be an issue if this show sought to create anything fresh or surprising from its myriad references—but it simply doesn’t. Paying genuine tribute to a creative force involves more than putting on their clothes. Otherwise all we’re getting is the karaoke version. \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And as \u003ca href=\"http://www.ew.com/article/2016/07/13/stranger-things-review\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Entertainment Weekly\u003c/em>’s Jeff Jensen observes\u003c/a>, the characters of \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em> are\u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> literally wearing someone else’s clothes,\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> from teen heroine Nancy in her pajamas that are a dead ringer for those worn in \u003cem>Nightmare on Elm Street\u003c/em> by the character, uh, Nancy, from the little tot that’s styled to be a dead-ringer for Drew Barrymore’s Gertie in \u003cem>E.T.\u003c/em>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36434\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36434 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960-400x225.jpg\" alt=\"Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers in Stranger Things (Photo: Netflix)\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960-768x432.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/960.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers in 'Stranger Things' (Photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Plot-wise, \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em>’ heaviest debt is probably to the incomparable \u003ca href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084516/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Poltergeist\u003c/em>\u003c/a> (1982)—a child sucked into the demonic netherworld, communicating with a distraught, determined mother through household appliances. Yet why would this show’s creators seem so utterly disinterested in doing anything dramatically new with the subject matter? (And no, swapping out holiday lights for a static-filled TV doesn’t count.) \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">It’s not just the derivativeness that irks; it’s the way that, when \u003cem>Stranger Thing\u003c/em>s nods most to \u003cem>Poltergeist,\u003c/em> its emotional themes lose all their power. How can I, as a viewer, hear Winona Ryder begging her missing son to communicate with her in the \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">exact\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> same way that \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXDdGan2kdQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">JoBeth Williams cries for Carol Anne in \u003cem>Poltergeist\u003c/em>\u003c/a>—in some moments, word-for-word—and still be moved by anything that’s taking place? That’s line-reading, not acting. (Or to borrow an earlier analogy: It’s karaoke, not singing.)\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36439\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36439 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poltergeist-dominique-dunne-jobeth-williams-craig-t-nelson-oliver-robins-beatrice-straight-400x216.jpg\" alt=\"JoBeth Williams and the cast of Poltergeist (photo: MGM)\" width=\"400\" height=\"216\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poltergeist-dominique-dunne-jobeth-williams-craig-t-nelson-oliver-robins-beatrice-straight-400x216.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/poltergeist-dominique-dunne-jobeth-williams-craig-t-nelson-oliver-robins-beatrice-straight.jpg 656w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">JoBeth Williams and the cast of Poltergeist (Photo: MGM)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The way \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> limits itself in its tributes goes beyond plot and script. It's also evident in its musical choices, which seem to be more concerned with making sure the lyrics in question match what’s being seen on screen. The opening lines of \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EdUjlawLJM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joy Division’s \"Atmosphere\"\u003c/a>—“Don’t walk away in silence”—play over an emotionally-fraught scene in which someone \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">literally\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> walks away in silence. \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K94QvVXoHCY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\"Bargain Store\" by Dolly Parton\u003c/a> accompanies characters Nancy and Jonathan on a mission to purchase an arsenal of weaponry for an affordable price at at army surplus store. Overwrought emo-synth classic \"Sunglasses at Night\"—about spying on your probably-cheating girlfriend—plays as series heartthrob Steve drives out to… you get the picture. As presumably-highly-considered artistic choices, they’re weirdly literal ones, in the “everything is explicit” way you might expect from a reality TV show.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36435\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36435 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture-400x223.png\" alt=\"Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard in Stranger Things. (Photo: Netflix)\" width=\"400\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture-400x223.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture-800x447.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture-768x429.png 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/Capture.png 829w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard in Stranger Things. (Photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">The killer evidence here, as much as it pains me to write this, is Winona Ryder. Her casting was promoted as the ultimate demonstration of \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">’ commitment to its 1980s vision (“Look, we even have Winona!”). Yet her casting is \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">such\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a meta-nod to the people who grew up watching and idolizing her—wanting to be her or be with her—that it actually interferes with the concept of her character, who is ostensibly the emotional lynchpin of the entire enterprise. Joyce Byers was \u003ca href=\"http://www.npr.org/2016/08/19/490671346/stranger-things-creators-on-barb-eleven-and-how-glitter-delayed-production\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">originally written as a chain-smoking, tough-talking Long Island mother\u003c/a>, but was rewritten once Ryder came aboard. (This bears repeating: The show’s creators changed almost everything about a key character so that they could have Winona Ryder play her.) And accordingly, this utterly pivotal character ends up being… Winona Ryder.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36440\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36440 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/qmapoqgkzdroftarfe0o-400x213.png\" alt=\"Winona Ryder in Stranger Things (photo: Netflix)\" width=\"400\" height=\"213\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/qmapoqgkzdroftarfe0o-400x213.png 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/qmapoqgkzdroftarfe0o.png 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/qmapoqgkzdroftarfe0o-768x409.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Winona Ryder in Stranger Things (photo: Netflix)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">You might ask: Who \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">cares\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> if \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stranger Things\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is a purel pleasurable karaoke version of 1980s sci-fi horror (or to quote \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/emilyyoshida/status/762469349143683073\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Emily Yoshida of \u003cem>The Verge\u003c/em>’s astute tweet analysis\u003c/a>, “a really slickly executed ganache without any cake inside”)? \u003c/span>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">To which I’d answer: When a pop culture phenomenon achieves its success by co-opting nostalgia—while failing to question that very nostalgia—it misses the point. And when we unquestioningly consume it, we’re missing the point too. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Because one thing \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em> really gets wrong is that the sci-fi horror it’s paying homage to was \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">scary\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">. This show is many things, but can anyone really say that it truly scared them? \u003cem>Poltergeist\u003c/em>, the movie it unabashedly borrows from most heavily, understood that the power of its child-in-peril story was rooted in the need for that peril to be truly, deliciously scary. \u003cem>Stranger Things\u003c/em> is so busy trying to present a perfect facsimile of a 1983 horror that it forgets to be... horrific.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36436\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36436 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-400x225.jpg\" alt=\"Jessica Pare and Jon Hamm in Mad Men. (Photo: Michael Yarish/AMC)\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-800x449.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-768x431.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-1180x663.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85-960x539.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/cf4d2c6b-cdfe-dbd8-7aa7-5001c0aa7b25_mm_602_my_1107_1118_wide-f6713cebedf13c53a60f65664cbd7d71afb308c8-s1200-c85.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jessica Pare and Jon Hamm in Mad Men. (Photo: Michael Yarish/AMC)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The perfect exemplar of this might be \u003ca href=\"http://www.amc.com/shows/mad-men\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Initially embraced as a super-stylish evocation of a super-stylish time and place (New York on the cusp of the 1960s), this show’s value beyond its look and feel became clear very quickly. \u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em> succeeded and endured in the way it used its setting not as its reason to be, but as the jump-off point for an unbelievably considered, almost unbearably empathetic examination of the traps of being human.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What \u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em> was \u003ci>not\u003c/i> was a mere sexy-suits-and-stylish-gals ‘60s shagfest—a fact so many of its vastly inferior TV copycats failed to realize in their rush to get commissioned. One of the crappiest copycats was the swiftly-canceled Christina Ricci vehicle \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_(TV_series)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pan Am\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> a show set in the whirlwind world of 1960s air stewardessing, and so embarrassingly brazen in its desire to co-opt some reflected \u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em> glory that it totally failed to grasp what elevated that show above mere '60s cosplay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_36438\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 400px\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-36438 size-thumbnail\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/pop/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-400x225.jpg\" alt=\"The cast of Pam Am (photo: ABC)\" width=\"400\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-400x225.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-800x450.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-768x432.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-1180x664.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault-960x540.jpg 960w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/12/2016/09/maxresdefault.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The cast of Pan Am (photo: ABC)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">And that—what happens when pop culture serves up empty nostalgia without stopping to question it—is why we get \u003cem>Pan Am\u003c/em> instead of \u003cem>Mad Men\u003c/em>. Or \u003cem>Stranger Things,\u003c/em> instead of the show many of us wanted it to be: a smart, critical take on the 1980s visual culture that it merely winds up cloning. Pop culture, so often derided as inconsequential distraction from the “real stuff,” is always the mirror that reflects the way we’re living and thinking now. In 2016—when fetishizing the past is a reflex, and people talk unironically of making America \"great again\"—could there be a more suitable year to be curious and critical in how we think about, and live with, the past in our present—and demand that our entertainment does the same?\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Want even more \u003c/em>Stranger Things\u003cem> thoughts and feelings? Give this episode of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cooler/id1041117499?mt=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Cooler\u003c/a>\u003cem> a listen:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"no\" src=\"https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/281927627&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/pop/35764/counterpoint-stranger-things-isnt-that-good",
"authors": [
"3243"
],
"categories": [
"pop_3"
],
"tags": [
"pop_2894"
],
"featImg": "pop_36746",
"label": "pop"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"radioSearchSegmentsReducer": {},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026PresidentialReducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/pop?category=tv": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 312,
"size": 12
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 12,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 629,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"pop_41491",
"pop_40693",
"pop_40652",
"pop_39450",
"pop_38609",
"pop_38090",
"pop_36613",
"pop_36381",
"pop_37696",
"pop_33548",
"pop_36785",
"pop_35764"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop_category_tv": {
"isLoading": true
},
"pop_3": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_3",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "3",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "TV",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "TV Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3,
"slug": "tv",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/category/tv"
},
"pop_2849": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_2849",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "2849",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "ntv",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "ntv Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2849,
"slug": "ntv",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/ntv"
},
"pop_271": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_271",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "271",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "HBO",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "HBO Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 271,
"slug": "hbo",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/hbo"
},
"pop_2915": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_2915",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "2915",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Issa Rae",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Issa Rae Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2915,
"slug": "issa-rae",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/issa-rae"
},
"pop_725": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_725",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "725",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Gilmore Girls",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Gilmore Girls Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 726,
"slug": "gilmore-girls",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/gilmore-girls"
},
"pop_2905": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_2905",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "2905",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Poldark",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Poldark Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2905,
"slug": "poldark",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/poldark"
},
"pop_8": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_8",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "8",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "recaps",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "recaps Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 8,
"slug": "recaps",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/recaps"
},
"pop_49": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_49",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "49",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "awards show",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "awards show Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 49,
"slug": "awards-show",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/awards-show"
},
"pop_4": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_4",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "4",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Music",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Music Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4,
"slug": "music",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/category/music"
},
"pop_2912": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_2912",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "2912",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "cultural appropriation",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "cultural appropriation Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2912,
"slug": "cultural-appropriation",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/cultural-appropriation"
},
"pop_2911": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_2911",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "2911",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "gwen stefani",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "gwen stefani Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2911,
"slug": "gwen-stefani",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/gwen-stefani"
},
"pop_2894": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop_2894",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "pop",
"id": "2894",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "stranger things",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "stranger things Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2894,
"slug": "stranger-things",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/pop/tag/stranger-things"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
},
"requestOutcomesReducer": {
"notFound": []
},
"navPromosReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": true,
"promos": {
"news": {
"name": "2026 Voter Guide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"imageURL": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Nav-News-Nov2026ElectionCoverage@2x-7bd4aad4.png",
"description": "Get informed in minutes with our Voter Guide for California’s November 3 election."
},
"podcasts-radio": {},
"video-tv": {},
"events": {},
"support": {}
}
}
}