Will his periods of lucidity eventually outnumber his periods of talking to thin air, or will it be the other way around? Might George end Poldarkwitless as well as heartless? To quote the legal definition of insanity, George isn’t yet lost to all sense but he’s definitely dropped his map in a puddle.

Looking similarly bleak is the outlook for Sir George, who’s one giggle away from being trussed up and tossed in the back of the funny wagon. Now Bannantine’s dead, Ross has to spy on the Despards, and it’s all scat to mitchens. Trying to help, Demelza Wikileaked said pamphlet all over London, putting Ross on the wrong side of the Crown and arousing the murderous ire of Hanson and his kestrel-fancier. Faced with a problem, Ross did what any 19 th century man would do and printed a pamphlet for circulation among a circle of discerning and sympathetic gentlemen. Where his oratory stumbled though, the power of the written word succeeded. Ross hardly fared better in his parliamentary address on the evil of slavery and the goodness of his new cause celebre, Colonel Ned.

His suggestion that dunking the afflicted in a barrel of leeches and attempting to poke the devil out of them with a sharp stick might not be the most propitious way to soothe spirits was met by grumbly walk-outs and a sea of shaking heads.

Dwight, a twenty-first century man in his great-great-great-great-grandfather’s pantaloons, is attempting to reframe the conversation around mental health, not that the Royal College of Surgeons is having any of it. Apologies to Dr Enys for the insensitive language.

Poldark season 2 episode 1 youtube