Series synopsis
Poldark is a British drama television series that premiered on BBC One on March 8, 2015. It ended on August 26, 2019. It was created by Debbie Horsfield, Winston Graham. It stars Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jack Farthing and Kyle Soller.
Britain is in the grip of a chilling recession... falling wages, rising prices, civil unrest - only the bankers are smiling. It's 1783 and Ross Poldark returns from the American War of Independence to his beloved Cornwall to find his world in ruins: his father dead, the family mine long since closed, his house wrecked and his sweetheart pledged to marry his cousin. But Ross finds that hope and love can be found when you are least expecting it in the wild but beautiful Cornish landscape.
Premise
Britain is in the grip of a chilling recession... falling wages, rising prices, civil unrest - only the bankers are smiling. It's 1783 and Ross Poldark returns from the American War of Independence to his beloved Cornwall to find his world in ruins: his father dead, the family mine long since closed, his house wrecked and his sweetheart pledged to marry his cousin. But Ross finds that hope and love can be found when you are least expecting it in the wild but beautiful Cornish landscape.
Premise: Loyalty. Bravery. Passion.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark
- Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza Poldark
- Jack Farthing as George Warleggan
- Kyle Soller as Francis Poldark
- Luke Norris as Dwight Enys
- Beatie Edney as Prudie Paynter
- Phil Davis as Jud Paynter
- Pip Torrens as Cary Warleggan
Supporting cast
- Tom York as Sam Carne
- Harry Richardson as Drake Carne
- Gabriella Wilde as Caroline Enys
- Tristan Sturrock as Zacky Martin
- John Hollingworth as Captain Henshawe
- Sofia Oxenham as Tess Tregidden
- Josh Whitehouse as Hugh Armitage
- Kerri McLean as Kitty Despard
- Vincent Regan as Ned Despard
- Woody Norman as Valentine Warleggan
- Caroline Blakiston as Aunt Agatha
- Ellise Chappell as Morwenna Chynoweth / Morwenna Whitworth
Guest cast
- Heida Reed as Elizabeth Warleggan
- Ruby Bentall as Verity Blamey
- Henry Garrett as Captain McNeil
- Rose Reynolds as Betty Carkeek
- Lewis Peek as Ted Carkeek
- Harriet Ballard as Ruth Teague
- Crystal Leaity as Margaret
- Gracee O'Brien as Jinny Carter
- Stuart Davidson as Warleggan Footman
- Alexander Arnold as Jim Carter
- Tim Dutton as Joseph Merceron
- Alexander Morris as James Blamey
Episodes
This series spans 5 seasons with 43 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 8 | March 8, 2015 | April 26, 2015 |
| Season 2 | 10 | September 4, 2016 | November 6, 2016 |
| Season 3 | 9 | June 11, 2017 | August 6, 2017 |
| Season 4 | 8 | June 10, 2018 | July 29, 2018 |
| Season 5 | 8 | July 14, 2019 | August 26, 2019 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Cornwall, 1783. Ross Poldark returns from the battlefield to find his father dead. |
March 8, 2015 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Ross plans to reopen his family mine with Francis. Demelza struggles to fit in at Nampara. |
March 15, 2015 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Rumours spread of a scandalous relationship between Ross and Demelza. |
March 22, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Ross prepares for his trial as Demelza and Elizabeth try to help his cause. George does everything in his power to harm Ross, Francis wrestles with his conscience, and Dwight clashes with an entitled heiress, Caroline Penvenen. |
September 4, 2016 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 As the election leads to rioting, Elizabeth goes to Bodmin herself. Demelza tries to influence the case by making a personal appeal to the judge, but George has a number of tricks up his sleeve as the day of the trial arrives. |
September 11, 2016 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Ross and Demelza face financial ruin, and George plans revenge on Jud. Francis, meanwhile, tries to rebuild his life and extends an invitation to Ross and Demelza. |
September 18, 2016 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 Ross and Demelza look to forget the past and rebuild their marriage, but new arrivals threaten their fragile reconciliation. |
June 11, 2017 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 Sam and Drake provoke Trentishoe and Ross's stubbornness gives George the upper hand. Meanwhile, a great naval battle leaves Dwight's fate in question. |
June 18, 2017 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Ross is ordered to leave Roscoff under threat of execution. He travels with Tholly to meet his contact in France, but finds information about Dwight's fate comes at a high price. Sam leads a congregation of methodists in protest outside the church - only to face broken promises from George, who revokes their lease on the meeting house, which leads them to turn to Elizabeth for help. Geoffrey Charles has some words of advice for Drake, who has shared a moment of intimacy on the beach with Morwenna. |
June 25, 2017 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 As the Poldarks look to rebuild their marriage and the Enyses to increase their family, Cornwall struggles under the Warleggans, whose power threatens all they hold dear. |
June 10, 2018 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 The Poldarks determine to get their relationship on track and the Enyses announce they're expecting a baby. Hugh's worsening health threatens his chance to stand in the election, and the prospect of him remaining in Cornwall adds pressure to the Poldarks' fragile marriage. At the Sawle Feast, Tom Harry challenges Sam to a wrestling match. When Emma offers herself as the prize, Sam accepts. |
June 17, 2018 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Ross faces the challenge of Parliament and the Warleggans refuse to accept defeat. In Cornwall, Demelza contends with a failing mine and fixing Drake's broken heart. Dwight and Caroline welcome a baby daughter. Ossie meanwhile tends to a dying parishioner and George hosts an extravagant party at Trenwith. |
June 24, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Episode 1 The Poldarks look forward to life together in peace, but a plea from his old army colonel, Ned Despard, compels Ross to the capital. Arriving in London, he finds a city gripped with paranoia, and is determined to save Ned from the conspiracy that imprisoned him. |
July 14, 2019 |
| 2 |
Episode 2 As George expands his power through a shady alliance, the Poldarks become caught in a deadly web. |
July 21, 2019 |
| 3 |
Episode 3 Ross's tenacity in helping Ned bears fruit, but not without cost. Hanson’s presence in Cornwall raises suspicion and as Demelza wrestles with how best to equip the community to look after itself, Morwenna lends herself to the cause and finds new hope. |
July 28, 2019 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | BBC One |
|---|---|
| First aired | March 8, 2015 |
| Last aired | August 26, 2019 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Sunday at 21:00:00 |