Poldark - Episode 5 - Advance Preview + Dialogue Teasers

© BBC Pictures
Episode 5 sees the arrival of some new faces, the return of a couple more and a stepping up from one of the miners who gets a meatier role to sink his teeth in to. There is also more of Demelza and Verity after last week’s delightful scenes between the two of them, with the former wanting to repay her friend for all the help she feels she has received. The boost in her confidence is evident from the off. It is a radiant, though heavily pregnant, young Mrs. Poldark who stares out to sea from the cliff tops now, rather than the timid and shy girl from six months previously.

Our first new character is Dwight Enys (Luke Norris), a doctor Ross became close to during his time in the army. He has come to Wheal Leisure to make a study into lung diseases amongst the mine workers there. On the surface, the two men share many qualities and a similar outlook on life, which is no doubt why they bonded in the first place.

Enys believes in curing the poor because every patient deserves the best treatment possible, for example, which flies in the face of everything Doctor Choake believes the medical profession should stand for. In fact, the snobbish Choake finally decides that he has had enough of Ross and his cohorts, with their utopian, idealistic ways, and parts company with Wheal Leisure in a very backhanded manner.

Ross and his wife welcome young Julia Grace Poldark into their lives - and naturally it doesn’t take long for her partake in her first picturesque Cornish cliff-side sunset, cradled in her father’s loving arms. Rather more unexpected however, is the identity of the first person to visit and congratulate the new mother on her arrival. But then again, we did see Elizabeth welcome Demelza into her home at Christmas and the two seemed to put any awkwardness behind them and started to build a rapport.

I haven’t read the books yet (I’m waiting until the season is finished), but I understood that the characters don’t get along in them, so I have been a little surprised by them hitting it off like this. I’m wondering if any of the more knowledgeable fans could fill me in as to if this differs much from the novels, or indeed the 1970s original series.

I do feel that Elizabeth has been isolated somewhat at Trenwith since Francis has been spending his nights gambling or with Margaret, the prostitute. I doubt that Aunt Agatha is the most compelling company, while Verity has buried herself in her chores and good deeds in order to keep her heartache at bay. As much as any mother can love her child, adult conversation and companionship must be something she relishes the chance to be involved in again. Therefore her reaching out in this way is understandable.

Unless the whole thing is the charade that Francis accused her of last week and this her way of keeping her toe in the door, so to speak. I do find myself believing her plight though, she seems determined to stand by her husband and his decisions, even if her mouth does still get the better of her at times.

The newest edition to the Poldark clan certainly has a lively christening, I imagine that the local gossip mill will be dining out on the fallout from it for some time, and that’s only from the public ruckus caused. A number of the guests have loose lips, revealing information to another that would perhaps have been safer not to confess out loud. It is the unexpected guests that cause the most upheaval though. Well, I say unexpected, but in truth all three people have been invited in some manner or another, it’s just that their attendance wasn’t fully expected by all.

One of the miners, Mark Daniel (Matthew Wilson), has fallen head over heel in love with an actress from a band of travelling players, the vagarious and flighty Keren (Sabrina Bartlett). Not long after her troupe move on she decides to return, seeking out her beau while he is at the christening, and gives him an ultimatum. She will stay and marry him if he can provide them with a home to live in before the week is up. Rather than this ringing any kind of alarm bells, the Poldark’s and other locals muster together and help to renovate one of the estate’s derelict cottages for them.

It isn’t just the tenants who realise that working together on a project is beneficial this week either. A chance conversation in the Red Lion with Enys is overheard by another mine owner, one who realises the full significance of Ross’ radical ideas. As ever, any plans must be kept under wraps and out of George Warleggan’s earshot until everything is in place. That rascal is causing enough damage as it is! His company has a stranglehold on the price of copper in the area which is making him a tidy profit, thank you very much, but is leaving all the business owners out in the cold. If there’s one thing the recent wars in France and America has taught the British, it's that there is only so far a man can be pushed before he will turn and fight back.

Talking of revolution, there have been riots across the country as the poorest and most desperate face either starvation or a life of crime in order to support their families. But surely they only happen in other towns though, never in your own...

Unfortunately, Truro is about to witness its first bout of anarchy and mob violence just as Demelza’s secret plan to casually reunite Verity with Captain Blamey takes place. As if the whole scheme wasn’t dangerous enough from the outset considering how badly it ended last time. Having the would be lovers reunion take place in the midst of a literal battlefield is not what she had planned, but if everything works out then any family repercussions should be plain sailing, right?


Episode 5 airs on Sunday 5th April on BBC One and BBC One HD, below are a few dialogue teasers to see you through until then. If you want to have a go at guessing who said what, I will fill in any correct answers before it airs. Don’t forget to come back and vote in our poll after the episode and let us know what you thought.

UPDATE 1: The first set of correct names have been filled in, any more guesses on who says the remaining quotes to who?


“Gaming, entertaining. Oh, himself, not his wife. Nor his workers, they’re not remotely entertained. Though I dare say she is...lavishly”

“Have you realised that you’ve been uncommonly dull since you became a father” Francis to Ross

“No good can come of it. I bid you good day.”

“T’was you that mended his face?” Demelza to Dwight

“Your place is to be decent and modest, not laying out wares for men to slaver over”

“Am I to hope, with her father deceased, do I have a chance? Captain Blamey to Demelza

“Unless the mines worked and formed a company of their own. Bid independently, purchase ore, extract the copper, built the smelting works”

“I’ll starve before I see another piece of Leisure in his hands” Ross to Dwight & Henshawe

“It’s made of something more precious...a mother’s love for her child surpasses all other loves does it not” Elizabeth to Demelza

“I could prescribe a remedy. One that lives near Truro and captain’s a ship”


Trailer Teasers

“Will there not be trouble, you broke the jail and helped a prisoner escape?”

“If you behave like this you’ll not come to another” Ross to ?

About the Author - Sandi

Sandi is part of the Senior Staff at SpoilerTV having been a contributor from back in the Lost days of DarkUFO, and who now writes previews for Banshee, The Musketeers, Poldark, and other BBC shows. She also enjoys watching and commenting on other shows such as Reign, Hannibal, Game of Thrones and Elementary.

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