After the British lose the American Revolutionary War, a British captain returns to Cornwall expecting a warm welcome, only to find his family, his fortune, and his romantic prospects in ruin. The Poldarks are a large, expansive family losing their influence in a rapidly changing society, a microcosm of the failing British Empire they live in.

Poldark, based on a series of historical novels by Winston Graham, was adapted for television by Debbie Horsfield (Cutting It) in 2015 and ran for five seasons. The series stars Aidan Turner (The Diplomat) in his first major role post Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit, as well as Heida Reed (Against the Ice), Eleanor Tomlinson (One Day), Kyle Soller (Bodies), and Jack Farthing (Spencer).

When will Poldark be released?

Stream all five seasons now.

Who’s in the cast of Poldark?

• Aidan Turner (The Diplomat) as Captain Ross Poldark
• Eleanor Tomlinson (One Day) as Demelza Carne
• Heida Reed (Against the Ice) as Elizabeth Chenoweth
• Kyle Soller (Bodies) as Francis Poldark
• Warren Clarke (A Clockwork Orange) as Charles Poldark
• Caroline Blakiston (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi) as Agatha Poldark
• Ruby Bentall (Lost in Austen) as Verity Blamey
• Jack Farthing (Spencer) as George Warleggan
• Pip Torrens (The Crown) as Cary Warleggan
• Luke Norris (Been So Long) as Dr. Dwight Enys
• Christian Brassington (Hard Cell) as Reverend Ossie Whitworth

What happens in Poldark?

Captain Ross Poldark (Turner) returns to Cornwall after years spent fighting a war he never believed in. Disillusioned with the British Empire, the captain hopes to regain some sense of normalcy by returning to managing the land his family has mined for generations. But on the journey home, Ross learns of his father’s death, the collapse of the mining industry in Cornwall, and the new lows his family’s name has sunk to as their debt accumulates. 

Ross visits his uncle before returning to his estate, only for further disaster to strike. His cousin Francis (Soller) has proposed to Ross’s beloved, Elizabeth (Reed), after Ross was assumed to have been killed in action. His uncle Charles (Clarke), determined to secure Francis’s legacy, bribes Ross with the promise of funding a college education — as long as Ross leaves his father’s lands and mines in his uncle’s hands and leaves Cornwall forever. But Ross knows there’s only one place in the world he belongs. How long can he fight to keep his ancestral lands before debt, pride, and working-class revolt force his hand?

Is Poldark based on a book?

Yes, Poldark is based on a series of 12 historical novels by author Winston Graham. Written between 1945 and 2002, Poldark was previously adapted into a BBC series in 1975. The 2015 BBC adaptation starring Aidan Turner is now streaming on Netflix.

Is Poldark based on a true story?

While the Poldark family’s highs and lows are entirely fictional, the series pulls from real historical events like the American Revolutionary War. 

Where does Poldark take place?

Poldark is set in Cornwall, England.

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