With Poldark on the air for more than five years, there were bound to be moments that had the viewers pulling their hair. Since rebellious Ross was the lead protagonist, it was clear that we would see the former soldier do some questionable things. Some fans could easily get behind and some they couldn’t.
As the series progressed, fans also got attached to the likes of Demelza, Dwight, and Morwenna, who all managed to win the hearts of fans with their kind and considerate natures. However, these characters, too, weren’t perfect as they committed acts that had them fall off their pedestals. Would you like some examples? Keep reading to discover the worst thing each character has done.
Morwenna: Leaving her son (second time)
This has to be one of the hardest entries on the list, considering that all of Morwenna’s actions are justified. However, the only terrible thing she has done is confusing her son. Back in season 4, Morwenna was forced to abandon her son and flee from the Whitworth’s after years of abuse almost saw her sent to an asylum.
In season 5, Morwenna decided to try and reconcile with her son. The only issue was, she had to do it secretly because her former mother-in-law had forbidden her from having any more contact with him. However, just as her son was starting to bond with her, Morwenna decided to stop visiting him. This disruption must have confused and hurt him, especially if Morwenna could have come across them in the future.
Drake: Abandoned Rosina on their wedding day
Demelza’s brother has a heart of gold but he can also be irrational and inconsiderate of other people’s feelings. This was most evident in season 4 when Drake began courting Rosina Hoblyn, despite still having feelings for Morwenna.
As the series progresses, Drake declares his intentions to marry Rosina. However, when he gets word that Morwenna has been widowed after Whitworth is found dead, Drake decides to call off their engagement. On their wedding day. Not only did it end up bringing public embarrassment to Rosina but Drake then ran to Morwenna to ask if they could now be together. Talk about rubbing the salt in the wound.
Verity: Married against her family’s wishes
Fan-favorite Verity may have only stayed in Truro for a short amount of time but she proved just as troublesome as all the other Poldarks. In season 1, Verity caused a rift in the family when she began to court a disgraced sea captain who was falsely accused of murdering his wife.
When Francis forbids Verity from seeing him, she goes to extreme lengths to undermine her brother (with help from Demelza). Eventually, Verity ends up eloping with Captain Blamey, which leads to tensions increasing further between Francis and Ross. Even though she was estranged from her brother for some time, at least Verity got her happy ending.
Francis: Jealousy over Ross
Fans of the show were devastated by Francis’ death as the businessman was finally on his way to bigger and better things. After his suicide attempt, Francis became a changed man. He decided to dedicate himself to being a better father, husband, and friend after his insecurities and jealousy saw him down a dark path.
Francis was jealous of Ross, especially when everyone kept telling him that Elizabeth would always prefer to be with the soldier. As a result, Francis began to ostracize his cousin and hang out with George. He also began gambling and engaging in extramarital affairs.
Elizabeth: Betraying George and Demelza
It’s fair to say that Elizabeth was another character who deserved better after the Poldarks and Warleggans fought over her like she was a piece of meat. She didn’t do much wrong apart from one thing: her one-night-stand with Ross.
After she and Ross slept together, Elizabeth found herself placed in an awkward situation when she found out she was pregnant with his child. Not only did it place the newfound friendship between Demelza and Elizabeth under strain but she was also forced to lie to George about Valentine’s parentage. This eventually came back to bite her when George’s paranoia led to her death.
George: Tried to get Ross hanged
George did many horrid things over the series’ five years but the worst had to be when he tried to get Ross executed. This all came about in the season one finale when George’s ship crashed on the edge of Ross’s land. Being the good Samaritan, Ross decided to help rescue the surviving passengers and crew.
However, George manipulated the situation and had Ross arrested for wrecking, inciting a riot, and murder. George then began to bribe people into telling lies about Ross and tried to murder Jud Paynter when it was revealed he was going to give him testimony that would ensure Ross’s release. It’s one of the main reasons George was so detestable.
Caroline: Jealousy over Kitty
Caroline proved to be a pillar of reason for many characters, especially when Dwight or Ross got themselves into a situation that was way over their heads. She also proved to be a source of comfort for Demelza when Ross was being his usual, stubborn self. However, it was a shame she couldn’t clone herself. She needed a friend like this to stop her from getting jealous over Kitty and Dwight’s friendship.
This happened in season 5 when Dwight and Caroline’s relationship was briefly strained as they tried to recover from their daughter’s death. She became jealous and insecure about Dwight spending time with Kitty because she believed the woman represented a lot of things she wasn’t. Still, it was a simple miscommunication that was easily fixed.
Dwight: Affair with Keren Daniel
Dwight was the unsung hero of the show and probably deserved to have his own spin-off after everything Ross put him through. However, that didn’t mean the doctor was always so wholesome. He has flaws like everyone else.
This was particularly evident in season 1 when Dwight’s arrival saw him catch Keren Daniel’s eye. As fans all know, Keren was married to one of Ross’s workers. However, she didn’t let this fact stop her from seducing Dwight, and the two were soon engaged in an affair. This ended up having deadly consequences when her husband Mark was forced to flee the country after he accidentally killed her. It was a burden Dwight would carry with him for years.
Demelza: Affair with Hugh Armitage
If someone would have told Demelza that marriage to Ross would have her at wits-end, she would have probably reconsidered it. She deserved a medal for dealing with Ross’s schemes daily. However, there was a time when fans couldn’t get behind her and that was when she slept with Hugh Armitage.
Fans may remember that Demelza was swept off her feet by the lieutenant after his kindness and poetry intrigued her. Eventually, Demelza and Hugh slept together while Ross waited at home for her return. While most agree that Ross doesn’t deserve Demelza, you couldn’t help but feel for Ross as he knew that something was going on. What’s even more ironic is that Demelza would later berate Ross for not trusting her.
Ross: Disrespected Demelza and Elizabeth
Ross was known for not only infuriating his family and friends with his actions but also the viewers. He could be pig-headed, spontaneous, and irrational at times, but we could forgive him because he always had the best intentions. However, the way Ross mistreated Elizabeth and Demelza in season 2 was completely deplorable.
Fans couldn’t help but get annoyed at the soldier when he got angry at Elizabeth about her decision to get marry his arch-nemesis, George. Demelza had already been worried about Ross’s residual feelings for his former flame and had begged him not to leave. Yet, he did so without hesitation. Ross then made Elizabeth believe he would leave Demelza for her and she soon discovered this wasn’t true. Ultimately, Ross’s infidelity played a part in her death.
