Poldark season 5: Will Ned escape prison…again?

Poldark’s latest episode saw Ned Despard dragged to prison and Ross narrowly avoiding going down with him. But is this the end for the troublesome Colonel?

This season on Poldark, Ned has been something of a thorn in Ross’ side ever since he came to the reluctant MP for help in the first place – another case of wrongful imprisonment. He’s managed to anger almost every character – save the charitable Demelza and painfully loyal Ross – and detract wholly from the fact that he’s a character we’re meant to like.

Maybe we do like him. Like Dwight, we have to like him a bit; he’s largely right about things. But whilst the very opinions that get him trouble are admirable, his inability to listen to anyone but himself…is not.

Indeed, his very existence this season, as a salt of the earth type who prefers plain talking to politics, seems to be to show Ross the error of his ways. So it’s little wonder his character has become so tedious considering he’s there purely to show how insufferable Ross could be.

Unfortunately, that’s now landed him back where he started the series: in a cell. Where he’ll end up now, however, seems largely down to his Cornish protégé.

Episode six’s preview shows Ross (a lawyer now apparently?) passionately defending his friend in court in the coming episode and – wait. Are those tears? Is Ned crying? Oh no, we might not have been his biggest fan but we didn’t want this. A fittingly dark-suited and dispassionate George watches the action from afar, and it’s all looking extremely ominous for Ross’ favorite Colonel.

Fortunately, there’s also whispers of a prison break, which suggests Ross too has little faith in his verbal efforts to get Ned off the hook. From the frying pan into the fire. Thank goodness Dwight is yet again on hand to call his plan ‘insane’, even with a glass of sherry in hand.

It’s a hard job being Ross’ wingman, after all. But someone’s got to do it.

Poldark continues Sunday at 9pm ET on PBS.