We come in on a garden party at Gatherum Castle hosted by the Duke of Omnium. We are introduced to Glencora M'Cluskie and Plantagenet Palliser, both of whom are occupied with the person who currently holds their affections. Unfortunately, the obstacles to their achieving their goals include their station in life and their respective guardians. These guardians concoct a scheme to force them together and eventually to marriage. As the episode ends Plantagenet has adjusted to the situation, but has Glencora?

After an opening wedding sequence, we follow the Pallisers on their honeymoon to Switzerland, where Glencora can't hide her unhappiness. The Vavasors are also in Switzerland, with John Grey, whom Alice is reluctantly engaged to. We learn that George and Alice were once engaged to be married. Thus begins the parallel stories of Glencora and Alice and their attraction to men who bring that whiff of romantic danger to their lives. As this episode draws to a close, we enter that world that Trollope was so good at revealing. The down and dirty world of borough politics, where the machinations of gaining a seat in Parliament require stamina and very deep pockets.

Alice comes to stay at Matching to keep Glencora company. We are introduced to the bigwig end of the Liberal Party, especially the delightful presence of the Duke of St Bungay. Lady Monk, who is Burgo's aunt, plots with him so that he may steal away with Glencora just after Christmas. Even though Glencora tells Plantagenet outright why they should not go to Monk's he seems both obtuse and trusting in insisting that they will go. Alice writes to John Grey breaking off her engagement and George wastes no time in making his desires for Alice known. Having seen how unhappy Glencora is Alice follows her heart and agrees to marry George. Her family strongly disapproves. Glencora succeeds in getting a cold, thus missing the meeting at Monkshade and putting off, for awhile, her moment of decision. As the episode proceeds we become aware that Alice and Glencora's money is at least as important to George and Burgo as their love.

Alice's grandfather begins to ease his feelings toward George, but her father remains adamantly opposed. He even goes so far as to enlist Mr Grey in helping to protect her interests. This becomes more important as Alice is preparing to give 3000 pounds to George to aid his campaign to win the Chelsea seat, which has just come open. As the episode progresses, he finally captures the special election. Now that Parliament is back in session the Palliser's have returned to London and we see just how able Plantagenet is on the floor of the House. Alice's defense of Glencora, and Plantagenet reaction to it begin to give Glencora a hint of the fact that her husband cares for her more than she realized. Unfortunately, Squire Vavasor's health takes a turn for the worse and Alice is called back to Scotland just when Glencora will need her help the most. At a ball hosted by the Monk's the long avoided reunion of Glencora and Burgo occurs on the dance floor. He begs her to run away with him.

Glencora makes her feelings known to Plantagenet, again his response surprises her. Squire Vavasor has passed away and George assumes that he will, at last, come into his own, but his past actions have forced the Squire to expunge him from his will. George, seeing the disaster that is on the horizon, reacts with the violence that is his nature. When George learns that it is John Grey's money that has financed his election his mood worsens. The Liberals are prepared to make Plantagenet the Chancellor of the Exchequer, his lifelong goal. Knowing what is most important to his future happiness, he is forced to refuse. John Grey begins to show Alice that he has an inner strength and resolve in his affection for her that may help her to overcome her self recriminations. Glencora is bowled over by Plantagenet's choice and asks Alice to go with them on their trip to the continent. Burgo makes one last attempt to win Glencora and her choice is a heartrending one. We end with the final r

Still on their trip Glencora begins her new career as a matchmaker by trying to get Alice to relent in her attitude toward Mr Grey. With her previous anxieties eased, Glencora becomes pregnant, sending everyone back to England. But not before John Grey proposes and Alice agrees. One final glimpse of Burgo shows that Glencora has gotten him out of her system, and that Plantagenet has depths that are extraordinary. We are introduced to Phineas Finn and Lawrence Fitzgibbon, two new members of Parliament from Ireland. The party that is thrown for the christening of the Palliser's child marks a turning point in the series. Now that Glencora and Plantagenet are settled, the steps and many missteps of Phineas Finn will become the focus of our viewing pleasure. As the episode ends there is a chance that the Plantagenet may yet become the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Plantagenet has achieved his goal and is hosting his first party as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, although it is actually Glencora that is key to its success. Mr Finn arrives soaked from the rain, and sets everyone to talking, about his politics and his eligibility as a bachelor. Among the new characters that will become important to the story are the Chilterns, Laura Standish, Violet Effingham and Robert Kennedy. Also new is Madame Max Goesler who, because of her attractiveness to the Duke of Omnium, is worrisome to Glencora. As Finn begins to enter the corridors of power he foolishly puts his name on a bill for Lawrence for 300 pounds. This act will come back to haunt him. While having a sweet Colleen at home, and setting many hearts aflutter in England and Scotland, the first woman that Phineas sets his cap for is Laura Standish. Unfortunately, she has already accepted a proposal in marriage from Mr Kennedy. As we close Phineas is preparing his maiden speech in for Par

A fight over the secret ballot threatens to split the Liberal party. Finn is called on to ad lib his first speech and he refuses, temporarily setting back his aspirations. We begin to learn the mistake that Laura made in marrying Kennedy. At a hunt Phineas saves Chilterns' life. Later, he begins to woo Violet (wooing is a habit with Finn). Phineas finally makes his first speech. He makes a bit of a hash of it, as so many before him have done. The uproar over the secret ballot leads to Phineas' landlords arrest and the natural corruption of life takes its course. Just after quarreling with Phineas, Kennedy is attacked by thugs and Finn saves his life (another habit he seems unable to break). His second speech in the house is much more successful. As this episode closes Phineas is confronted by one more dubious force in the person of Quintus Slide, of the gutter press.

Phineas continues to juggle his women. Meanwhile the Duke of Omnium continues his pursuit of Madame Max, she handles him with extreme skill and grace. Laura has become so miserable that she asks Phineas to not come to Scotland again. Phineas is rescued from his money problems by Fitzgibbon's sister and, then, goes to Brentford to stand for his new seat in Parliament. While there he decides to ask Violet to marry him. An act which will bring him into conflict with both Chiltern and Lord Brentford. A second son is born to the Pallisers and helps to smooth over a small row between husband and wife. Finn rejects the snide Slide and, then, has a confrontation with Chiltern over Violet. This leads to the necessity for a duel.

We begin with the duel between Phineas and Chiltern. Finn takes a wound in the shoulder. But, the bullet does not do as much damage as the smear campaign that Snide begins in 'The People's Banner'. Phineas' attempt to enlist Laura's aid in winning Violet is rebuffed, at first, but, later she decides to do what she can. We are introduced to Lord Fawn, whose ineptness will be a joy to watch in the episodes to come. Phineas is offered a post in the government as the Undersecretary of the Colonies. After Violet turns down Phineas' offer he returns to the solace of Mary Flood's embrace. While in Ireland Phineas becomes aware of the terrible plight of Irish tenants, and his decision to act on their behalf will mean the loss of his newly won job. Election reform means the loss of his seat in Parliament. As the episode closes Madame Max, who Glencora as been pushing Phineas toward, offers him all that she has. He declines most graciously, as does Madame Max when the Duke of Omnium as

Christmas day finds the Kennedy's arguing worse than ever. Laura has brought Chiltern and Violet together and they finally admit their love for each other. Monk finally declares the fight for tenant rights open. He has Finn's support, tacitly at the moment so that Finn won't lose his ministerial position too soon. Eventually Phineas fulfills his word to Monk and backs him up. This, combined with Mary Flood's pregnancy, will remove Phineas back to Ireland and away from our story, for the moment. The Duke of Omnium makes his final play for Marie Goesler and she, again, manages to refuse him without losing his, or Glencora's, friendship. At another garden party we are introduced to the delightfully wicked Lizzie Eustace. Before we bid farewell to Phineas, he saddens Marie, and rescues Laura from Kennedy by aiding her to leave with her father. As the episode ends the Duke collapses.

The recovering Duke is buoyed by gossip of Lizzie Eustace and her diamonds. They have become a bone of contention between her and the man she is engaged to, Lord Fawn. He wants them to be in the care of the lawyers, while she insists that they will always be with her, as they were a gift from her late husband. Plantagenet finds the newly married Phineas a job in Ireland. Later the Liberals lose the election to the Conservatives. The Duke's spirits are raised further by the return of Marie from Vienna. Lizzie's barrister cousin, Frank, comes to assist her about the diamonds. She makes her feelings for him quite clear, but he is already engaged. Later we meet Lizzie's new found friends, all of whom seem very dubious, indeed. As the episode ends we get to see the glorious necklace.

Lizzie receives her demand to bring the necklace to London for a final decision. On the train Lizzie gets several recommendations, mostly nefarious, on what to do with her diamonds. The overnight stop finds the safe containing the diamonds vanished, and a nice little mystery set up for our viewing pleasure. Lizzie, foolishly, reveals to Lord George that she does still have them, as she is simply trying to keep them from Lord Fawn and the lawyers clutches. After a night at the theater, Lizzie finds that the diamonds really have been stolen, and, although her maid is suspected, her previous lies leave her in a real bind. We meet the entire brood of the Fawn family and, quickly find Clara in charge of all. She directs Lord Fawn towards Marie Goesler, and he fumbles his way, gloriously, through a mystifying proposal to her. Glencora, beyond all reasoning, takes up Lizzie's cause and pledges her assistance. As the episode ends Lizzie's maid has been captured.