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The Mayor of Casterbridge Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
7 Episodes 1978 - 1978
Episode 1
Episode #1.1
Sun, Sep 3, 1978
Susan is taking her daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, back to the fair where her drunken husband, Michael Henchard, sold her for five guineas to a sailor so many years ago. When he woke up to what he had done he swore off the drink. Meanwhile, Susan is sent on her travels to Casterbridge where she finds out that Michael is now mayor. She has second thoughts about seeing him and sends Elizabeth-Jane to see him with a message. He is very happy to see them and arranges a meeting where he proposes to marry Susan again, keeping Elizabeth-Jane in ignorance of what had happened.
Episode 2
Episode #1.2
Sun, Sep 10, 1978
Michael remarries Susan and she moves into his house with their daughter. He has hired Donald Farfrae to manage the corn side of his business and there is a mutual attraction between Donald and Elizabeth-Jane. Michael is starting to treat the people around him badly and there is an increase in tension between Donald and himself. As Michael's standing in the community goes down, Donald's goes up. Eventually, Donald sets up his own business in opposition to Michael. Meanwhile, Susan's health continues to deteriorate.
Episode 3
Episode #1.3
Sun, Sep 17, 1978
Susan has died and Michael decides to tell Elizabeth-Jane the truth about her being his daughter. She is understandably stunned. Then he finds a letter left by Susan explaining that Elizabeth-Jane is not his daughter, his daughter had died. After learning this, Michael's attitude towards Elizabeth-Jane cools. A lady, Lucetta Templeman, offers Elizabeth-Jane a job as a companion but she has her eyes on Michael. However, Donald starts to find her interesting and he pursues her. Donald's approach to business is working and he is doing very well. Michael is buying up as much corn as possible, gambling on a bad harvest.
Episode 4
Episode #1.4
Sun, Sep 24, 1978
Lucetta is spurring Michael's advances and he becomes suspicious. Meanwhile, the harvest is good and Michael is left with too much corn, causing him to lose a lot of money. Donald finally expresses his love to Lucetta. However, Michael sees them kissing and blackmails her, threatening to reveal their past. So, she reluctantly promises to marry him. When presiding over a court case, Michael admits his past, admitting he sold his wife and child. He later comes to senses and ends up releasing Lucetta from her promise but it was too late - she had already married Donald. However, Elizabeth-Jane decides that she must leave Lucetta and move into her own place.
Episode 5
Episode #1.5
Sun, Oct 1, 1978
After his disastrous business decisions, Michael is declared bankrupt. He accepts it philosophically but he is upset when he is told that his business, house and its contents were bought by Donald Farfrae. Donald offers him assistance but he is to proud to accept charity. However, he accepts a job working for Donald. After 21 years of abstinence, Michael starts drinking again. When drunk he threatens harm to Donald and, despite the warnings, Donald ignores them. Then Donald is elected mayor. He then threatens to fully expose to Donald the contents of Lucetta's letters that she wrote to Michael. Overhearing this, she tries to get them away from him.
Episode 6
Episode #1.6
Sun, Oct 8, 1978
Prince Albert is coming to Casterbridge and tensions rise between Michael and the town council. He gets drunk and disrupts the proceedings. Michael later confronts Donald and forces the two to fight, potentially to the death. Only then he comes to senses. Jopp managed to get some of Lucetta's letters to Michael and reads them out to the townspeople. They decide to humiliate Lucetta and Henchard with a charivari. She collapses and dies, losing the child she was carrying. Out of the blue, Newson turns up looking for Elizabeth-Jane. He wasn't drowned as expected but was rescued. Michael tells him Elizabeth-Jane was dead.
Episode 7
Episode #1.7
Sun, Oct 15, 1978
It's been a year since Lucetta has died and Donald is still grieving. However, he helps Michael set up a shop and he shares the attached house with Elizabeth-Janes. Michael's conscience still worries him as he broods about his deception of Newson. When Newson suddenly reappears Michael decides to leave Casterbridge. Newson and Elizabeth-Jane are reunited, and then Elizabeth-Jane and Donald get married. Michael returns on their wedding day but Elizabeth-Jane is not in a forgiving mood. However, she changes her mind and goes looking for him, but she is too late.
