The Pallisers Season 1 Episodes

Episode 1

Part One

Wed, Oct 1, 1975

Lady Glencora M'Cluskie is young, beautiful, quite rich and madly in love with Burgo Fitzgerald. Although he is her social equal, her elders think she can do better and set their sights on Plantaganet Palliser, nephew and heir to the Duke of Omnium. Palliser is an active member of Parliament and can only be described as a bore, even if a well-meaning one, whose greatest interest seems to be to convert British currency to the decimal system. With the Duke's agreement and assistance, a marriage is arranged though not without some objection from the parties involved. Glencora tries to find a way to spend time with Bungo but her cousin Alice Vavasor refuses to help her. Alice has her own problems. She was was once engaged to her cousin George Vavasor but he set off for the colonies to make his fortune. Five years have elapsed and he's now returned. She however is engaged but seeds of doubt have now been planted and George seems to be set on getting her back.

Episode 2

Part Two

50 mins

Glencora and Plantaganet are married and set off for Europe on their honeymoon. They spend a inordinate amount of time in Switzerland, which Glecora abhors and it's turning out to be not much of a honeymoon with Plantaganet having numerous meetings with bankers about the decimal currency system. She's more than pleased when she runs into her cousin Alice accompanied by her father and her own cousins, siblings George and Kate Vavasor. Glencora is absolutely giddy however when she receives a note from none other than Bungo Fitzgerald who has found his way to Basel. It's apparent that she is still madly in love with him, to Plantaganet's dismay, and on their return to England she finds life alone in a large manor house to be quite difficult. Bungo Fitzgerald tells his friend George Vavasor that he has every intention of having her back

Episode 3

Part Three

50 mins

Alice Vavasor visits her cousin Glencora who is thrilled to have someone in the house she can talk to. Alice is still engaged but in no hurry to marry it seems. Glencora suggests she get on with it before she is given away to some man as a piece of property, as she was. Glencora hasn't produced an heir which has been a major disappointment to her husband Plantagenet. She confides in her cousin that having seen Bungo Fitzgerald again in Switzerland, she is now convinced he is the man she really wants. When she learns that she and Plantagenet are to visit Lady Monk, Bungo's aunt, after Christmas she is worried about her reaction when she inevitability sees Bungo again. For his part, Burgo Fitzgerald is still out to get Glencora as his own. George Vavasor is to stand for election and needs money so he turns to Alice. They decide on their future.

Episode 4

Part Four

51 mins

Alice has decided to end her engagement to John Grey but her news that she is to marry her cousin George does not sit well with her father or her grandfather, neither of whom are prepared to see him. Her father is convinced that he is only out to get her money and will move on once he has his hands on it. The Liberal party has confirmed George as a election candidate and when a by-election is called he needs several thousand pounds quickly. Alice is more than pleased to give him what he needs but her father and Alice's former fiancé see an opportunity to prove to her how unreliable George really is. Glencora and Plantagenet return to London but an invitation to Lady Monk's ball means she will inevitably meet Bungo Fitzgerald again. She's unable to avoid it as she did at Christmas-time and when Plantagenet leaves the ball early to go to Parliament, Bungo takes his chance to sweep her away.

Episode 5

Part Five

50 mins

After the events at Lady Monk's ball, Glencora and Plantagenet have a frank talk. She confesses to him that she very nearly ran away with Burgo Fitzgerald and urges Plantagenet to make a life for himself without her. He tells her that he loves her very much, something Glencora refuses to believe, and says that the fact she has not borne him a child is of no consequence. He announces that he will withdraw from participating in the current session of Parliament and they will go off to Europe for a prolonged holiday. Unfortunately for his career, his decision comes at an inopportune moment. At Plantagenet's suggestion, Glencora invites Alice Vavasor to accompany her on the holiday. Alice has also had to deal with her fiancé Charles Vavasor who's learned that his late grandfather has left the estate to Alice's father. Worried about money - he's widely in debt and it's only his standing as a Member of Pariliament that gives him immunity from prosecution - Charles lashes out at Alice, bringing their engagement to an end. He also learns the origin of the money he thought she had provided to him.

Episode 6

Part Six

50 mins

Now on holidays in Europe with Plantagenet and Alice Vavasor, Glencora has some happy new for her husband. She is also determined that Alice and John Grey be reunited. Grey has followed them to Switzerland and Glencora creates opportunities opportunities for him and Alice to be together. Once back back in England, the swirl of politics takes over with the announcement that the Liberal government will undergo a major change of Ministers, creating the hope that Plantagenet may once again be offered the cabinet position he turned down the year before. There are several new MPs as well, including a young Irishman and reformer who is chomping at the bit to change the old guard.

Episode 7

Part Seven

Plantagenet Palliser is the Chancellor of the Exchequer in a revamped Liberal government and Glencora is proving to be the perfect political hostess when they host a reception in their home. Among the guests are Phineas Finn, a young Irish MP and Robert Kennedy, one of the more influential members of the party. Laura Standish continues to guide the young Finn through his introduction to life among the influential MP's and peers and also introduces him to her brother, Lord Chiltern. Finn has taken quite a liking to her but after settling her brother's debts, the now destitute Laura takes steps to secure her future. Finn also make the acquaintance of Madame Max Goesler and the pretty Violet Effingham.

Episode 8

Part Eight

Phineas Finn's foolishness in co-signing for a loan on behalf of Lawrence Fitzgibbon comes back to haunt him when the moneylender demands payment. He's also preparing for his maiden speech in Parliament but when the time comes, he makes a mess of it. He continues his friendship with Lady Laura and her brother but her new husband forbids him to visit his wife on Sundays. The major issue of the day is whether to accede to the radicals demands for the secret ballot. Phineas personally supports the concept but agrees to support the Liberal party elders, several of whom are dead set against it. Glencora meanwhile is once again with child and Plantagenet is preparing for the July election.

Episode 9

Part Nine

Having rescued Mr. Kennedy from a street mugging, Phineas Finn is now again welcome in his home. Lady Laura however has realized her error in marrying Kennedy and finding it more and more difficult to hide her feelings, asks Finn to stay away. Finn is still in trouble with the moneylenders but is saved by an unexpected source. He's also decided to ask a certain young woman to marry him. but she seems less than receptive and Lord Chiltern has his own strong views on the issue. The Liberal party wins the general election and Plantagenet is reappointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Glencora meanwhile gives birth to a second son.

Episode 10

Part Ten

Phineas Finn survives his duel with Lord Chiltern and refuses to renounce his interest in Miss Effingham. He convinces Laura Kennedy to help him win her affections but Miss Effingham refuses him and he's no further ahead. His career is on the upswing however when he's appointed Undersecretary for the Colonies. He's taken an interest in the situation of tenants in Ireland, a subject that may put him on a collision course with the party, which has little interest in the subject. He's encouraged to press on however by several people including Mrs Max Goesler. Lady Glenora once again finds herself in the family way, much to Plantagenet's delight.

Episode 11

Part Eleven

When Violet and Chiltern are house guests at the Kennedys' Estate, the stresses on their dysfunctional marriage are pushed to the breaking point by Robert's obsession with money although Violet does agree to marry Chiltern. The Duke's vain romantic pursuit of Madame Goesler cause the frustrated nobleman to propose marriage to her in the ultimate effort to achieve intimacy. Glencora views the prospective marriage as a threat to Plantagenet's right to succession of the Omnium title and confides her fears to Madame Goesler, who ultimately turns the Duke down. Finn continues his intimacy with Mary in Ireland and consents to a secret engagement in order that the relationship continue, but upon his return to England receives a letter from her saying that she is pregnant. That and his support of controversial legislation supporting rights of Irish tenant farmers seem to put his political career in jeopardy and force him to turn down a thinly disguised proposal of marriage from the beautiful and rich Madame Goesler. When Laura asks his aid in helping her escape her unhappy marriage to mean-spirited Kennedy, he agrees, and the Duke finds solace in the attractive Lizzie Eustace, who arrives at his garden party on the arm of Lord Fawn.

Episode 12

Part Twelve

Although forewarned by friends in the Party, Phineas Finn speaks out in the House in favor of land and tenant reform in Ireland after which he is forced to resign his position as Undersecretary responsible for the Colonies. He returns to Ireland but Plantagenet Palliser, who has always thought kindly of Finn, arranges for a government appointment that will provide him with a decent income. Mrs. Max Goesler returns from Vienna just as all of London is atwitter with the case of the Eustace Diamonds. Lady Eustace has left the city and returned to Scotland with the jewels belonging to her late husband's estate. The family bankers insist that the jewels are the property of the estate but she insists that her late husband give them to her has a personal gift. Despite advice to the contrary, she refuses to return them and the matter seems headed to court.

Episode 13

Part Thirteen

Lizzie Eustace is served with a subpoena summoning her to present herself in London and surrender her 50,000 pound diamond necklace before the court adjudicates ownership. She will be defended by her cousin, barrister Frank Greystock and accompanied in her journey by fortune hunters and hangers-on, Mrs. Carbuncle, Lord George, and Reverend Emilius. At the insistence of Mrs. Carbuncle they make it a two day trip with a night at Carlisle, and during the night, a thief breaks into her room and steals the case of diamonds. Lizzie confides to Lord George that she has lied to the police as the jewels were not in the case, but under her pillow. She conceals them in a roll-top desk, but finds on her return to Mrs. Carbuncle's house that the desk has been broken into and the diamonds really gone. Lizzie cannot tell the truth under threat of a charge of perjury. Now that her engagement to Lord Fawn is at an end, she vainly tries to seduce Greystock and George into becoming her male protector, but both men are too wise to want to become more deeply involved then they already are. Fawn's harridan of a sister browbeats him into trying to court Marie Goesler, but is discouraged by the rich widow's amused indifference to his pleas and intimidated when Glencora pressures him to renew his proposal of marriage to Lizzie.

Episode 14

Part Fourteen

Lizzie Eustace's maid Crabstick turns state's evidence and tells police that her boyfriend buried the stolen diamond necklace somewhere in Italy but caught malaria and died before selling them or informing her of their location. Now Lizzie faces charges of perjury, the loss of her 50,000 pound necklace, and public humiliation. Now a pariah, she is turned out of the house of her "friend" Mrs. Crabtree, who presents her with a bill for her stay there, but her search for a male protector is rewarded in an unlikely quarter. Phineas Finn's wife dies in childbirth, and with a 5,000 pound legacy from his recently deceased father, returns to Britain in hopes of being reelected to Parliament. However, his embrace of unpopular causes puts him at odds with some of his fellow Liberal party members. He further endangers his position by agreeing to see Joseph Kennedy, who has suffered a mental breakdown and is living in exile on his Scottish estate. As a sidebar, Fawn renews his ham-handed pursuit of Madame Goesler, who is very much aware of Finn's return.

Episode 15

Part Fifteen

Phineas Finn ignores Barrington Erle's advice and agrees to meet Kennedy before his trip to Dresden to see Laura. The Irishman ignores Kennedy's pleas not to go, but agrees to carry a message to his estranged wife. He advises Laura not to return to Kennedy as he has become irrational and obsessed with religion even though her father wishes to return to England to try to recover her dowry. Upon his return Finn is pressured by tabloid reporter Quintus Slide to grant him an exclusive story about the Kennedys or he will publish an embarrassing letter written by Kennedy, who accuses Finn of inappropriate behavior. Finn tries vainly to reason with the irrational Kennedy, who tries to shoot him. Plantagenet and other influential politicians intervene and get an injunction against the sleazy Slide. The Duke spends his last days reminiscing with Madame Max, and Reverend Emilius becomes very comfortable in his new role as Lizzie Eustace's husband.

Episode 16

Part Sixteen

Lady Eustace seeks the help of Bonteen as Reverend Emilius has ceased practicing his vocation and is extorting money from her. When she refuses to sign over additional funds, he locks her in her room. She escapes with some tied bedsheets, and Bonteen offers her the protection of his home and legal advice despite a decided lack of enthusiastic support from his wife. Confidant that he will succeed Plantagenet to the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer Bonteen makes some inappropriate comments that ultimately turn Palliser and St. Bungay against him. Bonteen also is unrelenting in his dislike of Finn and works to deny him even a junior cabinet post despite the Pallisers efforts on his behalf. Now considered insane, Kennedy is confined to his Scottish castle which frees Laura and her father to return to England, but Slide continues to print innuendos questioning his character. Glencara tries to play matchmaker to Adelaide Palliser, a distant cousin of Planty, and introduces her to Lord Swan. Despite her lack of money, social sophistication, and lack of attractiveness, she is indifferent to Fawn's awkward attempts at courtship and is attracted to dissolute hedonist Gerard Maule.

Episode 17

Part Seventeen

Adelaide Palliser aggressively pursues Gerard Maule after bluntly rejecting Lord Fawn's fumbling attempts at courtship. Bonteen is furious after losing the Chancellor of the Exchequer post he was certain would be his, and the Prime Minister tries to placate him by denying a post to Phineas Finn. Bonteen travels to Prague on Lizzie Eustace's behalf and gains information which may lead to proof that Emilius is a bigamist. When he finds out that he's being investigated, Emilius offers to settle his claim to Lady Eustace's wealth, but Bonteen dismisses him, saying that he will soon have enough proof to put him in prison. Later at a club frequented by Members of Parliament a still-angry Bonteen goes out of his way to grossly insult Finn, but violence is prevented by the timely arrival of the Prince of Wales.

Episode 18

Part Eighteen

While sitting in prison awaiting trial for the bludgeon murder of Bonteen, Finn becomes despondent as he feels that the circumstantial evidence against him has convinced his friends and constituents that he may indeed be guilty. The Pallsers and the Chilterns underwrite his defense as wily defense barrister Chaffanbrass reluctantly agrees to interview his client. Plantagenet forbids Marie and Glencora from visiting the Irishman, but Laura does get in to see him. Madame Goesler does discover some evidence that may implicate Emilius in the murder, so she journeys to Prague to finish the job begun by Bonteen.

Episode 19

Part Nineteen

Finn's murder trial seems not to be going well despite the unsteadiness of Lord Fawn's testimony, but Marie Goesler returns from Prague with a witness who implicate Emilius as Bonteen's murderer and completely exonerates Finn. the Irishmn emerges from his ordeal troubled, depressed and ridden with guilt. It is only through Plantagenet's efforts that he returns to public life. When reunited with Marie, he professes his gratitude and loves and proposes marriage. Madame Goesler also generously agrees to Glencora's suggestion that she anonymously give the penniless Adelaide and Maule the bequest of the Duke's jewelry to her to allow the young couple to get married. He has 24 hours decide whether or not to accept a cabinet post in Gresham's government, a government that is in imminent danger of falling, and he must break the news of his engagement to Laura.

Episode 20

Part Twenty

As the Liberal Party returns to power and looks to him as the new Prime Minister, Plantagenet has doubts about his abilities to fulfill the challenges of the post. Initially Glencora wants him to appoint her to a post at court, but he feels that it would be inappropriate, so she talks him into letting her open up the duke's old castle as a venue appropriate to host the world's elite. Cora informs her head housekeeper that she should expect at least fifty guests at all times and provide whatever necessities they should require. When Plantagenet sees the army of decorators, builders, gardeners, and landscapers that have descended on the venerable estate, he is appalled and terms it "vulgarity." Glencora is upset at his attitude, but has daughter Mary and Marie Finn to help her fulfill her Ministerial hostess duties. As a sidebar, ambitious social climber Ferdinand Lopez uses his friendship with Everett Wharton to insinuate himself into his family and ingratiate himself with his pretty sister, much to the chagrin of the family patriarch.

Episode 21

Part Twenty-one

Ferdinand Lopez continues to ingratiate himself with Glencora in hopes of getting the Pallisers' endorsement for an unopposed run at Plantagenet's old seat in Silverbridge, but Planty has already bluntly turned down Sir Orlando Drought's request that he support his nephew's run for the seat, and emphasizes that he does not wish to influence the results and wants the by-election to be decided by the electorate. Glencora pays a surreptitious visit to Mr. Sprout, the local politically-active shoemaker, and offers him a tacit bribe in the form of an order for a dozen cork-soled shoes while enlisting his support for Lopez. When Planty finds out what she has been doing, he flatly orders her to stop her actions. Lopez is able to overcome Emily's father's objections to his courtship after rescuing a drunken Everett from thieves in the park and extorts 2000 pounds from business associate Sextus Parker which he uses to impress the Whartons. Silverbridge is expelled from Oxford for a foolish prank and is sent on holiday with friend Frank Tregear.

Episode 22

Part Twenty-two

Plantagenet feels Glencora's ostentatious entertaining at the Castle compromises and degrades his position as Prime Minister and orders her to stop it. He also counteracts her efforts on Lopez's behalf in the by-election at Silverbridge by taking out an ad in the local newspaper declaring his neutrality and wish to have his tenants vote their consciences. Without the support, tacit or otherwise, of the Duke of Omnium, Lopez loses in a landslide. He owes money to his business partner as well as creditors from the campaign, and pressures his father-in-law to pay his outstanding debts. After Abel Wharton agrees to the money but makes it clear that there will be no more, Lopez writes to Plantagenet blaming Glencora for his troubles and asking to be reimbursed for his campaign expenses - despite having them already settled by Wharton. Although Plantagenet is aware that giving money to Lopez will compromise his position as Prime Minister if it becomes public, he feels it is the honorable thing to do. When Lopez tells Wharton that Emily is pregnant, the lawyer remains adamant about not giving him anything more than living expenses. Seeking revenge, Lopez offers to sell a sanitized version of the by-election to tabloid journalist Quintus Slide.

Episode 23

Part Twenty-three

Desperate for money, Lopez tries to extort money from Abel Walton by threatening to move to Guatamala with a pregnant Emily. Seeing a way to be rid of his sleazy son-in-law at last, Walton offers to pay all of the bills if Lopez will agree to leave England without Emily and never to approach any family member again. Besides the 1700 pounds owed to tradesmen, he needs 5000 pounds for his directorship in a Guatamalan arms firm. In addition, the larcenous Lopez conspires with Parker to claim he owes 6000, not 2000, on his bad investment in the guano. When the story he sold to Slide becomes public in the newspaper, Finn comes to Plantagenet's aid in Parliament. He denounces Lopez's perfidy in soliciting payment from the Duke even though he was fully reimbursed by his father-in-law for his expenses from the Silverbridge by-election. The public outcry costs him a humiliating expulsion from his club, his position in South America, and withdrawal of financial help from Walton.

Episode 24

Part Twenty-four

Ill feeling resulting from the Lopez Affair and the lack of a legislative agenda result in the fall of the Liberal government and Plantagenet's retirement from public life. Silverbridge becomes involved with a Major Tifto in ownership of a race horse named "The Prime Minister" after his father, who warns him about the pitfalls of gambling on horses. Lady Mabel Grex tries to renew her past romance with Frank Tregear, but he has not forgotten that she turned down his proposal, and he evidently does not wish to renew the relationship. She now also turns down Silverbridge's proposal, telling him that she considers him immature but agrees to hear an additional renewed proposal in the future. Tregear makes his love for Mary known, and she reciprocates his feelings. Silver tells his disappointed father that he will stand for Parliament as a Tory, breaking the family's Liberal tradition and later meets Isabel Boncassen, a strikingly attractive American girl traveling with her parents. Observing Silverbridge's obvious fascination with the young beauty, Mabel regrets having turned down a chance to be the future Duchess of Omnium and vows to work toward getting him to repeat his proposal.

Episode 25

Part Twenty-five

Silverbridge is elected to Parliament as a Conservative and his father's disappointment is obvious. Lady Mabel Grex calls on him but Silverbridge is no longer as keen as he once was and is now smitten with the lovely American, Isabel Boncassen. Mabel is determined however to get him as her husband. Silverbridge also has to contend with his partner Major Tifto, co-owner of their horse the Prime Minister, and as a result makes an outrageously large bet at the upcoming races. Lady Mary meanwhile confides in her mother about her relationship with Frank Tregear and Glencora, while giving her blessing, agrees that Plantagenet may be a problem. She tries to get him to find Tregear a seat in Parliament but he isn't amenable to the suggestion. Glencora falls ill and takes to her bed with Marie Finn trying to nurse her back to good health

Episode 26

Part Twenty-six

Glencora's cold turns to pneumonia, and after a brief rally, it becomes apparent that she will die. She doesn't want her children to be trapped into an arranged marriage as she was. She begs Plantagenet to provide for Mary and to let her have control of her own money, and confides to Marie that she wishes Mary to marry the poor and politically incorrect Tregear and not have Silverbridge forced to marry Lady Mabel Grex. Although initially he opposes both marriages, Plantagenet eventually comes around when Marie tells him about Glencora's wishes. When Orlando Drought tries to force Silver into making a speech against the Liberal Party to embarrass his father, things brighten for Planty when Silver decides to leave the Tories, and Duke of St. Bungay finds a place for him to return to government service.