It is 1955 and the influx of televisions do nothing to relieve the tensions in the deeply conservative town of Lydmouth. Mr Frederick, a television engineer, arrives to sell and adapt the new sets. He comes for two nights and apparently leaves. On the evening of that same day, eccentric Dr Bayswater, a retired GP, is found dead. A gentleman's yellow kid glove, slightly gnawed by rats, is found lying next to his body. Detective Chief Inspector Richard Thornhill is drafted in to investigate. It soon becomes apparent that the case is going to be far from straight-forward. Bayswater was not liked, particularly not by his dashing successor, Dr Connolly nor by a local lorry driver with a grudge and a need for money. Meanwhile, Jill Francis has returned after three years to take over as editor of the Gazette. But there is fierce competition from the ruthless Ivor Fuggle's rival Evening Post and when she is not trying to keep the newspaper afloat she spends her much of her time with Dr Connolly. Nevertheless, despite himself, Thornhill is still in love with her.