Plot Synopsis

BREATHLESS is a drama series that follows the lives of a group of doctors and nurses working in a busy Gynecology unit in a London hospital in the 1960s, a world in which everything and everyone has their place. But underneath this veneer simmers a cauldron of lies, deceptions and guilty secrets, driven by love, ambition and sex. The series opens in 1961, a time when Britain was on the brink of the '60s revolution -- abortion is illegal and the contraceptive pill is only just available to married women. At the center of the story is Otto Powell, a brilliant and charismatic surgeon, who passionately believes he can make a difference to women's lives, even if that means risking imprisonment under the abortion laws of 1961. Otto and his elegant wife, Elizabeth, are the beautiful people living the consumerist dream and the couple that the others aspire towards. But Otto and Elizabeth are hiding a devastating secret about their marriage -- an event in their past which could shatter the careful illusion they have created. Otto's oldest friend and closest colleague, Dr. Charlie Enderbury, is an experienced anesthetist who is married to ex-nurse Lily. Together they share a warm and loving marriage and Charlie hopes for a promotion that will guarantee a better life for him and his wife. But his hopes are dashed when newcomer Dr. Mehta is appointed Chair of Anesthesiology and the couple struggle to keep up in the wake of their circle of friends. Charlie also holds another, far deeper burden -- he alone knows the truth about Otto and Elizabeth. Dr. Richard Truscott, a junior consultant, oozes boyish confidence and charm in the face of his medical students and is constantly irritated by Otto's superiority. He is engaged to Jean, a sensual and fiery nurse, who is convinced her dream is to become a doting housewife living in the lap of luxury, but as an independent woman, Jean cannot always do what her husband expects of her. New to London is Jean's sister, Angela, who arrives from Portsmouth to take up a job in the hospital. Angela is a dynamic and striking nurse with a strong moral sense who won't let her responsibilities be compromised. But when she meets Otto, she can't help feel an urge of temptation that she struggles to repress and no one has caught Otto's eye in years in the way that Angela has. On Sunday, August 24, 2014 at 9pm ET/PT (check local listings), PBS aired the U.S. premiere of this series as part of MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!, showing the entire first season on three consecutive Sundays by combining two episodes into a single broadcast each night.