Episode list

William Charles Wentworth gets into trouble with the governor who believes Sydney is still British when he starts a newspaper called "The Australian".

Ancient Rus, 12th century, a period of fierce internecine struggle between the princes of the Rurik dynasty. The young prince Andrey Bogolyubskiy, son of Yuriy Dolgorukiy and grandson of Vladimir Monomakh, returns home from Byzantium, where he spent several years. His dream is to reign in his native Suzdal land, turning it into a new prosperous center of all of Rus. However, Andrey's powerful father, the experienced Yuriy Dolgorukiy, sees his son as just an obedient executor of his will, and the heir to the grand princely throne decides to rebel - he declares himself an independent ruler. At first, all his plans are quickly realized: architects invited from Byzantium and Europe build white-stone churches, fortresses and even entire new cities in the Suzdal principality, Orthodoxy is strengthened and trade flourishes. But, having become the most powerful ruler of Rus, Prince Andrey makes equally powerful enemies who weave a web of betrayal, conspiracies and intrigues around him.

USSR, 1989. The head of the House of Culture Vera Ignateva comes up with an event that is unbelievable for the USSR - she wants to hold the first beauty contest in the country. The idea looks pro-Western, and old-school officials put spokes in Vera's wheels, creating a lot of problems. But real problems come to her with the 90s, when the rules of the game change overnight and the bright idea of the triumph of female beauty is replaced by the dirty realities of the modeling business.