It was billed as a comedy series in eight parts, written by Malcolm Bradbury and Christopher Bigsby[1] but strictly speaking, it is a serial.
The show was produced by Geoffrey Perkins and tells the tale of Doctor Andrew Patterson (Lewis Fiander) who is cajoled by his wife Jane (Judy Parfitt) into accepting a job in the dysfunctional English department of a provincial red-brick university.
On top of that, his marriage is under strain - he does not have the seven-year itch so much as the five-year psoriasis and his Catholic wife's dogmatic eschewing of contraception is a source of particular antagonism.
At first she regrets the move enforced by her husband's new job but by the end of the first episode, she has found reasons to change her mind, which puts the couple at odds.
Victor (Hugh Thomas) Patterson's old friend from college and fellow lecturer in English who is laid back and lacking in any sense of responsibility.
Nevertheless, she feels entitled to moralise about others, so she spends much of her time spying on people and then sending them anonymous poison pen letters assembled from words and phrases cut out of newspapers.
Melissa (Maureen Lipman) Another colleague, described by Victor as "honeypot of the senior common room, toast of the troops" and less politely by Amy as "that randy bitch!"
The attraction is clearly mutual - when she suggests to him during their first meeting that his home life must make for divided loyalties, he is pointedly quick to concur.
Cuthbertson (Richard O'Callaghan) Patterson's next-door neighbour who has also been newly recruited by the university as custodian of the issue desk of the library.
A proud old man with a very affected manner of speaking - not only does he habitually drop his aitches but he also insists on inserting additional ones ahead of words beginning with vowels.
She is a crashing bore who cannot resist telling everyone at every opportunity that she is Viennese and regaling them with tedious, long-winded anecdotes about her days as an opera singer.
However, unlike Banneerji, Patterson is only too keen to make time for her, principally because she is attractive, does not wear a bra, is sexually liberated and into older men.
Following a bizarre interview, Doctor Andrew Patterson reluctantly accepts a lectureship in English Literature at a provincial university.
Victor introduces Patterson to the other members of the department, all of whom appear to have notable quirks, and it is quite clear Melissa already has Andrew in her sights as a potential sexual conquest.
Later, he suggests to Jane he should quit but she has now found unexpected virtues in her present circumstances and goes out for the evening with Cuthbertson, leaving Patterson to look after their five children.
The night ends in disaster after the Vice-Chancellor asks Patterson not to smoke and he hurriedly puts his lit cigarette in his jacket pocket.
Over lunch, Andrew discovers Victor borrowed the lawnmower using the name of Thistleberry - Patterson's predecessor - but he passed it on to Amy who in turn gave it to Melissa.
Patterson is also horrified to discover he is apparently giving an inaugural lecture on Lycidas the following evening in front the Vice-Chancellor and some important dignitaries.
Probity, the university porter, delivers the speech in his place but reads out both the title and the original author of the photocopied essay to the assembled throng.
She reads the manuscript and learns he has put aside his long-mooted volume on the dwarf in Shakespeare in favour of soft porn, written under the pseudonym of R.K. Misty.
Misty finally solves the mystery of the author - it turns out to be Lawrence Durrell and hands him a new protégée in the form of Valerie Candle, a nubile American writing a thesis on sex in John Donne.
With his promotion prospects due to be discussed, Andrew is forced to do a deal with Jane, mending a fence in return for her company for the evening.
Later in his office, Misty asks him to meet him in secret at midday and Valerie suggests going away for the weekend together, an offer which Patterson readily accepts.
There is evidently still fondness on both sides but Valerie reveals she is leaving to hitch round France over Christmas with Bannerji in tow.
To make matters worse, Victor tells him Smithson has organised a sit-in and a motion to overthrow the capitalist system has been passed by a single vote.
A new head of department has been appointed and following a re-vote, the original motion defeated after Victor got Amy to switch sides by promising to take her on a Christmas holiday to Corfu.
Patterson makes a part flippant/part impassioned speech, displaying a degree of contrition, extolling his wife's virtues and affirming his love for her.
Producer Geoffrey Perkins had previously used the studio for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a series which similarly had no requirement of a laughter track.
Within three months of the conclusion of its initial airing, Patterson was afforded a repeat run on BBC Radio 2 in the 10.30pm slot, albeit only in mono and largely on Medium Wave.
This was principally due to an extra 2 minutes and 10 seconds of theme music being clumsily tacked on the end, immediately after the final credit.