During the US civil war, Elinor, a pretty northern girl, comes south to visit her aunt. Little does anyone know, but she's a spy. Lt. Yancey, who's close to being engaged to the fetching and resourceful Rose, is gallant enough to show the Yankee guest around, including a walk down a hidden creek where a gunboat is built and awaits powder. Elinor sends this intelligence north, and the Blue Coats attack. Rose and Yancey have one chance to save the day: to bring a train of gun powder to the Confederate Ironclad so that she can fight back. Will they make it?

Upon moving to Britain to get away from American violence, astrophysicist David Sumner and his wife Amy are bullied and taken advantage of by the locals hired to do construction. When David finally takes a stand it escalates quickly into a bloody battle as the locals assault his house.

When 19-year-old gay-rights activist Tommy and 24-year-old Alan first meet in 1973, they find themselves on the opposite sides of the political coin. Despite their many differences, they form a loving long-term relationship. In 1977, during Anita Bryant's crusade, an anti-gay book Alan wrote years before gets published without his consent. The book destroys Tommy's credibility as a well-known activist, resulting in Tommy and Alan's break-up. Seven years later, Alan is given a second chance, a reunion with Tommy and the opportunity to set things right.

Father Greg Pilkington (Linus Roache) is torn between his call as a conservative Catholic priest and his secret life as a homosexual with a gay lover, frowned upon by the Church. Upon hearing the confession of a young girl of her incestuous father, Greg enters an intensely emotional spiritual struggle deciding between choosing morals over religion and one life over another.