Post by Saffron on Sept 30, 2009 19:33:22 GMT
One evening, the vicar Richard Arc is accosted by a sinister stranger outside of his church, who demands that Richard tells him what he knows. Richard tries to run away but the stranger corners him, and after a brief scuffle, Richard suffers a heart attack and dies.
Fast forward two weeks to a bright Autumn day, when we are presented with Trinity college – a red brick, classical and grand building. On the steps of the college sits Charlotte Arc, daughter of the recently deceased Richard. Also arriving for the start of term is the cool Theo, who clearly feels out of place among the eccentric Trinitonians, two of which he sees playing mental chess.
Meanwhile the beautiful, but icy, Rosalind is visiting her cousin, Dorian, in his room for nothing more than noisy sex.
Worried about the lack of morals at the college, Charlotte’s mother gives her daughter Richard’s treasured bible and leaves. As Charlotte picks up the bible a photo falls out, showing her father at Trinity with another woman.
In the office of Professor Linus Cooper, the extremely twitchy academic is working on some complicated looking medical files when Maltravers, the Dean, enters looking for him. In reference to the files Maltraver’s enquires after ‘Galahad’, clearly the subject of their research. According to Cooper he is not doing well and they need a new ‘hourglass’ to continue.
Charlotte introduces herself to Theo, and invites him for tea in her room with a few people. Theo finds himself in a room with four dull and geeky Christian students who tell him more about the Feast of Fools – how it is run by the Dandelion Club and will be an evening of debauchery.
After a little showdown between Theo and Dorian, Theo decides to leave Trinity, despite the pleas from Charlotte, but it is Rosalind who persuades him to stay, by telling him that some people have ‘it’, but others need to earn ‘it’. Theo turns up to his first supervision, and afterwards, Charlotte gives him her tickets to the Feast of Fools that she received from Dorian.
In the staff common room Maltravers welcomes Angela Doone, the new Warden of Trinity College, and introduces her to the Dons as the woman who will modernise Trinity. But later, when Dorian visits the Dean he warns him about the new modernist Warden; Maltravers informs Dorian that the Feast of Fools has been cancelled by order of the Warden; apparently picking two students from lower-class families to be the jesters for the year is no longer acceptable. However, if they volunteer then that is another matter...
Theo meets a dizzy and vague new student, Maddy. Meanwhile Angus and Raj, a pair of geeky students, meet, bond over a bong and discuss their main ambition at Trinity; losing their virginity. Unfortunately they are easily led astray, and whilst stoned, volunteer themselves into becoming Dorian’s Fools.
That evening, Theo and Maddy turn up to the wild party where a box unfolds to reveal Angus and Raj, clad in only their boxers. They end up playing a game where the winner is the first to get a gold ball; regardless of the winner, both are thrown into a dumpster and are pissed on.
Meanwhile, Charlotte is working on a dissection in the lab, when the lights suddenly flicker. She sees a ghost of her father and faints. Upon waking up, she runs out of the lab, straight into Dorian’s arms, who takes the chance to seduce her and claim her virginity, much to her horror.
A mysterious American voice speaks to Maltravers regarding a secret project, and the episode ends with Theo and Rosalind having passionate sex.