"There are lots of ways to start a story, but this one begins with a chicken. There was a time when, for Ella Risbridger, the world had become overwhelming. Sounds were too loud, colours were too bright, everyone moved too fast. One night she found herself lying on her kitchen floor, wondering if she would ever get up - and it was the thought of a chicken, of roasting it, and of eating it, that got her to her feet and made her want to be alive. Midnight...

"1932: Two Depression-battered nations confront destiny, going to the polls to anoint new leaders, to rescue their people from starvation and hopelessness. America elects a Congress and a president--ebullient aristocrat Franklin Roosevelt or tarnished 'Wonder Boy' Herbert Hoover. Weimar Germany suffers two rounds of bloody Reichstag elections and two presidential contests--doddering reactionary Paul von Hindenburg against rising hate-monger Adolf...

In this season, wedding bells will chime for Rebecca, but only if she can stop Robin from finding herself and Sam in various stages of undress; Woody gets hooked on a home shopping show; Norm and Cliff investigate a fight between Sam and Frasier; an appalled Carla must be civil to Cliff when she discovers that he's a judge for the "Miss Boston Barmaid" contest; Lilith and Frasier receive news that their baby has average intelligence; a restauranteur...