Peyton Place

Dr. Michael Rossi arrives by train in the small New England town of Peyton Place. He is greeted at the station by teenager Rodney Harrington and his girlfriend, Betty Anderson, who drive him to the local inn. Rodney catches his father, Leslie Harrington, wealthy head of the Peyton Place Mills, kissing his secretary Julie Anderson, Betty's mother. Betty is confused by the sudden change in Rodney's demeanor and his conflicted silence. They break off in anger and Rodney drives away. He encounters virginal Allison MacKenzie, a special friend of his shy younger brother, Norman Harrington. Allison and Rodney are seen kissing by Constance MacKenzie, Allison's over-protective mother. Dr. Rossi befriends Matthew Swain, editor of the "Peyton Place Clarion".

Norman learns that Rodney is after Allison. Leslie urges Rodney to forget what he saw last night. Dr. Rossi gets settled and meets Constance, whom he's sure that he knows, which worries her.

Dr. Rossi tells Betty she may be pregnant. Laura decides to stay on as Rossi's secretary. Matthew urges Connie to tell Allison the truth about her birth. Betty tries to talk to Rodney. Dr. Rossi remembers Connie and the circumstances of her pregnancy.

Lesley Harrington tells July Anderson he loves here. July says she cannot leave George, because she still loves George, despite things he does and despite she is afraid of him. Constance visits Mike Rossi to tell the truth, about the birth of Allison After breaking up with Betty, Rodney has a date with Allison. He puts all his charms on her to make her feel special, Betty is desperate because Rodney left her, she tells her mother she thinks she is pregnant. George comes home angry and beats his wife.

After George beats up Julie, he asks for help with doctor Rossi, to whom he tells she fell off the stairs. Later, he tells to his daughter she is too good for Rodney. Michael confronts Constance with the fact she is shutting him out of her life. Meanwhile, Leslie asks Rod why he broke up with Betty. Leslie's affair with Julie comes up, which Norman hears. They are interrupted with George, who visits the Harrington house, tells Leslie about Julie's situation.

When Andrea Nichols asks Norman out for a date, he blames Rod for setting them up. Rod did this so he can go out with Allison. When Betty finds out Rodney went out on a date with Allison, she is shocked. Meanwhile, George feels guilty about hitting his wife and tries to make up with her. Matthew visits Constance and urges her to tell the truth about her father. Meanwhile, at the party, Betty steals the attention from Rodney, which does not please Allison. She ends up dumping Rodney, after she sees Betty flirting with him.

Doris announces to the people at her dinner party Joe is dead. Rita informs Norman as well and is afraid the police will find out Joe has fought with Norman and so Norman will be a suspect. When he confronts Rita with thinking he killed Joe, Rita denies and tells him she believes him. Ada interrupts them, being mad at Rita for sneaking out. Sgt. Goddard visits the Chernak home, questioning them about Joe. However, Mrs. Chernak is still in shock. Stella suggests him to investigate Rodney, because he came over a few hours before Joe's death, asking about him.

Betty visits Rod on a late hour because of his phone call. Rodney states he didn't kill him, that it was an accident. She suggests him to call the police and tells him she wants to help. Rod later admits what happened to Norman. Norman tells him to run away and offers to take the blame for him. Sgt. Goddard interrupts them. Betty leaves and runs into Steven outside. He is mad for her being at the Harringtons on a late hour. They notice Rod stepping with Sgt. Goddard in his police car. Steven informs Mr. Dowell with Rod being at the police station. Meanwhile, Elliot asks Stella for a picture of Joe for the newspaper. Stella refuses, but Mrs. Chernak invites him in. Elliot wants a story, but Stella suggest him to ask Rod. Allison discusses Joe's death with her mother and reminds Kim could've seen Joe die. A phone call from Elliot interrupts them and they are soon informed Rod is a suspect. Allison leaves soon for the police station.

Rodney turns to the police to make a statement about Joe's death. He is assisted by his attorney Theodore Dowell and attorney John Fowler. He admits he didn't call the police immediately because he panicked. Dr. Rossi reveals to Gus his son has died. Mr. Dowell urges Rodney not to sign the statement, stating it could be used against him. Allison visits Rodney at the police station. Elliot talks to John Fowler, the son of the judge who convicted Elliot 18 years ago. Stella is mad at her mother for her not wanting to realize her son wasn't a good kid. She herself blames Gus for Joe having been the way he was.

Rod confronts Norman with him still thinking Rod killed Joe. Ada suggests Rita not to get involved with the murder case. Sgt. Goddard visits the Anderson home to question Betty about Joe's death. Betty tells Rod said to her it was an accident. Theodore surprises Steven when he informs him Rod has signed a statement. Steven mentions Fowler might have an axe to grind.

Rodney brings his condolences to the Chernak family. Stella tells him he shouldn't be there and tells him she will never forgive him. Elliot tells Norman his father called him because he is worried about Norman. Mr. Dowell suggests Rod not to talk to anyone about the murder case. Rita admits she saw Joe a few hours before his death and that he forced himself up to her. Allison visits the Schuster home and tells David she thinks Kim witnessed the death of Joe. David confronts Kim, but she is terrified and seeks comfort with her mom. Allison questions Kim, who admits Rodney made Joe fall to his death. Allison refuses to believe it.

Allison apologizes to David and Doris for making Kim talk about Joe's death. David tells he must tell the police about what Kim said. Doris however doesn't want to tell the police, stating the police will question Kim a lot. Meanwhile, Gus blames Rodney for Joe's death. Stella is mad everybody sympathizes for Joe now that he is dead, saying they never cared about him when he was alive. Gus assures his daughter Rod will pay for what he has done. Sgt. Goddard and John Fowler interrupt them, wanting information about Joe. Stella states Rod hated Joe and said he was going to kill Joe. When back at the police station, Sgt. Goddard and John meet David, who tells them Kim's story. Allison also tells Rod about Kim. Sgt. Goddard approaches Rod and tells him he has to arrest him.

Steven admits to Chris that he is counting on his help on the Ann Howard case. Hannah tries to get rid of every evidence of Brian Colby ever having lived. Chris pushes Sandy to testify against Lee. Connie wants to name her son after Matthew Swain.

Sandy starts to think that Lee might be guilty of the murder of Ann. Elliot has left for New York to look for Allison. Connie has some pregnancy troubles and is brought to the hospital by Betty. Peyton wants Rodney to encourage Betty to convince Steven to withdraw from the case. Norman and Rita have a fight over what to do about his career future. Connie goes into premature labor.

Elliot returns from his trip to New York to stand by Connie as their son is born. Steven asks Betty to spy for him at the Peyton mansion, convincing her to try and get information which could help him at the defending of Lee. Connie feels that her son Matthew is a replacement for Allison. Steven doesn't allow Lee to go on stand during the trial. Peyton asks Betty to forbid Steven from defending Lee, but she refuses to.

Steven tells Betty that he will go as far as he has to to get the truth out of Peyton and Hannah. Peyton forces Hannah to leave Peyton Place, after telling Steven that she is going to New York. He explains that it is a plan, trying to find out how important Hannah is to Steven. When she tells Steven, he immediately suspects Peyton is behind it. Meanwhile, Fowler offers Chris to testify against Lee, but he doesn't accept. Rodney, Norman and Rita visit Connie's baby. Norman tells Rita that they too could have a baby, but only if he drops out of college and works full time.

Fowler questions Michael about Steven's relationship with Ann. Confused, Michael contacts Peyton, demanding information about whether Hannah met Ann on the day of her death. Peyton's unclear answers make Michael suspect there is more to the story of why Ann died. Meanwhile, Steven tries to make clear to Lee how serious the trial is. Rita tells Connie that she is ready to have a child, but that she can't, because Norman is still in college. At the start of the trial, Chris takes a seat at the prosecution's side, much to Lee's rage.

Michael gives a testimony in court. Afterwards, Elliot is upset he didn't attack Lee in it. When Betty finds out Hannah is leaving town, she responds by saying she hopes she never comes back. Judge Chester is unsatisfied with the trial, feeling that both Steven and Fowler are crossing the lines. Steven assures him he has a strategy, for which Chester warns him.

Eddie tells Leslie about Adrienne's past as a party girl and announces he wants to be his business partner. Leslie thinks Adrienne will inherit all of Peyton's money. Betty admits to Rodney she fears losing Steven to Adrienne.

Rod confronts Steven with having kissed Adrienne, but he denies the whole thing. Rod later advises Betty to leave Steven. Meanwhile, Rita decides she wants to meet her father again, but Eddie ends up trying to set her against her mother. Steven still acts cold against Adrienne, and orders her to stay away from him, aware that he can't stop kissing her.

Norman demands that Eddie leave Rita alone. Michael reveals that shortly before Philip allegedly committed suicide, he told a doctor he was looking forward to life. Peyton attempts to encourage Betty to be suspicious of her husband's loyalty. Eddie offers to leave town, but manipulates Rita into making him stay.

Steven secretly meets Adrienne in Boston. Rodney refuses to interfere with Betty's life. Peyton accuses Lee of having told Rodney about Steven's affair. Ada tries to convince Elliot to drive Eddie out of town. Betty has followed Steven to Boston and spots him with Adrienne.

To reconcile with her daughter, Ada reluctantly hires Eddie as a bartender. Adrienne tells Peyton she was aware that she was being watched in Boston by Betty. Eddie confirms that Leslie and Chandler have met in the past, but refuses to answer any of Elliot's further questions.

Rodney tries to discourage Betty from suspecting her husband of cheating. Adrienne is disgusted that Peyton wants to stick to their original plan, despite risking a scandal. Betty confronts her husband with his adultery. He initially denies the accusation, but eventually admits to everything.

Michael offers Jill a job as a nurse at the hospital. Following a quarrel, Carolyn and Jeff grow closer. Joe does not want Norman and Rita raising his daughter. Rodney is assigned to a new therapist, with whom he does not get along.

Mike makes clear to Tom that Jill lost her baby because of him. Shortly after, Tom announces his plans on divorcing Susan. Meanwhile, Norman fears that Betty will turn to Steven for comfort again. Carolyn finds out that her father is dating a young woman, Donna.

When Betty finds out that Norman is suspicious of her meetings with Steven, she gets mad at him for not trusting her. Tom lands a job as a fisherman. Marsha admits that she knew about Donna even before the divorce, and Carolyn thinks that her mother is the cause of the affair. Upon finding out that Tom has filed for divorce, Susan swears on claiming that he had an affair with Jill. Judge Chester reveals that the withdrawal of Jill's custody of Kelly had nothing to do with running out on the Winters.

Despite other claims, Rodney convinces himself that Betty does not want to be with him anymore. Carolyn confronts her father with his affair with Donna, and he is surprised that she is blaming her mother for it. Joe provokes a fight with Tom at the wharf.

Susan threatens to ruin Jill's life if Tom does not take her back. Joe refuses to admit that he still has feelings for Jill. Marsha makes clear to Carolyn that Fred is the cause for her divorce. Betty gets a job at the motorcycle shop. Dr. Miles wants Rodney to find the will to learn to walk again.

Joe realizes how bad his relationship with his daughter is. Steven makes an anonymous donation for Rodney's recovery costs. Due to the conflicts with her daughter, Marsha, feeling trapped, tries to break off her relationship with Michael.