Quacks

Robert is a domineering, showman surgeon - a rockstar of his age - who's almost as brilliant as he thinks he is. He can pack out an operating theatre and take off a leg in 92 seconds. But after a botched amputation, Robert's put under pressure by the Royal Physican, Dr Hendrick. So John - a drug-addled dentist who's trying to create the world's first anaesthetic, convinces Robert to use potentially lethal ether in a prestigious and pioneering operation.

Caroline bags an invitation to meet her hero Charles Dickens.

William finds himself in an awkward position when he exaggerates how much of a fan he is, when he hasn't read a single page of Dickens. An excruciating evening ensues when William escorts Caroline to a dinner party at Dickens' house.

Meanwhile, John finds himself with a new protégé when he takes an orphan under his wing, and Robert meets his match when a forthright, uppity young volunteer called Florence Nightingale arrives at the hospital and starts interfering in his work. With Dr Hendrick keen to curry favour with Nightingale and her influential family, Robert has to work out how to get rid of her.

William concocts a daring plan to stage a mock trial to cure a deluded patient.

John's debts leave him in desperate need to make money - by fair means or quackery. And Robert looks to advance his reputation by securing the backing of a wealthy female patron, Lady Campbell. But it turns out she is interested in more than just the contents of Robert's kit bag.

Caroline arranges for herself and William to meet a charismatic hypnotist at a local curry house for a demonstration of his powers.

William has a bladder stone and needs Robert to operate on him. William faces a choice between excruciating pain, or taking John's potentially lethal new drug, 'chloroform', during surgery. Robert, meanwhile, is suffering from the shakes and having vivid nightmares of his time in the navy.

Robert has a problematic patient – the Bishop of Lambeth needs his appendix removed or he will die. But he won't agree to pain relief or surgery.

For the first time since losing his wife, John falls in love.However, his whirlwind romance is thrown into jeopardy when his intended reveals she's promised to another man; the wealthy Lord Thornycroft.

When William's childhood friend Mina puts pressure on William to marry her, he has a difficult moral decision to make.

Robert's rival, the suave French surgeon Patrice DuPont is due to perform surgery on Dr Hendrick himself. Patrice makes John a tempting offer to join him.