Dr. Finlay returns from serving his country as a doctor in WWII, and the practice takes on a new partner, Dr. Neil. Finlay's personal life isn't turning out quite as he expected, and some questions are raised about Dr. Cameron's treatment of a patient.
A contrast between two families expecting a child—one well-to-do, the other working class. Also, is a child's illness merely an attention-getting ploy, or is she suffering something more serious?
Parents try to protect their child, in any way they can. Also, Dr. Cameron befriends some German soldiers at a nearby POW camp.
An urgent smallpox vaccination program is underway in Tannochbrae. Dr. Neil suspects that Mary Thomson's illness remains because she is not taking her medicine. To Brenda's discomfort, Steve arrives at Arden House and for the first time meets Dr. Finlay. Alan Thomson is attacked by his father-in-law. Janet and Angus Livingstone begin to move the last of Dr. Cameron's possessions to his new cottage.
A patient of Dr. Finlay's breaks down in the surgery when he implies that her ailments are psychosomatic. Dr. Cameron continues his lectures to the German prisoners of war at the local camp. Angus invites Janet to spend the week-end in Glasgow. Anne Stewart and Dr. Finlay share a quiet moment in the countryside.
With Janet off to Glasgow with Angus Livingstone, Dr. Neil attempts to do the cooking at Arden House. Dr. Finlay and Dr. Gilmore once again cross swords about the National Health Service. Margaret Williams, a famous singer, seeks treatment at Arden House. Dr. Finlay receives an offer to practice medicine in Canada.
Life at Arden House proves ever more chaotic with Janet's marriage casting a shadow on the future. Dr. Neil begins to doubt his abilities and Dr. Finlay suspects a natural death could in fact be murder.
A 13-year-old girl who efficiently "manages" the house and her two younger sisters while their mom toils in a factory raises concerns for Doctor Finlay.
Rachel Gant has been committed to an asylum for the past 38 years. Upon her father's death, her mother sees to her release - only to discover the dark secrets that have been locked away.
The redecoration of Arden House turns out not to be nearly as lavish as Dr. Finlay had hoped.
n the middle of an emergency at a remote farmhouse, Dr. Finlay turns to a mysterious neighbour for help but is completely ignored. He tries to find out why the man was so rude - and uncovers a macabre secret.
Preparations and celebrations for Janet and Angus's wedding are underway and, eventually, Dr. Cameron gives the bride away.
There have been many changes at Arden House. The reconstruction is complete and Doctor Finlay now has a new surgery. Janet is now married and replaced by her husband's niece Rhona Swanson, but feels she needs to supervise the girl. Rhona is quite competent and would like to just go about her business but neither Finlay nor the retired Doctor Cameron want take Janet to task. Finlay is also pleased to see old school-mate Jennifer Stallard, a doctor in her own right who was recently widowed. Finally, the practice has a new junior partner, Dr. Sean McKenna.
Problems begin when a young woman, Millie Cairns, gets chicken pox. Dr. Cameron is sure she had it as a child and can't help but wonder if something odd is going on. While not unheard of, getting chicken pox a second time is not a common occurrence. Cameron visits the mother and gets the truth out of her: Millie is not her real daughter, who died soon after she and her husband left Tannochbrae many years before.
Newly arrived in the practice, Dr. Jennifer Napier, now using her own name, treats Annie Kirk who is suffering from a heart condition. She tries to arrange for the woman to see a specialist in Edinburgh, but the woman is reluctant to so. She later bemoans the fact that Annie's son never visits leading Doctor Finlay to ask his mother to come and visit him. He regrets it all somewhat when she regales everyone with photos and tales, some embarrassing, from his youth.
Dr. Napier starts to promote women's health issues by holding seminars and giving out information to her new patients. She particularly wants to ensure that they know about various approaches to birth control. Doctor Finlay is supportive but warns her to go slow. Not surprisingly, she gets a somewhat frosty reception from some of the older members of the community but some of the younger women seem more receptive to what she has to say.
Angus Livingston and Dr. Cameron have a set to over a prescription the Doctor wrote. As a result of Cameron's scribbles, Angus gave a larger dose that he wanted. Neither agree to back down on the matter and Janet finds herself stuck between them with both expecting her support. Doctor Finlay is concerned when a new arrival in Tannochbrae, Michael, is severely beaten by three local ruffians who believe he is a homosexual.
When Dr. Finlay is called to the manse by Rev. Derek Gill, he arrives to find Martha Manderston, a teenager, in obvious discomfort on his sofa. Although discreet and avoiding any comment, he clearly comes to conclusions about just what Martha and Gill may have been up to and casts a wary eye on the older, but apparently not wiser, man of the cloth. When Martha comes to visit him at Arden House one evening, he realizes he may have gotten the wrong end of the stick. With Angus ill, Janet arranges for a temporary chemist to take over the shop for a few days.
Dr. Napier continues to lament that most of her patients are women and children but John feels it's up to her to establish herself in the community. When she's told that her first patient of the day, Mrs. Kennedy, is a bit of a fusspot she only cursorily checks her son who is anything but cooperative. When she is later called to the house because of his worsening condition, she realizes the boy has diphtheria. Everyone is pleased beyond words when Brenda Maitland, John Finlay's one time fiancée shows up to help immunize the local children. At the chemists, Angus is slowly recovering but seems to have difficulty keeping up with his work.
Dr. Finlay treats a local celebrity of sorts, the Brigadier, a much decorated soldier and highly respected member of the community. He's come down with a high fever and Finlay decides to hospitalize him where he is eventually diagnosed a having typhus. A group of itinerant Irish farm workers also arrives in the area and the locals are not keen with their presence. Mob rule takes over when the Brigadier takes turn for the worse and many in the community blame the workers for bringing disease with them.
Marjorie and Douglas Maitland have returned to Tannochbrae after spending much of their life in colonial India. Re-adjusting to life at home is not proving easy however. Douglas is in poor health and despite his best efforts can't find work which he puts down to being too old. Depressed, he's drinking too much and he flatly refuses to ask their daughter Brenda for any help. Dr. Napier tries to give him advice, but he is stubborn and won't listen. Meanwhile, Janet and Angus are still recovering from their road accident. Angus seems to be coping better than Janet who is terrified at the prospect of setting foot in the car.
Janet finds a day-old baby abandoned on the doorstep of Arden House.
When Dr. Finlay takes a walking holiday in the Highlands, his break turns out to be rather more passionate than he'd expected.
A young wife believes she has contracted syphilis from her husband, but he has never been unfaithful.
A deathbed confession forces Finlay to choose between duty and justice.
Dr. Finlay investigates the strange medical symptoms suffered by a group of nuns, but clashes with their obstructive mother superior.
Arden House is snowbound on the night before Hogmanay and emotions rise to the surface as the residents spend a long night together.
