Ep 1. Episode 1

Desperate Romantics is a British television drama series that premiered on BBC Two in 2009. The show is based on the real-life Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of English artists and writers who formed a movement in the mid 19th-century. The series explores the love affairs, personal tragedies, and artistic pursuits of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and their circle of friends.

In the first episode, viewers are introduced to William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, three aspiring young artists living in Victorian-era London. The episode begins with the trio meeting at an exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, where they are dismayed by the bland and uninspired works on display.

After the exhibition, the group makes their way to their shared apartment, where they are greeted by their bohemian friend and fellow artist, Fred Walters. The four spend their evening drinking and discussing their shared disdain for traditional art and their desire to create something new and radical.

The next day, the group travels to the home of powerful art critic John Ruskin in hopes of persuading him to review their work. While there, they meet Ruskin's wife, Effie, who quickly captures Millais' heart.

Meanwhile, Rossetti becomes enamored with Lizzie Siddal, a young model and artist he meets at a local millinery shop. The two quickly develop a passionate relationship, but Rossetti's friends are less than supportive of his choice of paramour.

As the episode progresses, viewers see the beginnings of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, as the group decides to band together in their shared artistic pursuits. However, the group's unconventional approach to art and relationships attracts the attention of the conservative society around them, and they begin to face backlash and criticism.

Overall, the first episode of Desperate Romantics sets the stage for a tale of love, ambition, and artistry, as the Pre-Raphaelites navigate their way through the social and artistic landscapes of Victorian England.