This six-hour miniseries spanned over a decade in the lives of three women: Jenny (Laurie Heineman) the radical, throwing herself into every cause and looking to change the world; Tanya (Season Hubley), an artist who remembers how her father had been destroyed for speaking out in the 1950s and is looking for love; and Kate (Cristina Raines), a journalist struggling to retain her objectivity and looking out for herself.
In 1962, the three women meet and become friends while students at the University of California at Berkeley. The series follows them through the 60s and into the 70s, focussing on their careers and troubled personal lives.
Kate’s journalistic career flourishes and she begins a turbulent affair with off-beat actor Peter Lane (Stephen Macht); Jenny (unsurprisingly) marries political activist Joe Norman (Ben Masters) and gives birth to their son, and Tanya – now a success in the art world – begins an unhappy relationship with Mark Stewart (Michael Tolan) – a self-centred, married sculptor.
By the final episode, the three women – now divorced, separated and fiercely independent – try searching for meaning in their checkered existence by joining a commune run by old college friend Rob Kagan (Guy Boyd).
The three-part miniseries was adapted from the best-selling book by Sara Davidson.
Due to an error by a network technician when the miniseries was originally shown in the US, almost 17 minutes of the final episode went to air in place of the second episode on Monday 27 February. The NBC switchboard was flooded with calls and the proper episode was then broadcast in its entirety, with news and the Tonight Show delayed as a result.
Kate Evans
Cristina Raines Tanya Berenson
Season Hubley Jenny Reston
Laurie Heineman Tom Feiffer
Theodore Bikel Joe Norman
Ben Masters Peter Lane
Stephen Macht Hank Okrun
Gregg Henry John Campbell
John Getz Rob Kagan
Guy Boyd Mark Stewart
Michael Tolan Irene Evans
June Lockhart Sol Berenson
Joshua Shelley Judy Berenson
Judy Strangis Dr Moe Sinden
David Wayne Hilda
Kate Reid Roxanne
Paula Wagner Mrs Berenson
Peggy McCay Timmy Reston
Richard Stanley Marita Kagan
Maria Elena Cordero Dave Goodwin
Robert Symonds Bob O’Brian
James Blendick Larry
Allan Kolman Rosemary
Alice Hirson Ed Thomas
Carl Franklin George
Gary Swanson Mike
Jon Lormer
Kate’s journalistic career flourishes and she begins a turbulent affair with off-beat actor Peter Lane (Stephen Macht); Jenny (unsurprisingly) marries political activist Joe Norman (Ben Masters) and gives birth to their son, and Tanya – now a success in the art world – begins an unhappy relationship with Mark Stewart (Michael Tolan) – a self-centred, married sculptor.
