The show is set in the late Fifties early Sixties in a redbrick university 120 miles from London. Jim Dixon is a probation history master in his first post after graduation. He has two main problems: He is under the thumb of his eccentric senior, Professor Welch and is being given a hard time by his neurotic girlfriend, Margaret. Jim is a square peg in a round hole. He wants to get out but feels a moral loyalty to Margaret and a fear of losing his job with no future prospects. Events go haywire with the arrival of the university's benefactor, Gore-Urquart and his beutiful niece, Christine.

Diasaster follows disaster and Jim loses his job, dumps Margaret and is ready to go back to his Northern hometown and become a school teacher. In the nick of time he is saved by Gore-Urquart who offers him a job in London. This is the answer to Jim's dream: A job in London and Christine - who he has always loved, showing she loves him too. So out of disaster comes salvation for Jim.

Lucky Jim!