The Beiderbecke Affair Beiderbecke Trilogy", with the two sequel series being "The Beiderbecke Tapes" (1987) and "The Beiderbecke Connection" (1988). Rather than following a usual linear story structure, "The Beiderbecke Affair" — set in Leeds in 1985 — is a character-led drama with a plot that initially appears rather unclear, moving as it does from one seemingly unrelated event to another. These events—and the characters involved with them—are eventually shown to be interconnected. Geordie Trevor Chaplin (James Bolam) teaches woodwork, enjoys football and is passionate about jazz. Jill Swinburne (Barbara Flynn) is interested in neither football nor jazz but teaches English and wants
The Beiderbecke Trilogy broadcast in six parts in January and February 1985 and averaged 12 million viewers over its run. Shortly after the completion of "The Beiderbecke Affair", David Cunliffe asked Plater to write a new serial with the same characters. At this point Plater decided to create a jazz-themed trilogy; "The Beiderbecke Affair" would be followed by "The Gillespie Tapes" and "The Yardbird Suite", referencing Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker respectively. However, YTV felt that they wanted to stick with the Beiderbecke "brand" and so the first sequel was renamed "The Beiderbecke Tapes". Plater intended "The Beiderbecke Tapes" to be another six-part