The dying Master of Porterhouse succumbs to a Porterhouse Blue - a stroke brought on by over-indulgence. In his place comes a new Master, Sir Godber Evans, an ex-grammar-school boy, failed politician and old Porterhusian, who chooses the occasion of the annual great feast to announce a major break with six centuries of college tradition: Porterhouse will open its doors to scholars! Skullion, head porter for 45 years, is as stunned as the Fellows and students. But the new master - egged on by his wife, a zealous espouser of militant and minority causes - is determined to sow seeds of change in the very foundations of Porterhouse.

The Dean mounts an attack to counter the new master, Sir Godber Evans, who continues with his attempt to drag the college into the modern world. Meanwhile, Skullion finds an ally in old Porterhusian Sir Cathcart D'Eath, and Zipser seeks 'confidential' counselling with the Chaplain about his obsession with the buxom bedder Mrs Biggs, which is getting out of control.

The new Master, Sir Godber, is in self-congratulatory mood. His plans to impose change on Porterhouse appear to have the College's traditionalist Fellows over a barrel. In response, the Dean and Sir Cathcart D'Eath bring in investigative journalist and former Porterhouse student Cornelius Carrington to help fight their corner. Zipser emerges from a drunken stupor in possession of four gross of contraceptives, and his inflationary measures to dispose of them provide the ageing Skullion with a memorably athletic night. However, far more shattering developments are in store for the loyal college porters.

With a view to ending the new Master's regime, the Dean and Sir Cathcart D'Eath encourage television journalist Cornelius Carrington to make a documentary about the College. They haven't reckoned on Carrington's methods, or on Skullion's gift for 'television verite'. And nobody - not even Skullion himself - has reckoned on the head porter achieving an indelible place in the history of Porterhouse.