This was the pilot to the television series that was inspired by the movie which starred Joan Crawford. In it Lane Ballou who travels with a circus as an exotic dancer, decides to leave it. And where they were was Truro, Florida, she meets Fielding Carlyle, a law school graduate currently working for the Sheriff's department. It seems that Titus Semple, the (corrupt) sheriff, is grooming him for a future in politics part of that is making sure that Fielding marries the right woman, someone like, Constance Weldon. However, when Field starts to develop an interest in ...

Titus Semple, the corrupt sheriff of steamy Truro, Florida double crosses drug dealer Nick Walker and his partner Terry. Realizing that politician Fielding Carlyle is Titus's Achilles heel, Walker and Terry decide to kidnap Field and his new bride Constance. Field and Constance are abducted and held aboard their honeymoon yacht. Titus and Constance's family the Weldons receive a ransom demand for one million dollars. With the help of Sam Curtis, the family scrambles to arrange the money.

Drug lord Lorca instructs Walker and Terry to murder Field and Constance after the ransom is delivered. During an attempt to overpower his captors, Field is seriously injured. Sam commandeers a helicopter and flies down to the Caribbean to search for the kidnapped honeymooners. Constance uses herself to barter with Nick for Field's life.

Field schedules a trip to Tallahassee to deliver a senate campaign speech. Annoyed by Constance's spoiled behavior, Field deceives Constance and invites Lane to travel away with him for the weekend. A suspicious Titus tracks them down, and hoping to break up the romance, reveals Field's whereabouts to a jealous Constance.

In an attempt to uncover damaging information that might drive Lane away from Truro, and out of Field's life forever, Titus bugs the rooms above Lute-Mae's bar. Frank Coyne, Lane's old carny boss, returns to Truro and blackmails her into giving him $5000 in exchange for his silence about a secret from her past. Lute-Mae uncovers Titus's plot.

Annabelle Troy's mother Mary learns more of the facts surrounding the arson fire at the Weldon mill. Bent on avenging her daughter's death at the hands of Titus, Mary threatens to publicly name him as her killer, and then expose all of his lurid secrets. Field gains knowledge that could give him the upper hand over his political opponent.

Sam rejects an important campaign speech that Field worked feverishly to complete. Feeling the pressure of his political demands and dissatisfaction in his marriage to Constance, Field vanishes just before he's scheduled to appear at Truro's fish fry. After political backers threaten to withdraw their support, Sam intercedes, and Titus sends out a search party. Later, a drunken Field turns up at the fish fry.

When the newspaper is reluctant to endorse him for state senate, Field's pushed to the breaking point. The Weldons host a lavish election party for family, friends, and the press. During the party, Field arranges to have a moment alone with Lane. Constance spies on Field and Lane as they share a passionate kiss. Later, Constance vows revenge, but her maneuvers backfire.

Having caught Field and Lane in an embrace, a scorned Constance orders her husband to get rid of his mistress, but Field is unmoved by her threats. Using her family's power in the community, Constance turns to Titus. The two scheme to have Lane run out of town once and for all.

After he and Claude have a highly volatile confrontation about Annabelle's death, an angry Skipper packs his bags and makes plans to leave Truro immediately. Later, a freak accident leaves Claude trapped and seriously injured. Blaming himself for his father's condition, Skipper realizes that he can't leave town until the situation is resolved.

Skipper begins an affair with Christie Kovacs, and she's hiding a very rough past. Meanwhile, Constance enters into an alliance with Christie's former boyfriend Tony to break up the relationship. Lane's past returns to haunt her when she learns that one of her former johns, a wealthy businessman, has been killed in a suspicious accident.

While accompanying Sam on a trip to Miami, Lane has a chance encounter with an old acquaintance, who stuns her with the news that several former friends, all sharing a secret, have died recently in mysterious accidents. Constance and Tony continue their plot to remove Christie from Skipper's life. A hit-man named Slade earmarks Lane for elimination.

Christie diverts her attention away from Skipper and attempts to seduce an unhappy Field. Sam moves forward with his plans to marry Lane. Field and Christie are involved in a horrific car crash. After learning about Field's accident, Lane decides to risk ruining her relationship with Sam in order to go to the man she really loves.

A hospitalized Christie remains unconscious following the accident. Constance discovers the details of the crash and learns that Field and Lane were together afterward. Titus places Christie's hospital room under surveillance to ensure that when she awakens she doesn't leak damaging information about Field. A vengeful Constance commiserates with Sam about Field and Lane, and their anger turns to mutual lust.

Dangerous chemicals spill from the Weldon mill and contaminate Sam's construction site, forcing an environmental protection agency to shut down both businesses. Titus leads hit man Slade to Lane. Claude appeals to Field to use his power with the state environmental committee to reopen the mill. Field agrees to help Claude and Sam in exchange for an expedient divorce from Constance. Titus pays Christie to leave Truro and take her secret with her.

After learning that hit man Slade and his employer Harrison Brand are coming to kill her, Lane plans to skip town, but she's captured by her pursuers. The arrival of an impending hurricane forces Brand to turn back to Truro, where everyone seeks shelter at Lute-Mae's bar. Eudora and Elmo find themselves thrown together in the storm. Constance realizes that Lane will never be displaced from Field's life. Field and Constance have a violent argument on the staircase that ends with Constance plunging through the railing.