ðə pˈaɪlət ˈɛpɪsˌoʊd ɛksplˈeɪnz hˌaʊ ðə sˈoʊviəts hæv mˈænɪdʒd ɐ ɹᵻmˈɑːɹkəbəl blˈʌdləs kˈuːp ðə ɹˌɛvəlˈuːʃən tˈʊk plˈeɪs ˌɔn twˈɛnti sˈɛvən dʒˈuːn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɛvən, wˌɛn, əpˌɑːn lˈɜːnɪŋ ðæt θˈaʊzəndz ʌv ɹˈʌʃən mˈɪsəlz wɜːɹ ɐpɹˈoʊtʃɪŋ, ðə ɡˈʌvɚnmənt ænd ˈɔːl ðɪ ˈʌðɚ "ɪmpˈoːɹtənt" mˈɛmbɚz ʌv bɹˈɪɾɪʃ səsˈaɪəɾi tˈʊk ɹˈɛfjuːdʒ ɪn nˈuːklɪɹ fˈɔːlaʊt ʃˈɛltɚz.
The pilot episode explains how the Soviets have managed a remarkable bloodless coup – the revolution took place on 27 June 1987, when, upon learning that thousands of Russian missiles were approaching, the government and all the other "important" members of British society took refuge in nuclear fallout shelters.