The Gravy Train was the first of two British miniseries focusing on the seriocomic misadventures of Dorfman (Christoph Waltz), a new member of the European Economic Council. Embarking upon his diplomatic career with stars in his eyes, Dorfman was quickly disillusioned by the infighting, pettiness, and flat-out greed indigenous to the Council's headquarters in Brussels. Written by Malcolm Bradbury, The Gravy Train yielded four hour-long episodes, which aired over Britain's Channel Four from June 27 to July 8, 1990. The series proved successful enough to warrant a 1991 sequel, The Gravy Train Goes East. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide