In the first of two parts, young and motherless David is sent by his uncaring stepfather to live with the impoverished Micawbers in London. He barely survives, working at a warehouse gluing labels on bottles.

In the second of two parts, David conducts his romance with the spoiled Dora Spenlow and, with the help of Micawber, unmasks Uriah Heep as a scheming thief. This episode is subtitled "The Reward".