剧集的故事围绕着两家虚构的英国报社展开。一家是由女主Holly Evans(Charlotte Riley 饰)工作的《先驱报》（Herald）。作为一家老派、左倾且主打严肃新闻的报纸（普遍被英国观众认为影射了现实中的《卫报》），《先驱报》在今天这个网络时代面临着销量锐减、受众缩小等问题。剧中的另一家报社则是主打八卦、民粹新闻的《邮报》（Post）。在主编Duncan Allen（Ben Chaplin 饰）的带领下，该报靠着吸引眼球但又时刻在道德界限打擦边球的新闻不断壮大。
该剧围绕张若晨和程哲海两兄弟的游泳生涯和情感纠葛展开，讲述一群天赋异秉的少年从全国各地被选拔到乐海体校后，经过家庭、校园和社会的历练，最终寻找到真正自我的故事。
“Versailles is the next step in the international co-production strategy we are now pursuing with our partners,” said Fabrice de la Patellière, Head of French Drama and Co-productions at Canal Plus. “This new season, that we aim to develop with renewed originality, will be a full-blown immersion into the absolute power of Louis XIV.” Added Claude Chelli, Director of Capa Drama: “King Louis XIV ruled France for 72 years, so there are still many stories to be told, in the same style and with the same contemporary approach that we established in Season 1. So it is with great relish that for the second season, we are going to take the series into the realm of women, love potions and poisons.”
