Episode 2 of The Dark Years 1929-1939 examines the years 1932-1935, a period when the Toronto Daily Star sees its subscriptions rise by following popular stories with wide appeal. Some of the stories featured in this episode include: the Ted and Rose Bates story and trial for the alleged murder of their son which highlights the difficult times in the West during the Depression, the birth of the Dionne Quintuplets, the conditions of the labour camps, the On-to-Ottawa Trek and the Regina riot, the Red Ryan story and R.B. Bennett's policies and defeat in the 1935 election. The Dark Years series provides good background material for literature set in the Depression.