Trust recap: The House of Getty

FX’s Trust presents the Getty family.

This week ushered in the highly anticipated series, Trust. Last night’s premiere thrust us right into the dramatic lives of the Getty family–and it was epic. While the series premiere gave viewers insight into the family, it spent most of its time on the intriguing patriarch John Paul Getty (Donald Sutherland) and his grandson, John Paul Getty III (Harris Dickinson).

The world of the Getty’s is lavish, over the top, and unlike anything that the world has seen. Their wealth matches that of the Kennedy’s and Rockefeller’s which makes John Paul Getty an extremely appealing and sought out person.

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The story begins circa 1973 in Hollywood, California as we are taken into a house party on the Hills. The camera pans over this beautiful mansion and takes viewers directly into a room where George Getty II is having a mental breakdown. He grabs a barbecue fork and stabs himself, ending his life.

This sets the narrative for the rest of the episode and takes us to Getty estate in the U.K. where his funeral takes place. Because of his status and ego, John Paul Getty is not too keen in revealing to the world his son committed suicide so he twists the story during his eulogy. This sheds light on exactly who John Paul Getty is — a man not concerned with losing his son, but what it will mean for his reputation.

The series premiere reveals just how lavish John Paul Getty chooses to live–with his harem of women, a lavish estate, and all the luxuries money could buy (including a swarm of black swans). With the death of one son, the Getty family gathers at the funeral reception pondering who will be the heir to Getty’s fortune.

It is here where we meet the rest of the Getty family. John Paul Getty Jr. (Michael Esper) hopes to be considered but his turbulent history with drug abuse sets him far back on the list. He attempts to have a conversation with his father but is interrupted when his son, John Paul Getty III struts into the reception with a jean jacket and starry shirt.

This ruins Jr.’s opportunity to get in with his father and leaves him resenting his son more than ever before.

Trying to make himself at home, Getty III tries to take in the lavish surroundings of his grandfather’s estate and even grabs a little something to take with him. Meanwhile, John Paul is having sex with one of his girlfriends but has trouble maintaining an erection.

The next day, the grandson-grandfather duo have a bonding moment while discussing the remains of the Parthenon. This conversation seems to impress John Paul but leaves the audience wondering if Getty III doesn’t have ulterior motives.

Getty III is treated to a helicopter ride with his grandfather who shows him the family land and oil rig. He even learns through an illustration just how John Paul Getty makes money through an intricate flowchart. Essentially, he never pays taxes because all profits go into other business ventures and so on and so forth.

It is here where Getty III tells his grandfather he needs $6,000 to pay off debts he has accrued in Rome. John Paul agrees to give the money, but only if his grandson works on the oil rig for six months. However, the need for money is more dire when Getty III calls his girlfriend in Rome promising her he will be back with money in a couple days.

John Paul decides to throw a party for someone named Teresa, who everyone believes to be a new girlfriend, but instead is a mountain lion. It is at the party he shares that Getty III will take over the family fortune sending John Paul Getty Jr. into a mad frenzy that his son would take over rather than him.

In order to out his son, Jr. tells John Paul that his son has a drug addiction and will use the fortune for that. Getty III is forced to leave the mansion with no money and no job, and a one-way ticket back to Rome.

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Back in Rome, he finds himself running away from the men that are following and watching him (presumably, the ones he owes money to). They catch up to him and hand him a hood to place over his head. Looks like things are about to get super interesting on Trust.

Fx’s Trust will return Sunday, April 1, at 10 P.M. EST!