Just One Look is Harlan Coben's new Netflix show, and it's just as gripping and suspenseful as his previous adaptations. The story follows a determined wife and mother named Greta as she embarks on a search for her husband, who mysteriously vanishes after the reappearance of a troubling old photo. In this article, we're going to break down everything that happens in the premiere episode. From the discovery of a mysterious old photo to Jacek’s sudden disappearance, here's everything that happens in Just One Look episode 1.
Spoilers ahead from Just One Look episode 1!
Greta discovers an unsettling old photo of her husband
Greta is a jewelry designer and devoted wife and mother of two, who is haunted by a traumatic event from 15 years ago that continues to affect her. At the start of the series, Greta, her husband Jacek, and their two children are on vacation when she wakes up one morning from a disturbing recurring dream. The dream revisits the tragic accident from 15 years ago, which remains Poland's deadliest mass casualty event. During a concert at the Old Steelworks, a fire broke out, claiming the lives of 28 people. Greta was believed to be the sole survivor, found alive beneath the rubble. Yet, despite her survival, she has never escaped the emotional scars from that night, nor the physical ones that serve as a constant reminder of the tragedy.
Upon returning home from vacation, Greta realizes that it marks the 15th anniversary of the tragic event. The next day, Wiktor Lewinski, the arsonist believed to have started the fire, is set to be released from prison. Deciding to have their vacation photos developed at a local photo lab, Greta returns home with the prints and begins flipping through them. As she looks closer, she discovers a photo that seems out of place. It's an old picture of her husband with unfamiliar people, and one of the figures in the image has a red X marked over their face. She decides to wait until Jacek comes home to confront him about the photo. In the meantime, she receives flowers from someone connected to her past.
The flowers are from a man named Karol Wespa, who had supported Greta during her hospital recovery after the fire. Greta receives a call from Karol, where she thanks him for the flowers but asks him not to send any more, as they only remind her of the accident and of Rafal. Although it’s unclear who Rafal was to her, it’s believed he perished in the fire. Karol seems to accept her wishes, but after the call ends, he quietly crushes the roses in his hand. It’s then revealed that he’s holding someone hostage. It appears he's a crooked businessman of some sort.
Greta confronts Jacek, who then vanishes
When Jacek finally arrives home, Greta wastes no time in questioning him about the photo. Although he insists that he has no idea where it came from or who the people in it are, it's clear he's not telling the truth. One of the individuals in the picture bears a striking resemblance to a younger version of him. Luckily for Jacek, their son, Max, interrupts the conversation, distracting Greta just as she's about to press him further. Jacek goes to help Max, and Greta overhears him talking on the phone to a colleague from work about a project they're working on.
Greta finishes preparing dinner and sits down to look at the photo again. She calls out Jacek's name, hoping to get him to come into the kitchen. When he doesn’t respond, she heads to the kids’ room to ask Max and Emma if they’ve seen him. They tell her he was there but left shortly after. Greta then looks around the house, but when she returns to the kitchen, the photo is gone. Jacek took it with him. Luckily, she had the foresight to take a picture of it on her phone. Suddenly, she hears a car alarm and looks out the window to see Jacek getting in his car and driving away. She attempts to call his phone, but it goes to voicemail. What could Jacek be up to?
Later, Jacek is shown talking on the phone to someone while at a bus stop. From the conversation, it appears that he did something bad and is done lying to Greta about it. He's willing to face the consequences for his actions, even if it means serving time in prison. He hangs up the phone and then gets in his car. Meanwhile, Greta invites her friend Kamila over to her house to talk about Jacek’s whereabouts. Kamila reassures her that he'll eventually show up and then leaves.
She returns to her house and puts her husband to bed before going to a separate room and opening the curtains. A neighbor across the street opens her curtains and starts to dance as she strips off her clothes. After being left topless, the woman gets on top of a man who's lying in the bed, and they begin to have sex. Kamila watches all of this go down while pleasuring herself.
As Jacek drives down the road, he glances in his rearview mirror and notices another car tailing him. He pulls into a parking garage, and the car follows, parking nearby. Stepping out of his car, Jacek approaches the other vehicle. A man opens the door, and Jacek recognizes him. He confronts the man, asking if the photo was meant as a threat before telling him to stay away. As Jacek turns to walk away, the man chases after him, attacking him. Knocked unconscious, Jacek is dragged across the ground and thrown into the trunk of his car by the mysterious man. The man then gets into the driver's seat and speeds off.
Elsewhere, Greta arrives at Jacek's workplace to see if he's there. However, she learns from his colleague, Darek, that he's been trying to get in contact with him but to no avail. Greta also discovers that there was never any work project Jacek was involved in. He had lied about it. Feeling lost and unsure of her next move, she returns home and starts pacing. Desperate for answers, she decides to post somewhat of a missing person report for Jacek on her personal Facebook page, hoping someone might have seen him or have any information about where he might be. However, this might not have been the right move.
The concert Greta attended 15 years ago, which ended in a devastating tragedy, was for an artist named Jimmy D. During the concert, Jimmy dedicated a song to her called "Just One Look." It appears they were more to each other than just an artist and a fan. The last scene of the episode shows Jimmy at a bar, scrolling through Facebook, when he comes across Greta's post. So, Greta wasn't the only survivor of the fire. A flashback then takes viewers to when Greta was recovering in the hospital. She leaves her room and finds Jimmy. As they embrace, Jimmy pulls away and warns her that she will die if she ever speaks of what happened after the concert. Greta stares at him in shock before the episode cuts to the credits.
Borys finds out the truth about his daughter's death
At the start of the episode, former prosecutor Borys Gajewicz meets with a prisoner who has been requesting to speak with him for months. Although Borys doesn't recognize him, the inmate claims to have known him for years. The prisoner's name is later revealed to be Marek.
As their conversation unfolds, Marek reveals that he was the hired hitman responsible for the death of Borys's daughter in 2009. He recounts the events of that night, explaining that what was believed to be an accident was actually a deliberate murder. It was a fatal hit-and-run. Borys, shaken and in disbelief, denies Marek's claim, but Marek insists there is no reason for him to lie, especially as he faces death. He's dying from a tumor, and he wants to set the record straight before he passes away.
Before their conversation concludes, Borys asks Marek who had hired him to kill his daughter. Marek replies that he’ll reveal the answer only if Borys does a favor for him. Later, Borys returns to the prison for another scheduled visit with Marek, but when he arrives, an officer informs him that Marek hanged himself the day before. Distraught and without answers, Borys returns home and begins searching through a box of items related to his late daughter, Alex. He starts drinking and taking out his frustration on a punching bag, but nothing seems to help. Despite the mounting frustration, he grows more determined than ever to uncover the truth behind his daughter's death and find out who was responsible for ordering the hit.
All six episodes of Just One Look are streaming now only on Netflix.