Nemesis is Netflix’s newest crime drama series. Created by Courtney A. Kemp and Tani Marole, the show plunges viewers into a tense world of calculated crime, relentless pursuit, and psychological warfare set in Los Angeles. At the center of the series is a sharp, uncompromising LAPD detective named Isaiah Stiles whose latest case brings him face-to-face with a criminal mastermind (Coltrane Wilder) operating with near-impossible precision.
What begins as a seemingly straightforward investigation soon unravels into something far more personal and dangerous, as the detective finds himself locked in a rising game of cat and mouse with a man who always seems one step ahead.
Now that Nemesis season 1 has officially begun streaming on Netflix, we’re breaking down each episode in detail. And of course, we’re starting with the very first installment. If you’re looking for a full recap of everything that went down in episode 1, just keep reading.
Major spoilers are ahead from Nemesis season 1 episode 1!
Coltrane and Stiles are introduced
The first episode opens at a lavish Halloween party inside a Beverly Hills mansion, where viewers are introduced to Coltrane and his wife, Ebony. The couple bribes a security guard so they can sneak away upstairs for some private time together. However, it quickly becomes clear that the distraction is actually part of a larger scheme.
While Ebony remains in the room to keep up appearances, Coltrane slips out through a back door and secretly lets his three-man crew into the mansion to carry out a heist targeting a group of wealthy guests playing poker in another room. During this scene, we learn that Coltrane's men are named Stro, Deon, and Choi.
They successfully steal all the money in the room, with Deon even stealing the expensive Patek watch from one of the guests. After getting Ebony, they then quietly slip out of the party. The episode then jumps to another day, where Detective Stiles is shown cruising through the streets of Los Angeles in his Charger. He briefly stops by his father’s house to drop off some money, and it immediately becomes clear that the two have a strained relationship.
Their tension seems tied to the death of a loved one. Stiles tells his father that he wants his deceased brother back, but his dad more or less brushes the comment aside. The scene also reveals that Stiles’s father has a criminal past and previously served time in prison after getting caught. Considering Stiles is a detective, this is probably another reason why they don't have the best relationship. After receiving a call about the case he's working on, Stiles then leaves his dad's house.
Stiles's current case involves a kidnapped daughter of a man named Alvarez. Alvarez is a dangerous cartel leader. After receiving word that the girl is being held captive at a house, Stiles heads there. Once he arrives, he bursts through the door with his partner Cruz. During this scene, Stiles successfully rescues the girl after fatally shooting the captor in the head.
Stiles wants in on the Halloween robbery case
The first episode then cuts to the Los Angeles police station, where Stiles learns about the Halloween robbery. The detective on the case, Viggiano, tells Stiles that he's already gathered details. Remember that Patek watch Deon stole? Well, it's insured. Viggiano tells Stiles that as soon as the watch is sold, they'll be able to potentially identify the people behind the robbery.
Stiles then walks away with Cruz. According to Cruz, Stiles has been looking for a specific robbery crew and believes that this latest Halloween heist could be linked to them. Why is he looking for a particular robbery crew? We find out later that it has something to do with the past death of a former officer who was killed while on duty during an armed robbery. His name was Emmanuel Shaw, aka Manny Shaw. Stiles was there when he was shot dead by the robbers. Since then, he's been driven by a personal need for closure and justice.
Stiles asks his police captain, Jimmy, if he can be put on the Halloween robbery case. However, Jimmy rejects the request. Stiles then heads home to eat dinner with his wife, Candice. It's their anniversary. During this scene, we learn that their relationship is strained because Stiles is constantly prioritizing his work over his marriage and their son. Meanwhile, Coltrane and his crew celebrate at an abandoned warehouse about their latest heist. After discovering that Deon stole the Patek watch, Coltrane scolds him and tells him not to sell it.
Later on, Coltrane returns home to have dinner with his wife. While Coltrane is pleased about the success of the robbery, Ebony is far less enthusiastic. In this scene, we learn that Ebony previously suffered a miscarriage. Apparently, they were going to leave the heist world behind after having their son. Even though their son didn't make it, Ebony tells Coltrane that she still wants them to walk away from the criminal life for good and focus on rebuilding a safer future together.
But while Coltrane understands where Ebony is coming from, he tells her that he needs to help his crew out a little more before completely walking away. He tells her that after completing two more jobs, then they can finally leave their criminal lives behind and start fresh together. Once their conversation wraps up, they head to their bedroom and sleep together.
Back at Stiles's house, his and Candice's dinner ends on an awkward note. Candice then returns to their bedroom and finds a gift. She had thought that Stiles had forgotten their anniversary, but he didn't. He bought her an expensive necklace. During this scene, we also learn that Stiles is sleeping in their guest house. The next morning, Stiles and Candice make up and sleep together. However, their intimate moment is interrupted after Stiles's phone starts ringing. It's Jimmy.
Stiles meets up with him, and Jimmy hands over the file for the Halloween robbery. However, Jimmy makes it clear to Stiles that he's still not on the case. During this scene, we learn that someone did go down for the murder of Manny Shaw. His name is Tyrell Pope. However, Stiles still doesn’t believe he did it. He suspects that the real perpetrators are still out there and that the people who robbed the Halloween party might be responsible.
Coltrane and his crew receives a new job
Elsewhere, we're shown Coltrane buying a shopping center in Los Angeles. Apparently, this is the 15th one he's bought in the city so far. He's bought it through his real estate company, Wilder Holdings. Later on, he heads to the house of a woman named Charlie. During this scene, we learn that Charlie is Ebony’s older sister and that she’s part of the same criminal world. In fact, she's the one who gives Coltrane and his crew new assignments. Coltrane then hands Charlie her cut of the Halloween robbery job before asking for a new one.
Charlie hands him a file. It's the details of their new assignment. The job is to hit three different jewelry stores in Downtown Los Angeles to secure 6 million worth of untraceable diamonds. Coltrane then heads to his warehouse to inform his crew. Elsewhere, Stiles meets the father of the kidnapped girl he rescued. His name is Miguel Alvarez. Basically, Miguel tells Stiles that he'll help him with anything since he saved his daughter. Stiles keeps this in mind as he leaves.
Later on, Stiles has lunch with his son Noah at a diner. However, their lunch is interrupted when he receives a work call on his walkie-talkie about a disturbance happening at the jewelry district. It's Coltrane and his crew! They're robbing each store in search of the diamonds. In the end, Coltrane and his crew successfully retrieve all the diamonds and escape. However, they end up killing two officers during the robbery.
Stiles arrives at the crime scene with Cruz after Coltrane and his crew have already left. They're trying to figure out the motive behind the robbery, since none of the jewelry was taken from the stores. Of course, viewers know that Coltrane and his crew just wanted the diamonds that were hidden in safes. While Stiles and Cruz are talking about the case, Stiles receives a text from Candice.
The episode then cuts to Ebony's house, where we learn that she and Candice are friends. We're shown them having a conversation over wine. Uh oh! This can't be good. Coltrane finally arrives home, and Ebony greets him. Coltrane then heads to his office and watches the news.
During the live news report, Stiles is shown talking to a reporter. He makes it clear that he's determined to track down the robbers. As Coltrane stares at Stiles on the TV screen, he realizes that he recognizes him. He pulls up an old article on Manny Shaw's death and realizes that Stiles is one of the officers who was there when he and his crew killed Manny. The first episode then ends with Coltrane staring at the TV screen with an angry face. Dun dun duuun!
All eight episodes of Nemesis season 1 are streaming on Netflix right now.
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