The series follows a group of young graduates competing for a limited number of permanent positions at Pierpoint & Co., a prestigious investment bank in London. The pressure is immense, and the environment is brutally competitive. At the center is Harper Stern, a young woman from the United States with a mysterious past and no formal degree, who relies on her sharp intelligence and ruthless ambition to survive.
Her main rivals include Yasmin, who comes from extreme wealth and uses her connections while struggling for independence, and Robert, an Oxford graduate from a privileged background who grapples with substance abuse and self-sabotage. There is also Gus, a gay black man from an aristocratic family, whose path takes a different turn into the world of private wealth management.
The narrative delves into the high-stakes world of finance, where the graduates are thrown into the deep end of complex trades and morally ambiguous situations. Their professional and personal lives blur, with hedonistic after-hours parties often serving as extensions of the trading floor. Harper finds a mentor in Eric Tao, a seasoned and cutthroat desk director, but quickly learns that his guidance comes with a price.
Key storylines involve Harper’s secret regarding her brother and her forged university transcript, which constantly threatens her position. She also engages in a risky, unauthorized trade that could make or break her career. Yasmin navigates a complex relationship with a colleague while trying to prove her own worth beyond her family name. Robert spirals as he fails to meet the expectations of his demanding boss.
The season builds to a dramatic conclusion where the graduates’ fates are decided. Harper’s gamble leads to a major victory for the bank, securing her a permanent position. However, this triumph is undercut by profound personal costs, including betrayals and the erosion of her relationships. The final scenes establish that in the world of Pierpoint, talent is valuable, but survival often requires sacrificing one’s ethics and humanity. The characters are left to navigate the consequences of their choices in a system that rewards ruthless ambition above all else.