Ep 1. Episode 1

"Cheat" is a British psychological thriller television series that premiered on ITV in 2019. The show follows the intense and complicated relationship between a university professor named Leah Dale and her student, Rose Vaughan, that spirals out of control, leading to a series of shocking events.

Episode 1 of Cheat sets the tone for the rest of the series by introducing the primary characters and providing a glimpse into their complex dynamic. At the start of the episode, viewers are introduced to Leah, a strict and demanding professor who expects nothing but excellence from her students. Leah is a married mother of one and heavily invested in her academic work, which has led to tensions in her marriage, which viewers soon learn.

We then meet Rose, a seemingly shy and introverted student who struggles academically in Leah's class but is known to be exceptionally intelligent. Rose becomes obsessed with Leah and begins stalking her, secretly recording her lectures and watching her from afar. This intrigue makes Rose compelling, with her complex motivations slowly being revealed over the course of this season.

As the episode carries on, we see that Leah realizes that one of her students, Rose, has been cheating on her coursework. When confronted, Rose denies the accusations repeatedly but continues to act suspiciously. Leah's frustration with Rose's behavior reaches breaking point at an academic tribunal overseen by her colleague and friend, Dr. Tennant. Dr. Tennant, played by Adrian Edmondson, is introduced in the episode, and his character brings a level-headedness and reality check to Leah's accusations.

The meeting plummets into a tense and heated argument between Rose and Leah, with the former furiously denying the allegations of cheating. Following the tribunal, Leah receives a text message from someone demanding that she tells the truth about what happened at the meeting. With Leah's home and work-life becoming increasingly uncomfortable, she finds solace in her colleague's friend, Michael. The two strike a connection that may later become more complicated.

Episode one lays the building blocks for this season in style, with distinct characterizations, intriguing set pieces, and recurring plot points that will come into play later in the season. Along with a great supporting cast led by the duo of Katherine Kelly and Molly Windsor, Cheat is one of the exceptional watches for lovers of slow-burn psychological thrillers.