Ep 1. First Contact

In the first episode of Cleverman season 1, titled First Contact, we are introduced to an alternate version of Australia where Indigenous people possess extraordinary abilities and are called "Hairypeople." The episode begins with a young Indigenous man, Koen West, working as a garbage collector. Koen is approached by a group of Hairypeople who seek his help in retrieving a sacred artifact stolen by a violent gang.

The Hairypeople see Koen as their "cleverman," a figure in their culture who has the power to protect and guide them. However, Koen wants nothing to do with his heritage and refuses to help them. He has a complicated past with his own Hairypeople family and resents their traditions.

As the episode progresses, we meet Koen's half-brother, Waruu, who is a respected member of the Hairypeople community and a leader in the political movement for their rights. Waruu is also a cunning businessman who has embraced the human world and seeks to profit from it.

When the stolen artifact is revealed to be a weapon capable of devastating power, Koen reluctantly agrees to help the Hairypeople retrieve it. The retrieval mission takes a violent turn, and Koen discovers a shocking truth about his origins that forces him to confront his feelings about his identity and his place in the world.

Meanwhile, tensions between the Hairypeople and humans escalate as the media sensationalizes their existence and the government considers violent measures to control and exploit them.

The episode ends with Koen accepting the role of the "cleverman" and using his newfound powers to protect his people from harm. It sets the stage for a complex and politically charged story that challenges viewers to think about race, identity, and power in new and profound ways.