Ep 1. The Spark

In the first episode of Little Fires Everywhere season 1, titled "The Spark," we are introduced to the Richardson family living in Shaker Heights, Ohio. The Richardsons are a picture-perfect family, complete with a beautiful home, successful parents, and four teenage children.

The episode opens with the Richardson family home burned to the ground, and with a frantic Mrs. Richardson watching the firefighters comb through the wreckage. The rest of the episode is a flashback, showing us the events that led up to the fire.

We are first introduced to Mia and Pearl, a mother and daughter who have just moved to Shaker Heights after a lifetime of moving from place to place. Mia is an artist who works odd jobs to support her daughter while Pearl attends a new school. Mia and Pearl rent a duplex from Mrs. Richardson, who takes an interest in them and offers Mia a job as her maid.

Throughout the rest of the episode, we see Mia and Pearl navigating their new life in Shaker Heights and getting to know the Richardson family. Madeline, Mrs. Richardson's friend, is going through a midlife crisis and is struggling to come to terms with the fact that her ex-husband is now married to a much younger woman. Meanwhile, Mrs. Richardson's daughter, Lexie, is keeping her relationship with her boyfriend, Brian, a secret from her parents.

As the episode progresses, tensions rise between the Richardson family and Mia. Mrs. Richardson becomes increasingly obsessed with Mia's past and starts digging into her background, while Mia herself seems to be hiding something. The two women clash over Mia's artwork, with Mrs. Richardson insisting that she help promote Mia's work in the community. Mia, however, wants to remain anonymous.

The episode ends with a school dance, where tensions between the two families come to a head. Pearl, who has become close with the Richardson children, goes to the dance with Moody, one of the Richardson boys. Mia is furious and tells Pearl that they need to leave Shaker Heights and move on to the next city. However, Pearl is hesitant to leave her new life behind.

Overall, Little Fires Everywhere season 1 episode 1 "The Spark" sets up a compelling and complex world, where the lives of the Richardson family and Mia and Pearl are intertwined in ways that are still unfolding. The episode lays the groundwork for the rest of the season, with plenty of secrets and conflicts waiting to be revealed.