Ep 1. First Things First

In the series premiere of Queen Sugar, titled "First Things First," we are introduced to the Bordelon siblings: Charley, Nova, and Ralph Angel. Charley (played by Dawn-Lyen Gardner) is married to a successful basketball player and lives in Los Angeles, but her life is uprooted when she discovers her husband has been keeping a dark secret. Nova (played by Rutina Wesley) is a journalist and activist living in New Orleans, while Ralph Angel (played by Kofi Siriboe) lives in Louisiana and has just been released from prison.

The episode opens with Charley and her husband Davis (played by Timon Kyle Durrett) at a press conference addressing allegations of rape against Davis. Charley stands by her husband's side, but it's clear that her world has been turned upside down. Afterwards, Charley visits her aunt Violet (played by Tina Lifford) in St. Josephine, Louisiana, where she learns that her father has died. Charley is forced to confront the past and reconnect with her estranged family.

Meanwhile, Nova is planning a protest against the construction of a pipeline, which she believes will damage the land and water of her community. She also meets a man named Calvin (played by Greg Vaughan), a police officer who she had a romantic history with. The two have a tense conversation about their past and their views on the pipeline.

Ralph Angel, the youngest of the Bordelon siblings, is struggling to raise his young son Blue (played by Ethan Hutchison) on his own. He has just been released from prison and is trying to turn his life around, but faces obstacles including a lack of job opportunities and limited support from his family. Ralph Angel also has tension with his sister Nova, who he feels hasn't done enough to help him since he's been released.

As the Bordelon family comes together to plan their father's funeral, tensions rise between Charley and Nova over their different views on Davis' situation and the pipeline. Ralph Angel also struggles to provide for Blue and make ends meet, but finds some hope in a potential job opportunity. The episode ends with the three siblings coming together to scatter their father's ashes in the Mississippi River.

Overall, "First Things First" sets up the family dynamic and individual struggles of the Bordelon siblings while also introducing some of the larger issues at play in the series. The episode balances drama and emotion, while also highlighting the beauty and resilience of the Louisiana landscape and community.