The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco Season 1 Episode 1 Presidio

The Bletchley Circle: San Francisco season 1 episode 1, "Presidio," follows four women who used to work as codebreakers during World War II in Bletchley Park, England. Now, in 1956, they are living in San Francisco and are brought together again to solve a series of murders that the authorities seem unable to solve.

The episode begins with Millie (Rachael Stirling) trying to adjust to her new life in San Francisco. She's just arrived from London with her husband, and while he's working, she's trying to figure out what to do with herself. After spending some time volunteering at a hospital, she's asked to identify a former colleague from Bletchley Park who is being held in the psychiatric ward. This colleague, Iris (Emily Barber), has been accused of murdering her sister-in-law and has been refusing to cooperate with the police.

Millie is shocked to see Iris in such a state and decides to do what she can to help prove her innocence. She's able to gather a few others to her cause: her old Bletchley Park friend, Jean (Julie Graham), who now works as a librarian; a young woman named Hailey (Chanelle Peloso), who works as an ambulance driver; and a local police officer named Mike (Ben Cotton), who's frustrated by the inability of his department to solve the case.

Together, this group of four women applies their skills and intelligence to unraveling the complex web of connections that led to the murder. They begin by investigating a mysterious phone call that Iris received just before her sister-in-law's death. They trace the call to a man named Greg (Colin Lawrence), who lived in the Presidio military base and has connections to both Iris and her sister-in-law.

As they dig deeper, the women uncover a shocking conspiracy involving military secrets, blackmail, and the murder of another woman who had been investigating the same conspiracy. A web of lies and deceptions is slowly unraveled, leading to a dramatic showdown at the military base.

Throughout the episode, we see the different strengths and weaknesses of the four women as they work together. Millie is a natural leader, but also struggles with her own sense of purpose in life. Jean is brilliant at research and analyzing information, but can sometimes be a bit scatterbrained. Hailey is daring and willing to take risks, but can sometimes be impulsive. Mike is a valuable ally, but must navigate the sexist attitudes of his colleagues and superiors.

In the end, the women are able to solve the murder and expose the conspiracy, but not without facing danger and risking their own lives. The episode sets up a promising premise for the rest of the series: a group of former codebreakers using their skills to solve crimes in a post-war world that is still coming to terms with the aftermath of conflict.