Furious Episodes 1-3 Recap & Review: Hulu's Crime Thriller Gets Off To A Disturbing Start

Published Jul 27, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV. Hulu's new crime thriller, Furious, stars Emmy Rossum as FBI agent Alice Black, a new to the bureau agent who's looking to leave her past as an NYPD homicide detective behind when a case falls into her lap. The case at hand, which follows serial killer Catherine (Lola Petticrew) as she weaves her way through the underbelly of New York, is an ever-evolving one, especially as the first episodes establish themselves. Created by Elizabeth Meriwether, best known for creating New Girl and Dying For Sex, Furious is a departure from the norm that feels aligned with her past work. Furious' world is both interestingly small and sweepingly large, which creates a sense of dissonance in its storytelling. With half of the series following along as Alice works through the case while managing her complicated emotions surrounding the chain of events that led her to the FBI, and the other half delving into Catherine's world as she uses every resource to reach her twisted but understandable goals, both women are explored with a depth and intention that enriches the story. Alice's world is often bleak and dark, while Catherine's is electric and brimming with possibility, keeping viewers on their toes. While Furious is only just getting started, the series' first three episodes lay the groundwork for an intense season, digging into a darkness that threatens to unfurl within both Alice and Catherine at any second. With both women's trauma anchoring the series, the show's first episodes finished out strong. Furious' Pilot Episode Lays Important Groundwork For Both Alice & Catherine's Characters While the first episode of Furious is the weakest of the three released on Hulu for the show's July 27 premiere, the pilot lays the groundwork for what quickly becomes an intense, riveting story. Within the first hour of Furious, we meet Alice and come to understand what she's left her role as an NYPD homicide detective to shoot for the FBI, but has been placed in a holding position where she takes calls from the public to, essentially, listen to their complaints and conspiracies. Alice's position isn't one the straight-laced agent seems to enjoy, as she reaches for more. Furious is quick to establish that Alice's decision to leave the NYPD has been a difficult personal choice, not a professional one. When she meets up with former colleague Danny (Scoot McNairy) to survey a tough crime scene, Alice's alienation from the rest of the NYPD becomes clear. It's eventually revealed to stem from the fact that she spoke up about her abusive her ex-boyfriend, Marshall (Jake Lacy), another detective, but Alice's PTSD doesn't just apply to her dealing with those she once worked with. Alice's home life is in shambles, and as she chases Catherine, it becomes markedly worse. Catherine, on the other hand, is quickly established as someone who can get what she wants, no matter the consequences. Always on the run despite having a deceptively smooth, sweet demeanor, Catherine commits a harrowing murder within the first ten minutes of Furious, but rather than coming from a hardened, grizzly place, it's quickly clear that her motives are personal, painful, and to her, proportionate. As the first episode of Furious unfolds, Catherine is shown to be someone who can maneuver quickly and quietly, finding ways to manipulate those who can help her achieve her goals before she discards them. During the first episode of Furious, Catherine delivers a lethal dose of an injectable to a man who turns out to be a powerful part of the New York elite. Leaving him behind, she sets her sights on her next target through a series of small cons, charming her way through a system designed to help those in need and, while she does need the help, exploiting it to find herself in the position to take aim at her next target. Catherine's meticulous nature is clear, but her sometimes erratic behavior shows a layer of desperation that Petticrew captures perfectly. Alice's Struggles With PTSD Make Her Work Feel All The More Personal MovieStillsDB As Furious continues through its first trio of episodes, Alice's PTSD becomes a massive piece of her story, as well as a way for her to connect with Catherine's case. As she begins to work with Nora (Quincy Tyler Bernstine) in the sex crimes unit of the FBI, Alice has to confront the pain that's been bubbling beneath the surface of her life for years. Nora challenges her to prove that she's no longer living in the mindset of a cop, but there's far more to Alice's complicated nature than her former role. As she navigates her issues, Alice is tentative. Rossum's ability to bring Alice to life in a way that embodies her closed-off nature and, at the same moment, the intense burden she carries with her at all times, makes the FBI agent feel like a fully fleshed out character from the second she appears on-screen. The series moves through Alice's casework easily, showcasing what made her a good detective and what will make her a great FBI agent, but the quiet moments in between really let us in to who Alice has become. From the fact that she's become intensely fearful of showering because of her abuse to the revelation that she invites strangers from dating apps over to spar to ensure she can protect herself, Alice's complex nature anchors her into Catherine's case in a fascinating way. In understanding the deep, untenable anger that comes from being hurt by someone who was meant to be protective, Alice appears to have a better understanding of Catherine's moves than the team of men, including her ex, who ultimately wind up working the case alongside her. Catherine's Difficult Past Provides A Dark Context For Her Criminal Behavior MovieStillsDB Petticrew's Catherine is the standout of Furious, with a quiet, crazed charm that propels her forward and a sense of care that creeps into the majority of her interactions. Throughout the first episodes of Furious, Catherine finds herself working through some of her biggest targets. After the first kill Furious viewers see on screen, Catherine scrambles to put herself in a position to take out another target, this time finding herself in bed with an attorney after a stint as a cater waiter. What connects these men doesn't become clear right away, but when Catherine's backstory clarifies, things click quickly. Catherine, who's clearly been trafficked in the past, finds herself opening up to her drugged target's daughter in an intense moment, bonding with the young girl and eventually sharing that her father had "hurt' her when she was young. Catherine makes it clear that she's looking for retribution, but when someone's in her way, she doesn't bother keeping herself in check. Killing the unwitting admin at the women's shelter she spent some of the early episodes of Furious in, Catherine is looking for leverage and doesn't want to leave a trail of breadcrumbs behind her. Throughout the episodes, viewers get the chance to learn that Catherine doesn't just work through the world of New York elite to find retribution for what happened to her in the past. The reveal that she's a medical aide to a disabled man, who eventually lets her move into his late mother's bedroom, is just one of the shocking parts of her personality that doesn't entirely mesh with what's expected from the character. Catherine's connection to her past life hasn't entirely dissolved, and her emotional tether to girls who are still being trafficked pushes her to keep moving forward, seeking answers she may never find. Furious Lets The Reality Of Trafficking & Abuse Loom Large Over Both Stories MovieStillsDB Furious doesn't shy away from the darkness of its material, making it clear that violence against women of every kind is abundant regardless of their station in life. From seeing Alice's intense PTSD come to life, including a particularly heartbreaking scene wherein Danny offers to sit in her bathroom while she showers to give her a sense of security, to seeing the choices Catherine makes in taking the lives of high powered men who put their pleasure over the life of a young girl, Furious tackles its most devastating moments head on. As the series continues, the darkness should, too. Rossum and Petticrew play intensely complicated characters, along with Bernstine in a smaller capacity, and make it clear that the women of Furious are the anchors of the story. With each woman's past unraveling in a way that both leads them to the core of the case while complicating it further, Meriwether's Hulu series allows its stories to ebb and flow, converge and retreat in ways that makes the show a bittersweet treat. As the first season of Furious continues to roll out, Alice's watchful eyes on Catherine's every move will be an excitingly dark case of cat and mouse. Furious' first three episodes are available now on Hulu, with new episodes releasing weekly each Monday through August 31. Release Date July 27, 2026 Network Hulu Directors Brian Kirk Cast Emmy Rossum FBI Agent Alice Black Creator(s) Elizabeth Meriwether