Nemesis (2026) is an American crime drama set in Los Angeles, built around an 8-episode run with each episode lasting about an hour. The story follows a police detective and a criminal mastermind locked in a constant cat-and-mouse game as they try to outsmart each other while pulling everyone around them into the conflict. It plays out as a straightforward LA-based crime thriller, focusing on crime, investigation, and personal stakes on both sides. While it has a clear setup and steady pacing, the story often feels predictable, with familiar beats that don’t always bring new energy to the genre.
In this article, I will break down the entire plot line of the action-thriller series, currently streaming on Netflix. Please note that there are major spoilers throughout the article.
Nemesis (2026) Episode 1 ‘A Long Time Coming’ Recap:
What is Nemesis on Netflix about?
The episode begins with Coltrane and his wife, Ebony, attending a Halloween party as part of a robbery plan. They trick a security guard into letting them upstairs while Coltrane secretly sneaks away through another exit. Ebony distracts the guard while Coltrane lets his crew inside through the back door. The team robs a secret poker game and steals all the cash before escaping through the crowded party dressed in costumes. However, Deon secretly steals an expensive watch despite Coltrane warning him not to.
At the same time, Officer Stiles is introduced as a cop dealing with both work and family problems. He and his father, Amos, have a strained relationship because Stiles became a police officer. He also struggles with his marriage to Candace, who feels he cares more about work than family. Their relationship is already falling apart, and things become worse when he forgets their anniversary dinner before later trying to make up for it. Stiles is obsessed with tracking down a mysterious robbery crew connected to the death of his trainee, Manny Shaw, but nobody at the station believes his theory. His chief wants him to stop chasing “ghosts” and focus on getting promoted instead. Meanwhile, Coltrane’s personal life is also complicated. Ebony wants out of the robbery business after suffering a miscarriage, while Coltrane promises he will leave once he settles things with his crew.
Soon, they receive a new job involving millions of dollars worth of diamonds stored across three jewelry stores. The robbery turns violent after guards interfere, forcing Darren to kill two men. Although the crew escapes successfully, Stiles arrives too late to stop them. Later, during a live news interview, Stiles warns the crew to either surrender or die. Watching from home, Coltrane suddenly recognizes Stiles from the incident connected to Shaw’s death, confirming that Stiles has been hunting the right people all along.
Nemesis (2026) Episode 2 ‘Breaking Protocol’ Recap:
Is Coltrane the crew’s mastermind?
The episode begins with Stiles and Yvette investigating the jewelry store robbery. They quickly realize that all three stores are connected to the same owner and believe the robbery crew had military-style discipline and a clear leader. Stiles also struggles with problems at home. During family therapy with Candace and their son Noah, they argue about Stiles always putting work before family. Noah asks to see his grandfather Amos, and the therapist encourages compromise. Candace asks Stiles to show up emotionally for the family and attend her gala without distractions. Meanwhile, Coltrane asks his sister Ella to provide him with an alibi if the police ever question her.
Ebony also becomes worried about the crew after Deon’s reckless behavior during the diamond robbery led to two guards being killed. At the police station, Stiles and Yvette continue investigating and slowly connect the latest robbery to the earlier Halloween heist. Witnesses describe the robbers, and the police form a task force to hunt them down. At the same time, Coltrane plans another move while Charlie secretly works behind his back. She even arranges for Deon to be killed during a diamond exchange. However, Coltrane expects betrayal and prepares for it. During the exchange, the crew kills the rival gang and leaves the diamonds behind, making it look like the criminals turned on each other.
The police believe the case is solved, but Stiles feels something is still wrong. Thanksgiving brings even more tension. Amos arrives unexpectedly at Stiles’ family dinner, leading to a huge argument about Stiles’ late brother. The fight ruins the evening and pushes Stiles further away from his family. Later, Coltrane learns that TyTy gave information about Deon to the police. After finding him, Coltrane forces TyTy to reveal everything he told Stiles before killing him. By the end of the episode, Stiles finally becomes suspicious of Coltrane after noticing that he fits the profile of the crew’s mysterious leader.
Nemesis (2026) Episode 3 ‘Tête-À-Tête’ Recap:
Is there a mole?
Moving ahead in the story, the episode focuses heavily on the growing battle between Stiles and Coltrane. Stiles becomes convinced that Coltrane is leading the robbery crew after discovering that he previously served time in Lancaster alongside Darren. However, Sealey refuses to believe it because Coltrane has built a respected public image by helping the community. Even so, Stiles keeps his team watching the crew members closely while he personally follows Coltrane. At the same time, Coltrane learns more about Stiles through Charlie, who gives him Stiles’ file and warns him that Deon is becoming a serious problem. The crew soon realizes that the police are watching them, so they decide to send a message by exposing details about the officers’ personal lives.
This shocks the task force and makes Stiles suspect there could be a leak somewhere inside the investigation. Meanwhile, family problems continue for both men. Stiles tries to reconnect with Noah after the disastrous Thanksgiving dinner, while Ebony reveals to Candace that she is pregnant again after her painful miscarriage. Ebony still believes Coltrane will eventually leave the criminal life behind for their family. Later, Brinkley spots Coltrane at the Halloween party footage, helping strengthen Stiles’ suspicions. Around the same time, Charlie pressures Coltrane into taking one final robbery job involving a truck carrying millions of dollars worth of ketamine.
At first, Coltrane refuses because he wants to leave the life behind, but he eventually changes his mind after deciding the money could finally give him and Ebony a fresh start. The biggest moment of the episode happens during Candace’s gala, where Stiles and Coltrane finally meet face to face. The two men immediately begin testing each other in a tense psychological battle. Stiles secretly steals Coltrane’s glass to collect DNA evidence while becoming even more obsessed with proving his guilt. By the end of the episode, Harvey withdraws the watch robbery case after being threatened by Coltrane’s crew. Sealey orders Stiles to drop the investigation completely, but Stiles refuses to let it go because he still believes Coltrane is connected to Manny Shaw’s death.
Nemesis (2026) Episode 4 ‘It Was a Good Day’ Recap:
Will Deon’s death change everything?
The episode begins at Noah’s basketball game, where Amos unexpectedly shows up. Candace asks Stiles to stay calm, but things quickly get worse when Coltrane and Darren arrive to donate free shoes to the teams. Stiles immediately abandons Noah’s game to chase after them, leaving Candace angry and disappointed once again. Back at the station, Stiles continues pushing his theory that Coltrane is leading the robbery crew, even though the team still has no real evidence. Guchi later reveals that the DNA found on the explosives has a family connection to Donald Davis, a man related to Darren. Stiles questions Darren, but Darren quickly realizes Stiles is bluffing and refuses to give him anything useful.
Meanwhile, Coltrane and Charlie continue planning ways to distract Stiles through Candace and Ebony. Charlie secretly meets Candace while pretending to represent the gala organizers. During the conversation, Charlie accidentally learns that Ebony is pregnant, something Ebony had not yet told her. Later that night, Coltrane’s crew successfully robs a ketamine shipment from a loading dock without any problems. However, their celebration does not last long because Andrei suddenly backs out of the deal to buy the drugs. Coltrane tells the crew he is officially done after this job because he wants to focus on Ebony and their future child. Darren and Chris stay calm, but Deon becomes furious because he desperately wants the money.
At the same time, Stiles secretly places a camera inside Candace’s necklace so he can listen to her lunch with Ebony. During the meeting, Candace unknowingly reveals details about Stiles’ investigation while admitting she sometimes regrets choosing him over Malik. Things fall apart when Deon secretly steals the storage keys and tries to sell the ketamine himself. Stiles and the police corner him at the warehouse. After calling Darren to say goodbye, Deon burns the entire place down and opens fire on the officers. The police shoot and kill him at the scene, ending the episode on a tragic note.
Nemesis (2026) Episode 5 ‘Business. Never Personal.’ Recap:
Why did Darren open fire?
The episode begins with Nick and Harper informing Dena about Deon’s death before searching her house for evidence. At the same time, Stiles confronts Coltrane at his father’s grave and tells him that the police are closing in on him. Coltrane fires back by saying Stiles is no different from him except that he hides behind a badge. The situation becomes even worse when the police raid Coltrane’s office and home. Stiles goes too far during the search, even destroying the nursery that Ebony had prepared for their lost baby, leaving her devastated. Ebony later tries to use Candace to emotionally pressure Stiles by inviting her over and showing her the damage caused by the police search.
Candace starts questioning Stiles’ behaviour, especially after noticing how obsessed he has become with the case. Meanwhile, Stiles attempts to reconnect with Amos, but things fall apart again after he finds Noah smoking weed at Amos’s house. Furious, Stiles cuts Amos off completely. At the station, Malik refuses to issue an arrest warrant because there is still no solid evidence against Coltrane. Coltrane later breaks into Stiles’ house and discovers the photos Stiles secretly took from his notebook. He also notices Josiah’s necklace hanging near a family picture.
Elsewhere, Ebony secretly photographs Candace kissing Malik during a coffee date, realizing Candace is slowly drifting away from Stiles. The crew soon discovers that Andrei set them up during the ketamine job. Coltrane decides to take revenge on both Andrei and Stiles at the same time. Charlie gives them Andrei’s safe house location, while Coltrane recruits Amos to unknowingly help with the plan. The crew later storms Andrei’s apartment, kills him using Amos’s gun, and steals sixteen million dollars from the apartment. However, while escaping through traffic, Darren suddenly spots Nick and Charlie nearby and opens fire.
Nemesis (2026) Episode 6 ‘The Die Is Cast’ Recap:
Who arrives when Noah and Amos confront one another?
The episode opens right after the traffic stop turns into complete chaos. Darren suddenly opens fire on the police, and the officers immediately shoot back. It soon becomes clear that the entire situation was part of Coltrane’s plan. The crew exits the van and follows their escape strategy while Amos, who is the only one without a mask, also starts shooting at the police. Stiles hesitates when he recognizes his father and, during that moment, Amos shoots Brinksley. Stiles finally reacts and shoots both Chris and Darren. Coltrane tries to reach Darren, but Darren tells him to leave before backup arrives.
Using the explosion from the van as a distraction, Coltrane escapes through the streets, changes clothes, hides the money, and heads toward another getaway point. Harper secretly helps him by giving him keys to an escape car, revealing that she has been working for Charlie all along. Meanwhile, Stiles desperately tries to question Darren before he is taken away, but Darren refuses to betray Amos or Coltrane. Sealey later suspends Stiles after learning that no one actually saw Coltrane during the shootout. Instead of giving up his anonymous source, Stiles hands over his badge and gun. At home, Candace is horrified after learning that Amos killed police officers.
Noah overhears everything while Ebony calls Coltrane and begs him to flee the country with her that same night. At the same time, Amos hides with his old gang while preparing to escape to Mexico. Stiles eventually tracks him down at a strip club, where father and son argue again about Josiah’s death and the damage Amos caused to the family. The police soon arrive, forcing Amos to flee once more. The episode ends with Amos secretly returning to Stiles’ house to retrieve Josiah’s necklace. Noah begs him to surrender, but before anything else happens, someone arrives at the door. Amos assumes it is Stiles, but the person standing there is actually Coltrane.
Nemesis (2026) Episode 7 ‘Repercussions’ Recap:
Is Harper working for Coltrane?
The episode opens with Coltrane arriving at Stiles’ house to kill Amos. Noah secretly watches everything while hiding inside a drawer. Amos begs for his life, but Coltrane shoots him without hesitation and leaves behind a message for Stiles. Moments later, Stiles arrives home and finds Amos dead while Noah is still holding a gun. Soon, Candace, Yvette, Sealey, and the police arrive at the scene. Since Noah and Stiles were both there, the police immediately suspect one of them may have killed Amos. Sealey takes control of the situation and warns Yvette that if she focuses too much on protecting Stiles while Coltrane escapes, her career could suffer. He even suggests that Stiles or Noah could claim self-defense, but Stiles refuses to lie because he still does not know exactly what happened.
At the same time, Ebony and Charlie argue at the airport while waiting for Coltrane. Charlie eventually leaves, but Ebony stays behind because she still wants to escape with him. Meanwhile, Noah tells Cerullo that Coltrane killed Amos. However, Holmes and Harper think the statement sounds too convenient and continue pressuring Stiles for a confession. Yvette becomes confused because she no longer knows whether to trust Stiles after everything that has happened. Soon, Coltrane and Ebony arrive at the station with their lawyers and deny all accusations. They threaten legal action against the police and accuse Stiles of harassment.
Ebony privately speaks with Candace and acts frightened of Coltrane, making Candace believe she may actually be in danger. Later, the police discover that Harper has secretly been helping Coltrane all along after reviewing footage from the strip club. The situation becomes even worse when ballistic reports reveal Amos was killed using Stiles’ service weapon, even though he had already handed it over earlier. Stiles is fired from the force and placed under house arrest. In the final moments, Candace learns there is a hit on Noah, while Stiles rushes home only to discover that Noah has disappeared.
Nemesis (2026) Episode 8 ‘Zugzwang’ Recap:
Why do the police release Ebony?
The finale episode of Nemesis (2026) opens with Ebony being taken in for questioning. She secretly warns Coltrane through a coded message and tells him to run after learning the police are closing in. At the same time, Cerullo informs Candace and her family that Harper has been working as a mole. Stiles believes Noah has left home on his own to get revenge on Coltrane. Ebony struggles with whether to cooperate with the police because helping Noah would mean exposing her sister, Charlie and possibly betraying Coltrane. Eventually, she decides to save Noah and secretly contacts Charlie to cancel the hit placed on him. Charlie is furious and later orders Harper to target Coltrane instead. The police later release Ebony so they can quietly use her as bait. Meanwhile, Noah goes to Amos’s old gang looking for help to track down Coltrane. Stiles removes his ankle monitor and finds Noah before convincing him to return home.
Nemesis (2026) Ending Explained:
Who survives the final showdown?
Secretly, Stiles also arranges a hit on Coltrane through Alvarez. Coltrane refuses to flee without Ebony and prepares to rescue her. However, Harper ambushes him before he can escape. After a brutal fight, Coltrane kills Harper. At the same time, armed men mistake Candace for Ebony and kidnap her from Ebony’s house. Sealey later reinstates Stiles, while Coltrane attacks Alvarez’s men to rescue Candace. Candace eventually learns Ebony is safe in the hospital with her unborn baby unharmed.
Coltrane then works with Charlie to rescue Ebony from the hospital while Stiles chases him through the building. The ending of Nemesis (2026) shows a chaotic moment when Noah and Alvarez’s gang corner Coltrane during the chase. Stiles and Noah both pursue him as gunfire erupts around them. Noah gets shot during the confrontation, and Coltrane surprisingly tries to save him. Finally, at the end of Nemesis (2026), Stiles lets Coltrane escape so he can focus on saving his son, while Coltrane disappears after telling Stiles that he was never going to win.
Will there be a season 2 of ‘Nemesis’ on Netflix?
Netflix has not renewed the series for a second season yet, so there is no release date confirmed. At this point, Season 2 is still undecided. Even so, the chances of it coming back look fairly good. The show has been performing well and has reached the top of Netflix’s Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S., which usually helps a lot when it comes to renewals. The creators, Courtney A. Kemp and Tani Marole, have also said they already have ideas planned beyond Season 1, which suggests the story is not meant to end here.
