Episode 1 of "A Man In Full" opens with Charlie Crocker lying motionless on the floor beside his bed, lost in thoughts about his legacy and whether people would remember him if he were to suddenly depart. Flashing back to 10 days prior, the scene shifts to a festive celebration: Charlie's 60th birthday bash, hosted at his own lavish hotel.
Charlie Crocker is a titan in the realm of real estate, his wealth ranking him among the country's elite. Some even credit him with putting Atlanta on the map. As the party's festivities unfold, Raymond Peepgrass receives a call from Harry Zale, inquiring about the merriment. It's evident from their exchange that Raymond harbors deep resentment against Charlie and eagerly anticipates delivering some devastating news the following morning.
The next day, during a business meeting, Charlie encounters Harry Zale, the head of asset management. Zale offers a belated birthday wish and then drops a bombshell: Charlie is in dire financial straits. It turns out Charlie owes the bank a staggering $800 million, and not a single cent has been repaid, including the interest.
Despite Charlie's boasts about his influence, Zale presses him on the matter, leaving Charlie in a precarious position. He owes money to not just one bank but six. After the meeting, Charlie confers with his lawyer, Roger White, confessing that he's been blindsided by Harry and Raymond Peepgrass. Charlie implores Roger to devise a strategy to outmaneuver the bank.
Even though Roger is a highly skilled lawyer, he knows this won't be a cakewalk. The loan Charlie took was structured to benefit the bank, making it a challenging nut to crack. Charlie isn't the only one in trouble; Peepgrass is also in a tight spot. He's gotten a woman, Sirija, pregnant, and she's demanding $700,000 or she'll expose his sordid affairs to the media, ruining his career.
Raymond's lawyer advises him to pay up, but Peepgrass insists he doesn't have the funds. Meanwhile, Jill, Charlie's secretary, is also on edge. Her husband, Conrad, has been arrested for assaulting a police officer, and she turns to Charlie for help. Charlie assures her that he'll take care of the situation.
Elsewhere, we find Martha Croker, Charlie's ex-wife, at the gym, chatting with her friend Joyce Newman. Joyce slyly probes Martha about whether she feels jealous now that Charlie is with a younger woman. Martha swiftly corrects the misperception, clarifying that she was the one who left Charlie, not the other way around. She now lives with her son, Wally, who often finds himself in trouble at school due to his rebellious nature.
Roger visits Wes Jordan, the Mayor, who has a favor to ask. Wes wants Roger to dig up dirt on Norman Bagovitch, who sexually assaulted a woman years ago and bragged about it to Charlie, his old friend. Wes hopes to expose Norman and put him behind bars. Roger agrees to help.
Later that evening, Charlie confronts Raymond in a heated exchange, demanding to know why Raymond didn't warn him about the bank's tightening grip. Raymond, though he won't admit it, blindsided Charlie out of resentment for being treated like a nobody. Charlie begs Raymond to intervene and clear his name from the list of loan defaulters, but Raymond refuses, claiming he's trapped and can't backtrack even if he wanted to. In a show of disrespect, Raymond orders Charlie to leave his apartment.
