The first episode of The Iris Affair unfolds in Sardinia, Italy, with a tense standoff. A police officer named Teo, on his knees, implores "Monica" for help. However, the ruthless woman is none other than Iris, a genius and puzzle expert who appears unfazed by the beating. Despite their apparent history, Iris's attitude shifts when businessman Cameron turns his attention to a young woman named Joy.
We then flashback to the day before in Sardinia. Iris is hiding out at a cabin by the lake, her every move tracked by a mad podcaster named Alfie. According to him, a massive manhunt is underway to capture her, with rumors swirling that her life is worth 4 million euros. Alfie's podcast, "Two Seconds to Midnight," might not be a hit, but Iris watches it religiously, which seems a bit narcissistic.
Despite her efforts to blend in, Iris is hiding in plain sight. She's working as a tutor for a wealthy family at Ferrante villa. Their daughter, Joy, is a rebellious wildchild who doesn't listen to anyone. Meanwhile, a Special Case Unit is working tirelessly to track her down, hired by Cameron to find her. One of these officers discovers CCTV footage of Iris picking up a telescope at a parcel drop-off in Cagliari six weeks ago. She was using the alias of Myrna Loy, and the telescope will play a crucial role later in the story.
As her romantic involvement with Teo blossoms under the alias of Monica, Iris also engages in a tutoring gig, all while her exploits are making their way to the authorities in Rome. They're hot on her trail, with no concrete address to pinpoint yet but a growing sense of urgency in their pursuit. The reason for their relentless search stems from an online treasure hunt Iris embarked upon years ago, a journey that showcases her innate talent for solving puzzles and is intertwined with a mysterious entity known as "Nine Horses."
Cutting back two years, we witness Iris wandering the streets of Florence, piecing together the clues of this treasure hunt. It's here where she crosses paths with Cameron, the enigmatic figure from the show's inception, a private investor who aids "brilliant people in their endeavors." Iris emerges victorious from the competition, outwitting 17,000 other contenders, including crypto enthusiasts and Oxford's finest. Her triumphant prize? A veritable exposition of her mathematical prowess and intellectual acumen for our very eyes to behold.
A self-made woman through and through, Iris professes that jobs and her pursuits don't mix. She keeps her family background and the means by which she funds her globe-trotting adventures shrouded in mystery, but I have a feeling that we'll be uncovering these secrets in the episodes to come.
Currently, she finds herself recruited by Cameron for a task. Initially reluctant, her curiosity is piqued by the enticing prospect of solving a mutant-level puzzle that has stumped his company. Iris is drawn to a strange base nestled in the heart of Slovenia, once a government listening post but now reshaped as Cameron's domain. Within its depths, they possess a topological quantum device operating at room temperature, the project dubbed Charlie Big Potatoes. This project harbors a self-sufficient, super-intelligent AI that is also nurturing an organic brain. It consumes an immense amount of processing power, and Cameron believes this could be the next step in evolution... but there's a catch. For some inexplicable reason, this AI remains dormant, and Iris is tasked with awakening it.
Back in the present, Iris retreats to her lakeside cabin, where she keeps a telescope and an evidence board adorned with post-its, resembling the Charlie and AI project's design. As she scans the stars through her telescope (which will prove crucial later), she inadvertently booby-traps the area with beartraps and other obstacles to deter potential assassins. Unfortunately for her, an officer quickly closes in and gets stuck in the beartrap. However, Iris easily subdues the gunman who tries to take her out. Threatening to cut off his member proves effective in gaining his attention, and Iris forces him into submission. In exchange for saving him from bleeding to death, Iris demands he divulge all information about his employer and his motive. The man agrees, but while Iris heads off to fetch a first-aid kit, he swiftly makes a run for it.
Back in the wilderness, Iris heads into the woods alone with nothing but a torch, determined to find her captive. She eventually discovers him at the bottom of a large ravine, by a yellow car with a spare gun inside. The man fires wildly at Iris, but she manages to throw a rock that hits him square on the head, instantly killing him.
We then flash back two years earlier to the base in Slovenia. Cameron introduces Jensen, the man who initially created Charlie, the super-AI. Unfortunately, Jensen has since lost his mind and been immobilized after trying to destroy the super AI, raving that it must be stopped.
Cameron reveals that accessing Charlie's operation necessitates the entry of a convoluted password, with clues seemingly concealed within Jensen's diary, encrypted with a technology solely comprehensible to him. Thus, the onus falls on Iris to decipher the code. The entire endeavor is shrouded in secrecy, for the project's knowledge must remain exclusive. Cameron's secretive funding from a "silent investor" underscores the off-the-books nature of their endeavors. This justifies the treasure hunt and the selection of a winner to be recruited into the project, a means of proving their "worthiness." Should Iris fail to comply, Cameron threatens that her fate may be grimmer than imagined.
Back in the present, Iris dispatches the assassin's remains, setting their car ablaze and sending it plummeting over the cliff into the ocean below. This incident coincides with the authorities' arrival in town, their focus now intensely focused on her location. As Iris retreats to her cabin, she observes guards sizing up the premises, snapping photos and effortlessly tracing her hiding spot beneath the floorboards. Standing outside, Iris watches them in silence.
The guards' primary objective is to locate Jensen's diary, confirming their allegiance to Cameron. It appears Iris has snatched this prize, prompting the manhunt. The two men unlock the safe, revealing photocopies but little else. However, when one of them turns to glance out the window, he spots Iris peering back and gives chase.
