Welcome to The Greybourne, a luxurious housing complex in the heart of New York City. As we’ve come to learn over the years through movies and TV, if your building has a doorman, it must be filled with secrets. That’s canon. We immediately can confirm the same is to be said about The Greybourne as we see a woman begin the write a suicide note, then fall from one of the top floors. A doorman finds her lifeless body by the entrance. Doormen always have the best gossip.
Fast forwarding six months, we’re introduced to Elena. She’s interviewing to become the live-in nanny for Jasper Ward. Come to find out, his mother was the one that fell to her death, so he’s been in a funk ever since. His father, Matthew, is desperate to find someone whom Jasper can connect to, while his Aunt Tori is looking for any reason to not hire.
Elena promises the family that she is all-in with absolutely no distractions. Come to find out, she’s lying right through her teeth. She’s in cahoots with Scott, her boyfriend (?) and partner in literal crime. They are looking to infiltrate the Greybourne community to get their hands on a secret ruby hidden somewhere within the building. What could go wrong?!
On Day 1 of her new job, Elena is given a lay of the land. She’s taken to her living quarters (a rather grimy attic-level apartment), introduced to local nannies in the area (who are keeping some bad news from her), and meets a variety of other characters within the building. Some would say too many characters. (The “some” is me. There are too many introductions.)
Most importantly we meet Mrs. Ivey, the matriarch of the building played by Kelly Bishop. Kelly Bishop is a legend and I’m not sure why she’s on this show, but I’ll take it.
Later, Elena is walking around the city with Jasper, but he runs into the street without her noticing. Elena grabs him, saving his life, but immediately making Aunt Tori have reason to fire. Luckily, Mrs. Ivey saves the day, coming in with a trustworthy account of Elena’s saving techniques. Of course, she’s lying. She never saw a ding-dang thing. She wants to work with Elena to acquire dirt on Matt and the entire Ward family, as she believes he killed his wife.
Elena almost immediately begins to snoop around in search of the ruby. Isn’t that bad con work? Shouldn’t you become a stronger part of the community before you try to upend everything? Shame, Elena. Shame.
Lo and behold she finds an ominous eye icon, supernatural tendencies…and a dead elevator worker. Wait, huh?! Two deaths in one episode. Freeform isn’t playing around. She immediately calls the police, who come to take her statement. However, the officer is Scott! Her boyfriend is a con man who has infiltrated the NYPD. Sneaky sneaky. Can anyone be trusted? (My money is solely placed on Kelly Bishop.)
The Way EYE See It:
- We have been introduced to our first ghost (?) in the form of Irish nanny Joslyn. After a “meet-your-floormate” fake out conducted by the writers, I’m curious to see what Joslyn’s purpose is other than “Creepy girl with Irish lilt.”
- Let me tell you something…Tori is a vile character. I realize we are 45 minutes in and the goal isn’t to like her, but dang, she needs to take a Lexapro and chill out.
- Did anyone else think the eye icon looks like someone whipped that up on Canva? How can that design have history dating back to the building’s origins? I ain’t buying it, y’all.