Two years after it first premiered in 2023 ‘Grind‘ is making a highly anticipated return to Prime Video for season two on March 7. To get you ready for the new season, we’ve put together a detailed recap of season one so you can dive back into the drama without missing a beat.
Episode 1
We’re introduced to Tarela, a young woman struggling financially. Desperate for money, she turns to her friend Edesiri, who tells her to consider the strip club where she works. Meanwhile, Tarela confronts her deeply religious mother, Teresa, for donating her younger sister Kome’s school fees to the church. Frustrated with her financial instability, Tarela tries to collect the salary she’s owed from her boss but gets nowhere. Pushed to her limit, she snaps, forcibly takes her money, and quits.
Edesiri visits Tarela before leaving town and suggests she cover for her at the strip club. Initially hesitant, Tarela eventually agrees under the condition that she won’t give lap dances. Edesiri begins training her to work the pole. On the night of her audition, Tarela is stuck in a long prayer session at home but manages to sneak out. She impresses at the club, securing the job and catching the eye of a wealthy patron, Chief Femi.
Episode 2
Tarela’s new boss, Somto, quickly asserts his authority, warning her that she must give lap dances if customers request them or risk being fired. With help from her colleague Tiwa, she negotiates an alternative deal to keep her position. Outside of work, tensions rise in her personal life—her boyfriend, Kelechi, grows frustrated with how little time they spend together. Still, Tarela manages to pay part of their overdue rent, easing some financial pressure.
Her conflicts with her mother continue as Teresa prioritizes church donations over their family’s well-being. Meanwhile, Chief Femi expresses interest in Tarela, and she starts developing a better rapport with Somto.
Episode 3
Edesiri returns from her trip and immediately wants Tarela gone. She demands that Somto fire her, while Halima, another dancer, openly expresses her dislike for Tarela. Determined to secure her place, Tarela offers to help Somto with bookkeeping in addition to dancing, and he accepts.
Elsewhere, Tiwa is blackmailed by a member of her father’s church who has seen her at the club. With Tarela’s help, she turns the tables and blackmails him instead. Tarela meets Wole and Kobe at the club.
Episode 4
Tarela’s younger sister, Kome, accidentally breaks a neighbor’s windshield, forcing Tarela to cover the cost. Meanwhile, Kelechi brings up marriage, but Tarela’s response is less than enthusiastic.
Edesiri invites Tarela and Tiwa to a private, high-paying party hosted by Wole and Kobe. Tarela gets to know Wole but leaves upon discovering he is engaged. At the same event, Tiwa and Kobe share a moment, but she refuses to take things further.
After returning home, Tarela is confronted by her mother for staying out late. Later, she informs Edesiri that she was gifted ₦200,000 for attending the party. Edesiri demands a 50% cut, leading to a heated argument. In retaliation, Edesiri invites Kelechi to the club, exposing Tarela’s secret job.
Episode 5
Kelechi, feeling betrayed, breaks up with Tarela. At home, her mother pleads with her to start coming home early and asks for more money to donate to the church, which Tarela ignores.
Meanwhile, Halima learns that a girl she sent to a party has gone missing. Kome warns Tarela that it was Halima, not Edesiri, who exposed her secret to Kelechi. Tiwa’s father pressures her into an arranged marriage with Pastor Remi, while Chief Femi continues pursuing Tarela.
Episode 6
Tarela opens a provisions shop for her mother, showing her commitment to the family despite their differences. She also shares her desire to return to school and complete her accounting degree.
Things heat up when Tarela confronts her mother over neglecting Kome. In a deeply emotional moment, she reveals that she was molested at thirteen under similar circumstances. Meanwhile, Tiwa confides in Tarela about her arranged marriage, and Wole and Tarela decide to continue seeing each other despite his engagement.
Episode 7
Wole and Tarela spend the night together, deepening their affair. Meanwhile, Tiwa and Remi begin marriage counseling, but she remains conflicted.
Kelechi tries to reconcile with Tarela, but she rejects him, revealing that she has been with Wole. Tensions explode when Wole brings his fiancée, Lola, to the club, and Tarela gives her a lap dance. The night takes an even darker turn when Kobe accuses Tarela of stealing his watch.
Episode 8
Tarela is accused of theft but insists that the bracelet in question was a gift from Edesiri—who denies it. Furious, Tarela confronts her. Meanwhile, Lola confronts Wole about his affair with Tarela, demanding that he end it.
Elsewhere, Chief Femi offers Edesiri money in exchange for setting up a threesome with Tarela, but Tarela refuses. Feeling betrayed, Edesiri spitefully visits Tarela’s mother to reveal her secret life, leading Teresa to visit the club.
Episode 9
Tarela’s mother finds out about her job and prays over the situation, laying down an ultimatum—either she quits or leaves the house. Furious, Tarela confronts Edesiri for exposing her.
Tiwa’s father, still adamant about her wedding, unveils a church outreach plan targeting strip clubs—suggested by the same elder who once tried to blackmail Tiwa. Mide and Tiwa end up getting arrested, and her father, outraged, leaves her in jail. Kobe eventually bails her out.
Meanwhile, Wole takes Tarela on a boat ride and tries to persuade her to be with him—on the condition that he won’t leave Lola. She refuses, but the offer lingers in her mind.
Episode 10
Tiwa finally tells Remi she won’t marry him. Meanwhile, Somto appoints Tarela to oversee the club in his absence, angering Edesiri.
Edesiri’s boyfriend, Nuru, plans a surprise proposal but is devastated when Tarela reveals Edesiri’s infidelity. Furious, he breaks up with her. Meanwhile, Somto’s fiancée accuses Tarela of sleeping with him, and Edesiri steals from the club.
Grind season 1 reaches a dramatic climax when Somto discovers money missing and accuses Tarela. In a final confrontation, Edesiri admits to stealing to frame Tarela and they begin to fight. The fight ends with Edesiri being rushed to the hospital.
Final Thoughts and Expectations
‘Grind’ had a promising premise, but its storytelling often felt disjointed, with subplots appearing out of nowhere. Some conflicts, like Tarela’s rivalry with Halima, lacked proper buildup. Key moments—such as Tarela hitting Halima—were referenced but never shown, leaving gaps in the narrative.
The overemphasis on Tarela’s desirability also felt unrealistic—why is every man in the club obsessed with her? The idea that her refusal to give lap dances makes her that much more desirable doesn’t fully land.
For Grind Season 2, we hope for a more cohesive, well-thought-out storyline where plotlines serve a clear purpose. From the teasers, it looks bigger and better, with new and returning characters, an expanded club scene, and even more drama. We can’t wait to see what’s next!
While you wait for Grind Season 2, you can revisit ‘Grind‘ Season 1 on Prime Video.
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