Diksha Sundriyal
Set in the late 70s, Hulu’s ‘Welcome to Chippendales’ follows the true story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee who goes from rags to riches after he starts a strip club for women. In the first two episodes, the show covers the initial stages of his business, how he got into it, the struggles he faced in turning it into a big name, and the events that led to the foundation for the crimes to come. Starring Kumail Nanjiani in the lead role, the series creates an atmosphere that gets tenser as Chippendales becomes a bigger name. The ending of the second episode gives us a hint of the troubles to come for Steve Banerjee. Here’s what it means for him. SPOILERS AHEAD
Welcome to Chippendales Episode 1 and 2 Recap
After working at a gas station for years, Somen Banerjee saves up enough to start his own business. He decides to quit his job just as his boss offers him a promotion. Instead of continuing on the same path, he has bigger plans for the future. He plans to start a backgammon club, a sophisticated place for the elite, but things don’t pan out so well on that front. It is when Paul Snider and Dorothy Stratten walk into Destiny II that things start to take a turn.
Months pass by and Steve (having changed his name from Somen) fails to get his business the reputation he’d expected to build for it. From disco dancing to oyster eating contests to women’s mud wrestling, nothing succeeds in bringing the crowd to Destiny II. While visiting a gay bar with Paul and Dorothy, Steve realizes that while there are many strip clubs for men, there is none directed toward the female audience. He decides to cash in on that and for once, his plan works.
Destiny II is renamed Chippendales, and it becomes a hub for women who enjoy the show. The place catches the attention of Nick De Noia, who is eventually approached by Steve to choreograph the strippers. When Steve discovers that Nick’s routines are really making a difference, he hires him full-time. Slowly, Chippendales becomes a popular joint, and Steve also welcomes Irene and Otis into his inner circle. Steve and Irene fall in love, and Otis, who is the most popular dancer of Chippendales, starts to get more involved with the business side of things. This irks Nick, striking discord between him and Steve.
Welcome to Chippendales Episode 2 Ending: What Causes the Animosity Between Steve and Nick?
Much like any true crime drama, the story of ‘Welcome to Chippendales’ is headed toward a crime and the gruesome end it brought to the people involved in it. Steve Banerjee and Nick De Noia happen to be the main players in this story, which means that things are headed down a very dark path for them. The first two episodes of the show focus on Steve’s efforts to make a name for his business, and it is in between this that it shows us just how dedicated he is to making his dream come true.
Steve proves to be a resourceful person who knows just whom to hold on to and whom to let go to move his venture forward. He does it with Paul Snider. When Steve thinks Paul can help him, he offers him one-fourth of the enterprise. But when he discovers that Paul is a fraud and is of no use to him, he doesn’t hesitate before cutting him off. We also see him picking up talented people to join his venture and doesn’t hesitate to give them free reins over their work. However, when his control is challenged, the dark thoughts brewing in his head become evident in his expressions.
Steve believes that it is his hard work that has brought Chippendales to the heights it is at now. Nick believes that if it wasn’t for him, the strip club would have fizzled down as quickly as it rose to popularity. This is why when Steve lets Otis help with other stuff, Nick thinks that his authority is being challenged and starts looking for ways to get things balanced again. When he crosses paths with Denise, he entertains her out of boredom mixed with a little spite. But then, he discovers that she is the real deal and becomes excited to bring her on board.
Nick thinks that he has some sway over Steve because of how important he is to the venture, but Steve only thinks from the financial point of view. Bringing Denise on board doesn’t look like a profitable prospect to him until Irene advises otherwise. When Nick threatens to leave if Denise isn’t hired, Steve feels like Nick is crossing a line. As the owner of the enterprise, Steve doesn’t expect such behavior from Nick, who is just another employee. He doesn’t like being cornered and threatened, and this is evident in the way he talks and looks at Nick. While Irene helps cool down the situation, and Steve does hire Denise in the end, we can see that things have started to get heated between Steve and Nick.
While there is still a long way to go to the point where Steve finally gets Nick killed, the show sets the stage for their conflict at the end of the second episode. The look that they share confirms that the goodwill between both of them is only going to diminish from here. Nick has the intention to stake a claim in the success of Chippendales, but Steve will not have it. The episode also reveals that Steve will go to any lengths to help his business grow. This time, he stages a protest to save money for advertising his business. The next time, he’ll move on to worse things until it eventually leads to murder.
Read More: What Was Steve Banerjee’s Net Worth at the Time of His Death?
