Privileges: Season 1 Episode 3 – Recap and Review

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Episode 3 “Fish and Shark” Recap and Details

• Director(s): Marie Monge, Vladimir de Fontenay
• Writer(s): Judith Havas, Marie Monge, Vladimir de Fontenay
• Public Release Date (HBO Max): April 10, 2026
• Check out more of our “Privileges” coverage.
• Images © of HBO Max

You’ve Only Mastered Half Of The Game: Adele, Lana

An unnoted amount of time passes, and it seems Adele has learned to play the game well when it comes to working as a concierge at The Citadel and keeping the prison guards happy. However, what wasn’t factored in was how her fellow inmates felt.

Enter Lana, the head of one of the gangs in Adele’s prison. In order to humble Adele, she forces her to do a job, and while Adele has been building a network, getting away from the hotel remains a struggle, for she knows her limitations. But, as it becomes clear, after a beatdown, if given a will, she will find a way, Adele gets warned that this won’t be a one-time thing. Thus, a fire gets lit under her regarding getting out of jail, for she knows Lana will have her doing the type of things that will extend her sentence.

A Vote Of Confidence: Edouard, Adele, Esther, Candice, Steve, Amal, Najib

As Adele is dealing with a threat that could jeopardize her freedom, Edouard is seeing a threat that could jeopardize his job. On two fronts, he has major battles on the horizon. On one side is Amal’s father, Najib, giving his shares and his wife’s in The Citadel to Reem as a wedding present.

For Amal, this means the hotel she built up from its Nazi-plagued reputation with Edouard, which has become her purpose and foundation for her relationship with Edouard, being taken from her. As for Edouard, it means years of working his way up the ladder, leading to him being kicked off of it entirely, and at best, starting over elsewhere.

But, while he has issues coming from the top, he also has issues from those towards the foundation of The Citadel, too. A strike is talked about for varying reasons. Not just pay, but the boa Adele brought in being loose, and the head maid, Candice, calling for her people to protest their working conditions. Adele finds herself brought into the situation as Esther wants her to find the boa, and Edouard wants her to help him get information on the strike.

Collateral Damage: Mika, Deborah, Adele, Yak, Edouard, Candice

When it comes to Adele, it has been established that her loyalty is dependent on who has power and is the bigger asset. Yes, Candice may have given Adele access to makeup and hid the damage Lana caused, but Edouard is the key to Adele having an apartment and a job, and she decides to sacrifice Candice and the strike in order to appease him.

What she didn’t expect, however, was her reward being Yak’s apartment, with no signs of where he lives now. But, compared to living with Deborah, potentially under Mika’s thumb, was it such a bad trade? Especially considering Mika, paid in full after blackmailing Adele, is still looking for information on how she pulled off getting him that money.

New Characters in Episode 3

Najib (Carlos Chahine)

• Character Summary: Najib is the owner of The Citadel, whose daughters are Amal and Reem.

Candice (Audrey Mikondo)

• Character Summary: Candice is the leader of the support staff’s workers union and one of the head people in housekeeping. She is also one of the masterminds behind the selling of things guests leave behind so that, if a strike were ever done, employees would still have a steady income.

Lana (Sarah Afchain)

• Character Summary: Lana is the leader of one of the gangs in the prison where Adele was being held, who planned to utilize her to continue her operations in the outside world.

Review and Commentary

Highlights

Waiting To See If Adele Can Swim As She Continues To Burn Bridges [81/100]

The more we learn about Adele, the more there is a need to question whether the circumstances she ended up in are her fault, without question. She has shown herself to be willing to exploit those who mean her no ill will, like Issa. She screwed over Candice, despite her potential to be an ally, and her coming in the clutch when Adele needed it the most.

So, when it comes to her attempted murder charge, was that intentional? Adele, increasingly, doesn’t seem like the type who would take the fall for someone else, maybe even Deborah. Which leaves the need to question, if it was attempted murder, it means the person lived – so who did Adele try to kill and why?

Never mind, is Adele’s attempt to start over on her own accord, or because she has screwed over so many people up to this point, she couldn’t go back even if she wanted to?

On The Fence

Edouard [74/100]

The struggle continues with Edouard as he is clearly the male lead, due to having a storyline outside of Adele. Yet, he still feels like a supporting character. He has this odd vibe of being passive, whether it is in his interactions with Amal, revealing his background when squashing the strike, there is just nothing commanding about his presence.

But, maybe that is the point? He is a man with assumed power, but Amal is there to show how he is actually powerless. He does show himself as capable of having an influence on Adele’s life, but as she learns the game more and more, there is a need to question if she’ll need him more than he needs her. And, if the show comes to that point, will that free Edouard or make him feel less meaningful than ever before?

How Things Will Be With Adele Not In Prison [73/100]

It’s a weird thing for this show to finally introduce and name a character that is in prison with Adele, then have her exit that environment in the same episode. Now, true, just because she is out of prison doesn’t mean those people can’t get access to her, since Lana likely has a network that can get to Adele. Plus, the show has been avoiding Adele’s past, outside Deborah, since it began. Which means, to fill out the cast, the people Adele hasn’t interacted with, like those who owned that boa, could finally appear.

Yet, despite some optimism over her past catching up with her, admittedly, considering Adele is the only character worth investing in on Privileges right now, there is a need to ask if the show increases the quantity, what chance is there that quality will come with it? If they can’t get Edouard right, and have barely built up the other supporting characters in a notable way, can someone new prove this show won’t live or die based on your interest in the lead character?

Overall

Our Overall Rating [76/100]

With the luster slowly but surely wearing off of Privileges, and us halfway through the season, there are justifiable reasons to wonder if the show has peaked. But, with a dramatic change for Adele with getting out of prison, maybe episode 4 can bring new life to the series, which started off with so much potential.

What To Check Out Next

Visit our main TV shows page! There you’ll find other shows we’ve covered, or look below for more of our coverage for this series:

• 

  Privileges: Season 1 Episode 2 – Recap and Review

  Deborah ends up in trouble, Adele starts to potentially overplay her hand, and Edouard is reminded that he is as much exploitable as his staff.

• 

  Privileges: Cast & Character Guide

  A character guide for HBO Max’s “Privileges,” featuring who plays who, details about each character, and the show as a whole.

• 

  Privileges: Season 1 Episode 1 – Recap and Review

  A lead trying to rebuild their life, after an attempted murder charge, joins an elite hotel where what got her in trouble may allow her to keep her job.

TV Shows We’re Covering This Season

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