Plot Synopsis

Supposedly Japan's greatest swindler, Makoto Edamura gets more than he bargained for when he tries to con Laurent Thierry, a real world-class crook. The story opens with Makoto and his partner making their living conning the innocent. But when a simple scam on a tourist goes awry, he's soon out of his depth in Los Angeles. Later, dangling from the Hollywood sign, Makoto recalls his path from salesman to a life of crime. Back on the ground, he learns more about "confidence men." Then, Makoto tells Laurent how he got into Eddie's good graces, but keeping up the con isn't easy, and the LAPD is monitoring the situation closely. The series is comprised of three cases: the first five episodes cover the first case in Los Angeles; Episodes 6-10 chronicle Makato's adventures two years later, going from Vegas to Singapore; and the last four episodes begin with Makato working as a sushi chef in France, where he attempts to plan a con without Laurent, who is in London. GREAT PRETENDER had its U.S. premiere on Thursday, August 20, 2020 at 3:01am ET/12:01am PT, as Netflix released the entire 14-episode first season.
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The second season of GREAT PRETENDER had its U.S. premiere on Wednesday, November 25, 2020 at 3:01am ET/12:01am PT, as Netflix released all nine episodes. After their string of successful cons, Makoto leaves Laurent's team. But the web of deceit binding them together goes farther back than he knows.