Episode 1 of Cruel Intentions begins at Manchester College, where Caroline, a member of Delta Phi sorority, is ruled over by her boyfriend Rourke. Caroline is concerned about a scandal involving hazing and a student named Scott Russell, who is injured during the Spring Formal. Caroline is on the verge of becoming President, but her assistant Cece is investigating the situation. The investigation into Scott's injuries is ongoing, and Caroline's step-brother, Sebastian's stepmother Claudia, flirts with him in the car. Caroline has a proposition for her step-brother, Lucien, who wants to preserve their power by seducing the Vice President's daughter, Annie Grover. Caroline agrees to let Lucien sleep with Annie for up to an hour in exchange for her pledge for Delta Phi. The story highlights the importance of balancing power and personal relationships in the face of adversity. Caroline's relationship with her step-brother, Claudia, is also explored, as she navigates the complexities of the school environment and the complexities of hazing. Annie arrives on campus, while Blaise talks to Rourke about his plan to get back with Caroline, believing she's eating out his hand. Cece meets Professor Chadwick, who she's going to be the TA for, and they discuss her story, including a rhinoplasty and her internship struggles. Eventually, he concedes, setting their affair up for the future. Lucien tries to try his hand with Annie, but she quickly has her defenses up. Their conversation is interrupted by subplots, including a frat party where Caroline calls out Rourke for the Scott incident and a newspaper headline about the Sorority House. The movie loses its sultry, seductive tone and dangerous nature, instead focusing on a sanitized, Gossip Girl-esque drama. Cece is the biggest character assassination, as she becomes a sorority sister with a lot of power and needs to be moulded. The editing is also poor, with Annie and Lucien's conversation being broken up with subplot breaks that detract from the story's main plot. The character of Cece was the embodiment of geeky innocence in the book/movie.
