‘War’: A Guide to All the Couples in HBO’s Legal Drama
War has ignited onscreen in HBO‘s new legal drama, which is tackling a divorce case in its freshman outing. Already renewed for Season 2, the co-production with Sky beautifully navigates the complexity of relationships, both personal and professional, as the season unfolds — with lines being drawn in the sand, erased, and redrawn.
As the action kicks off, we’re taking a closer look at the key relationships and couples from the series, and will continue to update as the season unfolds. Keep track of where everyone is at in our roundup below, and stay tuned for changes in the weeks ahead. (Warning: Spoilers for the War Season 1 premiere!)
Carla & Morgan
Status: Divorcing
The whole season begins with actress Carla (Sienna Miller) coordinating a “honeypot” scheme to set up her Zephyr founder husband, Morgan (Dominic West), so she can test his faithfulness. When he falls into bed with her friend, Flora (Rose Williams), Carla decides this is grounds for moving forward with a divorce. Her plan to take Morgan by surprise goes awry when he notices her lawyers in the background of a tabloid photo with her, and his firm, Cathcarts & Sons, takes the initiative to get the ball rolling on drawing up divorce papers for him. Hiring Johnny (Archie Renaux) as a mole to work undercover at Carla’s firm, Taylor & Byrne, Morgan’s team is alerted to their plans, allowing for his papers to be served in advance. Needless to say, things are not good between the spouses, and they went from bad to worse when Carla was served papers at her red carpet premiere while standing beside Morgan. With divorce looming, we anticipate a downward spiral for this pair.
Nick & Serena
HBO
Status: Married
Nick Taylor (James McArdle) and Serena Byrne (Phoebe Fox) are the faces of up-and-coming firm, Taylor & Byrne; they also happen to be married and expecting a baby. When Carla reaches out for their assistance with the divorce, the pair struggles to get on the same page considering how their client is hoping to use a photo Flora sent to her as evidence of Morgan’s infidelity. Nick is against the morally grey approach, while Serena is determined to stick with Carla, knowing the future of their firm relies on delivering results for a high-profile client. Despite their different outlooks, Nick and Serena are a team, even if they don’t want to allow the romantic side of their relationship to shine through in their professional setting.
Johnny & Bella
HBO
Status: Dating
When we meet Johnny, he’s working on finding a lawyer gig at one of London’s competitive firms, due in part because he’s trying to settle down with girlfriend Bella (Honor Swinton Byrne). But there’s a clear class difference between the duo, which becomes especially apparent when attending a dinner party with his childhood friends, and when her mother visits their place.
Already tense after Johnny was kicked out of a firm in New York City, he and Bella’s relationship may be established, but perhaps not on solid ground? After he took on a job at Taylor & Byrne, and secretly at Cathcarts & Sons, will that be the thing to help save or ruin Johnny’s relationship with Bella? Only time will tell.
Stay tuned for more on the couples of War as Season 1 unfolds, and let us know your thoughts and theories in the comments section below.
War, Season 1, Thursdays, 9/8c, HBO and HBO Max
