The series begins with arson investigator Dave Gudsen explaining to Detective Michelle Calderone the psychology of serial arsonists, who often feel powerless in their lives. The first arsonist introduced is Freddy Fasano, a middle-aged fast-food worker bullied by younger co-workers. Freddy targets happy people, setting fires to their homes, including a recently engaged couple and a family with a new baby. The episode visually contrasts Freddy's grim life with the destructive fires he sets, showing him almost peacefully surrounded by falling embers.

Michelle Calderone is transferred to the robbery division as a form of punishment after ending an affair with her captain, Steven Burke, who left his wife for her. Determined to prove herself, Michelle teams up with Dave to investigate two serial arsonists operating in the city. The first arsonist they pursue is called the "chips arsonist," who sets fires in the chip sections of stores using cigarettes. He uses a divide-and-conquer strategy by starting multiple fires simultaneously to escape unnoticed. Michelle notices the arsonist walks with a limp, which she suspects is fake, theorizing he might be an active firefighter hiding in plain sight.

Using her credentials, Michelle gains access to firefighter personnel records and identifies Arch Stanton, a firefighter with a poor attendance record and powerful family connections, including a brother on the city council and a sister as controller. When questioned, Arch is defensive and dismissive, accusing Michelle of being a diversity hire. The investigation stalls with him. Another suspect, Scotty Busk, is questioned due to his absences on the days fires occurred, but he does not reveal much. Scotty hints that Dave might be involved, mentioning Dave's uncanny ability to find tiny incendiary devices multiple times, but he does not directly accuse him.

Michelle and Dave develop a working partnership, gradually becoming friends as they share information and experiences. Michelle juggles her complicated personal life, including her affair with Steven Burke and her efforts to rehabilitate a home on her own. She also struggles with anger issues and the looming parole of her mother, who has been in prison for a fire-related crime involving their family home. Michelle's brother wants her to provide a statement supporting their mother's release, adding emotional tension.

Dave Gudsen, meanwhile, is portrayed as a complex figure. He is a skilled arson investigator with a tense relationship with his wife and her son. He is also working on a semi-autobiographical novel. Over the course of the season, it becomes clear that Dave is not just an investigator but also one of the arsonists they are hunting. His sense of self is built on deception, and he is both predator and partner in the investigation.

The season builds toward a climax where long-buried truths come to light. Michelle's investigation and personal struggles intersect with Dave's unraveling identity. The finale, titled "Mirror Mirror," features an explosive confrontation where Dave's constructed persona collapses. The series ends with a massive fire that symbolizes the culmination of the season's tension, both literal and metaphorical, as the characters face the consequences of their actions and secrets.

Throughout the season, the narrative alternates between the perspectives of Michelle, Dave, and Freddy Fasano, providing a multifaceted view of the arson cases and the emotional and psychological landscapes of those involved. The show explores themes of trauma, identity, and the facades people maintain to survive, culminating in a dramatic and fiery resolution.

The ending of Smoke Season 1 concludes with Michelle Calderone successfully bringing Dave Gudsen to justice for his series of arson attacks, but at a great personal cost. Michelle accidentally kills her boss and lover, Steven, and frames Dave for that fire to secure his conviction. The final scenes show Michelle and Dave in an interrogation room, both concealing truths from each other, highlighting the moral ambiguity of their actions.

Expanding on the ending scene by scene:

The finale, titled "Mirror Mirror," opens with the aftermath of a massive blaze that serves as the climactic event. Michelle Calderone, desperate to close the case, calls in favors and maneuvers to ensure Dave is held accountable for the fires plaguing the city. Meanwhile, Dave scrambles to maintain control over the unraveling situation, his carefully constructed facade beginning to crumble.

Earlier, Michelle had accidentally killed Steven, her boss and lover, during a confrontation. This death weighs heavily on her, as she is not inherently a bad person but has become reckless and ruthless in pursuit of justice. To cover this up and ensure Dave's conviction, she frames him for the fire that killed Steven.

The interrogation room scene is pivotal. Michelle and Dave face off, each hiding parts of their truth. Dave, the charming yet deceptive arsonist, is confronted with the evidence Michelle has gathered, including the fabricated link to Steven's fire. Michelle justifies her extreme actions as necessary to stop Dave, even if it means becoming a monster herself.

The final moments emphasize the show's themes of moral ambiguity and self-perception. Michelle, who has served as the moral compass throughout the season, crosses ethical lines, while Dave's identity as both predator and partner dissolves. The ending leaves Dave's ultimate fate implied--he is to be found guilty and face justice--but the story hints at unresolved wounds and the possibility of further exploration if the series continues.

Regarding the fates of the main characters involved at the end:

• Michelle Calderone: She survives but is burdened by the consequences of her actions, including Steven's death and the moral compromises she made to catch Dave.

• Dave Gudsen: He is arrested and framed for the arson attacks, including the fire that killed Steven. His guilt is implied, and he faces justice, though the show leaves some ambiguity about his inner workings and future.

• Steven: Dead, killed accidentally by Michelle during a confrontation.

Other characters like Dawn and Esposito appear in the finale but their specific fates at the end are not detailed in the available information.

The finale is marked by a massive fire, symbolic imagery, and a tense showdown that encapsulates the series' exploration of identity, deception, and the blurred lines between heroism and monstrosity.

The TV show Smoke Season 1 (2025) does not have a post-credit scene. The finale episode ends with a dramatic confrontation where Dave, the serial arsonist, is arrested by Michelle and the police amid a burning forest and pouring rain, symbolizing the end of the wildfire. The final moments focus on the tense interaction between Dave and Michelle, with no indication of an additional scene after the credits.

The series finale wraps up with this intense sequence and leaves some open-ended elements for potential future seasons, but no post-credit scene is mentioned or described in any of the available recaps or analyses.

Michelle tries to frame Dave for an arson attack by planting evidence and burning down Steven's house. However, she didn't notice a neighbor's outdoor camera, which could have captured her actions. She enlists her brother, Benji, to delete the footage, possibly starting a forest fire as a distraction to ensure the evidence is destroyed.

Dave's fascination with fire begins when he was 12 years old and witnessed a neighbor's house burning. He describes the flames as 'turning to God,' indicating a deep emotional connection to fire. This backstory is revealed as he drives Michelle towards a forest fire, highlighting his complex relationship with fire.

Ezra Esposito and Dawn Hudson find a disguise Dave wore during a hardware store attack in a hidden compartment of his impounded car. This physical evidence, combined with other clues, helps build a case against him.

Michelle's morality becomes increasingly compromised as she engages in illegal activities to frame Dave. Despite this, she continues to pursue justice, leading to a complex dynamic where she is both a perpetrator and an investigator.

The forest fire serves as a pivotal moment in the plot, as it is used as a setting for a confrontation between Dave and Michelle. It is implied that Benji might have started the fire as a distraction to delete evidence from a neighbor's camera, which could have implicated Michelle in her framing of Dave.

The TV show Smoke (Season 1, 2025) is not family friendly and is rated TV-MA due to mature content. It contains harsh language including frequent use of strong profanity, graphic and disturbing scenes of burns and fire injuries, and significant sexual content, especially in the first episode. The show also features intense and terrifying fire scenes, including graphic depictions such as flesh burning and people escaping fires, which may be upsetting for children or sensitive viewers.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects include:

• Frequent harsh and explicit language (including f- and s-words).
• Graphic, cringe-inducing burn injuries and fire-related violence.
• Sexual content that is more intense than typical for a fire-themed show.
• Dark and intense themes involving arson, trauma, and psychological distress.
• Some scenes may be emotionally heavy, dealing with adult themes like failed marriages, stress, and midlife crises.

Overall, Smoke is designed for mature audiences and contains content that is likely inappropriate for children or those sensitive to violence, strong language, and sexual material.