Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott) has gone from a life of petty crime in New York City to Italy's idyllic Amalfi Coast, all thanks to the wealthy Greenleaf family. In the first episode of Ripley, Tom pretends to randomly bump into Dickie Greenleaf (Johnny Flynn) rather than explain he has been sent to Europe to convince the wannabe artist to return home. Almost immediately in Ripley episode 2, "Seven Mercies," Tom confesses the reason why he has actually come to Atrani, and Dickie reacts with understanding rather than anger.
By revealing this scheme, Dickie trusts Tom more than he previously did and doesn't think Tom should worry about taking his father's money. In turn, Dickie suggests Tom forgo the expensive hotel to stay at his palatial cliffside villa. It couldn't be going better if Tom tried.
