America finds itself in deep decline at the dawn of the 1980s, and New York symbolizes everything that's gone wrong. But for five would-be titans looking to seize their moment - Donald Trump, Ivan Boesky, Leona Helmsley, John Gotti, and Rudy Giuliani - chaos spells opportunity.
It's 1983, and the Big Apple is back. Wall Street is booming, yuppies are crowding the clubs, and five up-and-coming icons are enjoying their first big taste of success.
By the mid '80s, New York's icons begin to change the way we think about power and success. Donald Trump, Ivan Boesky, Leona Helmsley, John Gotti, and Rudy Giuliani brag about their victories, show off their wealth and openly target their enemies.
It's 1986, and New Yorkers are fawning over five seemingly unstoppable icons. But, there are secrets behind the successes of Donald Trump, Ivan Boesky, Leona Helmsley, John Gotti, and Rudy Giuliani. And when the public learns just who their heroes really are, the consequences are devastating.
When Black Monday hits, the market crashes and the great bull market of the '80s goes down with it. New York and the country as a whole are left with a brutal hangover – and the party is over for the Emperors of New York as well.
The titans who helped remake New York City are now being devoured by their own creation. At the dawn of the '90s, they're either sitting in jail, awaiting sentencing, or licking their wounds after humiliating defeats.