"Remington Steele"'s premise is that Laura Holt, a licensed private detective, opened a detective agency under her own name. She then found that potential clients would not hire a woman. To solve the problem, Laura invents a fake male superior whom she names Remington Steele. Through a series of events in the first episode a former thief and con man takes the identity of Remington Steele. Behind the scenes, Laura stays firmly in charge.