Spanning four decades from 1968 to 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, the series tracks the youth, maturation, marital decay, and eventual deaths of five close male friends and their partners. Ciro (Fábio Assunção), the group's charismatic centerpiece, marries the devoted Ruth (Marjorie Estiano), but his compulsive infidelity, partying, and resentment erode their marriage over decades. As the friends navigate shifting moralities, secret affairs, jealousy, and existential disillusionment, each relationship unravels under the weight of secrecy and aging.