“the family show”
A character-driven family dynamic where seemingly banal situations unfold in unexpected, and often surreal ways.
characters:
THE FAMILY
MOM (MRS. KAREN, 37) - The perfectionist matriarch of the family. Mrs. Karen is conservative and religious. She is a micromanaging helicopter parent. Her strong conservative views often clash with her rebellious kids.
DAD (MR. STEVE, 41) - Mr. Steve is a middle manager at a tech company, and usually has no idea what’s going on at work. At home, it’s much the same. He’s constantly trying (and failing) to relate to his kids. He avoids conflict at all costs, letting his wife’s word be the final say in every situation.
SON (KEVIN, 15) - Kevin is a sensitive 15-year-old navigating the challenges of self-discovery and figuring out where he belongs. He harbors a quiet resentment toward his overbearing mother and her constant need to control everything. Like his father, Kevin struggles to assert himself and sometimes resorts to acting out to get his way.
DAUGHTER (NYLA, 31) - Nyla is Mrs. Karen’s 31-year-old daughter from her first marriage. She’s lazy and crass. When she’s not sitting with her mouth slightly open, staring blankly into space, she is getting into screaming matches with her mom who has very little patience with her. Mom quietly sees her as the biggest mistake of her life—a sentiment that fuels their tension.
GRANDPA (86) - Grandpa’s a crotchety old man. He’s bound to a wheelchair, but he still thinks he’s the boss. He raised his daughter, Mrs. Karen, to be as conservative and religious as he is. He and Kevin have a special love/hate bond. They keep it real with each other and have the most authentic relationship in the family even though they are polar opposites and rarely agree on anything, especially cultural and social issues.
other characters:
TOPAZ (42) - Topaz is Mr Steve’s distant 4th cousin who he hasn’t seen since childhood. Topaz has fallen on hard times and has been living in his car with his daughter. When he shows up at the family’s door, Mr. Steve invites him to stay, which immediately causes tension with Mrs. Karen. He's outspoken and a little shady, but he’s got a charm that makes him endearing.
JENNA (16) - Topaz’s daughter. She keeps to herself and is mostly glued to her phone. She is quiet but speaks up when her dad makes offensive “jokes”.
EPISODES:
EPISODE ONE - It’s a typical day at home when the family gets a visit from TOPAZ, Mr. Steve’s “long lost cousin”. Down on his luck, Topaz is offered a place to stay (the cupboard under the stairs) while he gets back on his feet. He kindly offers to make dinner for the family, but his presence begins to stir up more than just his award-winning gumbo.
EPISODE TWO - The next day things get more complicated when the family discovers that Topaz has a 16-year-old daughter JENNA, who spent the night in his car. The family brings her inside and mom converts Kevin’s video game room into a bedroom for the new guests—a change that’s bound to set Kevin off in a big way.
EPISODE THREE - Mrs. Karen is in overdrive preparing to host an important dinner for Dad’s work colleagues, determined to impress. But as tensions rise, Kevin, out for revenge, seizes the moment to embarrass his mom in spectacular fashion during the meal, sending the evening into total chaos.