[Robert Condon]

What I learned doing this assignment is that the main character does not have to carry most of the weight in his or her search for the truth. AI showed the some of the other characters, even with different interests and personalities, are essential to help the main character find solutions.

Assignment 1: The Queen’s Gambit:

The big mystery, I believe, is why her mother got into that accident in the first place. This leads to the realization about why Beth is so competitive to win and, eventually, become humble. She has ongoing flashbacks about her birth mother. Additional cracks are revealed along the way about how unstable her mother was. Just prior to beating Borgov, Beth has a flashback that her mother intentionally caused the accident. She wanted to end her life and Beth’s life. This, I believe, led Beth to give up alcohol and tranquilizers and to focus on being her best self because she was given a second chance to live. She wanted success, but also remembered the people who helped her in the immediate aftermath of the accident and abandonment, namely Jolene and Mr. Shaibel. As a result, she incorporated them into her life, by abandoning the press and popular events for down to earth moments with ordinary citizens.

Assignment 2:
Mystery type 1: Unknown illness impacting Liam’s ability to dance and devastating him financially.
A. Shocking Event: Something intriguing happens that disturbs reality in a big way.
Liam is a successful ballet dancer. He is at a practice when all of a sudden, he passes out. He comes to in a back room area with the paramedics treating him. He requests not to go to the hospital because he doesn’t have neither health insurance nor enough money to pay for transport there. He goes downhill after that. He tries to compete in ballet, but has various health conditions that are stopping him. He goes to a low-cost doctor where he is misdiagnosed for blood cancer.

B. Secret: An important part that we must know is withheld or kept secret.
The true culprit is his step-father, Martin. (Note: I have decided to change Martin from being his natural father to an “evil” step-father.) Martin has it out for Liam. He agrees with Misty, Liam’s mother, that he should act more masculine to uphold their conservative family values. Initially, he is home and supportive (somewhat) of Liam. He wants Liam to live in his own place, but Liam is unable to due to finances. Martin hosts high end parties at his house to appear rich and famous. He craves money and fame, but leads people to believe that he is a loving husband to Misty and step-father to Liam and Andrea (who lives far away). But the true intention is that Martin is secretly poisoning Liam, slowly. He was able to purchase an illegal substance that mimics other conditions, such as cancer, leading Liam and others to believe that his pain is natural. However, Martin has a life insurance policy on both Misty and Liam. His goal is to kill Liam first in order to cash out his life insurance to pay for his affair as well as gambling debts from Misty, among other expenses for the “good life.” After, he wants to kill Misty in a “boating accident.”
For most of the season, we see Liam seeking treatment in all the wrong places. He engages in illegal practices to pay off his medical and college debt. He’s a well-liked 25-year-old man who wants to follow his passions, but is unable to because of people turning against him. We, the audience, are led to believe that Liam is the unfortunate victim of a natural, unknown blood and bone disease. The true reveal comes subtlety towards the end of the season. Nevertheless, we are beginning to get angry with Liam because he is engaging in illegal behavior and even hurting others along the way for his benefit. We are cheering him on to change his ways.

C. Investigation: An investigation is conducted (by authorities, main characters, or audience) to discover the withheld part.
Even though Liam suspects (eventually) that his declining health may be a result of something else besides cancer, blood disorder, etc. neither he or the audience suspect that his step father may be the culprit. His step father is a low-life and the audience figures that out right away, but the investigation becomes deep and complicated. Not only does Liam go to dark places to seek treatment for what he thinks is cancer or a blood disorder, he blames others and seeks answers in all the wrong places before even considering that is step father was responsible. At the end of the season, we discover that it is his step father. However, his step father disappears, along with others close to Liam, leading to a search for his step-father and the rescue of his friends in season 2.

WHO: Liam is the main character who is deep in debt, in pain, and wants to succeed as a danseur.
WHAT: Liam wants to be a successful danseur, but he is stricken with an unknown illness.
WHEN: Has been a danseur for five years and sick for two months.
WHERE: He is seeking solutions for his illness from low-cost doctors as well as via illegal pharmaceutical practices in down and black market in a big city, such as New York.
WHY: Martin is poisoning Liam slowly in order to break down his organs leading to death. That way he can benefit from Liam’s life insurance payout. He puts poison in toothpaste, water, food. The poison not only impacts Liam, but causes a sudden, accidental death of another character. Liam is working to get to the bottom of it.
HOW: Martin ever so carefully places the drug into water, toothpaste, food, etc. in small amounts so Liam doesn’t feel sick right away. The drug has a “delayed” response, and slowly breaks down organs.
Ultimate Reveal: Liam discovers that Martin poisoned him in the last episode of season 1, but Martin has fled. In the final scene, Martin sends a video message to Liam telling him that he cannot be found and Liam sees Shayla in the background tied up.
Part withheld: We don’t know that Liam is being poisoned until much later.
Ultimate Reveal 2: We discover that Liam is being poisoned. Initially, we do not know who is poisoning him, but later he learns that it is Martin.

Mystery 2: Trying to frame Martin for attempted murder
A. Cover up: Through working with Jack, Liam discovers that Martin had been poisoning him. Liam does not change his daily pattern. He pretends to use toothpaste, food items, etc., by discarding them, leading Martin to believe that he is still on the path to poisoning Liam.

B. Secret: When Liam discovers that he is being poisoned, he leads us into a quest to find answers. He blames those close to him and even hires an investigator to track Jack and Shayla for a time. He starts of have flashbacks of a sexual assault when he was drunk. He believes that Jack may have attacked him. The true secret was that Martin got Liam drunk two years earlier and sold him as a prostitute to a man who resembled Jack. The man paid Martin a large sum of money. In addition to the insurance policy, Martin wants to end Liam’s life because he is concerned that he will remember everything that happened. Liam hires investigators with what little money he has to gather as much evidence as possible to figure out what else Martin is hiding.

C. Reveals: We see Martin’s character slowly emerging. Later, we see cracks in Martin’s behavior. He belittles Liam and Misty and he is gone a lot. In other scenes, he is seen with a much younger woman. Shayla or Jack even spots them out and about. Martin covers his tracks carefully. He gets a poisonous substance from the same pharmaceutical business where Jack works. It is actually Jack’s uncle who supplies it to Martin. We don’t know that until much later. In time, we see Martin (but we don’t know it’s Martin initially as only his hands are shown) mixing poison in toothpaste, orange juice, and food items that Liam consumes. He covers his tracks by wearing gloves and paying off Jack’s uncle.

WHO: The culprit is Martin: he is making Liam sick to the point that he is likely slowly dying.
WHAT: The poison has caused Liam to act irrationally even months after last consuming it. He is making bad financial decisions and quick schemes. But, in a way, it is working in his favor as it seems to bring about hallucinations about past events, that are connected to Martin. Those events turn out to be reality.
WHEN: The investigation takes place over a period of one year.
WHY: Liam wants Martin to pay the price for what he did to him, Misty, and his friends. He wants revenge, but cannot prove that Martin was poisoning him. His quest is to gather evidence, to entrap Martin, and to find ways to attack him by others when Liam is at the end of his rope.
WHERE: In the same town as well as a Florida beach community where Martin is hiding (once Martin finds out that Liam is on to him).
HOW: Black market connections, use of technology to track Martin.
Part withheld: Martin’s mistress is also a successful ballet dancer. Liam finds this out along the way and uses her to get even with Martin. The ultimate reveal is at a national competition.

AI Prompt 1:
1. The Mysterious Illness
Mystery:
Liam’s illness seems to be worsening at a rapid pace, but doctors can’t quite identify the root cause. Is it a rare condition, or is someone sabotaging his health?
Twist:
Jack, being employed in the pharmaceutical industry, comes across an experimental drug that could help, but he notices unusual patterns in the company’s research data—suggesting the drug might not be as effective or safe as advertised. Is Liam’s illness being exacerbated by the company for profit?
________________________________________
2. The Hidden Truth Behind Liam’s Medical Debt
Mystery:
Liam’s medical bills are spiraling out of control, and while he’s always been diligent about his finances, there’s a glaring discrepancy in the charges. Who is behind these inflated costs, and how can Liam escape this financial trap?
Twist:
Martin (Liam’s stepfather) might be involved in a scheme to milk Liam’s insurance and medical debt. He’s financially benefiting from Liam’s situation, using legal loopholes or connections in the medical world.
________________________________________
3. The Poison in His System
Mystery:
Liam begins to feel weaker after each visit to his doctor, leading him to suspect that something may be wrong with the prescribed medications. Is someone intentionally poisoning him or is it just a case of bad luck?
Twist:
Shayla, a long-time friend, reveals that her sister works for the pharmaceutical company Jack is associated with and hints at suspicious side effects not publicly reported. Is the company hiding a dangerous formula that could be the key to Liam’s illness?
________________________________________
4. The Illicit Deal with the Pharmaceutical Company
Mystery:
In a desperate attempt to cover his mounting medical expenses, Liam considers joining an underground network that offers quick cash for participating in dangerous medical experiments or selling confidential data.
Twist:
Jack is unknowingly involved in an illegal distribution of the very medication Liam is using. As Liam dives deeper into this world to pay off his debts, he uncovers a much larger conspiracy involving his best friend, his stepfather, and the pharmaceutical giant.
________________________________________
5. The Dance Studio and Unseen Enemies
Mystery:
Liam’s physical health is declining, but he insists on training for a big ballet performance. However, his condition worsens at the studio, and strange occurrences begin to unfold—things going missing, threatening notes, or accidents.
Twist:
Someone from Liam’s past is sabotaging him, perhaps a rival dancer or someone with ties to his stepfather. The stakes escalate as Liam tries to figure out whether his health problems are real or orchestrated by someone in his personal circle to ruin his career.
________________________________________
6. The Hidden Link Between His Mother’s Death and His Illness
Mystery:
Liam’s mother died under mysterious circumstances when he was a child, and he has always suspected foul play. Now that his health is deteriorating, Liam begins to wonder: is his illness somehow connected to her death?
Twist:
Shayla finds a hidden letter or journal from Liam’s mother that references the same pharmaceutical company Liam is dealing with. Is this the reason for his deteriorating condition? Was his mother also a victim of the same corporate corruption?
________________________________________
7. The Double Life of Martin
Mystery:
Liam becomes suspicious of his stepfather, Martin, whose business dealings seem shady at best. As Liam digs into Martin’s financials, he discovers that Martin might be involved in illicit activities—maybe even related to human trafficking, black-market pharmaceuticals, or insider trading.
Twist:
Liam’s illness could be directly linked to Martin’s shady dealings. Not only does Martin have financial motivations to keep Liam weak, but there might also be something more sinister behind his stepfather’s hold over him.
________________________________________
8. The Secret Formula
Mystery:
Jack uncovers a secret formula within the pharmaceutical company’s research that has the potential to cure rare diseases, but it is buried under layers of corporate corruption. The formula might be the key to curing Liam’s sickness.
Twist:
Jack is conflicted—his loyalty to his friend and his job at the pharmaceutical company comes into play. The decision to reveal the formula would change everything, but it could come with dangerous consequences. Will Jack betray his career and the company to save Liam, or will the risks of exposing the secret outweigh the potential benefits?
________________________________________
9. The Stolen Research
Mystery:
Liam’s condition improves dramatically after a controversial treatment suggested by Shayla. However, the treatment was based on stolen research from the company Jack works for, and now the company is looking for the missing files.
Twist:
Liam finds out that the research was based on a new experimental drug developed by the company but was never released due to its potential side effects. Now that Liam has used it, someone is trying to silence him from revealing the cure. Is the cure really a cure, or is it just a slow poison?
________________________________________
10. The Relationship Between the Illness and the Ballet World
Mystery:
Liam’s health problems start to interfere with his ballet performances, but what if his illness is connected to the psychological pressure of his career rather than a physical ailment?
Twist:
Liam’s condition is actually a psychosomatic disorder, influenced by the pressure he faces in the cutthroat world of ballet. There’s an internal mystery around whether his health problems are self-inflicted and whether he can solve it by reconciling his personal identity with his ambitions.

AI Prompt 2:
Format/Genre:
• Concept: A character-driven drama that explores the tension between family, friendship, and betrayal through the lens of mysterious events. As each character deals with hidden secrets and life-altering decisions, the stakes get higher and the consequences increasingly dire.
• Lead Characters:
o Liam: A talented young ballet dancer whose promising career is abruptly derailed by a mysterious illness.
o Jack: Liam’s best friend, fiercely loyal and supportive but unaware of the sinister forces at play around him.
o Shayla: Another close friend of Liam, an intelligent and intuitive young woman who begins to question everything she thought she knew about those closest to her.
o Martin: Liam’s stepfather, a seemingly well-meaning but ultimately ruthless man whose dark motivations are slowly revealed.
________________________________________
Mystery 1: Liam’s Mysterious Illness Causing Him to Fail at Ballet
Mystery Strategy 1: Opening Shocking Event Mystery
• A. Shocking Event:
Liam, once a star in his ballet company, suddenly collapses during a crucial performance, throwing him into a life-threatening medical crisis. Doctors are baffled, unable to diagnose his condition. His muscles begin to deteriorate, affecting his ability to dance and putting his future at risk. As the illness progresses, Liam is no longer able to perform or keep up with his friends, Jack and Shayla, who begin to notice his behavior and physical changes.
• B. Secret:
Liam’s condition is linked to a secret chemical poisoning, which gradually weakens his muscles and system. The real cause of this poisoning remains a mystery, but there are subtle clues that point to someone within his inner circle as being responsible. Liam has become paranoid, but he is unsure whom to trust—Jack and Shayla or the people who seem to be his closest allies, including Martin.
• C. Investigation:
Jack and Shayla take it upon themselves to investigate, starting with a suspicion that Liam’s stepfather, Martin, might be behind the sudden illness. They start finding strange discrepancies, like Martin’s unexplained financial strain and secretive behavior, which seem to coincide with Liam’s deteriorating health. The investigation becomes increasingly dangerous as the clues they uncover threaten to unravel the family’s perfect image. Each step closer to the truth puts them in greater jeopardy.
________________________________________
Mystery 2: Martin Poisoning Liam to Death for the Life Insurance Payout
Mystery Strategy 2: Ongoing Over-Time Mystery
• A. Cover-Up:
Martin has been methodically covering up his tracks to make sure that no one connects his financial desperation with Liam’s illness. He goes to great lengths to manipulate medical records, plant false evidence, and create distractions to steer suspicion away from himself. He also tries to win over Liam and his friends, appearing as a supportive father figure to hide his true, sinister intentions.
• B. Secret:
Martin secretly has a life insurance policy on Liam, one that would pay him a large sum of money if Liam were to die under suspicious circumstances. The deeper mystery here is that Martin is not working alone; he has a secret accomplice who helps him procure the rare toxins needed to poison Liam slowly. This partner in crime has a personal interest in seeing Liam suffer, and both Martin and this accomplice are plotting to kill Liam in a way that looks like a tragic, undiagnosed illness. They manipulate Liam’s fear and confusion to isolate him, making it more difficult for Jack and Shayla to protect him.
• C. Reveals:
As the investigation progresses, Jack and Shayla begin to uncover shocking truths: Liam’s illness isn’t random; it’s methodical and deliberate. They start connecting the dots between Martin’s financial instability, his constant stress about money, and his increasing involvement in shady dealings. In a pivotal moment, Jack and Shayla manage to steal one of Martin’s private diaries, revealing his twisted plan. They confront Martin, but his manipulation skills are so strong that he turns the confrontation against them, casting doubt on their accusations. The mystery builds to a tense, heart-pounding climax where the real question is not just “Who did it?” but “How far will Martin go to ensure his own survival?”
________________________________________
Series Tone & Themes
The show is deeply emotional and psychological, with themes of trust, betrayal, and manipulation running through every character’s arc. There’s a strong focus on family dynamics and the complex relationships between Liam and the people who claim to care about him. The mystery unfolds not just through external investigation, but through the emotional and mental unraveling of each character as they come to terms with the fact that the ones they love are capable of horrific things.

[Robert Condon]

What I learned doing this assignment is: that I am becoming better at organization with AI (e.g., putting keywords in for characters), which allows for additional details that I would have otherwise missed.

My proposed show:

Liam:
Distress:
A. Undeserved misfortune.
Wants to be a danseur. Has competed regularly since high school, but wants to compete at a national or even international level. He doesn’t have the support of his parents. His friend Shayla and, to a certain extent, his other friend Jack support him. A bone and blood disease has caused him to give up his dream of ballet. He is also deep in debt due to college tuition as well as financial moves by his father.

B. External Character conflicts.
Liam begins to find ways to control his pain and build a fortune. He looks at the pharmaceutical business, where Jack works. He steals drugs, which Jack gets in trouble for. Initially, Liam did it under his nose, with no intention of getting Jack in trouble. He also has a brief fling with a man that Shayla was dating. The man flirted with Liam initially, but Liam continued with the “affair” for a couple of weeks.

C. Plot intruding on life.
The end result is for Liam to be a successful international danseur while making a lot of money off of it. He doesn’t care about fame, just dancing and profiting. He cannot move forward with it due to: unknown painful illness; stolen money from his parents; Shayla jeopardizing a couple of competitions in order for her to benefit (in terms of popularity); and legal troubles with pills and the black market.

D. Moral dilemmas.
He steals pills from the pharmaceutical business where Jack works; He starts an illegal business selling pills; he “sells himself” through prostitution; His goal is to find ways to feel better (via pills, black market, etc.) and to gain enough money to pay off debt and travel for competitions.

E. Forced decisions they’d never make.
He might need a bone marrow transplant (according to a doctor). As a result, he looks into the black market at kidnapped immigrants who are potential matches from him. His goal is to use one of the immigrants for a bone marrow transplant, but the audience does not know if he will help the immigrants in the end. Nevertheless, this is a low for him.

Empathy:
A. Put the character in distress.
Physical pain; lifelong dreams in the arts; parents and friends who betray him.

B. Make them relatable.
Is kind, loving, everybody’s friend. We want him to succeed, but cringe when he falls into temptation.

C. Universal experiences that are emotional.
Being rejected and used.

Jack:
Distress:
A. Undeserved misfortune.
Jack literally has no family support. His dad died when he was ten and his mother works 15 hours a day at the pharmaceutical business. he never had structure and makes bad financial moves that hurts others, including Liam. He was given the job at the pharmaceutical business without training. He sees Liam as his only support system, but jeopardizes it by using him in more ways than one.

B. External Character conflicts.
He lacks empathy for others. He was never taught this because he had little support from adults during his formative years. He slowly gains this through the forgiveness and second chance from Liam, but also sees the part he played in the drama when Liam causes harm towards him.

C. Plot intruding on life.
He is brilliant, but cannot see it until later. He is able to analyze medical data better than many doctors. He holds the key to helping Liam cure his disease, but cannot see it until later. When he is able to see his talent, he causes difficulties for others. Much like Liam, he wants to be rich, but for different reasons. He simply wants to live the high life, while Liam needs money to pay off debt and help with medical expenses. In other words, he engages in illegal schemes while hurting those around him before he is able to settle down and work with Jack on his illness.

D. Moral dilemmas.
He sets Liam up to be attacked. First, he engages him in a seemingly innocent drug transaction that causes Liam to get assaulted. Second, he is involved in a prostitution business where he “sells” Liam and he gets 80 percent of the profits (he promised Liam that he would get most of the profits). Morally, he is using Liam to his advantaged when Liam believes he will be the one benefitting the most. Their friendship breaks down, but Liam is holding on because he believes that Jack is the key to his healing.

E. Forced decisions they’d never make.
A drug dealer is threating to kill him, his mother, and two cousins if he doesn’t supply the right drugs from the pharmaceutical business. The company doesn’t have the drug in stock and is unable to order it. He has to find a way to make the drug dealer happy. He robs a family-owned pharmacy that carries the drug. He has a mask on and as a “good gesture” gives them an envelope with a lot of money as a “courtesy.” The drug store never reports it to the police.

Empathy:
A. Put the character in distress.
He put himself in distress, essentially. He made bad decisions when he could have made a comfortable living moving in the pharmaceutical business.

B. Make them relatable.
Jack has an innocence to him and we want him to stop his illegal action and focus on medicine. He has the talent, but doesn’t see it right away. Many can relate to him because of hidden talents that are not achieved due to negative behavior and procrastination.

C. Universal experiences that are emotional.
Isolation; zero family support; unable to empathize with others.

Shayla:
Distress:
A. Undeserved misfortune.
Trauma from high school where she was shamed over her weight and humiliated on social media. Since lost weight and wants to make up for lost popularity.

B. External Character conflicts.
Still insecure about looks and can only cope through wearing different outfits and taking pictures for social media.

C. Plot intruding on life.
She sees too many people as competition, including possibly Liam. She wants to be on the first picture of every social media post possible. She even works with media to showcase her abilities. She is obsessed and this obsession is hurting her relationships with friends and drives her to potential destruction. At 26, she feels too “old” because late teens and early twenty-somethings are becoming more popular than her.

D. Moral dilemmas.

She cuts back on food and exercises excessively leading to health problems; she considers plastic surgery in another country, thus risking infection. Also, she finds ways to sabotage the spotlight of others for her benefit.

E. Forced decisions they’d never make.
She works to perfect her images in ways that destroy her health, such as anorexia. She spends all of her earnings on surgeries that make her feel worse.

Empathy:
A. Put the character in distress.
Eating disorder/unneeded surgeries

B. Make them relatable.
Wants to be accepted by many; make up for lost time.

C. Universal experiences that are emotional.
Jealously; sadness; self-conscious

2. Once you’ve created your own version, use this prompt to
see what AI generates for you. When you list your lead
characters, just put in their role, main goal, and main intrigue
in one or two sentences.

AI:
LIAM
(Conflict: Money problems, Aspiring dancer)
Distress
• A. Undeserved Misfortune: His scholarship is revoked due to a clerical error, not his fault.
• B. External Character Conflicts: His father disapproves of dance and constantly belittles his ambition.
• C. Plot Intruding on Life: He’s offered a dance tour spot—but it overlaps with his job, risking eviction if he accepts.
• D. Moral Dilemmas: He’s offered money by a shady patron to spy on a rival dancer.
• E. Forced Decisions: He pawns his mother’s heirloom to pay rent—something he vowed never to do.
Empathy
• A. Put Them in Distress: Show him secretly rehearsing at night, limping from exhaustion, while hiding overdue bills.
• B. Make Them Relatable: He tapes holes in his worn dance shoes instead of buying new ones—people relate to sacrifice for dreams.
• C. Universal Emotional Experience: His younger sibling asks why they have no dinner—he lies with a smile and skips his own meal.
________________________________________
SHAYLA
(Conflict: Anorexia, Concern about popularity)
Distress
• A. Undeserved Misfortune: She’s falsely accused of cyberbullying after a photo of her goes viral.
• B. External Character Conflicts: Her best friend starts dating the guy Shayla secretly likes—and flaunts it online.
• C. Plot Intruding on Life: Her modeling audition goes well, but they request she lose five more pounds.
• D. Moral Dilemmas: She must decide whether to speak up when a younger girl faints from starving herself to copy Shayla.
• E. Forced Decisions: She’s pressured to post a body-positive message that she doesn’t believe in—yet silence feels like betrayal.
Empathy
• A. Put Them in Distress: Show her looking at food she wants but forcing herself to throw it away, whispering “control” under her breath.
• B. Make Them Relatable: She changes outfits five times before school, deleting selfies obsessively—everyone’s felt insecure.
• C. Universal Emotional Experience: She finds an old photo of herself laughing and healthy, then silently breaks down.
________________________________________
JACK
(Conflict: Greed, No family support system)
Distress
• A. Undeserved Misfortune: He is scammed out of his savings by someone pretending to be a business partner.
• B. External Character Conflicts: His coworker reports him for unethical shortcuts, threatening his job.
• C. Plot Intruding on Life: His estranged mother suddenly needs a kidney—and he’s a match.
• D. Moral Dilemmas: Offered a huge bribe to sabotage someone’s business—he needs the money but it would ruin someone else’s life.
• E. Forced Decisions: He has to choose between attending an investor meeting or his little brother’s only school recital.
Empathy
• A. Put Them in Distress: Show him eating dinner alone in a luxury apartment, untouched food and cold silence.
• B. Make Them Relatable: He watches families at the park from his car, envying what he never had.
• C. Universal Emotional Experience: He finds a childhood birthday card in a drawer with “I’m proud of you” scrawled by his absent father—he rips it, then tapes it back together.

[Robert Condon]

What I learned doing this assignment is that there has to be a deep history among characters to make the viewers want to watch future episodes.

The Queen’s Gambit
Beth Harry Benny
Relationship Surface Competed chess years ago; Harry is now Beth’s tutor. Competed chess years ago; seen as competitors, but tolerate one another.
Relationship Common Ground Both agree that Beth needs to learn more about Borgov before competition. Is able to visualize chess moves like Beth, but without the use of drugs.
Relationship Conflict Harry is interested in Beth romantically. Beth is also interested in Harry, but Harry is concerned over her addiction to painkillers and cigarettes. Seems to be one step ahead of Beth while competing and Beth lose a chess game with him.

Relationship History Competed with Beth years earlier in a chess game. Has had a secret crush on her. Met when she was 15 and he 23 at a championship. They both were very competitive and he showed an arrogant personality towards her.
Relationship Subtext Wants to be romantically involved with Beth, but without her dependency on drugs. He eventually moves away. Cares deeply about Beth, but wants to slow the pace. He initially wants to train her for the competition with Borgov, but they slowly become romantically linked.
Relationship Arc Competitors to lovers to estranged Competitors to lovers.

Proposed show:

Liam Jack Shayla Misty
Relationship Surface Best friends since elementary school Coworkers/very good friends Liam’s mother
Relationship Common Ground Both willing to work together on projects that bring in a lot of income They support each other emotionally; both like ballet Tries to shield Liam from his father’s drunken outbursts
Relationship Conflict Jack is jealous of Liam’s intelligence and his ability to “be himself” even when he doesn’t have the support from his family. While she is happy with Liam’s success as a danseur, she doesn’t want him to be more popular than her. She knows that Liam wants to be himself, but she doesn’t want him to be himself in public or in the community and finds ways to appear more conservative.
Relationship History They grew up together, but Jack doesn’t have stability in his life and has no direction; Liam has had a little bit more stability and is able to find ways to succeed despite challenges. In turn, Jack is jealous of Liam and turns on him at times as a consequence. They are typical twenty-something friends, who met at work, but Shayla secretly has feelings for Liam even though she suspects he might be gay. They attend dance competitions together, but Shayla finds more ways to “post” her success on social media and even finds ways to sabotage Liam’s success because she wants more popularity. Misty was overly protective of Liam and wanted him to be married with children by 25. She loves him, but is distant about his “choices” in life, which causes conflict.
Relationship Subtext Wants Liam to fail. Jack takes risks and gets him in trouble a few times as a means to break him down. Secretly in love with him, but cannot find a way to make it work. They work well as friends and have very similar interests. She is also friends with Jack and tries to help him out as well, which hurts Liam. Again, she also wants to be popular and tries to push Liam aside in ballet to show off her skills. While she shields her son from his father’s abuse, she takes advantage of him but using what little money he has for gambling purposes, while painting a more conservative picture of him to her friends.
Relationship Arc From love and hate to being dependent on one another. From cooperation and love to competition and mistreatment. From uncertainty and denial to a more accepting approach.

AI:
Character Relationships for Liam
Format / Genre: Serial TV Drama
Concept: Character-Driven Drama with Competitive Focus
Main Character: Liam
Character 2: Jack
Character 3: Shayla
Character 4: Misty
Liam’s Perspective Jack Shayla Misty
Common Ground Both are ambitious, competitive, and driven to prove themselves. Share a creative outlook and mutual respect for each other’s talents. They’re both outsiders who came from less privileged backgrounds.
Relationship Conflict Jack undermines Liam’s leadership, sees him as a rival. Shayla challenges Liam’s ethical choices; trusts her instincts over him. Misty resents Liam’s calculated persona; thinks he’s emotionally closed.
Relationship History Childhood friends turned rivals after a betrayal in their youth. Met during auditions; bonded quickly but diverged when stakes got higher. Met during training camp; Misty once mentored Liam early in his journey.
Relationship Subtext Buried resentment and unresolved feelings of betrayal and admiration. Unspoken tension—possibly romantic—but clouded by mutual mistrust. Underneath the tension is a reluctant respect and a sense of protectiveness.
Relationship Arc From friends to enemies, with a possible redemption through mutual loss. From allies to opponents, circling back to cautious collaboration. From wary mentorship to open confrontation, and eventually, mutual trust.

[Robert Condon]

What I learned doing this assignment is that elements can overlap for each character, but each character must have unique characteristics/qualities, which is where AI helps.

The Queen’s Gambit
Beth:
A. Situational: Hope / Fear: To conquer world’s chess champions / Fears turning into Alma, who is dependent on alcohol.
B. Motivation: Want / Need: To win each chess game, but also to make deeper connections romantically with a man.
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: Negative emotion is spending too much time worrying about potential outcomes. Public mask is her ability to act confident in public.
D. Weaknesses: Falls into depression easily.
E. Triggers: seeing Alma drink and losing to top player.
F. Coping Mechanism: Drinking and pills
Alma:
A. Situational: Hope / Fear: To be accepted by society and those close to her (namely Beth). Fears loneliness and rejection.
B. Motivation: Want / Need: To play piano for fun and to have a significant other; Needs companionship, whether romantic or platonic.
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: Base emotion is sadness for negative treatment in life from others. Lives for Beth. Asks her questions and gives advice. It’s a mask to cover up her vulnerability.
D. Weaknesses: Insecure about her ability to function independently.
E. Triggers: Rejection from significant other puts her into depression.
F. Coping Mechanism: Drinks herself to death (Hepatitis).

My proposed show:
Liam:
A. Situational: Hope / Fear: To be accepted by his friends/family; to recover and compete in ballet. His fear is pain for life and unable to pay off loans.
B. Motivation: Want / Need: To be a professional danseur. Shala inspires him even though she wants to be better than him. Again, he wants to be accepted and wants to have a family like he never had (looks for that in other people).
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: He smiles a lot and shows a lot of interest in others. He puts others first. His negative emotion is not having the support as well as his physical limitations to continue successfully with ballet.
D. Weaknesses: Insecure due to trauma and unable to ask for help from those in the community.
E. Triggers: His physical pain causes him to go into dark places, but inspires him to persevere.
F. Coping Mechanism: Meeting people on apps for lustful endeavors.

Jack:
A. Situational: Hope / Fear: Hopes to be rich and successful. Is obsessed with mid-80s TV shows and situations that involve successful people of that era. Fears that Liam will be more successful and move away from the town that they live in.
B. Motivation: Want / Need: Drugs in the pharmaceutical business, where he words, is a motivating factor to find ways to be successful. He is very smart and has creative ideas, but dabbles in the dark side of the drug business to get ahead.
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: He talks out of situations easily. His public mask is that of a person who is smooth talking even though he is seen as a person who pulls fast ones on people.
D. Weaknesses: Can’t see his true potential until Jack finds it in him.
E. Triggers: Pushback from Liams (Liam pushing him aside for his own agendas)
F. Coping Mechanism: Setting Liam up as the fall guy during situations.

Shayla:
A. Situational: Hope / Fear: Wants to relive her high school years by being popular / Fear of aging and losing top spot in competitions.
B. Motivation: Want / Need: Wants to be everybody’s friend and a motivation to seek that is to get involved in the difficult moments of her friends to help them out. In the process, she hurts others.
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: Is insecure and always has been; In public and on social media, she has a mask of sorts.
D. Weaknesses: Cannot tell when she is hurting her friends while helping others at the same time.
E. Triggers: Seeing others who are more popular in social media apps, etc. as well as those better at ballet than her sets her off.
F. Coping Mechanism: Hacking systems to make things work in her favor.

Misty:
A. Situational: Hope / Fear: Hopes to maintain conservative family cover, even if it is just that, a cover. Fears that her husband may leave her.
B. Motivation: Want / Need: Wants her entire family to be on the same page, e.g., attend the same events together, have the same interests, etc.
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: Perfect family image and lies
D. Weaknesses: Unable to cope with the reality in front of her. Cannot seek help for herself and her husband.
E. Triggers: Her husband’s distant personality and Liam’s dancing ambitions set her off emotionally.
F. Coping Mechanism: Gambling and lying.

Martin:
A. Situational: Hope / Fear: Hopes to feel younger and free with mistress / Fears that his wife and son will drag him down.
B. Motivation: Want / Need: Wants to be successful financially and socially
C. Mask: Base Negative Emotion / Public Mask: Kind and appears successful to community.
D. Weaknesses: Unable to support wife and son, but seems to prefer the company of his daughter (and her friends).
E. Triggers: His wife’s lack of ambition and his son’s desires to be a danseur (seen as sissy) makes him angry.
F. Coping Mechanism: Alcohol and affairs
AI:
1. Liam
• A. Hope / Fear:
o Hope: To be seen as strong and indispensable
o Fear: Being abandoned or replaced
• B. Want / Need:
o Want: Control over his life and others
o Need: To feel loved without conditions
• C. Mask:
o Base Negative Emotion: Insecurity
o Public Mask: Charismatic leader, always “in charge”
• D. Weaknesses: Control issues, resentment, passive-aggression
• E. Triggers: Being sidelined, others’ success, lack of loyalty
• F. Coping Mechanism: Overworking, emotionally detaching, manipulating relationships
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2. Jack
• A. Hope / Fear:
o Hope: To start over and redeem himself
o Fear: That his past defines him forever
• B. Want / Need:
o Want: To be forgiven
o Need: To forgive himself
• C. Mask:
o Base Negative Emotion: Shame
o Public Mask: Laid-back, humorous, acts like nothing matters
• D. Weaknesses: Gambling addiction, self-sabotage, fear of intimacy
• E. Triggers: Financial pressure, accusations, being compared to others
• F. Coping Mechanism: Drinking, sarcasm, disappearing for days
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3. Shayla
• A. Hope / Fear:
o Hope: To prove she’s worthy of success
o Fear: Being overlooked or used
• B. Want / Need:
o Want: Recognition and validation
o Need: Self-worth independent of others
• C. Mask:
o Base Negative Emotion: Inadequacy
o Public Mask: Overachiever, flawless perfectionist
• D. Weaknesses: People-pleasing, workaholism, fear of failure
• E. Triggers: Criticism, betrayal, feeling ignored
• F. Coping Mechanism: Obsessive control, emotional suppression, avoidance of vulnerability
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4. Misty
• A. Hope / Fear:
o Hope: To be loved for who she truly is
o Fear: That her truth will alienate everyone
• B. Want / Need:
o Want: Romantic connection and stability
o Need: To embrace her sexual identity without shame
• C. Mask:
o Base Negative Emotion: Confusion
o Public Mask: The flirt, light-hearted and carefree
• D. Weaknesses: Infidelity, indecision, emotional dependency
• E. Triggers: Rejection, confrontation, moments of honesty
• F. Coping Mechanism: Escaping into relationships, fantasy, denial
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5. Martin
• A. Hope / Fear:
o Hope: To break generational cycles
o Fear: That he’s doomed to repeat his father’s mistakes
• B. Want / Need:
o Want: To protect his family
o Need: To confront his own emotional repression
• C. Mask:
o Base Negative Emotion: Guilt
o Public Mask: Stoic provider, emotionally distant
• D. Weaknesses: Trust issues, emotional unavailability, moral rigidity
• E. Triggers: Family conflict, dishonesty, perceived weakness in others
• F. Coping Mechanism: Withdrawal, rigid routine, self-sacrifice

[Robert Condon]

What I learned about this assignment is that I am able to find ways for each character to complement one another in the drama. AI helps with the development of each character.
For your Inner Circle characters, fill in any of the Intrigue items that apply.
Character Name: Liam
Role: Main character
Hidden agendas: Wants to compete in ballet for a living and will do anything to succeed. He will also do everything possible to pay off his college debt.
Competition: He sees successful danseurs as competition.
Conspiracies: Is sick with a rare blood disease impacting his ability to dance. Because he lacks insurance, he does not fully understand what he has. He sees only one doctor. He looks at ways to raise money and even look into the black market for ways to heal.
Secrets: Plans to steal pain medicine from Jack’s medical office and pin it on him. He seeks revenge on Jack for getting him into legal trouble, but at the same time, the drugs are helping him with ballet…until the damage surfaces.
Deception: Pretending to have Jack search for medical records (that are not present) as a distraction for Liam to steal pain medicine. Liam leaves a couple of pills on the floor near Jack’s office for his supervisor to find (and therefore blame Jack).
Wound: His family and his two closest friends hurt him, but Jack tries to forgive them as much as possible, because they are his only support system.
Secret Identity: Everybody’s reliable friend.

Character Name: Jack
Role: Liam’s best friend who deceives him.
Hidden agendas: He works in pharmaceuticals. He got that job through his family. He didn’t have to apply or go to college to get credentials. Nevertheless, he is very smart. He learns about medicine through his job, which might benefit Liam in the long run.
Competition: He sees Liam as his competition in his inner circle because Liam is confident and is driven to succeed.
Conspiracies: He wants to use Liam to his advantage. He tries to persuade him to sell drugs for profit. Liam would take the fall.
Secrets: He wants power and control as well as money. He knows that in spite of Liam’s financial setbacks, he will succeed sooner than him. He doesn’t want that to happen. He wants to be more powerful than him. Jealously has been there since childhood.
Deception: Gains Liam’s trust in order to use him sexually as well as illegally by selling drugs that Liam thinks will benefit him.
Wound: Parents belittle him. They call him vulgar gay slurs and tell him that he is worthless.
Secret Identity: A miracle worker for Liam and others.

Character Name: Shayla
Role: Liam’s closet friend; also a friend to Jack
Hidden agendas: She struggles with balancing her friendship with Liam and with Jack. At times, Jack brings Shayla in on his plans to deceive Liam.
Competition: She wants to be everybody’s friend and doesn’t know how to balance things out. In the process, she hurts people, including Liam.
Conspiracies: She’s interested in ballet as well and attends some of the same competitions as Liam. She’s interested in fame more than money. She wants her name to be posted everywhere as a winner. She knows that Liam is a solid dancer. She finds ways to make her way to the top.
Secrets: Loves her friends deeply, but wants popularity more than anything. Secretly, she also has a crush on Liam, but is unsure of his sexuality.
Deception: Tells Liam that a main ballet competition is cancelled, when in fact the date was changed.
Wound: She was body shamed on social media in high school. Now at 25, she lost weight and is more confident in herself. This confidence leads her to crave popularity.
Secret Identity: Wants her friends to be as successful as she is.

Character Name: Misty
Role: Liam’s mother
Hidden agendas: She sides with Liam’s dad more than Liam.
Competition: She sees families in the community as competition and wants to maintain a flawless image and therefore brushes Liam’s endeavors as a ballet dancer aside because it is embarrassing to her.
Conspiracies: Lies to the police about Liam’s sexual assault in order to maintain positive family image.
Secrets: Gambles excessively and uses the money that her husband stole from Liam at a casino.
Deception: Is embarrassed by Liam’s life and health struggles and persuades him to attend a sleep away Christian camp as part of a healing process. While there, she uses that time to hold cocktail parties, etc. at the house as a means to feel elite and only uses family pictures of herself, her husband, and her daughter.
Wound: Her husband used to be verbally abusive to her until he got therapy.
Secret Identity: A well-rounded, supportive mother.

Character Name: Martin
Role: Liam’s father
Hidden agendas: Supports his wife’s gambling and needs help with his mortgage. He finds ways to take money from Liam.
Competition: His wife is his competition. He wants her to maintain a wholesome family image, but at the same time doesn’t want her to be financially stronger than him. He is very conservative and old fashioned in his ways.
Conspiracies: Brainwashes Liam into taking odd jobs to pay for certain debts from childhood.
Secrets: Martin is a minor character, but he, like his wife will maintain a flawless family image. His deep secret is infidelity. He cheats on his wife with a much younger woman he met on an app.
Deception: Tells his son that he will use a bonus at work to help pay for Liam’s medical attention. However, he ends up using the money for his mistress (e.g., vacations, etc.)
Wound: He doesn’t have the education or skills to excel in life. He has felt stuck in the same spot his whole life and doesn’t want Liam to succeed (same viewpoint as Jack’s.)
Secret Identity: Innocent family man.
AI:

Character Name: Liam
Role: Main Character
Core Layers: Competitive, sweet, craves success, reliable friend
Genre: Character-driven drama
Concept (Sample): A tight-knit group of friends in a coastal city navigate ambition, betrayal, and hidden traumas as their lives and careers intersect in increasingly dangerous ways.
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Intriguing Layers for Liam
A. Hidden Agendas:
Liam outwardly supports his best friend’s start-up company, but secretly hopes it fails so he can buy it cheap and rebuild it in his image. He believes this is justified because he’s “better at leading it.”
B. Competition:
Drives Liam’s every action. Even in friendship, he keeps score. He’s especially competitive with people who remind him of his estranged brother, who always overshadowed him.
C. Conspiracies:
Liam uncovers a hush-hush deal between his boss and a city developer that threatens his neighborhood. He’s torn between exposing the truth and using the info to climb the ladder.
D. Secrets:
Liam hasn’t told anyone he was briefly institutionalized after a breakdown in college — a secret that, if exposed, could ruin his credibility in his current profession.
E. Deception:
He’s in a long-distance relationship but is emotionally involved with someone else in the city. To both parties, he pretends he’s “all in” — lying more to himself than to them.
F. Wound:
He never got closure after his father abandoned the family. He masks the wound with ambition and charm, but it drives his need to prove he’s “worth staying for.”
G. Secret Identity:
Liam occasionally writes under a pseudonym for an underground blog that critiques the very system he works in — a guilty form of rebellion and truth-telling he can’t give up.
🧠 Intriguing Layers for Jack – Liam’s Best Friend
(Charismatic, funny, loyal on the surface — but filled with inner contradictions)
A. Hidden Agendas:
Jack appears to support Liam’s rise in politics — but secretly wants to leverage Liam’s growing power to expand his own underground business dealings (e.g., illegal liquor sales, insider real estate flips).
B. Competition:
He’s envious of Liam’s leadership and public appeal. Jack tries to mask it with humor, but he resents always playing the sidekick. He subconsciously undermines Liam in small, strategic ways.
C. Conspiracies:
Jack has knowledge of a cover-up related to the death of the town’s former leader. He’s connected to shadowy town figures and plays both sides — feeding intel to Sofia to ensure he stays protected.
D. Secrets:
Jack is secretly in love with Liam, though he suppresses it. His sexuality is something he hides from the group, especially from Liam, fearing it would change their dynamic or expose his emotional weakness.
E. Deception:
He plays the role of the fun-loving, no-strings-attached bar owner — but he’s emotionally manipulative. He lies to protect himself, often feigning ignorance or distraction while playing puppet master in the background.
F. Wound:
He grew up neglected and poor, living in Liam’s shadow. His charm developed as a survival mechanism. Deep down, he feels like he’ll never be “the chosen one,” which drives many of his decisions.
G. Secret Identity:
Jack has an alter ego online — a whistleblower account posting cryptic messages about town corruption. No one knows it’s him, not even Dani, who’s investigating the account.
📺 TV Series Breakdown
Genre:
Psychological drama / mystery thriller
Dark, character-driven, exploring the masks people wear and the lies they tell to stay relevant or survive.
Concept:
At a prestigious private high school reunion, old friends reunite for a weekend retreat in the mountains. But when a former classmate turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, long-buried secrets begin unraveling. Everyone is a suspect, and the lines between truth and illusion blur. Shayla, once the “queen bee,” finds herself at the center of the emotional and psychological storm.
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🎭 Main Character Profile
Character Name: Shayla
Core Personality:
• Glamorous but insecure
• Charismatic but emotionally unavailable
• Always on stage, even off-camera
• Haunted by a need to be adored
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Intriguing Layers (Expanded)
Element Description
A. Hidden Agendas Shayla has returned to the reunion not only to reconnect, but to silence anyone who might know what really happened the night of senior prom. She also hopes to use the weekend to revive her struggling influencer career.
B. Competition Constantly measuring herself against others — especially former rival, Mara, who now seems effortlessly successful. Shayla cannot stand the idea of being forgotten or replaced.
C. Conspiracies Secretly believes someone is trying to ruin her reputation and has been tracking cryptic messages and anonymous threats that started before the reunion. She suspects it’s tied to a group chat that got mysteriously deleted years ago.
D. Secrets Shayla’s high school image was built on a lie — she wasn’t the popular girl everyone thought she was. She manipulated people behind the scenes and buried evidence of a scandal involving a teacher.
E. Deception Continually reinvents herself — online she is one persona, but in reality, she’s barely holding it together. Lies to others and herself about her happiness, career, and mental stability.
F. Wound Was severely bullied before high school but reinvented herself with plastic surgery and fake friendships. Her biggest wound is that no one truly knows her — and she fears that if they did, they’d reject her.
G. Secret Identity She operates an anonymous gossip account that once exposed dozens of classmates’ secrets — and may now be backfiring on her. She thought it was dead… but someone has revived it. Possibly using it against her.
Character Name: Misty
Role: Protagonist/central figure in the drama (likely someone with hidden depths and contradictions)
A. Hidden Agendas
Misty appears to be a perfect wife and mother, always saying yes to her husband and presenting an image of a calm, collected family life. However, she has personal ambitions or desires that conflict with her role as a caretaker. She may be quietly working behind the scenes to advance her own career, seeking validation in places where she’s never been noticed, or dreaming of something more than what her life offers. She could also be trying to “save” her family in a way that feels manipulative.
B. Competition
On the surface, Misty seems to be a supportive, dutiful partner who doesn’t like confrontation. But she’s secretly competitive. She constantly compares herself to other women—friends, neighbors, or colleagues—and wants to prove that she can be the ideal wife and mother while balancing her own desires. This could manifest as passive-aggressive behavior or even subtle sabotage of others to maintain her sense of superiority. Her competitive nature might also be linked to a desire to prove her worth, either to herself or to others.
C. Conspiracies
Misty is no stranger to creating or getting involved in conspiracy theories. She might be quietly manipulating the people around her to get ahead, like working against her husband’s interests behind his back or covering up something that could ruin her image. These conspiracies could be both big and small—sabotaging relationships or orchestrating things that others wouldn’t suspect. This adds a layer of intrigue, as she’s never entirely truthful with anyone.
D. Secrets
Misty has many secrets, especially about her past. Maybe she has a previous relationship that no one knows about, a secret affair, or even a hidden part of her personality she’s never shown. There could also be something darker in her past, such as a family tragedy, a crime she committed, or even an event where she let someone down, which she works hard to conceal. These secrets create tension and keep the audience guessing, especially as she hides behind the image of the perfect woman.
E. Deception
She’s a master of deception, carefully crafting her persona to fit whatever the situation requires. Misty knows how to manipulate the truth, spinning situations in a way that makes her seem like a saint while conveniently avoiding responsibility for her actions. She lies to her family and friends, as well as to herself, convincing herself she’s doing the right thing when she’s actually deep into her own web of half-truths and misdirection.
F. Wound
Misty’s wound is deeply emotional, perhaps rooted in childhood. She may have grown up in an environment where she was constantly overlooked, criticized, or made to feel inferior, shaping her need for external validation. This wound drives her desire to constantly seek approval, especially from her husband or family, to prove she is worthy of love and attention. She also may have faced an early betrayal that shaped her fear of being abandoned or left behind.
G. Secret Identity
Misty might not even be fully aware of her own secret identity. There’s a version of herself she hides from everyone, even herself, to survive in the confines of her domestic life. She could have a talent or passion—writing, painting, or another form of expression—that she’s been suppressing. This “secret identity” could also be darker: Maybe she’s living a double life that’s gradually unraveling, or maybe she’s been holding onto something from her past that she fears could destroy everything.
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Additional Notes for TV Series Tone:
• Genre: Drama (character-driven, psychological depth, exploring relationships and hidden motives)
• Tone: The series could be intense, focusing on the complexities of family life, mental health, and identity, with high emotional stakes.
• Narrative Arc for Misty: Misty’s journey could revolve around uncovering who she truly is beneath the “perfect wife” image she’s curated for herself. Her internal conflict could come from the tension between her desire for approval and the darker truths she’s hiding. Over time, as the secrets begin to surface, Misty’s carefully constructed life could unravel, leading to a devastating crisis of identity.
Character: Martin
Role: The flawed patriarch trying to balance old habits with new growth.
________________________________________
A. Hidden Agendas:
Martin has a deep-rooted need to maintain control over his family dynamics. While he is improving, he is still secretly manipulative and tries to use his position as the “head of the family” to subtly push his agenda. He often justifies his actions as what’s “best for everyone,” but his sense of entitlement sometimes conflicts with his actions.
• Layer Example: When Martin pushes his son to take over the family business, he does so out of genuine belief in his son’s potential—but he also sees it as a way to regain some of his lost influence.
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B. Competition:
Martin struggles with a desire to maintain dominance in both his professional and personal life. He feels threatened by younger men, both in the workplace and in his personal life, particularly when he realizes his wife is showing interest in a much younger man (possibly his son’s age). He uses competition as a way to prove his relevance and masculinity, often feeling like he’s fading in a world that’s moving on without him.
• Layer Example: He’s secretly jealous of his son’s achievements, even though he outwardly supports him. At work, he still feels like he’s the one who should be running the show.
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C. Conspiracies:
Martin isn’t above getting involved in corporate schemes to stay ahead. He may be participating in or at least aware of shady business practices. Although he’s no longer the aggressive, domineering person he once was, the temptation of money and power lingers. His past, filled with secretive deals and manipulative tactics, can occasionally resurface, testing his resolve.
• Layer Example: Martin might use his son’s financial struggles as leverage to extract concessions from his business partners—acting like it’s out of love for the family, but really, it’s a move to protect his own interests.
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D. Secrets:
Martin has multiple secrets that impact his relationships. One of the darkest is his history of verbal abuse towards his wife, which he’s deeply ashamed of. He may have even cheated on her multiple times over the years, but that’s a piece of his past he’s tried to bury. His affair with the younger woman could be a symptom of his mid-life crisis, and possibly a reaction to the long-term resentment he holds towards his wife for enabling their dysfunctional marriage for so many years.
• Layer Example: He’s never told his wife that he cheated on her years ago. He rationalizes it as a mistake from a different time, but his affair with the younger woman brings the old wounds back to the surface, triggering guilt and regret.
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E. Deception:
Despite attending therapy, Martin hasn’t entirely given up his tendency to deceive. He is capable of lying to protect himself, his family, or his image. He may lie to his wife about the extent of his personal growth, hoping she’ll believe that he’s a changed man. His deception is often rooted in fear—fear of losing his family, his status, or the man he once was.
• Layer Example: When asked by his wife if he’s still seeing the younger woman, he lies and says it was just a one-time mistake, all while continuing the affair behind her back.
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F. Wound:
Martin’s core wound is tied to his insecurities and self-loathing. His verbal abuse of his wife was a result of his inability to handle his own inadequacies—he felt emasculated and powerless, so he lashed out. His attempts at therapy are genuine, but the healing process is slow, and he still fights old demons. The fact that his wife stayed with him for so many years while tolerating his behavior makes him feel both guilty and indebted, yet it also fuels his resentment.
• Layer Example: Martin feels like he doesn’t truly deserve his wife’s forgiveness. This internal conflict creates a cycle where he tries to do right but is still drawn to making the same mistakes.
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G. Secret Identity:
While Martin’s external persona is that of a well-off, conservative businessman and family man, he secretly feels like a fraud. He’s terrified of being exposed for the broken man he believes he is, so he wears a mask of confidence and authority to cover up his vulnerabilities. His secret identity is someone who is deeply lost, uncertain about his future, and unsure of how to repair the damage he’s done to those closest to him.
• Layer Example: Martin might secretly go to a 12-step meeting or support group for men who struggle with infidelity or anger issues. This side of him is entirely hidden from everyone, including his wife, who believes he’s been faithful for years.
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Genre: Character-driven drama with dark family dynamics, exploring themes of forgiveness, redemption, and identity.
Concept:
The series revolves around a middle-aged man (Martin) who is in the midst of personal and professional crises. As he attempts to repair his damaged relationships with his wife and son, he is confronted with the consequences of his past actions. His journey is complicated by his ongoing struggle with insecurity, jealousy, and the temptation to return to his old, destructive ways.

[Robert Condon]

What I learned doing this assignment is that I have to know the different layers of the main characters in order for each one to develop accordingly throughout the series. I also learned that AI can help provide certain character angles that make the drama stronger.
THE ENGAGING CHARACTER MODEL
What makes a lead characters engaging on multiple levels?
A. Role in the show:
Beth: Is determined to succeed at chess
Alma Wheatley: is foster mother and friend to Beth, even as she moves into adulthood. She supports Beth emotionally on her journey.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
Beth: She does her best not to lose at chess, but finds ways to remember those who helped her get there. As a result, she is very modest.
Alma Wheatley: As Beth’s foster mother, we she her waver on being supportive on Beth’s endeavors while depending on Beth for financial support from her chess earnings. We see her reverting back to drinking, which leads Beth to do the same.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
Beth: Is overly competitive and only sees others as failures until she loses a game. The real secret is how her dependency on tranquilizers and now drinking (that she began when Alma offered her a sip on a plane) will play a role in other potential failures in chess.
Alma Wheatley: She is an alcoholic and a heavy smoker. She is there for Beth, but cannot seem to overcome the trauma/treatment from Mr. Wheatley (from before separation) and seems to be in a state of decline once again.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
Beth: morally, she knows that Alma “loses” a lot in life. Beth reminded her of that when Alma brought it up. Alma, in spite of everything, has been a true rock in Beth’s life and up until that point in time, Beth almost forgot what losing feels like. For example, she lost her parents early in life and her way of life after being sent to the orphanage.
Alma Wheatley: She took financial advantage of Beth when she was a minor. Not only that, she gave Beth alcohol, which Beth began to depend on, much like the tranquilizers.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
Beth: She was invited by Margaret to attend a party. Beth accepted the invitation and this was out of character, in a way, considering Beth seemingly moved past her nemesis (Margaret) after succeeding in chess. In the end, Beth wanted to show off chess, but the girls at the party were only interested for a short time.
Alma Wheatley: She became the antithesis of a foster mother, by definition, during Beth’s travels. She repeatedly lied to the school about Beth being ill, causing Beth to miss significant learning opportunities.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Beth: We want her to succeed, but to fail at times and to understand that everybody fails from time to time.
Alma Wheatley: We want her to move past her negative experiences with Mr. Wheatley and find a way to be financially secure and healthy without relying on Beth’s winnings.
Assignment 2:
1. Tell us the journey of your show.
The show that I am proposing is about a mid-twenties college graduate man deep in debt who suffers from a rare blood disorder and is seeking ways to cure it and to find ways to finance it. The people in his life, including his best friend and relatives are not very supportive and in fact might betray him.
2. Who are the main characters that will sell your show?
Liam – He is a 25 year old male who becomes sick at work. He seeks ways to find a cure. He sees a competition for ballet. His parents and close friends criticize him about it.
Jack – He is the same age as Liam and has been his best friend since childhood. He lives in the same neighborhood. He is supportive of Liam, but betrays him.
3. Answer these questions for each of those characters.
A. Role in the show:
Liam – lead character who goes through many obstacles in order to achieve a worthwhile result.
Jack – Is Liam’s best friend. He is closeted and makes a pass at Liam, who feels violated. Jack works, over time, on forgiveness, but causes other problems along the way.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
Liam – Is popular, yet quiet. Life through him unfortunate curveballs, including a curable, yet painful blood disease, a best friend who uses him, and parents who do not support his endeavors.
Jack – Forgiveness and causing problems for Liam seems to be a common theme. Liam is almost too forgiving of Jack, but since they had been staples in each other’s lives for years, Liam forgives him time and again. It turns out that Jack is the key to Liam’s health and success at ballet.
C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
Liam – He is confused about his purpose in life, his sexuality, and how to move past trauma. He has to achieve financial results and to find a bone marrow doner in order to live comfortably. His mission is ongoing
Jack – He is jealous of Liam because he finished college and had many girlfriends, while Jack was lacking in said areas. He assaults Jack and steals from him for drugs and prostitutes. He even gets Jack arrested. However, his composure is calm, cool, and collected. We cannot see what is beneath the surface initially.
*Liam and Jack are very different people. Liam hals always been kind to others and will be in this series, but he slips into patterns of immoral behavior. Jack is abrasive and hurts others to get his way. We see this soon in the series. However, he begins to see the part he played in his drama and tries to change over time.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
Liam – Morally, Liam finds every avenue possible to pay off his tuition and to save up for medical treatment. He dabbles in drugs, prostitution, and even steals items from family members. While Liam’s behavior is not as extreme as Jack’s behavior, we see him breaking away from reality more often than not.
Jack – Jack is using Liam physically, emotionally, and financially. In the end, he “sobers up” and finds ways to repair damage. However, he doesn’t see how crossing boundaries hurts those who care deeply about him.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
Liam – Liam goes to the darkest places, including people who had been kidnapped in order to extract organs for others. He doesn’t see humanity in his immediate world right away. He wants to get better, financially and physically and will take any chance he can get to get there.
Jack – Jack will turn around and be there for Liam. He is one key (out of many) to help Liam get well again.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Liam – We want Liam to get better physically and financially. However, we also want him to avoid ways that are immoral and hurt others. We are cheering him on, but cannot help but wonder if he will change for the better again.
Jack – Jack is Liam’s rock, whether Liam thinks so or not. Jack needs to grow up and stand on his own two feet. We care about him because he really is a kind and supportive person to those in his immediate world, but we want him to stop hurting others.
PROMPT: For each of the [main characters] for this [drama] about this [character-driven drama], please brainstorm the [Character Basics] of that character that fits this TV series well.
Character Basics =
A. Role in the show:
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
D. D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
E. E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
F. F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Genre =
Concept =
Main characters = Liam, Jack, Amanda, Misty and Martin (Liam’s parents)

Genre: Character-driven family drama with emotional mystery
Concept: When Liam returns to his small hometown after a decade-long estrangement, he reopens old wounds in a fractured family and uncovers hidden truths about the past. Each character is dealing with unresolved trauma, secrets, and choices that ripple into the present. As tensions rise, so do questions of loyalty, morality, and identity.
________________________________________
1. Liam (Protagonist)
A. Role in the show:
The estranged son who returns home after years away.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A quiet observer and thinker; he now works in forensic psychology, trained to uncover hidden motives and patterns—skills he begins applying to his own family.
C. Intrigue:
Liam left after a traumatic event he may have partially caused—or covered up. He’s hiding the full truth from everyone, including himself.
D. Moral Issue:
He manipulates emotional truths from others, sometimes crossing ethical lines to uncover buried family secrets.
E. Unpredictable:
Will he expose the past or protect his family’s reputation? Is he here for healing or revenge?
F. Empathetic:
We feel his pain of abandonment, his longing to belong, and his quiet courage to face the darkness of his past.
________________________________________
2. Jack (Liam’s brother)
A. Role in the show:
The golden child who stayed—seemingly loyal, stable, and successful.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A charismatic high school coach with strong ties in the community. Seen as the family’s moral compass.
C. Intrigue:
Jack may have been more involved in the event that drove Liam away than anyone suspects. His clean-cut image hides control issues and suppressed rage.
D. Moral Issue:
He uses manipulation and gaslighting to maintain control and preserve the family image.
E. Unpredictable:
Will Jack protect Liam—or silence him? His need to be the hero could turn dangerous.
F. Empathetic:
He genuinely wants peace and stability, even as he fears everything unraveling. His loyalty to family is real, but flawed.
________________________________________
3. Amanda (Liam’s old flame / Jack’s wife)
A. Role in the show:
Liam’s former girlfriend who married Jack after he left.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A local journalist who knows how to dig for the truth, but rarely applies that skill to her own life.
C. Intrigue:
She’s still in love with Liam—and may have been all along. She also knows something about the incident they all pretend didn’t happen.
D. Moral Issue:
She’s betraying her marriage emotionally—and possibly planning a deeper betrayal.
E. Unpredictable:
Will she help Liam expose the truth or destroy it to protect herself and her child?
F. Empathetic:
She’s torn between duty, guilt, and love—and she’s trapped in a life that never felt fully hers.
________________________________________
4. Misty (Liam and Jack’s mother)
A. Role in the show:
The matriarch who holds the family together with denial and grace.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A former nurse turned community counselor; she’s emotionally perceptive but dangerously passive-aggressive.
C. Intrigue:
Misty knows what really happened—but she buried it to keep the family from imploding. Her silence may be the linchpin to everything.
D. Moral Issue:
She covers up wrongdoing to protect her sons, even when it causes harm to others.
E. Unpredictable:
Will she finally tell the truth—or manipulate others into keeping it buried?
F. Empathetic:
She’s lost so much already. Her actions come from love, but they’ve caused destruction.
________________________________________
5. Martin (Liam and Jack’s father)
A. Role in the show:
The stoic, emotionally distant father who embodies the town’s old-school values.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A retired police chief with deep community respect—and a history of bending justice to protect his own.
C. Intrigue:
He altered or destroyed evidence long ago to protect one of his sons. He’s tormented by guilt and haunted by the consequences.
D. Moral Issue:
He compromised justice and manipulated the system for his family.
E. Unpredictable:
He could confess everything—or double down on lies to preserve his legacy.
F. Empathetic:
His moral collapse came from love and fear. Now, he’s trying to do right—but may be too late.

[Robert Condon]

1. Name? My name is Robert Condon. Most people call me Bob.

2. How many scripts you’ve written? I’ve written three comedy scripts and one drama.

3. What you hope to get out of the class? My hope is to gain strategies and techniques to be a solid writer and gives me motivation to never give up until I am able to sell scripts that are unique to the world. I also hope to collaborate with others in the scriptwriting process.

4. Something unique, special, strange or unusual about you? I don’t give up and I will support those in my circle as best as I can. Life threw me many curveballs (happens to all of us), but I come back stronger each time. My feeling is that is is my moment to put my skills to use.

[Robert Condon]

I, Bob Condon, agree to the terms of this release form.

As a member of this group, I agree to the following:

1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.
2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.
I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.
3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.
4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.
5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.
6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.
This completes the Group Release Form for the class.

[Robert Condon]

What I learned doing this assignment is that I have to know the different layers of the main characters in order for each one to develop accordingly throughout the series. I also learned that AI can help provide certain character angles that make the drama stronger.

THE ENGAGING CHARACTER MODEL
What makes a lead characters engaging on multiple levels?
A. Role in the show:
Beth: Is determined to succeed at chess
Alma Wheatley: is foster mother and friend to Beth, even as she moves into adulthood. She supports Beth emotionally on her journey.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
Beth: She does her best not to lose at chess, but finds ways to remember those who helped her get there. As a result, she is very modest.
Alma Wheatley: As Beth’s foster mother, we she her waver on being supportive on Beth’s endeavors while depending on Beth for financial support from her chess earnings. We see her reverting back to drinking, which leads Beth to do the same.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
Beth: Is overly competitive and only sees others as failures until she loses a game. The real secret is how her dependency on tranquilizers and now drinking (that she began when Alma offered her a sip on a plane) will play a role in other potential failures in chess.
Alma Wheatley: She is an alcoholic and a heavy smoker. She is there for Beth, but cannot seem to overcome the trauma/treatment from Mr. Wheatley (from before separation) and seems to be in a state of decline once again.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
Beth: morally, she knows that Alma “loses” a lot in life. Beth reminded her of that when Alma brought it up. Alma, in spite of everything, has been a true rock in Beth’s life and up until that point in time, Beth almost forgot what losing feels like. For example, she lost her parents early in life and her way of life after being sent to the orphanage.
Alma Wheatley: She took financial advantage of Beth when she was a minor. Not only that, she gave Beth alcohol, which Beth began to depend on, much like the tranquilizers.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
Beth: She was invited by Margaret to attend a party. Beth accepted the invitation and this was out of character, in a way, considering Beth seemingly moved past her nemesis (Margaret) after succeeding in chess. In the end, Beth wanted to show off chess, but the girls at the party were only interested for a short time.
Alma Wheatley: She became the antithesis of a foster mother, by definition, during Beth’s travels. She repeatedly lied to the school about Beth being ill, causing Beth to miss significant learning opportunities.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Beth: We want her to succeed, but to fail at times and to understand that everybody fails from time to time.
Alma Wheatley: We want her to move past her negative experiences with Mr. Wheatley and find a way to be financially secure and healthy without relying on Beth’s winnings.

Assignment 2:
1. Tell us the journey of your show.
The show that I am proposing is about a mid-twenties college graduate man deep in debt who suffers from a rare blood disorder and is seeking ways to cure it and to find ways to finance it. The people in his life, including his best friend and relatives are not very supportive and in fact might betray him.

2. Who are the main characters that will sell your show?
Liam – He is a 25 year old male who becomes sick at work. He seeks ways to find a cure. He sees a competition for ballet. His parents and close friends criticize him about it.
Jack – He is the same age as Liam and has been his best friend since childhood. He lives in the same neighborhood. He is supportive of Liam, but betrays him.

3. Answer these questions for each of those characters.
A. Role in the show:
Liam – lead character who goes through many obstacles in order to achieve a worthwhile result.
Jack – Is Liam’s best friend. He is closeted and makes a pass at Liam, who feels violated. Jack works, over time, on forgiveness, but causes other problems along the way.

B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
Liam – Is popular, yet quiet. Life through him unfortunate curveballs, including a curable, yet painful blood disease, a best friend who uses him, and parents who do not support his endeavors.
Jack – Forgiveness and causing problems for Liam seems to be a common theme. Liam is almost too forgiving of Jack, but since they had been staples in each other’s lives for years, Liam forgives him time and again. It turns out that Jack is the key to Liam’s health and success at ballet.

C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
Liam – He is confused about his purpose in life, his sexuality, and how to move past trauma. He has to achieve financial results and to find a bone marrow doner in order to live comfortably. His mission is ongoing
Jack – He is jealous of Liam because he finished college and had many girlfriends, while Jack was lacking in said areas. He assaults Jack and steals from him for drugs and prostitutes. He even gets Jack arrested. However, his composure is calm, cool, and collected. We cannot see what is beneath the surface initially.
*Liam and Jack are very different people. Liam hals always been kind to others and will be in this series, but he slips into patterns of immoral behavior. Jack is abrasive and hurts others to get his way. We see this soon in the series. However, he begins to see the part he played in his drama and tries to change over time.

D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
Liam – Morally, Liam finds every avenue possible to pay off his tuition and to save up for medical treatment. He dabbles in drugs, prostitution, and even steals items from family members. While Liam’s behavior is not as extreme as Jack’s behavior, we see him breaking away from reality more often than not.
Jack – Jack is using Liam physically, emotionally, and financially. In the end, he “sobers up” and finds ways to repair damage. However, he doesn’t see how crossing boundaries hurts those who care deeply about him.

E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
Liam – Liam goes to the darkest places, including people who had been kidnapped in order to extract organs for others. He doesn’t see humanity in his immediate world right away. He wants to get better, financially and physically and will take any chance he can get to get there.
Jack – Jack will turn around and be there for Liam. He is one key (out of many) to help Liam get well again.

F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Liam – We want Liam to get better physically and financially. However, we also want him to avoid ways that are immoral and hurt others. We are cheering him on, but cannot help but wonder if he will change for the better again.
Jack – Jack is Liam’s rock, whether Liam thinks so or not. Jack needs to grow up and stand on his own two feet. We care about him because he really is a kind and supportive person to those in his immediate world, but we want him to stop hurting others.

AI PROMPT: For each of the [main characters] for this [drama] about this [character-driven drama], please brainstorm the [Character Basics] of that character that fits this TV series well.
Character Basics =
A. Role in the show:
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
C. Intrigue: What is secret beneath the surface?
D. D. Moral Issue: What moral boundaries are they crossing?
E. E. Unpredictable: What will they do next?
F. F. Empathetic: Why do we care?
Genre =
Concept =
Main characters = Liam, Jack, Amanda, Misty and Martin (Liam’s parents)

Genre: Character-driven family drama with emotional mystery
Concept: When Liam returns to his small hometown after a decade-long estrangement, he reopens old wounds in a fractured family and uncovers hidden truths about the past. Each character is dealing with unresolved trauma, secrets, and choices that ripple into the present. As tensions rise, so do questions of loyalty, morality, and identity.
________________________________________
1. Liam (Protagonist)
A. Role in the show:
The estranged son who returns home after years away.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A quiet observer and thinker; he now works in forensic psychology, trained to uncover hidden motives and patterns—skills he begins applying to his own family.
C. Intrigue:
Liam left after a traumatic event he may have partially caused—or covered up. He’s hiding the full truth from everyone, including himself.
D. Moral Issue:
He manipulates emotional truths from others, sometimes crossing ethical lines to uncover buried family secrets.
E. Unpredictable:
Will he expose the past or protect his family’s reputation? Is he here for healing or revenge?
F. Empathetic:
We feel his pain of abandonment, his longing to belong, and his quiet courage to face the darkness of his past.
________________________________________
2. Jack (Liam’s brother)
A. Role in the show:
The golden child who stayed—seemingly loyal, stable, and successful.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A charismatic high school coach with strong ties in the community. Seen as the family’s moral compass.
C. Intrigue:
Jack may have been more involved in the event that drove Liam away than anyone suspects. His clean-cut image hides control issues and suppressed rage.
D. Moral Issue:
He uses manipulation and gaslighting to maintain control and preserve the family image.
E. Unpredictable:
Will Jack protect Liam—or silence him? His need to be the hero could turn dangerous.
F. Empathetic:
He genuinely wants peace and stability, even as he fears everything unraveling. His loyalty to family is real, but flawed.
________________________________________
3. Amanda (Liam’s old flame / Jack’s wife)
A. Role in the show:
Liam’s former girlfriend who married Jack after he left.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A local journalist who knows how to dig for the truth, but rarely applies that skill to her own life.
C. Intrigue:
She’s still in love with Liam—and may have been all along. She also knows something about the incident they all pretend didn’t happen.
D. Moral Issue:
She’s betraying her marriage emotionally—and possibly planning a deeper betrayal.
E. Unpredictable:
Will she help Liam expose the truth or destroy it to protect herself and her child?
F. Empathetic:
She’s torn between duty, guilt, and love—and she’s trapped in a life that never felt fully hers.
________________________________________
4. Misty (Liam and Jack’s mother)
A. Role in the show:
The matriarch who holds the family together with denial and grace.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A former nurse turned community counselor; she’s emotionally perceptive but dangerously passive-aggressive.
C. Intrigue:
Misty knows what really happened—but she buried it to keep the family from imploding. Her silence may be the linchpin to everything.
D. Moral Issue:
She covers up wrongdoing to protect her sons, even when it causes harm to others.
E. Unpredictable:
Will she finally tell the truth—or manipulate others into keeping it buried?
F. Empathetic:
She’s lost so much already. Her actions come from love, but they’ve caused destruction.
________________________________________
5. Martin (Liam and Jack’s father)
A. Role in the show:
The stoic, emotionally distant father who embodies the town’s old-school values.
B. Unique Purpose / Expertise:
A retired police chief with deep community respect—and a history of bending justice to protect his own.
C. Intrigue:
He altered or destroyed evidence long ago to protect one of his sons. He’s tormented by guilt and haunted by the consequences.
D. Moral Issue:
He compromised justice and manipulated the system for his family.
E. Unpredictable:
He could confess everything—or double down on lies to preserve his legacy.
F. Empathetic:
His moral collapse came from love and fear. Now, he’s trying to do right—but may be too late.

[Robert Condon]

I Bob Condon agree to the terms of this release form. As a member of this group, I agree to the following:

1. That I will keep the processes, strategies, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class confidential, and that I will NOT share any of this program either privately, with a group, posting online, writing articles, through video or computer programming, or in any other way that would make those processes, teleconferences, communications, lessons, and models of the class available to anyone who is not a member of this class.
2. That each writer’s work here is copyrighted and that writer is the sole owner of that work. That includes this program which is copyrighted by Hal Croasmun. I acknowledge that submission of an idea to this group constitutes a claim of and the recognition of ownership of that idea.
I will keep the other writer’s ideas and writing confidential and will not share this information with anyone without the express written permission of the writer/owner. I will not market or even discuss this information with anyone outside this group.
3. I also understand that many stories and ideas are similar and/or have common themes and from time to time, two or more people can independently and simultaneously generate the same concept or movie idea.
4. If I have an idea that is the same as or very similar to another group member’s idea, I’ll immediately contact Hal and present proof that I had this idea prior to the beginning of the class. If Hal deems them to be the same idea or close enough to cause harm to either party, he’ll request both parties to present another concept for the class.
5. If you don’t present proof to Hal that you have the same idea as another person, you agree that all ideas presented to this group are the sole ownership of the person who presented them and you will not write or market another group member’s ideas.
6. Finally, I agree not to bring suit against anyone in this group for any reason, unless they use a substantial portion of my copyrighted work in a manner that is public and/or that prevents me from marketing my script by shopping it to production companies, agents, managers, actors, networks, studios or any other entertainment industry organizations or people.
This completes the Group Release Form for the class.

[Robert Condon]

June 23, 2025 TV Series Choice: The Queen’s Gambit
What I learned: I learned that AI can help fill in the blanks of certain characteristics of each character. It is an excellent tool to supplement, but not replace, human research. However, unfortunately, AI can include characters that are not present in the episode. Still, it is an excellent support system for writers.
Main characters circle:
Beth – Main character who has many setbacks, namely people standing in the way of her chess dream, or causing some roadblocks.
Alma Wheatley- Beth’s foster mother. She was initially not supportive of Beth’s endeavors to play chess. She refused to purchase a chess set for Beth. Alma was very depressed and almost reclusive because of Allston’s treatment toward her. However, once he moved away and they separated, Alma became more upbeat and supportive.
Harry – Although he wasn’t present throughout the episode, he was a main character who was a chess champion who was only defeated by Beth.
Connected circle:
Allston Wheatley – Beth’s foster father. He was very distant and negative. He caused Alma to be depressed.
Matt – Ran table at entrance to chess tournament. Gave vital information to Beth, but also was a “roadblock” by not believing in her potential.
Mike – Just like Matt, Mike ran table at entrance to chess tournament. Gave vital information to Beth, but also was a “roadblock” by not believing in her potential.
D.L. Townes – Met Beth at tournament. There was some romantic tension so to speak. Beth was curious about boys and romance and D.L. and Beth had some slight romantic chemistry. He lost a game of chess to Beth.
Annette – She was at the chess event and helped Beth during her first period.
Environment circle:
Mr. Shaibel – He is only seen very briefly at the beginning of the episode. We see him turn away sad at the door of the orphanage and reenter it after Beth’s foster family drives her away. Beth wrote a letter to him asking for money for the chess competition. He sent her the money not long after. As a result, he was an essential character because Beth otherwise wouldn’t have been able to attend the competition.
Margaret – Beth’s nemesis. She was rude to Beth at school, but also piqued Beth’s curiosity in romance after watching Margaret and her boyfriend kiss.
Librarian – Made important suggestions to Beth about chess books.
Girl in lunchroom (not named – talks with Beth) – Gave Beth some information about clubs at the school.
Apple Pi girls – There were three or four who hang around Margaret. They were park of the Apple Pi girls club and talked negative about Beth. As a result, Beth seemed to push harder to succeed at chess.
Chess spectators: They help with the tension by their “hovering” and facial expressions, especially between Harry and Beth’s chess game.
AI Version:
A. MAIN CHARACTERS (Episode 2 focus: pressure, mentorship, unraveling secrets)
1. Ellie Mae Dalton
• Unique Role: Teenage chess prodigy navigating life in a conservative small town. In this episode, Ellie plays in her first official chess tournament.
• Secret or Intrigue: Ellie begins having vivid dreams that mimic chess games—one of which leads her to a hidden object in her mother’s old sewing box.
2. Father Jude Carroway
• Unique Role: Priest, reluctant mentor, and guardian of secrets. In this episode, he takes Ellie to her first out-of-town match.
• Secret or Intrigue: Father Jude receives an anonymous letter warning him to “stay away from the Dalton girl” — referencing a past scandal he thought was buried.
3. Nina Rose Dalton
• Unique Role: Ellie’s overworked cousin/guardian. Struggling between wanting to support Ellie and fearing she’ll spiral like her mother did.
• Secret or Intrigue: Nina starts to suspect that someone in town is watching Ellie and hiding information about her mother’s final days.
4. Caleb “Hawk” Hawthorne
• Unique Role: Streetwise chess hustler who tags along to Ellie’s tournament under the guise of “supporting her.”
• Secret or Intrigue: Hawk begins to question the motives of his unseen benefactor—and whether Ellie is in danger.
________________________________________
B. CONNECTED CHARACTERS (Key influences and turning points in this episode)
1. Coach Baird – Ellie’s math teacher who slips her a strategy guide before the tournament but warns her not to trust anyone there.
2. Dr. Sylvia Grant – Ellie’s counselor, who challenges her to consider what winning means to her—and whether she’s playing for herself or someone else.
3. Miriam Dorsett – Ellie’s first tournament opponent: a rich girl from Lexington with private coaching and a bitter, humiliating attitude.
4. Officer Tad Riles – Local cop who questions Hawk at the tournament parking lot and recognizes him from past criminal activity.
5. Mrs. Langdon – Librarian who helps Ellie research tournament history—accidentally revealing her mother’s name in an old chess registry.
________________________________________
C. ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERS (Background, local color, and realism)
• Tournament Organizer
• Hotel Receptionist
• School Bus Driver
• Church Volunteer
• Fast Food Cashier
• Radio Announcer
• High School Janitor
• Motel Housekeeper
• Waitress at Roadside Diner
• Local Teen Spectators

[Robert Condon]

June 23, 2025 TV Series Choice: The Queen’s Gambit

What I learned while working on this assignment is that this show is very bingeworthy because it creates a sense of concern that potential dependency may lead to other setbacks, which might destroy her success in chess.

1. Big Picture Hooks
Ask this: What is the big hook of this show?
The big hook of this show is about a nine-year-old girl who doesn’t choose, but is forced into independence due to her family turning her back on her. Beth’s mother died in a car accident. Her mother wasn’t very nice to Beth’s father, who in turn, abandoned both of them. It’s this independence that makes us, the viewers, want to see what she does next. Although she has the support of other characters in the show, she knows what she wants (to excel at chess) and to use every opportunity to get there (skipping chorus practice to go down to the basement to play chess with Mr. Shaibel. Unfortunately, she has an addition to a tranquilizer that leads to devastating results.

2. Amazing and Intriguing Character
Ask this: What makes these main characters intriguing and interesting?
Beth is intriguing because she sees her talent for chess in her head (literally). She doesn’t have a chessboard upstairs in her room, so she visualizes and practices moves on the ceiling when away from Mr. Shaibel.
Jolene is intriguing because she is a live and let live person, but gives hints of support to her mates. She understands age and race discrimination when it comes to adoption (she stated this herself as she is currently experiencing it). She seems to settle on the notion that she is there in the orphanage until the start of adulthood, but in subtle ways helps the girls find their strengths to persevere.
Mr. Shaibel is the custodian who has some space in the basement for materials and also has a chessboard. He is no nonsense and is upfront with Beth about chess. When the game is over, it’s over. However, we as the audience, wait for him to acknowledge that Beth is a prodigy of sorts in chess. This allows us to focus on his constructive criticism of her during the game. The world is not perfect and Beth (and the audience) need to see her struggle a little before making it big. Although Jolene is supportive of Beth at the orphanage, it is Mr. Shaibel who truly gives Beth the key to chess. He helps Beth compete at the high school with older boys.

3. Empathy / Distress
Ask this: What situations causes us to feel both empathy and distress for these characters?
First and foremost, we see the grown Beth reflecting on what happened prior to the orphanage. There was a car accident that took the live of her mother. Her father abandoned both Alice (Beth’s mother) and Beth. But if we go deeper, it is apparent that Alice has psychological issues that may have forced Beth’s father to leave. I made the connection between her upbringing and her dependency on the tranquilizers at the orphanage. Maybe we will see this revelation in future episodes, but for this pilot episode, I see the distress that frustration in Beth as she needs these drugs in order to be her best self in chess. I was even concerned that she would “mess up” at the high school competition without the drug. But Jolene came to the rescue with a couple of pills. It is weird that as an audience member, I almost wanted Beth to take the drug to compete. That should never be the case of a little girl, but the writing was truly persuasive.
Jolene is another person that gives some of us a feeling of empathy. In the mid-twentieth century, she, as a minority child, had difficulty being adopted. She said so herself. She also felt she was too old. I can sense her sadness, but also see myself in her, even though I am an adult male. I can sense troubling moments of time in my life where I was passed over and discriminated, but still did my best to keep a smile on my face and treat those around me with respect. She still has hope, maybe not in childhood, but perhaps adulthood to realize her dream.

4. Layers / Open Loops
Ask this: What questions are created by this first episode that can only be answered by watching the entire season?
How does childhood trauma impact the realizations of dreams?
Will that trauma lead to potential self-destruction, which can hinder said dreams?

5. Inviting Obsession
Ask this: How does this pilot create the need to see every single episode?
We need to see the development of Beth from childhood to adult. The beginning of this episode shows Beth as an adult briefly. She seems hurried and slightly troubled. We her taking pills for a brief moment, but we don’t know what they are for. The appear to be the same pills as from the orphanage. Before that we see her in the bathtub, literally the first scene. She seems to be drowning her sorrows, so to speak, as she was frustrated when the employee was knocking on the bathroom door. So, the child Beth is potentially going to go through additional trauma which may or may not have a connection to her upbringing and downfall with her parents. How do these potential setbacks impact her success as a chess champion? I hope to find out soon.