Robert Condon
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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.
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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. -
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. -
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.
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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. -
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. -
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. -
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 -
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.