THE STAGE 32 LOGLINES

Post your loglines. Get and give feedback.

I HATE PEOPLE
By Brian Gross

GENRE: Comedy
LOGLINE:

Desperate for a place to live, a 50-year-old woman who has grown up hating people is invited to move in with her brother-in-law and his daughter (her niece), but only if she learns to be more loving.

SYNOPSIS:

INSPIRATION

I’m Brian Gross, and my show is called, “I Hate People.” It was inspired, actually, by every person I’ve ever met. Like coworkers who say, “all day!” when you ask if it’s Tuesday. Waiters who won’t shut up. And drivers who steal your parking space – all drivers, actually.

We’ll see these people over the course of “I Hate People.”

Somewhere in there I saw Leslie Jones complaining about people on SNL – and I knew I had a series.

THE PILOT LOGLINE

Desperate for a place to live, a 50-year-old woman who’s grown up hating people is invited to move in with her brother-in-law and his daughter (her niece), but only if she can be more loving.

ABOUT THE CENTRAL CHARACTER

Leslie has hated people since she was a kid. Later in the series, we’ll find out why – her mother was killed by a drunk driver. Leslie hated her mom for leaving, hated the driver that took her, and hated everyone who tried to help her along the way.

This crappy attitude gets her fired from jobs, kicked out by roommates and nowhere close to having a boyfriend.

Does she really hate people? Well, yes. But, along the way, she’ll figure out she’s just keeping her distance, so she won’t get hurt again.

Does she really hate everyone? Also, yes. Except for her sweet, beautiful sister, Morgan, and Morgan’s 7-year-old daughter, Sasha. Unfortunately, about three months before the pilot begins, Morgan died.

As the series goes on, and Leslie will work at being more loving (with bouts of “fuck it”). She’ll also learn to channel her hate into something more positive – the beginnings of a career in standup.

THE SITUATION

In the pilot, Leslie’s now-widowed brother-in-law - JB (I like JB Smoove, too) - notices his daughter loves Leslie, and his heart melts; Sasha needs a mother figure. So he invites Leslie to move in.

Of course, JB has rules. One: Leslie has to become more tolerant of people; she needs to be a better role model for his daughter. And two: Leslie has to work with him at the DMV.

ABOUT THE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS

-- Niece Sasha is bright, funny and happy, and probably the only person in the world who sees the love in her Aunt Leslie. But this goes both ways. When viewers see how much Leslie loves Sasha - when they see the real Leslie - they’ll love her, too.

-- Brother-in-law JB mourns his wife, but he is super positive and loves people (Leslie’s opposite). He always gives everyone the benefit of the doubt – even at the DMV, where he’s branch director. He and Leslie will have some good conversations - very funny conversations, hopefully - and will become close friends.

-- Co-workers and regular customers at the DMV. Most are goofy (funny). And most will be supportive of Leslie as she struggles to hold onto this second chance on life.

THEMES EXPLORED

Life is hard. And it isn’t fair. But, in the end, we all deserve to love and be loved.

WHY NOW?

Well, we might be over the COVID hump, for one. We’re starting to get out of our homes. That means we’re all going to realize, once again and all at the same time, that people are really, really annoying.

Tasha Lewis

Rated this logline

Nate Rymer

Rated this logline

register for stage 32 Register / Log In