SYNOPSIS:

OVERVIEW What happens when four people going through divorces happen to find each other? They share. They bitch. They turn to each other for support. They look for guidance, and find it in the most unexpected ways. They get into trouble – individually and collectively. They screw up. They screw around. They just might even screw each other. Or at least fantasize about it. They screw each other over. They screw up again. And again. Eventually they gain a vast amount of perspective and insight about what they’ve done wrong, what they’ve done right, what they never realized they’d done and what they never did in the first place. They learn how to make amends. How to let go of the regrets of the past and the fears of the future. How to forgive their spouses. How to forgive each other. And how to forgive themselves. The journey to peace, love and harmony can be one hell of a wild ride…. TONE & SETTING The characters in this story are all hurt in some way – not just because of their breakups, but the repercussions caused by the individual flaws and life experiences that led to their divorces. They’re good people, but they’re cynical and can be crass. They speak their minds, and the stronger their anger and frustrations are, the less they hold back. And the way they express their anger can be downright hilarious. Sarcastic observations are prevalent. The dramedy vibe will be intense – think Friends/Will & Grace meets LOST/Breaking Bad. The show will be a single-camera format, showing a sense of “stylized realism.” We want to see each story arc through each character’s eyes, so the look of particular scenes may be adapted to the character’s mood or personality trait. Occasionally we’ll begin with a flashback or a dream or a fantasy sequence – and sometimes the audience won’t be able to tell which device it is. Some flashback scenes may be repeated, with significant differences to reflect the idea that everyone has their own version of the truth based on their own perspective. The story takes place in the fictional northern New Jersey town of “North Orange,” close enough to New York City to be influenced by the metropolitan vibe, but suburban enough to be conducive to family life and a “hometown” mentality.? MAIN CHARACTERS PAUL HUGHES: A culinary genius in his late 40’s, who has been out of work since a restaurant he co-owned failed. He’s married to NICOLE, who has taken on the role of the breadwinner while Paul’s been job hunting and taking care of their three kids, WES (10) and the twins BETH and RICHIE (3). Paul is smart, passionate and ambitious, often very hyper-focused, but can’t seem to get out of his own way for some reason. Easily frustrated and quick-tempered, especially if distracted when he’s concentrating on something. (His ADHD is not yet diagnosed.) Prone to furious fits of road rage, often engaging with other drivers face to face with the conversations we’ve all wanted to have but were too polite or scared to do so. His dream is to open a new restaurant and build a better life for his family. He confides in his entertainer neighbor, THE ELVIS NEXT DOOR, who seldom breaks his impersonator persona, even when mowing the lawn. AMBER RIDLEY: An earthy-type, but more punk than granola – Paul’s childhood friend. She owns a local coffee shop and works her ass off to keep it running. She’s been in an emotionally abusive marriage with TODD, who spends more time at the bar – and with other women – than he does with her. Ironically enough she deals with it by swigging more than her fair share of Vodka herself. She’s feisty, no-nonsense, and has the uncanny ability to guide anyone through the most complicated of situations… except for her own. Paul and Amber hooked up once as teenagers, and every woman Paul has been with has been jealous of her. ROBERT PEROT: A hotel events manager, the flamboyant Robert makes Jack McFarland look like Rambo. (Note: Robert goes out of his way to “ham up” his effeminate qualities, but this is by no means a two-dimensional, “stereotypically gay” character. There are layers…) Robert chain vapes through his favorite sequined-decorated vape pen and tends to wear expensive, stylish outfits that express his effeminate qualities, yet are perfectly professional. He and SIMON worked hard to advocate for marriage equality for years, and were among the first gay couples to be legally married in New Jersey at a midnight wedding. Robert maintains a “proper” outward appearance, but once he cuts loose with someone comfortable, he tends to be downright vulgar. THERESA ARNOLD: A mousy, shy, depressed shell of a woman, Theresa works at a nail salon. She’s good at what she does, but her lack of belief in herself carries through to how people treat her. She barely speaks, unless the ice has been broken, and then you can’t stop her incessant rambling. Her run-on sentences go on forever and you can’t even hope to interject because she keeps on talking and talking and talking and often breaks off into other tangents that don’t seem to be related to anything that she’s talking about and she adds far more layers of detail into what she’s talking about even though no one really wants to hear the details because the way she talks makes you wonder if the ever will take a moment to breathe and you wonder how she seems to say everything she says in one breath until she finally comes to the point she’s trying to make. She’s married to MITCH, an investment banker who is so engrossed in his work that he stopped paying attention to Theresa years ago – he neither talks to her, nor especially listens.? PILOT SUMMARY “Falling Apart Together” We begin with Paul dreaming of a wedding, with him being the groom. A woman and three children are in the front row. He wakes up before the bride enters. We see that the woman in the dream was his wife Nicole. (Who is the bride? We don’t know…) Paul and Nicole wake up and argue over his daily routine – she’s upset that he’s not working, while he’s frustrated with having to be the “house husband.” They go to counseling together, where she reveals to him that she wants a divorce and made plans to move out with the kids. Amber is furious with her boyfriend Todd, who picks her up from work drunk. She looks at his phone and finds out he’s been cheating on her, and kicks him out. He begs to stay at least one night, as he has nowhere to go, and she agrees, but tells him she wants a divorce. Simon tells Robert that his daughter called him to patch up their broken relationship, that his ex-wife isn’t doing well, that he’s flying out to see them – and that his ex wants him back and he’s been considering taking her back for the past year. He’s already prepared the divorce papers. Theresa comes home to an empty house. Mitch has left divorce papers, with his signature already on them. Paul talks with Elvis about the divorce, that he doesn’t know where he’s going to live or work. Elvis tells him, “Down at the end of Lonely Street... Heartbreak Hotel.” Paul goes to the Regency Hotel and meets with Robert, who loves his resume and hires him as a Sous Chef. Paul finds out his friend Steve wouldn’t give him a recommendation. Paul, Amber and Robert meet at the hotel bar. Paul shares stories about his marriage. Theresa comes in, and Amber and Robert suggest inviting her over. Paul objects, claiming that she’s “weird.” (He avoids explaining that he’s embarrassed because they had a 5th grade romance.) Amber invites her over anyway, and Theresa is initially shocked to see Paul there, but shares the overview of her divorce. Robert suggests making meeting up a weekly thing. Paul begins to suspect that there’s something Linda has been hiding…