The Characters
Preston
Attached: Larry Bates
Big Little Lies/American Born Chinese/Cherish the Day
Preston Pierce is a thirty-something world-class Michelin star chef at the seeming apex of his long journey to open his own restaurant. Detail oriented, highly-ethical, and single-minded in his purpose, he approaches his craft with a workman-like mentality and leads by example. In the kitchen, he embraces contrarian sensibilities and thrives on his ability to create the most sumptuous dishes from the most humble ingredients.
Coming into the culinary game later in his life, he has over compensated with obsession and perfection. He believes the comb nation of dedication and precision breeds excellence and this ultimately leads to success. We meet him at a crisis point where his paradigm for success has failed him and he must find a new way to make his mark on the world.
Agnes
Attached: Nadia Gan
Mr. Robot/The Leftovers/The Affair
An overachieving medical student in a previous life, we meet Agnes as a thirtyone-year-old single mother who moonlights as a waitress while finishing her teaching degree. She is intelligent, forthright, and compassionate. Motherhood has har ened her in unexpected ways, but she is still an idealist posing as a realist.
She has benefited from her own identity crisis long before Preston’s current predicament. It was after her emotionally turbulent relationship with him that she realized there were things that medicine alone could not heal. She will face this dilemma again when Preston re-enters her life.
Dave
Attached: Robbie Tann
Mare of Eastown/Black Mirror/The Creator
Preston’s oldest friend and confidant, Dave is a substitute teacher grieving the recent loss of his father. He has a drug addiction, but a heart of gold. He finds himself tending bar at the local watering hole while out on bereavement leave.
Dave’s motives can be difficult to pin down. It is clear he is a good person and loves his friends, but his addiction and the marginal spaces he occupies because of it can muddy the waters of his seemingly good intentions.
Terrence
Attached: Rolando Boyce
The Chi/P-Valley/Lights Out
Preston’s older brother. Terrence is a 40-year-old real estate agent and personal trainer. He is muscled and intense. He is as serious as a heart attack about all of his endeavors to the point of being a bit of a killjoy.
He is, by all accounts, very successful, and in many ways more successful than his brother, but without any of the acclaim or recognition. Nor was he provided the luxury of getting to have an identity crisis or time to search for his calling. This has been a source of consistent tension between them resulting in a years long estrangement.
Sean
Attached: Brian Kimmet
Chicago Fire/Feud/24
Sean is Preston’s friend and business partner. He’s in his early forties, but looks much younger. Sean is hyper-fit with the effortless hair and impossibly white teeth to match. He is smart, charming, and walks around with a quiet confidence that only comes from repeated success.
We meet him at a crisis point. His successes have made him less shrewd and he finds himself in a hole that he cannot talk his way out of. He will have to have a come-to-Jesus moment with Preston before he can overcome the obstacles in his path.