View Full Version : The Mastersons: A project I’m currently working on


TVLegend
03-03-2022, 06:24 PM
This is a thread I created for a show I’ve been working on called The Mastersons, a sitcom that’s set in Savannah, Georgia.

The Characters:

Dan Masterson: The protagonist of the show, he’s the sloven, stubborn, curmudgeon patriarch of The Masterson family. Dan is known for his hackneyed jokes and loud delivery. Dan works at a local hardware store. His favorite things in life are Bud Light beer, his armchair, his family, and a TV show called “Wobbly Women: The Pros and Cons of Females Who Wrassle in Food”.

Meredith Masterson: She’s Dan’s wife who’s a devout Christian. She’s a wisecracking stay-at-home mother and the voice of reason. Dan often takes advantage of Meredith’s good nature (and usually suffers for it). Meredith is quick to offer emotional and moral support to everyone in her family. Together, she and Dan have three children: Dan “D.J.” Masterson Jr., Mark Masterson, and Monica Masterson.

Mark Masterson: He’s Dan and Meredith’s second oldest child. Mark is characterized as a sarcastic and snarky but weak, sensitive, and insecure young man in his early 20s with little to no self esteem whatsoever, (especially when it comes to females), who doesn’t have a job or car. He likes to think of himself as a “player”, but obviously can’t help but put himself down all the time. (Basically the Bud Bundy of the family).

Dan “D.J.” Masterson Jr.: He’s Dan and Meredith’s oldest child (although he certainly doesn’t act like it). Dopey, buffoonish, and accident prone, D.J. regularly makes a fool out of himself, especially when he tries to be assertive or knowledgeable. D.J. is a gentle soul, but acts very immature at the same time. Dan frequently jokes that D.J. has a good heart, but he just “doesn’t know where the hell it’s at”. D.J. works as a cashier at Foodie General, a local grocery store.

Monica Masterson: The youngest offspring of Dan and Meredith, she’s a teenaged boy-crazed, naive brunette who attends Willie Nelson High School.

Donna Kravitz: She’s Meredith’s best friend, Dan’s nemesis, and The Mastersons’ prissy, nosy next door neighbor. Dan constantly jokes about her annoyance at his presence, (come to think of it, they both constantly joke about their annoyance at each other’s presence). It’s a running gag that despite Donna denies wearing wigs at all, she changes them almost every holiday.

Bernice “Bern” Masterson: Dan’s mother and Meredith’s mother-in-law. Just think of Sophia Petrillo, Madea, and Thelma Harper all in the same room…but as one person. Bernice is portrayed as a no-nonsense, quick witted, brash, cantankerous elderly. She seems to be very protective of Dan and never fails to disparage her daughter-in-law quite often.

Murphy Kravitz: Not much is known about him but he is known to be Donna’s disabled father-in-law (her late husband’s father) who lives with her. He is a predominantly unseen character.

Arnie Knight: He’s Dan’s eccentric employee at the hardware store and in fact, is one of Dan’s best friends. Although he’s one of Dan’s best friends, the rest of the family tries their best to avoid him, particularly Meredith and Bernice, whom he calls “Grammy Masterson”. Born in 1981, Arnie was adopted at birth by his aunt and uncle, Vikki and Richard Knight and he never knew his real parents. Dan insists that Arnie’s a “good guy”, he’s just a little “different”.

Ralph Logan: An elderly man in his late 60s to early 70s who lives down the street from The Mastersons. Mr. Logan is a church deacon who’s very proud about being saved. He was once married, but his wife died some years ago, leaving him widowed. Later in life he learned he had a daughter, Ellen Bowers Sanford, the result of an affair with Joanne Bowers back in the day. Mr. Logan wears outlandish leisure suits, in very loud colors. A running gag is that Mr. Logan wears toupees most of the time but says that it’s his “real hair”. Mr. Logan fancies himself a playboy or a ladies’ man when in reality he hasn’t had a woman since his wife died! Mr. Logan is a huge fan of the late Elvis Presley and claims that he knew him very well, especially since the two were fighting over Lucille Ball at one point, (which was before he got married), but no one believes him. Mr. Logan loves to watch westerns and game shows in his spare time.

Thelma Carter: Bernice’s white haired cantankerous friend.

Martha “Aunt Martha” Goldberg: Bernice’s first cousin who Dan and the rest of the family call “Aunt Martha”. She’s portrayed as a crazy, feisty, and rather reckless old woman.

Joanne “Ma Jo” Bowers: Another one of Bernice’s friends, Ma Jo’s characterized as a tough, towering, outspoken elderly woman who doesn’t hesitate to “speak her mind”. Dan doesn’t like Ma Jo, but Meredith thinks she’s funny. She is Dan’s arch enemy.

Ellen Bowers Sanford: She’s the middle aged daughter of Mr. Logan and Ma Jo. She is an educated banker and a praying woman who is very active in her church, but when angered, shows aspects of her mother. Ellen is a widow and a mother of two.

Valerie: Thelma’s daughter.

Jethro H. Harper: A very abrasive, strict, and potbellied older man in his late 50s to early 60s who “works every job”. (Literally, he’s worked every job, from being a security guard to a hospital janitor to a school enforcement officer to a mailman to a locksmith to working at an adoption agency to working at an airport to even working at fast food places like McDonald’s and Burger King.) Jethro is usually seen trying to keep order rather there’s trouble or not in a very over-the-top, extreme way. When asked why he was named Jethro, Jethro responds by saying his parents were rednecks who loved The Beverly Hillbillies.

TVLegend
03-04-2022, 03:43 PM
So, what do you think?

opus
03-04-2022, 05:02 PM
I like the name of Thelma's daughter. I think she'll be the breakout star of the show :wave:


By the way, you know you have the main character named after a sitcom actor accused of rape, right?

Judge denies That '70s Show star Danny Masterson's motion to dismiss three rape charges for a second time in yet another blow to his legal defense

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10491119/Judge-denies-70s-star-Danny-Mastersons-motion-dismiss-three-rape-charges.html

TVLegend
03-04-2022, 05:51 PM
I like the name of Thelma's daughter. I think she'll be the breakout star of the show :wave:


By the way, you know you have the main character named after a sitcom actor accused of rape, right?

Judge denies That '70s Show star Danny Masterson's motion to dismiss three rape charges for a second time in yet another blow to his legal defense

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10491119/Judge-denies-70s-star-Danny-Mastersons-motion-dismiss-three-rape-charges.html
Damn. No I don’t. I didn’t even think about the actor. We’ll TRY to avoid that, I can’t think of any other better names.

TVLegend
03-04-2022, 06:20 PM
I like the name of Thelma's daughter. I think she'll be the breakout star of the show :wave:
LOL, sorry to break the news, but I doubt it. Valerie’s planned to be a recurring character, and so is Thelma.

opus
03-04-2022, 06:20 PM
Damn. No I don’t. I didn’t even think about the actor. We’ll TRY to avoid that, I can’t think of any other better names.

Pretty sure if you tried to sell this somewhere they'd ask for a name change. Even if he's found innocent the association would always be there. Heck, even if he was never accused of anything, the name might not have cleared legal, being it's the name of a somewhat well known person.

But the other concepts are sound.

TVLegend
03-04-2022, 06:34 PM
Pretty sure if you tried to sell this somewhere they'd ask for a name change. Even if he's found innocent the association would always be there. Heck, even if he was never accused of anything, the name might not have cleared legal, being it's the name of a somewhat well known person.

But the other concepts are sound.
Actually I’m not trying to sell this somewhere, the “show” is really just something I do in my spare time to keep me busy.

TVLegend
03-05-2022, 12:16 PM
I like the name of Thelma's daughter. I think she'll be the breakout star of the show :wave:
I could see Meredith as a “Valerie”, just a married one.

opus
03-05-2022, 03:25 PM
Actually I’m not trying to sell this somewhere, the “show” is really just something I do in my spare time to keep me busy.

I know. Just for fun. I was just playing network executive.

So, you gonna write up any scripts?

TVLegend
03-05-2022, 03:44 PM
I know. Just for fun. I was just playing network executive.

So, you gonna write up any scripts?
I plan on it, but right now I’m just focusing on the characters.

stevea
03-05-2022, 04:42 PM
Bern Masterson also sounds like there's some Marie Barone, and maybe some Mother Jefferson, mixed in there.

opus
03-05-2022, 04:58 PM
I plan on it, but right now I’m just focusing on the characters.

It feels like you have the groundwork pretty well down. Once you start writing the characters will tell you what direction to take them.

TVLegend
03-05-2022, 05:02 PM
Bern Masterson also sounds like there's some Marie Barone, and maybe some Mother Jefferson, mixed in there.
Yes, Bern is, in a way, similar to Mother Jefferson now that I think about it, but can’t really see any Marie Barone in her, maybe it’s the fact that’s protective of Dan?

stevea
03-05-2022, 05:28 PM
Marie is protective of Ray, and cuts down Debra a lot. Marie's main thing is keeping her house clean, and I wouldn't call her quick-witted. Marie is quiet troublemaker, though, and I picture Bernice from your description as loud, like Thelma Harper.

TVLegend
03-05-2022, 05:50 PM
Marie is protective of Ray, and cuts down Debra a lot. Marie's main thing is keeping her house clean, and I wouldn't call her quick-witted. Marie is quiet troublemaker, though, and I picture Bernice from your description as loud, like Thelma Harper.
Ok. Yeah. I see the connection now. Speaking of loud, what did you think of the Ma Jo character? That one there is a HANDFUL.

stevea
03-05-2022, 09:00 PM
In old TV I could see Reta Shaw playing her.

TVLegend
03-05-2022, 09:15 PM
In old TV I could see Reta Shaw playing her.
LOL. I see what you mean. I think I have a episode planned out where Dan does something that makes Meredith mad, causing her to storm out, and then soon after she leaves Dan falls asleep and has a recurring nightmare about being married to Ma Jo instead of Meredith, and each time he wakes up he’s somehow still in the dream (we’ll see, might scrap the episode in the future).

Zoneboy
03-05-2022, 09:21 PM
Is this family of Masterson's gonna be any relation to Bat Masterson? :D

TVLegend
03-05-2022, 09:42 PM
Is this family of Masterson's gonna be any relation to Bat Masterson? :D
God no. LOL.

opus
03-05-2022, 11:41 PM
who attends Willie Nelson High.

Forgot to say, Willie Nelson High is really good. I like that. Has that double meaning of school and the fact Willie’s famous for smoking weed (i.e. being “high”)

TVLegend
03-06-2022, 12:17 AM
Forgot to say, Willie Nelson High is really good. I like that. Has that double meaning of school and the fact Willie’s famous for smoking weed (i.e. being “high”)
Well, I’ve decided to change it to Valerie Bertinelli High School, (just a joke, I’m aware you were complimenting me).

opus
03-06-2022, 12:27 AM
Well, I’ll change it to Valerie Bertinelli High School, (know you’ll like it).

:confused:

What do you mean? I thought Willie Nelson High was clever. I was complimenting you.

TVLegend
03-07-2022, 06:35 PM
:confused:

What do you mean? I thought Willie Nelson High was clever. I was complimenting you.
I’m aware of that, it was just a joke, that’s what I mean. I hope that clears up any confusion.

TVLegend
03-12-2022, 06:57 PM
Charlie Cheeseman: Dan’s seedy friend who’s been “married three times and divorced three times”. Bernice calls him “Charlie Bumman”.

Renee Masterson Montgomery: The fiery, irrepressible, quarrelsome, browbeating daughter of Bernice. Renee often tends to be over-dramatic, whether something good or bad happens. She is frequently seen bickering with everyone in her family (mostly her mother and her sister, Gloria). It is mentioned numerous times throughout the show that Renee was surprisingly overweight at one time but she eventually decided to lose weight (mainly because of one time where she had to fart after eating a big bowl of chicken n’ dumplings and couldn’t and somehow ended up being rushed to the hospital).

Bob Montgomery: Renee’s mild-mannered, quirky, goofy husband and the son-in-law of Bernice.

Morgan Montgomery: She’s Renee and Bob’s school aged daughter. She is a predominantly unseen character.

Riley Montgomery: Renee and Bob’s teenage son. Riley’s never seen onscreen but he’s described as a rather frisky, hyperactive teenager who has a strange fascination with cross-dressing, much to Bob’s dismay. At the altar, when the reverend announced Bob and Renee as husband and wife, Renee’s water broke (meaning she was already nine months pregnant at the time), and hours later Riley was born.

Gloria “Glo” Masterson Montgomery: Gloria’s the oldest living child of Bernice. Gloria is a self-absorbed, haughty, and rather pretentious mother of three who constantly avoids anything dealing with anyone in her family, especially her mother (she only lives a few streets down from her but Gloria hardly visits her)!

Jason Montgomery: Bob’s brother and Gloria’s second husband who’s eleven years younger than her. Gloria met him while she was living in Brunswick, Georgia.

Chelsie Conner: Gloria’s daughter. She is a predominantly unseen character.

Todd Conner: Gloria’s son. He is a predominantly unseen character.

Landon Conner: Gloria’s other son and the youngest of Gloria’s three children. He is predominantly unseen character.

Michael Conner: The deceased first husband of Gloria. He died in an automobile accident when Chelsie, Todd, and Landon were only children.

Gregory “Greg” Masterson: Dan’s younger brother and Bernice’s other son, who she refers to as “The Cowboy Crackpot”. Not much is known about him but he is described as a money-loving person who often uses up all his money to buy lottery scratch cards, hoping to win. It is also mentioned how he can’t seem to keep a job. Gregory lives in a trailer park in Augusta, Georgia.

Sharon Masterson: She’s Gregory’s fourth wife who has a tremendous disdain for Bernice, hence why she and Gregory hardly attend any of the family gatherings. Sharon works as a truck driver. Together, she and Gregory have eleven children.

Frank Masterson Sr.: A predominantly unseen character, Frank is the late husband of Bernice and Gloria, Dan, Renee, and Gregory’s deceased father. He’s characterized as a lazy grouch who spent the vast majority of his life sitting in his rocking chair, with his hand down his pants, watching TV and sipping on beer. (In fact, he died shortly after suffering a heart attack and collapsing in front of his rocking chair! Bernice found him on the floor in the middle of the living room with his hand down his pants and spilled beer cans all over the floor). Frank’s occasionally made mention of, especially by Bernice.

Frank “Frankie” Masterson Jr.: Dan’s deceased brother and Bernice’s firstborn. Not much is known about him but it is implied that he was killed after getting hit by a train as Bernice says she was told his last words were, “Ah, sh*t, it’s a train!”

Reverend Woody Woodman: The Mastersons’ browbeaten minister who preaches at “Pilgrim Baptist Community Church”, a local church they attend.

Molly Woodman: Reverend Woodman’s snooty, stuck up wife.

TVLegend
04-23-2022, 05:42 PM
Meredith’s Family…

Otto “Big Pa” Harker: Meredith’s pipe-smoking, stout father who lives at Harker Oaks, a manor in Pigford Park, (a small community in Conyers, Georgia that’s known as “The Home of The Twig Bank”) with his wife, Elizabeth Harker. Otto walks with a cane and is mostly seen wearing denim overalls with a white cowboy hat.

Elizabeth “Liz” Harker: Meredith’s mother and Otto’s wife. Elizabeth’s a naive but caring woman who, most of the time, thinks of everyone BUT herself. She and Otto have seven children.

Connie Harker: Connie’s the spacey, peculiar oldest sister of Meredith and Otto and Elizabeth’s second oldest child. Connie appears to hate kids but is obsessed with cats (in fact, she lives all by herself…and her 11 pet cats she brings to every family gathering!) Mark, D.J., and Monica refer to her as “Aunt Cat Lady.”

Millie Harker: Meredith’s older sister. Like her sister, Connie, Millie is unmarried but has four children, twin boys named Lane and Cane, and two daughters named Debi Jo and Sidney. There’s an ongoing reference that Millie’s children are so out of control that she keeps them on child leashes!

Aurora Harker Jones: Meredith’s estranged younger sister and Otto and Elizabeth’s fourth oldest child. Aurora hardly attends any of the family gatherings, mainly because of her being married to a black man, (which often causes awkwardness and discomfort when the family’s all together).

Tyrone Jones: Aurora’s husband.

Katie Ann Harker Landers: The snippy, obnoxious youngest sister of Meredith and the youngest of seven children. She’s married to A.J. Landers, who owns a string of massage parlors. Together, she and A.J. have three children: Billie Katie Jean, Summer Autumn, and Arthur Willie.

A.J. Landers: He’s Katie Ann’s husband.

Elliott Harker: Elliot’s the oldest brother of Meredith and Otto and Elizabeth’s oldest child. He’s a commercial artist who lives in Beverly Hills, California with his wife, Gretchen, and his son, Danny. Since Elliot’s a very busy man, he misses the family gatherings a lot, and in fact, Mark, D.J., and Monica haven’t seen him since they were little. It’s mentioned that Elliott often appears via video conference.

Gretchen Harker: Elliott’s wife.

Danny Harker: Elliott’s son.

Billy Joe Harker: Meredith’s youngest brother and Otto and Elizabeth’s sixth oldest child. Once a junkman, Billy Joe is now jobless and seems to spend his time making rather bizarre handicraft items, which he refers to as “works of art.” He lives with Otto and Elizabeth at Harker Oaks.

TVLegend
06-10-2022, 11:13 PM
:bump


After some long thought, I’ve decided to put everything on hold dealing with The Mastersons as I work on another project (yes, another project). In fact, I’ve already completed an episode of my other project titled “Livin’ The Life.” You can view the finished work in the Fan Fiction board. If you do, I’d like some input and feedback. Thanks in advance. :wave:

TVLegend
06-11-2022, 09:53 PM
You can reply to the “Livin’ The Life” thread anytime, it’s in Fan Fiction, please don’t be afraid…

TVLegend
06-16-2022, 04:57 PM
Episode 2 of Livin’ The Life is out!

Wawwie
06-16-2022, 05:05 PM
This is a thread I created for a show I’ve been working on called The Mastersons, a sitcom that’s set in Savannah, Georgia.
This has been a fun read! Great job! :cool:

You can reply to the “Livin’ The Life” thread anytime, it’s in Fan Fiction, please don’t be afraid… I can't find it.

TVLegend
06-16-2022, 05:10 PM
I can't find it.
It’s posted in the Fan Fiction board, it shouldn’t be that hard to find. Try to scroll down, thoroughly. You should eventually see it, I posted two episodes there.

Wawwie
06-16-2022, 05:17 PM
It’s posted in the Fan Fiction board, it shouldn’t be that hard to find. Try to scroll down, thoroughly. You should eventually see it, I posted two episodes there.

OK, found it! I'll check it out now.

TVLegend
07-09-2022, 01:42 PM
Episode 3 of Livin’ The Life is posted in Fan Fiction.