The Mastersons: A project I’m currently working on - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

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

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/art...e-charges.html

TVLegend · 03-04-2022, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

I like the name of Thelma's daughter. I think she'll be the breakout star of the show

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/art...e-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

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

I like the name of Thelma's daughter. I think she'll be the breakout star of the show

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVLegend

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

I like the name of Thelma's daughter. I think she'll be the breakout star of the show

I could see Meredith as a “Valerie”, just a married one.

opus · 03-05-2022, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVLegend

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by opus

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVLegend

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

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.

03-03-2022, 06:24 PM	#1
TVLegend Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 06, 2020 Location: United States Posts: 4,306	The Mastersons: A project I’m currently working on 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.
	Last edited by TVLegend; 03-04-2022 at 03:42 PM.

03-04-2022, 03:43 PM	#2
TVLegend Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 06, 2020 Location: United States Posts: 4,306	So, what do you think?

03-04-2022, 05:02 PM	#3
opus VB Forum Superstar Join Date: May 16, 2015 Location: VB Galaxy Posts: 32,502	I like the name of Thelma's daughter. I think she'll be the breakout star of the show 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/art...e-charges.html

03-05-2022, 04:42 PM	#11
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,706	Bern Masterson also sounds like there's some Marie Barone, and maybe some Mother Jefferson, mixed in there.

03-05-2022, 05:28 PM	#14
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,706	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.