Fic: They're Watching - Character Bible
For chaos_thon (I changed quite a bit of the storyline and added some new characters)
Title: They’re Watching
Original Premise: A Faux Talk Show In A World Where Vampires Are Out Of The Coffin
Summary: An aging late night talk show host (Malcolm Avery, played by Anthony Head) is having trouble coming to terms with the fact that his ratings are slipping in the wake of vampires taking over television. When network executives decide to shake things up by bringing on a new co-host that just happens to be a vampire, Malcolm goes out of his way to sabotage her debut on the show. On top of this, his ex wife is still ever present in his life and basking in his every failure. Oh, and an underground sect of vampires are in the process of carrying out a plot to control the human race.
Malcolm Avery (Anthony Stewart Head)
Host of The Goodnight Show for the last 20 years, he comes from the school of Jack Benny and Johnny Carson, a style that is slowly being phased out as the networks try to appeal to the younger generation. He's got a sharp tongue and a quick wit and indulges in alcohol just a little too much. It's widely known around the studio that he often seduces the young interns. His ex wife is the bane of his existence, and yet a part of him still loves her and can’t quite let her go. They had one child together, a daughter, who he has a strained relationship with. He was the shining star of the network, a living legend, but when his ratings start to noticeably decline as vampires become all the rage, the network brings in a new co-host, and Malcolm fears that his days are numbered.
Olivia McDonnell (Katie McGrath)
The new co-host of The Goodnight Show. She immediately butts heads with Malcolm and believes that her ways are better than his. In fact, she fully intends on proving that Malcolm is no longer needed. She knows of his philandering ways and has already concluded that he's a giant sleaze ball past his prime. She carries herself with confidence and a sort of graceful determination, having little patience for opinions that she deems useless. She can match Malcolm wit for wit, and although she’s been in the world a great deal longer than he has, she quickly comes to realize (after a few missteps) that in the world of television, Malcolm Avery could be a very valuable teacher.
Joan Avery (Judith Light)
Malcolm's ex-wife. She's the daughter of a big time producer who was responsible for giving Malcolm his big break (her father is now deceased). Malcolm and Joan married young and were at one time very much in love, but years of bitter resentment and adultery tore them apart. They both had big dreams, but they were supposed to accomplish them together, and Malcolm never quite realized just how much Joan did for him until she wasn't his anymore. Their interactions now mostly consist of insults and Joan delighting in Malcolm's every misfortune, but every now and then, in moments where they really need each other and come through for each other, they both get melancholy about the way things could have been, the way things should have been, and... then they end up fighting, followed by some overly dramatic slamming of doors.
Elizabeth Avery (Maggie Lawson)
Growing up, Elizabeth always felt neglected by her father, like he cared more about his job and his fans than he did her. Naturally, she blames him for her parents' divorce. Despite this, she still gets together with her father once a week for dinner where he tries to make up for everything that he missed during her childhood and she tries to not resent him. She's a high school math teacher and Malcolm just does not understand that career choice at all, and often voices these thoughts to her.
Scott Turner (Tim Omundson)
Elizabeth's fiancé, and the principal of the school where she works. Malcolm so does not approve.
Saul Solomon (Larry David)
Malcolm's producer. He's all curmudgeonly and put-upon (naturally) and threatens to leave Malcolm every day, but Malcolm knows that Saul totally loves him with all his heart. They'd do anything for each other.
Dayton Winters (Harry Lennix)
The main network executive in charge of The Goodnight Show. He made the decision to keep Malcolm instead of replacing him all together, and he often gets stuck with settling the various disputes that happen between Malcolm and Olivia, even though, technically, that’s Saul’s job.
Kevin Horner (Ed Helms)
The son of the now deceased Bob Horner, he runs Horner Agencies. Malcolm Avery is his #1 client. Unfortunately, Malcolm finds him to be an irritating nitwit who has no clue what he’s doing, but Bob was his agent for more than 20 years and so he can’t bring himself to fire Bob’s only son.
David “Davey” Jones (Cheyenne Jackson)
Malcolm’s personal assistant. David is the only assistant that Malcolm has ever had that’s managed to put up with him for more than a few months. In fact, he’s been with Malcolm for three years and counting. He knows what Malcolm needs before Malcolm even knows what he needs, and he knows not to take Malcolm’s insults to heart. Although it may appear to others that Malcolm treats David terribly, David knows that Malcolm cares about him, so much so that Malcolm paid for his mother’s chemo treatments when her insurance refused to cover it.
Karl Hahn (Christoph Waltz)
The leader of the underground sect of vampires (Hahn’s Army) that are attempting to control the human race. Hahn believes that by infiltrating the television and film industries, he can get humans to trust the vampires implicitly, admire them, even want to be vampires. His very presence commands power, and he has a deadly calm about him that is unnerving to man and vampire alike. He appreciates social institutions and conducting oneself in a dignified manner. He also takes great pleasure in torturing his victims before he kills them, both physically and mentally. He has a special interest in Olivia. He sired her, taught her how to thrive as a vampire, and no matter how many he’s sired after her, none have been able to compare to her companionship, her cunning, her beauty… her courage to leave him.
Maxim Dmitriev (Garret Dillahunt)
Hahn’s enforcer. He’s the silent type, but deadly nonetheless. He’s loyal to Hahn in a way that Olivia never could be, and yet it is Olivia that Hahn admires, Olivia that Hahn holds as the gold standard, and Maxim hates her for that.
Dickie Wilson (Ricky Gervais)
Host of Lights Out, a late night talk show on a rival network, Malcolm’s main competition for the past five years. He’s working for Hahn’s Army and has a tendency to talk without thinking, which often puts him in bad graces with Karl Hahn. He never misses an opportunity to mock Malcolm whenever he sees him.
Title: They’re Watching
Original Premise: A Faux Talk Show In A World Where Vampires Are Out Of The Coffin
Summary: An aging late night talk show host (Malcolm Avery, played by Anthony Head) is having trouble coming to terms with the fact that his ratings are slipping in the wake of vampires taking over television. When network executives decide to shake things up by bringing on a new co-host that just happens to be a vampire, Malcolm goes out of his way to sabotage her debut on the show. On top of this, his ex wife is still ever present in his life and basking in his every failure. Oh, and an underground sect of vampires are in the process of carrying out a plot to control the human race.
Malcolm Avery (Anthony Stewart Head)
Host of The Goodnight Show for the last 20 years, he comes from the school of Jack Benny and Johnny Carson, a style that is slowly being phased out as the networks try to appeal to the younger generation. He's got a sharp tongue and a quick wit and indulges in alcohol just a little too much. It's widely known around the studio that he often seduces the young interns. His ex wife is the bane of his existence, and yet a part of him still loves her and can’t quite let her go. They had one child together, a daughter, who he has a strained relationship with. He was the shining star of the network, a living legend, but when his ratings start to noticeably decline as vampires become all the rage, the network brings in a new co-host, and Malcolm fears that his days are numbered.
Olivia McDonnell (Katie McGrath)
The new co-host of The Goodnight Show. She immediately butts heads with Malcolm and believes that her ways are better than his. In fact, she fully intends on proving that Malcolm is no longer needed. She knows of his philandering ways and has already concluded that he's a giant sleaze ball past his prime. She carries herself with confidence and a sort of graceful determination, having little patience for opinions that she deems useless. She can match Malcolm wit for wit, and although she’s been in the world a great deal longer than he has, she quickly comes to realize (after a few missteps) that in the world of television, Malcolm Avery could be a very valuable teacher.
Joan Avery (Judith Light)
Malcolm's ex-wife. She's the daughter of a big time producer who was responsible for giving Malcolm his big break (her father is now deceased). Malcolm and Joan married young and were at one time very much in love, but years of bitter resentment and adultery tore them apart. They both had big dreams, but they were supposed to accomplish them together, and Malcolm never quite realized just how much Joan did for him until she wasn't his anymore. Their interactions now mostly consist of insults and Joan delighting in Malcolm's every misfortune, but every now and then, in moments where they really need each other and come through for each other, they both get melancholy about the way things could have been, the way things should have been, and... then they end up fighting, followed by some overly dramatic slamming of doors.
Elizabeth Avery (Maggie Lawson)
Growing up, Elizabeth always felt neglected by her father, like he cared more about his job and his fans than he did her. Naturally, she blames him for her parents' divorce. Despite this, she still gets together with her father once a week for dinner where he tries to make up for everything that he missed during her childhood and she tries to not resent him. She's a high school math teacher and Malcolm just does not understand that career choice at all, and often voices these thoughts to her.
Scott Turner (Tim Omundson)
Elizabeth's fiancé, and the principal of the school where she works. Malcolm so does not approve.
Saul Solomon (Larry David)
Malcolm's producer. He's all curmudgeonly and put-upon (naturally) and threatens to leave Malcolm every day, but Malcolm knows that Saul totally loves him with all his heart. They'd do anything for each other.
Dayton Winters (Harry Lennix)
The main network executive in charge of The Goodnight Show. He made the decision to keep Malcolm instead of replacing him all together, and he often gets stuck with settling the various disputes that happen between Malcolm and Olivia, even though, technically, that’s Saul’s job.
Kevin Horner (Ed Helms)
The son of the now deceased Bob Horner, he runs Horner Agencies. Malcolm Avery is his #1 client. Unfortunately, Malcolm finds him to be an irritating nitwit who has no clue what he’s doing, but Bob was his agent for more than 20 years and so he can’t bring himself to fire Bob’s only son.
David “Davey” Jones (Cheyenne Jackson)
Malcolm’s personal assistant. David is the only assistant that Malcolm has ever had that’s managed to put up with him for more than a few months. In fact, he’s been with Malcolm for three years and counting. He knows what Malcolm needs before Malcolm even knows what he needs, and he knows not to take Malcolm’s insults to heart. Although it may appear to others that Malcolm treats David terribly, David knows that Malcolm cares about him, so much so that Malcolm paid for his mother’s chemo treatments when her insurance refused to cover it.
Karl Hahn (Christoph Waltz)
The leader of the underground sect of vampires (Hahn’s Army) that are attempting to control the human race. Hahn believes that by infiltrating the television and film industries, he can get humans to trust the vampires implicitly, admire them, even want to be vampires. His very presence commands power, and he has a deadly calm about him that is unnerving to man and vampire alike. He appreciates social institutions and conducting oneself in a dignified manner. He also takes great pleasure in torturing his victims before he kills them, both physically and mentally. He has a special interest in Olivia. He sired her, taught her how to thrive as a vampire, and no matter how many he’s sired after her, none have been able to compare to her companionship, her cunning, her beauty… her courage to leave him.
Maxim Dmitriev (Garret Dillahunt)
Hahn’s enforcer. He’s the silent type, but deadly nonetheless. He’s loyal to Hahn in a way that Olivia never could be, and yet it is Olivia that Hahn admires, Olivia that Hahn holds as the gold standard, and Maxim hates her for that.
Dickie Wilson (Ricky Gervais)
Host of Lights Out, a late night talk show on a rival network, Malcolm’s main competition for the past five years. He’s working for Hahn’s Army and has a tendency to talk without thinking, which often puts him in bad graces with Karl Hahn. He never misses an opportunity to mock Malcolm whenever he sees him.