Series Name:
Toronto's FriendsGenre: Sitcom
Camera Type: Multi-cam
Run-Time: Half-hour or 30 minute sitcom
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Tagline: "Sometimes you'll always need your friends"
Style and Series Background:Toronto's Friends will be a continuation of the hit 90s sitcom Friends. This is my first straight direct spin-off/remake of any past series. The series takes place in present day. The series will be based off the original Friends but it will be an added mix of life with people from our studio here in Toronto. Some of the people in our studio live with many people and even some teens so we wanted to tell this story. The show is going to be hip, attractive and relatable to all people.
Short Premise:Eleven diverse varied age strangers move into a Toronto apartment complex that's owned by a paleontologist named Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) who's looking to make some extra income after moving from New York to Toronto. The strangers end up roommating and become very close friends living life in the city of Toronto. These friends will be very funny people.
Premise:Ross Geller from Friends moves from New York to Toronto after he made a ton of money on a new promotion. Ross now owns a new Toronto museum and a new Toronto apartment complex called Central Perk Arms named after his favorite coffee hangout. Ross after now becoming a new found millionaire is hoping to make an extra income from setting a separate part of the apartment complex which feature 3 connected apartments in one called Tripled Housing Apartment. He will do that by moving in 11 strangers from all over America and some locals from Ontario and Toronto. 3 teens will move in with 9 adults. One of the adults will become the landlord of the building and will live with them in the connected apartment. The landlord name is Melvin Geller and is a Canadian cousin of Ross'. Once they move in they'll all have to adapt to each other but its tough but they'll make it work as they'll become best friends with each other making their family atmosphere with it. The struggles of making rent and paying bills along with being bothered with their annoying landlord will take a toll on them at times. Ross will not live with them and will only show up at times during the show's run.
Central Perk Arms Apartment Complex:The Central Perk Arms Apartment Complex includes all the immunities that all new buildings have with up to the standard technology including their coffee shop/bar hangout.
Characters:Melvin Geller, 44, Toronto - A 44 year old obnoxious, annoying, lazy funnyman who is the landlord of the Central Perk. He is the Canadian cousin of Ross Geller. Melvin is constantly bugging the hell out of his roommates over everything that you can think. The roommates already have very little privacy and he just adds to it making it worse. He is a good loyal husband to his wife but he's far from perfect as Emily constantly has to put him in his place. He does things that other people just wouldn't do but he keeps the building sane.
Emily Thornton-Geller, 36, Toronto - Melvin's wife Emily is what holds the glue to that marriage. She makes sure Melvin sometimes isn't too nosy or doing things that he isn't supposed as a respectful landlord. She is a charmer and romantic lady who wants his attention but he barely gives it to her at times. Emily is a strong independent type woman who doesn't have to be married but she is. Emily has respect for the roommates and some of the younger girls look up to her.
Cory Baxter, 16, San Francisco - Kyle Massey brings his character over from That's So Raven and Cory in the House under a darker circumstance. After Cory has a fight with his father, he gets kicked out and now flees north of the border hoping to find himself. Cory is still a very light-hearted funny character once he moves in to Central Perk Arms. Cory is the youngest male in the house so he has a lot to learn from his new found friends. Cory is a jokester and he loves to eat. Cory's good spirit is good for the house during down times.
Matt Hill, 26, Los Angeles - A struggling actor named Matt Hill moves to Toronto after he finds out about new acting opportunities on UPN. Matt spends a lot of time focusing on getting his acting career together. Matt also struggles in his love life as he just can't stay with one girl. Matt is a very sarcastic dude who makes a joke every second he has the chance to.
Lily Parker, 18, Toronto - Lily is a local from Toronto who recently dropped out of school and now has to find a new place to live. Lily loves to shop and spend money and that's her downfall when it comes to her paying for her share of the rent or making bills. Lily's a very spoiled brat from a rich family but her ways couldn't be put up from her parents anymore. Lily now has to find her way as a beautiful 18 year old who needs to focus on finishing school and doing something with her life. Lily is an airhead at heart.
Jen "Engine" Sanford, 20, Boston - This Boston girl nicknamed Jen Jen or the engine that could b/c of her high-energy. Jen is very hyper and goofy doing things that people aren't sometimes supposed to do. Jen has a motor mouth and loves to talk and over talk people making her annoying at times. Jen is very sociable and has a good train of thought on her. Jen is an enemy times as she is from Boston and has a love for all the major Boston sport teams, a city that Torontians hate and holds rivalry with.
Elizabeth Patterson, 26, Jacksonville - Liz is a very romantic girl and goes to college. She is very smart, bright and independent. She is the one sane girl in the house and can be described as being very strict. Liz sometimes can be a reliable mother source for the roommates. Liz has to cover the bills most of the times. She's very handy and does most of the house's decorating. She cleans a lot, more than she needs to. Liz has a romantic interest in one of her neighbors named Martin but keeps it a secret at first.
Paul Chen, 21, New York City - Paul is a complete stoner and has a bad habit of masturbating. Paul loves to rap and dance but his airhead personality especially when he's high has you thinking.....WTF is this guy on? Paul dropped out of NYU and is now a lazy bum who just sits on his ass playing videogames, on the internet and watching TV every minute of the day. Paul loves to drink and is a complete party animal. You can Paul to be the funniest character on the show who isn't trying to be funny but the same can be said for Dana Storms.
Dana Storms, 20, San Diego - Dana is your typical Southern California airhead who is very ditsy. Maybe a little too ditsy as she comes off very dumb. Sometimes she'll make you hit the TV screen saying obvious stuff. Dana has a very random personality. Dana is very reserved to her male roommates, shutting them out whenever she can but she barely dresses half the time wearing very high tight hot shorts. Dana can come off very clueless and clumsy.
Rebecca Horner, 19, Windsor - Very character friendly personality and upbeat personality. Becky can be described as a tomboy and sometimes she'll go lesbian on you. Becky is an aspiring dancer who regularly break dances with kids on the streets. Speaking of Becky she is very street in her personality as she used to sell drugs until she got out of jail. Ross is helping her out with her probation stint, hoping that a move into a stable environment will help her.
Greg Hansen, 27, Portland - Greg is the ultimate jock and meat head. Greg was originally the star franchise quarterback for a professional Toronto team 6 years ago but he was a bust so the fans remind him of it everytime they see him. Greg is now turning to a new profession hoping to become a fighter in either mixed martial-arts, wrestling or boxing. He constantly trains and challenges everybody to spar with him in the house. Greg is the ultimate ladies man bringing over a new chick almost every night and the roommates can't put up with it. Greg loves Keke but she denies him everytime.
Kina Ryan, 16, Philadelphia - The 16 year old teen from Philly has run away from her town in order to avoid attending the dangerous Bell Academy. Kina is wanted but the law doesn't no where she is so she smartly flees north of the border and tries to revamp her life up there but sometimes falls into prostituting and becoming a video girl then successfully becoming a model. Kina grows a lot in this series and its interesting to see her growth every year.
Keke Rollins, 23, Washington, DC - Keke is the only girl in the house with a career going working for the Toronto Star as a writer. Keke brings in the most income. Keke is a young girl at heart but she shows a lot of maturity. Keke is a mother but she gave her baby up in her high school years after not being able to take care of it. Keke has babies and marriage on her mind a lot and seeing Melvin and Emily's marriage is something that she wants to be apart of but living with her new roommates keeps that from happening.
David Schwimmer as Ross Geller (recurring star)
Kevin James as Melvin Geller
Jennifer Connelly as Emily Thornton-Geller
Kyle Massey as Cory Baxter
Justin Long as Matt Hill
Lily Collins as Lily Parker
Scout Taylor-Compton as Jen “Engine” Sanford
Alexandra Holden as Elizabeth Patterson
Aaron Yoo as Paul Chen
Jacqueline MacInnes Wood as Rebecca Horner
Joey Harrington as Greg Hansen
Kina Dean as Kina Ryan
Shoshana Bush as Dana Storms
April Clark as Keke Rollins
Goals for the show:We are hoping to bring the theme of friends back to TV. We think every generation should grow up with their TV friends. This is a story that has lots of room for growth and interesting characters that stand out that mix together with great chemistry. Also being able to successfully show life here in Toronto.
Network Time:Anytime is suited for this show as its for everybody.