Stephen
played by Parrish Hurley
Stephen is 6’4,” wickedly funny (although self-deprecating) and most at home in a sports pub watching football with his closest pals Darren and Patrick. He realized he was queer when he was five years old and knew to suppress it, resulting in a painfully awkward adolescence and solace within a vividly active imagination. Stephen eschews reality for the fantasy world inside his head and only those closest to him know what a sharp wit he is.
A talented actor, Stephen’s discomfort in his own skin makes him an instant mess in audition situations - Thank God his Microsoft skills are above par or he’d never pay the bills. His interests and outlook often misalign him with the gay community, making it hard for him to meet other men and leaving him somewhat lonely (and sometimes downright self-loathing and homophobic). He works out his problems by doing battle with a subconscious projection named the F Train Messiah - a rhyming and scheming Jiminy Cricket who helps Stephen see the light.
Stephen, a natural cynic, would rather stay in his bubble and associate only with Darren and Patrick. Stephen is emotionally dependent on roommate Darren, in fact; although Darren is forthrightly heterosexual, enjoying random encounters with the ladies in the same way Stephen does with the men, Stephen is satisfied to come home to a best friend and confidante. As the series progresses, he will have to deal with not only Patrick’s marriage, but Darren’s settling down, getting serious with the love of his life, and moving out.
Darren
played by Stas May
A product of an affluent family, Darren has nonetheless an outstanding work ethic and a willingness to struggle for his art. Despite incredible good-looks and charms, Darren discovered his passion and talent lay not in acting, but storytelling, and worked to create an impressive body of scripts and short films. Vowing never to bartend again, Darren took an entry-level position at a production company to support his dream of writing and directing feature films by learning the ins and outs of the industry and now finds himself an associate producer in reality television. One recurring episode format is Darren describing the plot of a script-in-progress to Stephen and Patrick while Stephen re-imagines the tale with the trio taking main roles. Other times, places and characters will be visited in these episodes, the tales highlighting, strengthening and reinforcing (if not juxtaposing) the three pals’ existing relationships.
A natural leader, Darren is the most level-headed and practical of the three friends. The ladies love him, and Darren needs to be loved. In the first season he meets his match in co-worker Cassandra, a no-nonsense, Ivy League libertine and the one woman immune to his charm. He loves Stephen and Patrick like brothers, and as the series progresses, Darren slows down the one-night stands, eventually falling in love and becoming engaged. This shift throws Stephen’s social order into chaos.
Patrick
played by Patrick Edgar
If Stephen is the cynic, then Patrick is most definitely the optimist. The youngest of the three friends (and the most recent arrival in New York), Patrick is an attractive and talented actor managing consistent employment in the industry, most prominently in national commercials. Despite Stephen’s criticizing Patrick for being a bit naïve, Patrick knows he’s not flying through life as a wide-eyed beneficiary of dumb luck, and he often dispenses the sagest advice, much to Stephen’s chagrin. As the series progresses, Stephen discovers he is less jealous of Patrick’s successes as he is of Patrick’s comfort in his own skin. Much of Stephen’s journey lies in realizing these two things are directly proportionate.
Patrick, as enthusiastic a drinker as Darren and Stephen, is engaged to the lovely former party girl Ana, and frequently ribbed by his pals for not wearing the pants in the relationship. The first season deals with Patrick’s forthcoming wedding, and further storylines find Patrick becoming a father.
The F Train Messiah
played by Brian Dykstra
A product of Stephen’s subconscious, The F Train Messiah reflects Stephen’s insecurities by calling him ‘Too Tall Nancy.’ Manifesting immediately following Stephen’s biggest crises, The F Train Messiah is a seedy Jiminy Cricket to Stephen’s Pinocchio. Part conscience, part beat poet, only Stephen can see the Messiah, who appears as a homeless subway performance artist when Stephen’s on the brink of a meltdown. Fiercely observant and decidedly sharp-tongued, The F Train Messiah plays dumb, baiting Stephen into drawing his own conclusions and making decisions.
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