Talk:Mercury

Character Missions

Change how we do character descriptions? Possibly assign them "roles" or a "driving mission" - a single, simple characteristic that defines them and their overall motivations.

Examples:

Agnes is driven by a desire for things to get back to normal.

Max is driven by the need to find the truth.

Dr. Clark is driven by the need to find a cure.

Wade is driven by the need to survive.

This MAY cut down on people assigning the wrong line to characters.

Potential Character Notes

William Slemp

William is a survivalist who came late to the movement. In his 50s, William served in the military during the first incarnation of the Gulf War. He received extensive military training, but never saw actual combat due to a leg injury he suffered during a training exercise that later fully healed, but was enough to keep him off the front lines during his rehab. He feels some level of guilt for not being able to make a greater contribution, but knows intellectually that he did all he could. After being honorably discharged William became interested in the survivalist movement that sprang up around the Y2K phenomenon and, when that crisis failed to materialize, kept up the training and stockpiling of supplies because it seemed like a "better safe than sorry" approach. He isn't prone to paranoia and regards Max's conspiracy theories as harmless fun, but he certainly doesn't take them seriously. He is skilled with various forms of self-defense and assorted weapons, but William's primary survival skill is his ability to be aware of his environment and to improvise solutions with whatever might be at hand. He has an ex-wife that he hasn't seen in 10 years and no children. He is also a recovering alcoholic, an addiction he picked up while sorting through his guilt at missing out on combat missions, and has not had alcohol in 7 years. Writer's Note - William will not 'fall off the wagon' during the series. He is welcome to discuss cravings, muse on the challenges of overcoming addiction, and discuss the consequences of that addiction, but he will not relapse, not even for a mini-arc.

Jennifer Long

Jennifer is a practicing Christian and believes strongly that the Lord will save humanity from the zombie outbreak, which she regards not as judgment or punishment, but as a part of God's overall plan. Her faith sustains her and she will make frequent references to it in each episode she appears in, especially if she is the primary speaking character.

Writer's Note - Jennifer Long's religion is intended to bring a different perspective to the overall situation. It is not unheard of for religion to be a part of zombie mythology, what with the dead rising from their graves and all. It is imperitive, however, that Jennifer's character be treated with respect. She is NOT a parody, she is not given to crackpot theories, she does not cast judgment on those who disagree with her, she isn't self-righteous, and she doesn't preach or proselytize. She is a regular person who happens to have strong beliefs and she respects others who have strong beliefs that differ from hers. Every writer who contributes to the project is welcome and encouraged to write for Jennifer, but episodes with her character are going to be under greater scrutiny to ensure that these guidelines are followed.

Story Arcs

To help focus the stories being written by guest writers, the concept of "story arcs" is being discussed. The idea would be to present a whole concept to the group/class instead of a simple writing prompt. This would allow the group to collaborate to discuss concepts that are too advanced for a single episode. Ideas for story arcs include...

• The discovery of the zombies' hydrophobia
• The saga of Agnes's desire to have a pet
• The progression of Agnes's relationship with her boyfriend's voicemail
• Others to be determined

Standalone episodes are still encouraged, but given the propensity of guest writers to want to tell stories, these could help focus those and cut down on what are effectively duplicate episodes.

First Episodes

1. Pilot - This is where we are. What has just happened? -- Mercury begins with the station returning to the airwaves after a lengthy, but indeterminate absence. The three residents of the station, Max, Agnes, and Dr. Clark, have a brief celebration and then attempt to recap for any listeners what has happened and where the situation is currently. They become aware that there is someone living in the lighthouse, but there's nothing they can do about it now.
2. I Want to Start Over - Why are we broadcasting? -- The next day, Max goes on the air again to deliver the news, but finds that he feels inadequate to the task. Dr. Clark helps him understand that everyone is just doing their best.
3. Agnes Episode - Intro the name -- Agnes talks a little about herself, her boyfriend and the voicemail he left for her, and suggests that the broadcast needs a name.
4. Max Episode - conspiracy -- Max begins to speculate on the causes of the zombie outbreak, but does so in a completely outlandish way. The others aren't sure if he's serious or not.
5. Dr. Clark Episode - Observations -- Dr. Clark gives the listeners a little background on herself and speculates about the zombies' seeming revulsion to water.
6. Jennifer Episode - Faith -- The family from the lighthouse is revealed, with the mother of two children going on the air with a different perspective on the situation.
7. Wade Episode - Survival -- The trio of station residents gets an unexpected visitor when a man on the run from the undead pounds on their door seeking shelter. He then points out a number of holes in their border security and offers practical advice.
8. Agnes - Acceptance of the name, "I Heart Anus" -- Agnes, who has been advocating for the name Mercury since the third day, finally provides enough support for her argument to win over the others by demonstrating the power of a name through an embarrassing anecdote from her past.
9. Funny? -- Max decides a little levity is called for by telling a bunch of really awful jokes.
10. Break the Fourth Wall - explanation of the series -- The series creators sit down to talk about the process that led them to where they are and helps new listeners get a grasp on what's in store for the survivors.