A cynical massage therapist, moves his family to a new town, and gets in over his head with clients that will stop at nothing to get their way, financially or emotionally.

SYNOPSIS:

Dual Relationships

Date of Creation: 1/9/2016

Creator: John Sera

Genre: Drama (Teleplay)

Logline: How far is a massage therapist willing to go when life rubs him the wrong way? Dave, A cynical massage therapist, moves his family to a new town, and gets in over his head with clients that will stop at nothing to get their way, whether it is financially or emotionally.

Concept-

“In the field of health and medicine, a “dual relationship” is a relationship where multiple roles exist between practitioners and their clients.”

In the pilot, Dave Barrett is introduced as a licensed massage therapist in his mid-thirties that moves his family to a small upstate New York town to pursue a better life. Although he loves what he does, lately he has become disenchanted by how the business has become overrun with illegal practices which are slowly destroying his livelihood. Dave’s cynicism is paired with a straight forward biting wit which sets him apart from the average massage therapist.

Dave learns very quickly that small town living is not all it’s cracked up to be. Early on he meets a client that has ulterior motives for befriending him. Next, he finds himself in the middle of a kidnapping investigation. Before he knows it, Dave is unwittingly thrown into a world where greed reigns supreme and the people involved will stop at nothing to get their way, whether it be financially or emotionally. Ultimately, Dave learns a valuable lesson, “Be careful what you wish for.” Unfortunately for Dave, he might learn that lesson too late.

Cast of Characters

Dave Barrett – Dave is a good looking, smart, licensed massage therapist with a medium build in his mid- thirties. He has a biting wit that may offend those that do not know him well. Dave is happily married with a young child. He is usually level headed and honest, but at times circumstances may cause him to cross the line to satisfy his needs.

Terri Barrett – Terri is Dave’s wife and a musician by trade. She is a pretty, petite, dark hired woman in her early thirties. Terri supports Dave with all her heart and is often the voice of reason when things get rough. She shares Dave’s seen of humor and beliefs which are the primary reasons they get along so well together.

Scott Eastman – Scott is a shrewd, middle aged gentleman that becomes Dave’s first client in the small upstate New York town. Scott is a very friendly individual, charming almost everyone who meets him. However, underneath it all he is a ruthless, conniving, businessman that manipulates others into getting what he wants. Scott doesn’t care who he hurts along the way and everyone in his path is a potential victim to his wrath.

Brett McCarthy – Brett McCarthy is a friendly, handsome, man in his twenties that has just graduated college. He was last seen leaving work in the town of Piermont, New York six months earlier. Brett hasn’t been seen since and there has been no trace left behind. Brett may have disappeared from a small town, but his absence has had a huge impact.

Cara McCarthy – Cara is a young, blond massage therapist that works at the same spa as Dave. As Brett’s younger sister, she is desperate to find out what has happened to him. Thinking that Dave is an undercover cop, Cara befriends him and tells him about Brett’s disappearance. Upon finding out that Dave is not affiliated in any way with law enforcement, she enlists his help regardless. Cara is not one to take risks, but will do whatever she can where Brett is concerned.

Lieutenant Louis Decker – Decker is a veteran police officer in his fifties working out of the Piermont precinct. Although the FBI is running the disappearance case regarding Brett McCarthy, he has decided to work his own investigation along with his partner Detective Patricia Phillips. Decker has taken the loss of jurisdiction personally and will stop at nothing to reveal what has happened to Brett. He is not a loose cannon by any means, but at times his temper gets the best of him along with his taste for alcohol.

Detective Patricia “Trixie” Phillips – Phillips is also a middle-aged, veteran police officer. She became a detective following a long stint in the sex crimes division of a Manhattan precinct. Phillips is Decker’s opposite. She is more systematic and methodical, making her a great researcher and an asset to the investigation.

Jennifer Cianci – Jennifer is the manager of Clouds Spa where Dave and Cara both work. She is occasionally involved in the ongoing investigation regarding Brett McCarthy’s disappearance.

Rick – Rick is Dave’s best friend. He is a computer expert that occasionally assists Dave with whatever he needs at any given moment. In many ways he plays the role of Dave’s “lifeline” whenever there is trouble.

Future Episodes

In the episodes following the pilot, Dave will begin to meet the clients that Scott has set him up with. Each of them will involve elements of humor, however the main function of their encounters will be to expand the web of chaos that will envelop Dave. They will send him on small “missions” that under normal circumstances he would refuse, but the money is too good to pass up.

While all this is occurring, Decker and Phillips inch closer to unraveling the mystery of Brett’s disappearance as Cara becomes more desperate with each passing day. In addition, Scott continues to manipulate his new therapist into unwittingly assisting him succeed in his latest conquest.

Overview

Dual Relationships is an exciting drama that delves into the aspect of the human spirit. The question of how far someone is willing to go has many answers, as almost all the characters are faced with challenges that push them to the limit.

Each episode will leave the viewer wondering what will happen next, and the fate of each character could change in a second. The mystery of how and why Brett disappeared will be the main story line, coinciding with Dave’s misadventures and unknowing involvement. The tension created by the whole situation threatens entire relationships and becomes the glue that holds viewers in place from week to week.

In addition to the exciting action and dramatic plot twists will be an element of humor that will add a sense of realism to the production and make the characters more relative to the viewer. These aspects, combined with the talents of the actors and production teams, will no doubt make Dual Relationships a long-time running drama.