LES STONE is the youngest member of a famous Texas cattle and livestock ranch but when he announces he has become a vegan and wants them to convert too, all hell breaks loose. Convincing diehard carnivores to swap meats for beets might just tear apart this close-knit family, especially after Les opens an animal sanctuary and vegan restaurant across from the family ranch called MEATLESS. (Named to The Red List: #6 Family script, Finalist in Bigfoot Challenge, Award Winning TV Pilot script)

SYNOPSIS:

NOTE: WeScreenplay gave this script a CONSIDER recommendation, with an EXCELLENT rating (top 85th to 97th percentile) for concept, plot, and structure, and top 20% for overall script. Top 10 on The Red List (Family), Finalist in Bigfoot Script Challenge, Semi-Finalist in Animalis Fubula Script Contest.

MEET LES! TV Pilot Synopsis

LES STONE is the eldest son in a well-known Texas ranch family. As a kid, he treated his pigs, chickens, and cattle as his friends, not livestock to fatten and slaughter. He named them, spoiled them, and vowed that one day he’d save all of them from their traditional fate as food.

When Les returns from college, his father LESTER, JR. and grandfather LESTER, SR. want him to run the family business. But when Lester, Sr. gives Les 250 acres across from the sprawling Stone ranch as a graduation gift, he surprises everyone by opening an animal sanctuary and vegan restaurant there which he names MEATLESS.

Now the battle for hearts, minds, and stomachs is set. Les and longtime girlfriend middle school teacher JESSICA (JESS) are on a mission to save animals, confront climate change and help people lead healthier lifestyles. The ranching Stone family has the opposite in mind. Their heritage and livelihood depend on raising animals for food.

Then, Les's grandfather has a heart attack. Les convinces him to try a plant-based diet. Lester, Sr. becomes a convert. But the rest of the town is still not convinced. Ranchers, cowboys, entrenched citizens, the mayor, all work against Les and Jess. The locals boycott the restaurant and animal sanctuary. They burn down his food truck. They leave dead birds at the animal sanctuary.

Now Les must decide. Does he forget his dream and join the family ranching enterprise? Or march on?

When all seems lost, JESS'S fourth grade students contact popular Eating Channel chef LANE SPINELLI who agrees to come to town to film his show at the restaurant and animal sanctuary. The town turns out. The show is a big hit. Tourists add the animal sanctuary to their vacation plans. The restaurant is suddenly a local, state, and national success.

But can he convince the locals to give it a try not just one time, but on a regular basis?

Week to week, we'll watch to see how the quirky characters come to grips with this conflict between their traditional way of life and Les and Jess's passion to save animals, people, and the planet.