tv show pitch POV

The Si(g)ns of Depression

Amelia and Clara are two college students with chronic depression diagnosed from an early age. They can’t get decent jobs because Amelia has anxiety and got fired from her panic-inducing retail job, and Clara quit hers when her depression deepened. Due to financial instability, they’ve reunited after many years to share in their trauma, reminiscing about easier times.

That’s when opportunity strikes: They’re looking for apartments, but can’t find anything affordable until they stumble upon an... eerie looking place. No one wants it because of the horror stories and deaths that have occurred, but in typical depressed-young-adult fashion, they don’t care at all, and the lower price is worthwhile. In fact, being around death makes them feel… kind of cool. 

Flash forward, and they’re entering their new home, lethargic as ever, and that’s when we’re met with ghosts lurking around the corridors, observing intently. They’re “haunting” the mansion, except, it’s not in your typical fashion… They notice these girls are not doing well. They’re there to heighten people’s emotions, encourage them… but with individuals whose emotions are so toned down… they’re inclined to help.

Pride is a handsome man named Haben, and he helps with self-confidence. When they look in the mirror, when they’re worried about seeing their crush in class, he’s there to make them feel good about themselves. Going into a job interview again later in the season? Haben’s your guy. Overzealous but kind. 

Lust, a gorgeous woman named Esiree, encourages them to grow into their own and go after their desires. Amelia has always repressed her sexuality, growing up closeted, and Esiree helps her see that it’s okay to have her feelings.

Gluttony, AKA Ted, is like a friendly uncle, quite jovial in nature, and he makes sure the pair eats every day.

Sloth is Gluttony’s best friend, Guinan, telling them they deserve a rewarding nap after a long, hard day.

Envy comes in the form of Vanessa, a blonde woman who heckles the others often and encourages the pair to keep up with trends, caring enough about peers to not get absorbed in their own sadness. 

Wrath is Dominique, a short rowdy girl who’s always inclined to fight. She can be a little toxic, but at the end of the day, anger is healthier than sadness when it comes to coping, and she’s ready to beat up their depression in exchange for a little comedic self-righteousness.

Greed is the most laid back of them all, a scholarly young man named Darius, helping them budget their income. He’s perfectly fine with tax evasion, fraud… and worse… but he sure has some helpful monetary suggestions!

As the show progresses, we find out more about how the sins were stuck in the house and how they died for their own crimes, but became a family. Though their hauntings have never been fruitful before, their new “friends” are always being driven mad, they learn and grow with the patience of Clara and Amelia, to become a disjointed family.


Cast:
Amelia - Antonia Gentry
Clara - Madelyn Cline
Haben - Jamie Foxx
Esiree - Keke Palmer
Ted - Jason Sudeikis
Guinan - William Burke
Vanessa - Emma Roberts
Dominique - Nicole (Snooki) Polizzi
Darius - Dylan O’Brien