Character List:

 

Liza: The perfectionist from Long Island. Liza has never seen a grade lower than an A in her life and reeks of pride and self-absorption. She comes off as arrogant, strong, and confident, but on the inside, she’s really just an insecure girl who comes from a judgmental family. From this program, she wishes for nothing but a degree and a job. She thinks making friends will only leave her vulnerable for being taken advantage of.

 

Elaine: A shy and nervous genius from Brooklyn. Elaine has almost no self-confidence or social skills. She spends most of her time by herself in the library or in her room. She has almost no academic confidence but is one of the brightest in the whole program. She wishes to make friends and get more involved in any way she can. She is willing to put herself out there but fears what others will think of her.

 

James: James is a sweet-confident jock from the Bronx. He’s the perfect package for most; caring, charismatic, smart, and athletic. His looks attract all types of attention, from girls to model recruiters, but he always seems to end up in toxic relationships and situations. From this program, he wants to work on improving his self-worth and is looking for a stable group of friends who will look out for him. In the past, he’s been used and abused and his trust in others is extremely low.

 

Tyler: Tyler is the underdog from New Jersey. He’s very well-rounded and has a great personality. He truly cares about others and wants to do nothing but help. With both his parents being doctors, people often set their expectation extremely high for Tyler but he doesn’t seem to mind. However, in this program, he is worried people will assume he only got in because his father went through the program and is now a very influential figure. He hopes to become just like any other student and be treated as an equal.

 

Episode Summary:

 

In this episode, the students are meeting at Central Park for their orientation. The students are surprised at the diversity and mix of personalities as they arrive one by one. As the kids begin to mingle, they are separated into groups of four to participate in team building activities. Tyler, Elaine, James, and Liza are put together in a group. Upon introducing themselves, opinions are already being built and tensions can be seen building up. Each character sees another as either competition, a judgmental figure or a possible friend. Right off the bat, we can see that Liza starts taking charge and leading the group through their assigned activities. James and Liza begin bumping heads and Tyler acts as a mediator. Elaine stays back, guarded, and observes the situation presented to her. The day progresses and we can see that everyone in the group is reverting back to the undesired habits that have prohibited them from making friends and healing in the past. However, even amongst this awkward power struggle, we can see an interesting spark between Liza and James that creates a peace treaty between the two. The only issue is, Elaine seems to also have feelings for James but wouldn’t dare to let any indication of her interest show. After hours of activity, the groups take a break and are given an opportunity to mingle with the rest of the program. Here we see that despite disagreements and personality clashes, the members of the group look out for one another and stick together. They act like a dysfunctional family that has been together for years and the members of the group are surprised at their own actions. Maybe they will be able to changes their old ways and find the trust and acceptance they seek so badly in one another after. The group decides to exchange numbers and start a group chat with one another as orientation day comes to a close. The next time they see each other is the first day of school where they realize that they are all not only in the same schedule block but that they will all be competing for a spot in the Sophie Davis Student Council as freshmen class rep. In the next episode, we will see how the group deals with the pressure of competing with their new friends, maintaining their friendships, and adjusting to a new, unexpected love triangle of interest. UNTIL NEXT TIME!