Roommates is a provocative American comedy-drama directed by and starring Franklin Livingston — one of the leads, the director, and the executive producer. The series comprises several seasons. The story revolves around three main characters and several supporting roles played by New York-based actors and actresses.
The writers very intelligently have highlighted the lifestyles of the American Elite, Middle Class, and the Blue Colored working-class bringing to attention that the American dream doesn’t exist for an average American and is just something that might work for people with privilege and power.
Franklin plays Franklin Pisacreta who is a Harvard Graduate M.D. who invented a drug for the female vagina and sold it to one of the leading pharmaceuticals of America. This made him retire and stay in Manhattan without worrying about a job or income. Some say that his chic, vulnerable, and worldly character is the male version of Samantha Jones from Sex and the City. The difference is Franklin’s relationships are complicated by his second-generation wealthy immigrant background, which he uses as an excuse to love ‘em & love ‘em.
Franklin’s Roommate is Lois, played by K.T. Nelson-Hart. She has no time for Franklin’s sexual conquests and outlandish lifestyle. Her family-oriented, conservative ideals and lofty expectations lead her to frustration and self-loathing. She’d rather eat Raman noodles at home alone than go out on the town with a date. Besides, she provides a fortress for Franklin that he desperately needs and a resting place after his many sexual encounters.
Franklin is empathetic toward Lois because of her “Mid-Western baggage” and unsuccessful writing career. And he feels intrinsic for having Lois as his roommate, rent-free, to get her career off the ground. The only other time Franklin feels vital is when he’s partying and dating. He continues his family’s American legacy and financial success by living out his motto that “casual sex is the solution to every problem.” Sleeping around provides him a sense of accomplishment, which makes him cantankerous, carefree, and spontaneous. Lois knows he is emotionally broken as he blows the family fortune on alcohol and gold-diggers in search of, what he calls, “true love.” He wonders why he feels so empty all the time and can’t quite figure it out.
Franklin has a police officer friend named Dick Peachum played by Rob Sampson. Peachum is a homeless assistance law enforcement personnel for New York City. His character can’t remember if he’s allowed to drink beer while on duty, or not. He’s lonely and single, but after working long hours on the streets of New York City, he doesn’t have enough energy or money to take someone out on a date in the city. So, Peachum lives vicariously through Franklin.
Throughout this series, a bitter yet unspoken American class system is evident and hinted at as Peachum represents the American blue-collar worker. He idolizes Franklin’s moves, knowing he will never be like him but fantasizes that, “anything is possible.” Spending time with Franklin is Peachum’s luxury. The irony for Peachum to have Franklin’s way of life would not be the self-sustaining, status-inducing lifestyle he imagines it is.
The plot develops as Franklin’s wild choices challenge Lois. She wants to be as carefree as Franklin is with money and the opposite sex, but knows it’s not right. She wants to help him make wiser decisions but doesn’t know how, which adds to her chronic frustration. Visits from Peachum lighten her mood, even though she doesn’t understand him.
The production is still looking for a distribution company to get the show distributed locally in the U.S. as well as globally.
