Russell Academy Beat Sheet

Russell Academy Beat Sheet

Act One- Carl begins his first day at Russell Academy and encounters some problems in his first class.

Inciting Incident- During Carl’s first class, he struggles to actually figure out how to teach his class.  A student gives him a hard time.

End of the Beginning- Carl winds up searching, “history lesson” on YouTube and clicks the first video he sees and shows the video to the class.

Act Two- Carl begins to interact with the other faculty members and tries to figure out how to get through his classes.

Pinch Point- At lunch, Carl sits down with the other faculty members at lunchtime.  After an awkward introduction with the staff, Carl finally meets Charles Preston who he finds quite annoying.

Midpoint- During his break, Carl decides to watch Coach Pat O’ Reilly’s gym class to try and see how he teaches his class.  Finds out that he is probably not the best person to be taking notes from.

Pinch Point 2- The Head mistress talks to Carl about how his first day is going.

Crisis- Charles Preston sits in and watch Carl teach one of his classes.  Carl’s class is a complete disaster.

Act 3- Charles and Carl get into a heated argument with one another after Charles sit-in with the class.

Cilmax- Charles is assigned as Carl’s TA.

Matt Cahill

Show Description

Russell Academy is a comedy based off a character named Carl Barden. Carl is a washed up star college basketball player from Boston College that landed a job at a private school based on his looks. Carl had a plan of being a star basketball player his whole life until he got hurt during the pre-season that would end his basketball career. His College roommate Ben Stafford is now living the dream as a Boston Celtic even though he had been Carls back up the past four years. Carl is now a miserable history teacher that barely even teaches but has to deal with the crazy employees at Russell. Starting with Pat O’Reilly the gym teacher that is high at all times during school. He is always trying to make fun of Carl, and Pat is a crazy gym teacher that’s always yelling at a kid, laughing, or fighting with his wife over the phone about dinner. Then there’s Donald who’s the old man that hates Carl because he is a slacking teacher. He’s always giving him a hard time about the way he teaches because everything needs to be perfect for Donald. Most of these employees are always giving Carl a hard time besides the Janitor named Bud. Bud is probably the smartest person in that school but got in a little trouble with some gambling. He looks like a gross man and everyone avoids him besides Carl. Bud is a character that you want to listen to what he has to say because it’s always something interesting. They become really good friends throughout each episode. Carl has a love life that varies between a booty call and Wendy Sullivan which becomes comical how awkward Carl is around Wendy. Carl has a lot to worry about at school but also at home.

Mary and Robert Barden are Carls parents and both of them have different outlooks on his life. Mary is a typical mom still trying to pack his lunch calling him 10 times a day to ask how his day is going. His Dad Robert could care less what happens with him once his basketball career went down the drain. He is always smug towards him and every time they have a conversation always brings up he should have stretched more or you would being playing against LeBron in the NBA Finals right about now. On top of that he has to worry about his brother Bryce being a genius and his nagging sister in-law Charlotte always insulting him. Bryce is the favorite now because he is a successful Lawyer. Every time the family get together there is always a nagging fight going on between everyone and it’s always based on the past and who is more successful.

The show is a big mess with a lot of different characters that make it hysterical. Carl is a character that you will become attached to and he is so awkward that everything he does is comical. At times he still thinks everyone knows him for is ball playing days and forgets that he is a history teacher at a private school that he shouldn’t even of had gotten a job at. All in all Russell Academy is filled with a bunch of deranged characters with many different personalities. When they are on scene together you won’t be able to stop laughing the entire thirty minutes.

Russell Academy

Season Outline (Updated)

S01:E01 – PILOT

            Russell Academy opens its doors as a new school year begins, welcoming two new teachers: Carl Barden and Wendy Sullivan. Carl has trouble dealing with Charles Preston, who is questioning his teaching methods. Coach O'Reilly overhears the Headmistress discuss the future of the basketball team. Charles is assigned as Carl's TA. 

S01:E02

            Wendy is forced to set up for the parent-teacher conference by herself when Carl bails on her. Carl goes to his parents' house for dinner to celebrate his new job. Bryce takes on a high-profile case. Cynthia visits Carl.

S01:E03

            Coach O’Reilly asks Carl to fill in for him at basketball practice when he has to attend a court hearing for an old student. Ben Stafford is rumored to be the pick for MVP. Carl is having a tough time handling Nick McAree, Captain of the basketball team. 

S01:E04

            Robert is laid off from work. The Headmistress informs Coach O'Reilly that if the basketball team fails to win the championship, she will stop funding them. 

S01:E05

            Ben visits Russell Academy as part of a big PR event, revealing Carl's basketball past. Nick pressures Carl into challenging Ben to a game. Carl goes to Bud for advice.

S01:E06

            Wendy helps Carl take care of Brock and Madeline when Mary drops them off at Russell. Charles asks Donald for help with motivating Carl. Carl begins to develop feelings for Wendy.

S01:E07

            Russell Academy undergoes a mock lockdown. Carl begins to come to terms with his basketball career and agrees to help coach the basketball team.

S01:E08

            Carl is forced to seek help from Charlotte when Bud’s demons come back to haunt him. The headmistress enlists Cynthia to help Wendy with a charity event. 

S01:E09

            Carl unknowingly befriends his mother’s old boyfriend, Brandon, at Russell's semi-finals game and misses his parents' anniversary party. Bud and Donald help the Headmistress with a dilemma. 

S01:E10

            Ben Stafford is named the year’s MVP and announces his engagement to Carl’s old high school girlfriend. Bryce wins the big case for his firm. Donald chews out Carl for his poor performance. 

S01:E11

            Coach O’Reilly prepares for the final game against his brother’s school. Wendy helps Carl search for Nick, who has disappeared an hour before the game.

S01:E12

            Bud suggests that Carl help Wendy with her feuding parents. Charles is offered a position at Russell Academy.

S01:E13

            With the school year ending, Wendy agrees to go out with Carl. Cynthia reveals to Carl that she is pregnant.

Russell Academy Pilot Scene Outline (REVISED)

COLD OPEN SCENE A. INT. HEAD MISTRESS OFFICE. 


ACT 1 SCENE B. EXT. PARKING LOT OF RUSSELL ACADEMY. MORNING.

ACT 1 SCENE C. INT. RUSSELL ACADEMY. CARL'S CLASSROOM.

ACT 1 SCENE D. CARL BARDEN TALKING HEAD.

ACT 1 SCENE E. INT. RUSSELL ACADEMY. CARL'S CLASSROOM.

ACT 1 SCENE F. HEAD MISTRESS TALKING HEAD.

ACT 2 SCENE G. INT. FACULTY LUNCHROOM.

ACT 2 SCENE H. PAT O’REILLY TALKING HEAD.

ACT 2 SCENE I. CHARLES PRESTON TALKING HEAD


ACT 2 SCENE J. INT. FACULTY LUNCHROOM


ACT 2 SCENE K.  WENDY TALKING HEAD


ACT 2 SCENE L. RUSSELL ACADEMY GYMNASIUM.


ACT 2 SCENE M. HALLWAY.


ACT 2 SCENE N. INT. CARL'S CLASSROOM.


ACT 2 SCENE O. CHARLES PRESTON TALKING HEAD.


ACT 2 SCENE P. CARL BARDEN TALKING HEAD.


ACT 2 SCENE Q. INT. CARL'S CLASSROOM.



ACT 3 SCENE R. INT. FACULTY LOUNGE.


ACT 3 SCENE S. INT. HEAD MISTRESS OFFICE.

ACT 3 SCENE T. EXT. RUSSELL ACADEMY PARKING LOT. END OF SCHOOL DAY.

Headmistress

Headmistress
Born and raised in Maine, she is 50 years old. She grew up on a farm, her dad was a farmer and her mom also stayed home and helped with daily life on the farm. Growing up she didn't have many friends and usually isolated herself at home. This made her anti-social. Getting her bachelors from the University of Maine, she went on to get a graduates degree from UMass. She worked as a college professor at UMass after graduating, but felt that she wanted to work with the younger generation of students. After 5 years at UMass, she applied for the opportunity to be headmistress at Russell. The job opened up after Mrs. Kent, the headmistress of 25 years, passed away of a heart attack. She ended up getting the job and has been headmistress for 20 years. She is divorced, and she became sort of crazy after the end to her marriage. She lives in a 3 story house all to herself. She is still socially awkward, which leads to many weird conversations between her and the faculty. She has 3 cats at home which she is obsessed with. She is generally liked by the staff, but everyone thinks shes out of her mind because they always see her talking to herself, and they have seen her call her house and leave messages on the answering machine for her cats to make sure they are okay. It seems like she hired Carl because she is attracted to him, and whenever they talk she flirts with him. She is strongly against sports, due to the fact that she played for her high school soccer team and scored a goal on her own team and was shunned by the student body at her high school. She wasn't able to live it down and was made fun of during school, and i guess this is why she was introverted as a teenager. That incident leads to her hatred for sports, which she makes clear often. She has tried to cut the sports budget year after year, and this upsets Pat O' Reilly, obviously. The two characters don't really get along because of this.

Ben Stafford

Ben Stafford was born on July 21st, 1986 at Massachusetts General.  Growing up, Ben always loved the sport of basketball. By the age of six, he was already dribbling a basketball up and down his driveway in the suburbs of Boston.  In middle school, Ben played point guard on the basketball team where he finished runner up in the league's MVP voting.  Once Ben entered his freshman year of high school, he immediately turned into the typical high school jock.  He was cocky, arrogant, and narcissistic. Ben was the type kid who was constantly staring at himself in the bathroom mirror combing his hair. He was always trying to talk to girls who mostly wanted nothing to do with him, since he would usually let them know how lucky they were to be in his presence.  Throughout high school, Ben was the star of the basketball team.  But, his team fell short of the state championship his freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year. Not only was his team runner-up every year in the championship, Ben also achieved the amazing goal of falling runner-up in the MVP voting throughout his four year tenure in high school.  This gave birth to his nickname, Ben "Runner-Up" Stafford.  The nickname infuriated Ben, as he usually would threaten to fight anyone he heard call him it.  But, of course, Ben would always talk a big game and as soon as there was any real confrontation, he would make up an excuse for him to have to leave.  The nickname stuck even when Ben was recruited to Boston College where he played back-up point guard to his roommate, Carl Barden.  Carl was a star and Ben couldn't help but despise him.  There he was even one time where Ben tried to sabotage Carl by turning his alarm clock off the night before the team traveled to play Louisville in the playoffs. Ben thought that this would finally be his chance to prove to the world what he could really do.  Unfortunately, Ben woke up and looked over to Barden's bet neatly made, and a note sitting on his pillow. The note read, "Nice try asswipe.  P.S, check the time." Ben looked at his clock and it said 11:30am. The bus left at 8:00 am. Barden ended up putting up a stat sheet of 45 points, 18 assists, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks.  The first quadruple double in Boston College history. To this day, Ben has no idea how Barden figured out his plan and flipped it on to him.  Finally, in Stafford's senior year, the team's starting shooting guard blew out his knee and the coach gave him a chance to play.  Stafford played exceptionally well and was getting looked at by the Boston Celtics.  Also, in that year, Ben was runner-up for the team's MVP voting behind Barden. Ben ended up getting drafted by the Boston Celtics.  He was the last pick of the NBA draft.  But, Ben proved the doubters wrong and worked his way through the D-League and earned a chance to be promoted to the NBA. The decision was between him and Barden.  Miraculously, Barden tore his ACL the day before the Celtics had to make their decision.  This inevitably caused Ben to be called up to Celtics NBA team. During Ben's tenure as a Boston Celtic, he has a done a staggering job being Rajon Rondo's backup.  To this day, he is still waiting for his first chance to step on the court.  Ben keeps in contact with Barden from time to time, always trying to brag about how great his life is going (even though he can't stand it).

Charlotte Barden

Charlotte Barden

Charlotte Barden was born on October 2, 1985 to William and Claudia Prescott. Claudia was the typical stay at home mother that cares for Charlotte, who was an only child. While Charlotte's father, William was one of the top attorney's in Boston.  As an only child, Charlotte was always spoiled and extremely outgoing, everything she set her eyes and heart on, she received. 

Charlotte excelled all through out middle school and high school, both academically and socially. She had never wondered about what she wanted to be when she was older, because she had always admired her father's work and wanted nothing more than to take after him. This made Charlotte attended Columbia University. She was immediately accepted in to Columbia Law School, which is where she met Bryce. She became head over heels for Bryce very quickly and he was quite fond of her himself. He proposed to her on their graduation day and they we're married only a month later. Shortly after their marriage, Charlotte became pregnant with their son, Brock. Two years later they had another child, Madeline.


While Bryce has an amazing career at Ropes and Grey, Charlotte works under her father's branch of law and is an attorney at his firm, just like she always wanted.

At family dinners, everyone is fascinated by Charlotte and Bryce's success and wonderful family. Everyone can also sense the rivalry of Bryce and his brother, as well as the hatred Carl has for Charlotte.

Bryce Barden - Carl's brother

 Bryce Barden awas born May 5, 1984 at Boston Medical to Mary and Robert. Bryce grew up in an average middle class home.  From a young age, Bryce knew how to talk his way out of anything and everything.  So, whenever he and his brother Carl would find themselves in trouble with their parents, Bryce knew how to flip the story so Carl would take the blame. Carl always disliked this about his brother.  Throughout elementary school, Bryce was always smarter than the kids in his class, and he got straight A’s with no effort at all. When he reached high school, Bryce continued to excel in academics, taking all AP courses, and received a 4.0 GPA every year. Although Bryce got excellent grades, school came effortlessly to him, and he was very popular among his classmates.

Bryce had a very persuasive way of speaking, and he could seemingly convince anyone of anything. After Bryce got nearly perfect scores on he attended Columbia University, and then went applied and got into Columbia Law School, where he met Charlotte, who he proposed to on graduation day, and married a month later.  After he graduated Columbia Law School, he landed a job as an attorney at Ropes & Gray, the most highly rated law firm in Boston, and earns 6 figures a year. He has become known in Boston for defending guilty clients, and Carl believes this is unethical, but no one else seems to care.

Whenever the family gets together, Bryce and Charlotte only seem to talk about and think about their jobs. If everyone gets together for dinner, Bryce’s parents seem to be hanging on his every word, and he loves this. When Bryce tells stories of his job and his successful career, his parents cannot get enough of it. Every conversation seems to end up with Bryce talking about a new car, or other expensive item he's just bought. This is very different from when Carl speaks. When Carl speaks his parent's reaction seem to be very dry, and he hates that his brother gets more attention from them, which he feels is undeserved. Carl and Bryce only seem to interact is when Bryce is taking a jab at Carl’s could have been basketball career, and his now crappy job.

Carl Robert Barden born February 21, 1986 at Boston Medical to Mary and Robert. Carl had an average up bringing his family was middle class. Carl first became interested in basketball around the age of 8 when his mom on a whim signed him up for something to do during summer vacation. Carl was a natural and when his dad came to first game he saw the sheer pride on his face and Carl was completely sold on the sport. Carl was always looking for his fathers approval because his father never said much. He and his older brother grew up close until about high school, when Carl started to really excel in basketball and his brother academically. The two of them were always very competitive with each other, each wanting what the other lacked.  Carl thought his brother was a prick, he always picked out all Carl's weaknesses.  In high school Carl was very popular. Carl was captain of the basketball team and had a long time girlfriend who was a cheerleader. They were the typical prom kind and queen type of couple. After high school he got accepted to school play basketball on a scholarship Boston College. They tried to continue dating but he cheated on her and after about the 3rd time she officially ended things. Carl's goal was NBA always had been, and after his senior he got drafted to his dream team Boston Celtics . His life was great he finally felt everything was falling into place. He was making money doing what he loved and started casually seeing a few girls one being a PR girl Cynthia. She defiantly had a streak of crazy but she was fun to be around and didn't require much from him. He was practicing with team the day before his first starting  game when he fell and tore his ACL.  He had two surgeries and tried to rehabilitate but he couldn't get back to what he once was and all at once everything came crumbling down around him. The NBA released him from his contract. He hadn't planned on this hit so he didn't save like he should have and ended up moving back in with his parents. Carl was depressed and had taken up drinking to help cope with his dreams being crushed and no career. His mom is happy to have him home at first and tries to be help cheer him up despite his constant doom and gloom attitude. After taking a year off from life his parents had finally had enough. Carl goes back to school to try and find some new direction for his life. His mom knows the head mistress at a prep school in a near by town where he grew up, so she thinks that might help get him motivated. The headmistress is thrilled a former alum and prior NBA player is back and wanting to teach there, she looks over the fact that he is under qualified. He thinks it may have to do with the fact that she looks at him like he is a tasty snack. He may feed into it a bit with winks and smiles, only because he knows that he isn't qualified to do this job nor is he cut out for it. Teaching is a painful means to an existence. The kids are all douchebags, who have no idea this is as good as it will ever get for a lot of them. Especially the basketball captain Nick, Carl hates Nick because he is a carbon copy of what Carl was in high school. Most will end up getting drunk and fat sucking their trust fund dry. As a teacher he usually spends his days putting on discovery channel, history channel, or basketball games he recorded while he sits in the faculty lounge or janitors closet with Bob. If he does interact with the class its only to talk about a game that was on the night before. Charles, his TA is assigned the task of babysitting and grading anything the kids write. Carl finds Charles love for teaching extra irritating and often daydreams of punching him in the face. Instead he calls him Chuck or Chucky which really ruffles his sweater vest. Carl eventually moves out from his parents after he gets the teaching job. He and his cat Kobe share a small one bedroom apartment. Cynthia bought Kobe for him when he was trying to rehabilitate thinking it would help also he thinks as an excuse to linger around because its their "child". Carl's character is struggling to create a new life that doesn't revolve around basketball. Most people don't know how to take Carl's personality, he is sarcastic and with his currant state of depression it makes it difficult for people to like him. 

Character Bios-Robert and Mary Barden--REVISED

Robert Barden

Robert Barden was born on August 17^th, 1954 in Charlestown, Boston.  Robert was an only child and had very over-bearing parents.  He excelled in academics because his parents would force him to study every night without seeing his friends until the weekend.  His parents had aspirations of Robert becoming a doctor, lawyer or high-ranking political official.  Robert knew that his parents only did these things because they wanted him to live a successful and happy life.  Robert was a relatively popular kid in high school.  He loved sports but was never great at them.  Robert just always wanted to do whatever it took to keep his future looking bright.

 It was at Charlestown High School where Robert’s life was turned upside down.  Robert’s father, Robert Sr., was a very successful investment banker in East Boston.  On March 5^th, 1970, Robert Sr., was arrested and later sentenced to 28 years in prison for money laundering, extortion, and embezzlement.  Robert could not believe what happened when he received the phone call in school.  Robert could not get over what his father did and the fact that he now had to grow up without him.  Robert’s emotion took a toll on his grades in school and graduated with a 2.3 GPA.  He went to trade school for two years where he was able to get a job with the MBTA.  Robert Sr. is still alive and living in a retirement home in Charlestown.  He is a very healthy man at 89 years old and although Robert has not spoken to him since he picked him up from prison and checked him into a retirement home, he told Carl the story and Carl would visit him in prison and now in the retirement home.  

            Robert met his wife Mary in 1986 at O’Dools, an Irish Pub in the heart of Boston.  Robert and Mary were married in 1989 and moved to Boston.
Robert and his second son Carl were very close during Carl's childhood and adolescent years.  Robert pushed Carl into playing sports and staying ahead in school.  Robert would spend hours everyday with Carl playing basketball after work.  He became somewhat distant from his older son Bryce during his childhood because he was not into the sports world, he was an academic.  Robert always stressed to Carl about keeping his body in shape once he realized Carl had a bright future in basketball.  Carl would always tend to shrug off this advice because it was too hard to keep up with a strict diet and constant stretching and working out.  Robert saw that all Carl wanted to do was play basketball without putting in 100% effort off the court.  After Carl's career ending ACL tear, Robert and Carl's relationship was strained.  Robert would constantly remind Carl that he would have never suffered that tear if he had listened to him and kept his body in shape.
Robert decided to kick Carl out of his house after a year off from basketball and work.  Although they do not hate each other, Robert will always be disappointed in Carl because he knows the injury he sustained was Carl's fault.  Robert became closer with Bryce from this incident because Bryce became a big success in law which made Robert proud.  

Mary Barden

            Mary Barden was born on October 3^rd, 1957 in West Islip, Long Island. 

She grew up with one younger sister Linda.  Mary lived a very ordinary life; her parents worked together in owning a bakery.  Mary attended West Islip High School where she was an all-state lacrosse player.  She had very good grades in high school as well as a long-standing relationship with Brandon.  Mary and Brandon dated throughout high school and then came across the dreaded long distance relationship. 

            Mary went to Northeastern University where she studied nursing and Brandon went to Miami U to play baseball.  Mary and Brandon ended their relationship in the second semester of freshmen year after realizing there are more fish in the sea for each other. 

            Mary graduated from Northeastern with her nursing degree and decided to stay in Boston after receiving a job at Boston Medical.  Her nursing career got hectic quickly where she had some weeks of working close to 60 hours.  In the midst of the craziness she was able to get a night out where she and a couple of friends went to O’Dool’s Irish Pub.  There she met Robert Barden who she later married in 1989.
Mary is very close with both of her sons.  Mary is the typical pushy, nosey, and loving mother to Carl and Bryce.  She is very overbearing at times which tend to anger Bryce and Carl but they know that it's because she loves them and they love her.  Carl became closer with his mother after his injury because she continued to support him with whatever he did.  She would take Carl's side in an argument every time Carl and Robert got into one.  Mary wants nothing but the best for her kids and they both see that which is why they have a great relationship.  Mary although she loves Carl, does slightly favor Bryce because she was closer to him when growing up.  Mary did not want Carl to move out without a job and a very shaky financial status.  She fought with Robert for days but in the end Robert convinced her it was the best thing for them and Carl.  Mary always calls Carl and asks if he needs anything.  She loves delivering him food and mailing him items he may need.  Mary never wants her kids to really grow up.