Pilots

Almost Boston

Category: TV Pilot

Genre: Drama/Comedy

Length: 35 pages

After her cover is blown, an eager FBI agent is forced to wait out the case in Portland, Oregon’s wacky food cart scene, despite being a horrible cook. When she’s drawn into her eclectic co-workers’ shenanigans, she uncovers the biggest case of her career.

Synopsis

A hipster food cart pod in Portland, Oregon. Geo and Ray retired FBI agents called back to watch over a bumbling FBI agent whose last charge resulted in their murder. Danny arrives, who has failed every job he’s had and is at risk of being thrown out of his parent’s basement is determined to make his latest career choice, baking dog treats, and cakes, a success. A rooster who belongs to Eliza, a colorful ukulele player living in her car and surviving on the money she makes as a busker, randomly wanders through the pod.

FBI agent Jessica’s cover is blown when her partner has an allergic reaction to sesame seeds. She is sent to Portland to lay low under protective watch until the case she has been working on can end. Upon arrival, she is picked up by local native and multihyphenate influencer Noah. Her assignment is easy, blend in as a food cart operator. With cooking skills are so bad she is determined to persevere and be the best at whatever she does, even if it is just grilling cheese sandwiches. Danny meets Tiffany, a recent parolee who is a professional dancer down on her luck now operating a smoothie cart while she works on getting her life back together. Ivan Beckett, the bumbling FBI agent reassures Jessica, but she isn’t convinced. A smitten Sarah offers Danny a contract selling dog treats to Barkingham Palace, the dog spa she manages. Tiffany and Noah have an idea to catch the lost rooster and relocate him before someone puts him in soup. Antoine, a nearby restauranteur, despises the food cart pod even though he operates a coffee and pastry cart. Jessica recognizes Joe Ricci, the nephew of the leader of the crime syndicate she has been working to arrest.

Antoine reports the rooster to the health department.  Jessica tells Beckett about Joe and that she is going to investigate. She tells Beckett to check out Geo and Ray, she suspects they are involved with Joe. Beckett reminds her she is to blend in.

Noah relocates the rooster to a farm. Inspired by Eliza, Jessica dyes her hair purple to blend in. The food cart operators are notified the pod is being closed down. Antoine is in on it. Danny suggests going to the mayor for help but is informed by Noah the mayor is retiring. Eliza spots a poster with a picture of a rooster, it’s her rooster Rupert.

The World

Almost Boston is a fish out of water story, featuring a headstrong FBI agent who after working a crime syndicate case for over a year, has her cover blown when she inadvertently shares cookies her mother made containing sesame flour and her partner has a fatal allergic reaction in the middle of a sting operation. She is placed in protection making grilled cheese sandwiches in a food cart pod in Portland, Oregon. The pod has a variety of colorful characters, and each episode will have a unique Portland-esque event and opportunities for limited guest star appearances. The pilot features a wandering rooster named Rupert who belongs to a colorful and territorial ukulele playing busker.

Why this story and why now?

As Portland struggles to recover from bad publicity, a complicated houseless situation, and Black Lives Matter riots, now is the time for a feel-good dramedy that will showcase what Portland offers. Almost Boston will show, from an outsider’s view, a community that cares about its people and embraces the weirdness that Portlander’s love. The series will give an opportunity for each episode to bring in a special guest to join the ensemble cast as they work to change the outsider’s view, just as the main character’s view is changed about her own world.