Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Living… alone in Manhattan at the Arconia condominium building, where he’s lived for the past 30 years. Charles lives on his own and hasn’t interacted much with his neighbors until recently.
Profession… actor. He rose to fame in the 1990’s for playing Brazzos, a detective on a popular TV show. Though he was formerly admired for playing Brazzos, Charles hasn’t been known for anything since. However, he has never lost his love for being in the spotlight.
Interests… making omelets and playing the accordion. He has also become addicted to true crime podcasts—especially one by Cinda Canning. He’s becoming close with two residents from his building (Oliver Putnam and Mabel Mora) who have the same passion for true crime.
Relationship Status… single. Charles finds dating daunting. If it works out, it’s scary. If it doesn’t work, it’s scary too. He’s been scarred from his previous relationship with Emma, who he used to live with for more than five years. Charles has become closed off to others, struggling with the void left by her and her daughter, Lucy. But he is now thinking it may be time to move on. He’s met an attractive bassoon player who lives in his building who is serenading him from her window with the music of “Do You Think I’m Sexy.”
Challenge… his anxiety. Charles is tormented from his past, which includes Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig who he continues to see visions of. You can tell when Charles gets a panic attack because he gets bad nosebleeds. And that’s been happening more lately after a young man was found dead in their building the same day that Charles saw him on an elevator with Oliver and Mabel. The official cause of death was ruled a suicide, but the three of them suspect otherwise given what they observed on the elevator with him. They’re determined to get to the bottom of things and are documenting their findings on a new podcast that they call “Only Murders in the Building.” Ironically, the murder investigation has been a good escape for Charles. As he says, “Sometimes it’s easier to figure out someone else’s secret than it is to deal with your own.”
Personality… cautious, kind, and optimistic. Charles is not inclined to take risks due to the hurt he has gone through in the past. But once he becomes comfortable with new people, he becomes loyal to them. Although Charles may be living with a murderer in his building, he hasn’t felt more alive in more than a decade.
