Separation Smackdown

Every Sunday, a group of close friends gets together for a backyard barbecue. But one day, Smitty decides to bring along his new girlfriend — and everyone is shocked to discover that she looks strikingly similar to Samantha, another friend who died several years ago. As the afternoon progresses, each of the friends must not only deal with the new addition to their little circle, but confront the ghosts of their own past relationships — resulting in unplanned revelations.

The flashes of memory that return to Carrie Wallace as she lies bloodied in the street all share a common trait: Each culminates in an insincere apology. A casual bump in the street, a father’s indifference, a boyfriend’s exit, youthful disappointments. But despite her lifetime’s experience, she holds out hope that she may yet witness a true expression of remorse.

Dire warnings of immminent disaster have proven justified, as global destruction begins raining down from purple-hued skies. A Washington family struggles to cope with the advancing armageddon until a lone physicist proposes an unorthodox course of action.

Ever since he was a child, Reuben knew he was different… and despite all his attempts to fit in with “normal” people, he remains isolated and alone. But a chance encounter with an up-and-coming rock star gives him the spark needed to hone his supernormal skills, to shape himself into a true hero. And then Campbell, a new face in his office, demonstrates abilities comparable to his own, but with a bizarre twist — and nefarious intent. Reuben’s coworkers are oblivious to the danger she represents, and slowly fall under her spell. As Campbell spreads her nefarious influence, Reuben’s friends must decide: Soup… or hero?

The Coffmans are desperate to win their bid for residency in a new, environmentally friendly condo. Putting their best face forward, they work to convince a jaded government auditor that their lifestyle makes them worthy of acceptance. But when another couple vies for the same home, a battle for environmental superiority begins.

An aspiring social influencer struggles to make a name for herself on offKILLtr, a niche social media site for serial killers. But when her latest intended victim calls her strategy into question, she begins to wonder if she’s taken on more than she can handle…

When three sudden deaths befall members of a small law firm, Karen Dunmore begins to suspect that they may be retribution for a terrible crime and its subsequent cover-up. Fearing for her family’s safety, she desperately tries to convince her husband and his associates to take action. But will it be too late?

Sebastian is eager to show off his latest acquisition to a cadre of eccentric — and soon-to-be-jealous — art collectors, even hiring his photographer nephew to capture the unveiling for posterity. But when the “Schlimmer” turns up missing, accusations of theft begin flying, and long-simmering resentments begin to undermine the group’s cohesion.

Kevin can’t seem to catch a break in the romantic arena, and his poker buddies aren’t afraid to let him know it. Over the course of a friendly game, they recount his romantic misadventures, and a pattern emerges — all of Kevin’s concepts of romance derive from 1980s-era films. Which might be all right, except that Kevin can’t seem to execute them the way they come off in the movies. Whether he’s reenacting his favorite scenes from “Pretty in Pink,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Top Gun,” or “Say Anything,” he always manages to end up with egg on his face. That is, until he meets just the right woman…

The Lake tells the story of two sisters, each dealing in her own way with the childhood loss of their father. Claire still lives at home with Mom and spends her days on the lake in their father’s old rowboat. Laney has built her own life in the city, but when she comes back to visit, the sisters’ discoveries will dredge up the past and the secrets that bind this family together may just tear them apart.

In the spring of 2020, as ambitious politicians self-servingly paint an overly optimistic picture of the impact of the COVID-19 virus, regular people find themselves unsure as to how to proceed. But as mask mandates and stay-at-home orders sweep the nation — and once-thriving businesses find their customers vanishing — the unexpected release from day-to-day work obligations accelerates some major life decisions… and for one couple, introduces conflict where it had previously been suppressed.

In this contemporary take on the classic fable “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” a man finds himself bored with his job — and decides to amuse himself by playing pranks on his coworkers, only to find that they may be disinclined to believe him when their trust is most critical.

Making a good first impression at a job interview is critical, as Mary well knows. But from the start, fate seems to be working against her. She oversleeps, and has to scramble to get ready. She can’t find a taxi, and has to walk from her hotel to the office. She can’t get into an overly crowded elevator, and has to take the stairs. But despite the setbacks, she manages to make it to the office on time, only to discover that — before she can utter a single syllable — the atmosphere is quite contrary to what one would normally expect. And that atmosphere becomes more bizarre with each passing moment.

Emily is nervous about meeting her husband Wilson’s family for the first time at their annual Independence Day gathering. Having eloped, she is concerned that the family will never accept her as one of their own. But Wilson has a plan to bring her into the fold — competing in the family’s annual (if ridiculous) tradition of throwing balls at a target object, a barely-recognizable variation of bocce.

Phil has an amazing ability: With a touch, he can see exactly one hour and eight minutes into someone’s past. Unfortunately, it seems to cause him nothing but trouble — especially at the office, where he is called in before the boss and lectured on “inappropriate touching.” His coworker Lily is convinced that his ability makes him a superhero, but Phil is hardly persuaded… until a chance bump with a new client shows him that he may have an opportunity to prove her right.

Solomon is a genie at the top of his game. But after winning award after award, he decides that the life of a genie just isn’t what it used to be. After discussing his concerns with his otherworldly “boss,” he opts to take an extended sabbatical, choosing a simpler life working in a hardware store (though still performing miracles on a substantially smaller scale). But one afternoon he is approached by a slick-talking “headhunter,” who relentlessly tries to recruit him back into the magical world, promising a substantially improved lifestyle with a new employer…