NEX, Part 1: The Pitch

Series guide by Steve Fox (a.k.a. “McF”), April 29, 2011.

The premise

NEX is a 22 minute animated show about redneck superheroes.

Specifically, four rednecks from the small southern town of Bucksnort that are abducted, and mistakenly injected with an alien super-serum intended for Martian super-soldiers. This series follows Mack, Ricky, Bret & Keith as they become the world’s first redneck superhero team. These aren’t your square-jawed, spandex-clad, six-pack-abbed superheroes.

The NEX aren’t mild-mannered, articulate, or defenders of a big city. The world has enough of those kind of heroes.

The NEX are heroes for the rest of us.

The tone

While the humor on NEX can be low-brow, the show’s goal is to satirize rednecks, while still encompassing the loyalty, strength, & humor of southern culture. Even though the primary characters are rough around the edges, these guys are still relatable as “good guys.” The NEX should never be depicted as hateful, even as they occasionally do vicious things.

A typical episode of NEX would feature an antagonist that encompasses some stereotype, cliche, or cultural reference. The NEX reaction to these norms of the modern world creates opportunity for funny and unique commentary from a new and direct perspective.

So what’s different about this show? Two words...REDNECK SUPERHEROES! Through the pilot, this series establishes a huge array of potential story ideas. Super-villains, aliens, and everyday situations are ripe for interesting and hilarious stories. In the “episodes” section of this guide, I’ll talk about 13 that could be featured as full episodes. While each story will feature a primary antagonist, the standard episode structure will feature one “superhero” story, and a secondary story that has more to do with one of the character’s personal lives.

Character profiles: primary

Bret Ray

Bret is a confident idiot that’s seen his share of tough times. The upside for Bret is that he’s great at finding a way to profit from the terrible things that happen to him. As a result of said profiting, Bret owns a house in the most extravagant neighborhood in Bucksnort. Purchased with lawsuit money (he slipped in a grease puddle while reaching for more “zesty” sauce at a local Taco Mell’s™); Bret’s home is an architectural dream, and a hygienic nightmare. The grass is overgrown, rusty lawn furniture litters the landscape, and Bret’s dogs bark constantly and howl for no reason.

After recovering from his injuries, Bret began competing in the “Pro Lawn Mowing Circuit.” Due to several legal problems, Bret now drives his competition mower as his primary means of transportation.

In the pilot episode, Bret is empowered with superhuman strength. When using his strength, Bret becomes a huge, muscular behemoth, but still retains his beer gut. Bret is a natural fighter and considers his powers the best thing that ever happened to him.

Bret is engaged to Desiree, a waitress and shift-leader at Bobby’s Wings and Auto Repair. While an engagement might sound like great news, Desiree is a hideously-formed, hateful woman to whom Bret is absolutely faithful. Bret’s future brother-in-law is Barry, an Assistant Deputy-In-Training who is constantly being demoted for arresting “suspects” that obviously have no connection to the crime Barry accuses them of.

Mack Leonard*

Mack (Ricky’s younger brother) is a soft-spoken guy with a heart of gold. He spends his days working as a mechanic at “Bobby’s Wings & Auto Repair,” and at night he and the other NEX meet at Bobby’s for drinks and wings. Mack’s ex-wife Britney is the love of his life. As a testimony to that fact, he’s married her three times. The fruit of Britney and Mack’s love has been eleven kids varying in ages from 6 months to 16 years. When Mack isn’t working, or hanging around “Bobby’s,” he’s tinkering with some new mechanical idea.

In the pilot episode, Mack is empowered with superhuman intelligence, and total recall. As an added bonus, Mack has total operating knowledge of all Adoyan and Martian technology. This gives him the ability to pilot alien spacecraft, and build complex devices either from memory, or imagination. Mack is loyal to a fault, and always comes through for the other NEX when they’re in a crisis.

Even though Mack would have preferred a “cool” power like superhuman strength or speed, Mack is a passionate inventor. Each episode should have a different crazy invention that can either be utilized in a future episode, or just establish his growing arsenal of contraptions. His list of inventions include: a chimp-to-English translator, Power Gauntlets, a pickup truck equipped for space travel, a giant robot made of trailers, and a cat-launcher (don’t ask). At the beginning of the second episode, Mack customizes a requisitioned “Pink Peace” ship with a spoiler and monster truck tires.

*Under Mack’s frumpy hat, coke-bottle glasses and mechanic’s uniform, he’s ripped and great looking.

Keith MacEntyre*

Keith is a free spirit. In the middle of the most bizarre of circumstances, Keith is the guy that never loses his cool.

When in doubt, Keith blames all misfortune on the government or specifically Democrats. Keith is considered a chronic exaggerator, but it turns out that he’s usually being truthful.

Keith was a special forces sniper for 6 years. These days, he spends his days working for the local sewage utilities, and doing freelance taxidermy. When he’s not stuffin’ critters, Keith enjoys watching chick flicks, and baking.

In the pilot episode, Keith becomes a changeling that is capable of transforming into any known alien species. The only problem is, he has no idea how to control what he becomes. In the first season Keith only reverts back to his natural state by accident; quickly turning into something else before he even knows what’s happened. The one consistency among all of Keith’s forms is his hair. Even when the alien he’s emulating is hairless, Keith will have his red crew-cut.

*Regardless of the venue, Keith will not wear a shirt.

Ricky Leonard*

Ricky (Mack’s older brother) is a no-nonsense guy with a hat to match. He’s the fella’ speaking common sense in the midst of the chaos the other NEX exude. While Ricky is normally extremely even-tempered, when he does finally get upset it’s explosive. On the rare occasion that Ricky and Mack fight, the air fills with an incoherent flurry of yelling that only the two of them understand.

In addition to being a used car salesman, Ricky’s also a bluegrass musician. As a show element, his music could allow for some great real music to add texture to the show. Ricky’s band “Ricky and the Rolling Thunder” performs frequently at “Bobby’s.”

Ricky’s power allows him to form guns from his arms. As a gun nut, Ricky already has a great aim, and a good working knowledge of his “guns.”

Ricky is in love with Britney, but would never say so because of her relationship with Mack. This situation causes some under the surface tension later in the season, with the story culminating with Ricky meeting and falling for Britney’s mom instead.

Character profiles: secondary

Billy Montana

Billy is a cocky slacker, who also happens to be a narcoleptic. He’s an irresponsible guy that’s used to his looks and local athletic legacy getting him out of all sorts of trouble.

In Episode 1, Billy is injected not only with a serum that makes him super-fast, but also a sedative that puts his narcolepsy in overdrive. When the NEX escape Adoyan Abductions, they accidentally leave Billy behind. Angry and abandoned, Billy recruits a group of memoryless Martians to help him in his quest to kill the NEX.

Six years ago, Billy was an all-star football player about to graduate from high school. After graduation, instead of going to college, Billy chased girls, and worked at Ricky’s used car dealership.

Britney Leonard

Britney is Mack’s frequent wife, and just as frequent ex-wife. When Britney isn’t working at “Bobby’s Wings & Auto Repair,” she’s watching she and Mack’s 11 kids. Britney is an unintentionally wise woman that often dispels the moral of each episode while pouring the guys beer.

Britney is considered the sweetheart of Bucksnort, and has a loving personality to match. Even though she could have any guy in town, Mack is the only one she ever picks. As a possible running joke, Mack and Britney end every season getting married, and begin each season already divorced.

Desiree*

Desiree (Barry’s sister, and “Daddy’s” daughter) is a hateful woman. While she and Bret are in a long-time relationship, Desiree actually treats him worse than anyone else.

Currently, Desiree works as a waitress/shift leader at “Bobby’s” where she and Britney have become coworkers and odd friends. However, Desiree believes that Britney (fueled by raging jealousy) is always out to hurt her.

Desiree was a recent recipient of a breast augmentation surgery, but was only able to afford the treatment for one breast. That doesn’t get her down though. No matter how hideous she becomes, Desiree is still convinced that every man adores her, and every woman envies her. Desiree’s daddy is the town sheriff, and her brother Barry is the Assistant Deputy-In-Training.

*The first season could end with a double wedding of Bret to Desiree, and Mack to Britney.

Zox

Zox is your typical teenage guy from an 80s comedy. He doesn’t take anything too seriously even when he should. The difference is, he’s an Adoyan (the most prominent alien race in the NEX universe...NEXiverse if you will.).

Zox works aboard an Adoyan Abductions franchise ship that happens to abduct the NEX, and during that abduction, Zox unintentionally gives them their powers.

Zox and Keith are kind of buddies, having met over the course of several previous abductions.

Fessur

All good sci fi shows need a doctor to explain away the junk-science going on behind the scenes. Not only does Fessur serve the purpose of that exposition, but he also brings a unique perspective to the NEX insanity. Fessur is a slightly obsessive, jittery little alien that doesn’t react well when things don’t happen according to plan.

In the first episode, Fessur is kidnapped first by a former flame/cult leader named “Didi,” and then by the NEX when they steal a Pink Peace™ ship and take Fessur with it. As episode 2 begins, Fessur is chained like a dog to the front porch of Mack’s trailer. Even though Fessur resents being treated like a pet, he eventually learns to love his new life; going as far as declining rescue when Adoyan head of security agent Brik arrives in a later episode.

Brik

Brik is the tough-as-nails head of security for Adoyan Abductions. He excels in his position, and takes a lot of pleasure in exerting physical force.

Near the middle of season 1, Brik becomes a permanent character to the show when he follows the NEX to earth in an attempt to recapture them. While he’s there, he falls in love with redneck culture.* After becoming a part of the NEX, Brik teaches the guys how to effectively use their powers. From that point forward, Brik becomes an odd mix of Professor X and Solid Snake.

*Upon joining the NEX, Brik becomes completely enthralled by college football and southern food; which causes him to become morbidly obese to the point he is dependent on his trusty Rascal Motorized Scooter™ for mobility.

Didi

Most philosophical movements begin with a figurehead. Didi is that figurehead for Pink Peace, a “pacifist organization determined to end the senseless abductions of humans and other lesser beings for the express purpose of experimentation.”

Didi connects to the NEX story through a long ended relationship with Fessur. This relationship was absolutely one-sided, and ended with Fessur jumping from a moving vehicle. Didi however knows that if she can force Fessur to be with her for 20 or 30 years, Stockholm syndrome will take hold and they can live dementedly ever after.

Barry

Barry (Desiree’s brother) is the most incompetent enforcer of the law imaginable. The two things that prevent him from being fired are 1. His father is the Sheriff, and 2. His partner “Snake” is the biggest tough-guy in the NEX universe.

Barry is known for misquoting clever statements similar to Biff in “Back to the Future.” (“Why donchu make like a tree...and get outta here...”)

While Barry is completely incompetent, he’s also extremely likable. He’s always happy to see the NEX, and all of them genuinely like him (despite the several times he’s erroneously arrested them).

Daddy

“Just call me ‘Daddy.’ Everbuddy does,” is the often used and always awkward introduction for Desiree’s sheriff father. Daddy’s name is never revealed, and he refuses to answer to anything other than “Daddy,” despite the discomfort of the person he’s speaking to.

Unlike Barry, Daddy is a capable law-man with a record of the state’s lowest crime rate. He’s heavy, with aviator style sunglasses and hands that never leave his belt-buckle.

Daddy is extremely protective of Desiree, and often stares awkwardly at Bret until he anxiously runs off.

Character profiles: tertiary

Snake

If there’s a character that has to suffer intense physical harm, it’s always Snake. Snake is Daddy’s highest ranking Deputy, and tougher than any other human alive. No matter what horrible situation Snake faces, he shakes it off and takes it in stride. Snake is a mostly silent slab of leather that refuses to whimper or die regardless of the torture.

Snake differs from Brik in that he doesn’t typically speak, and he’s an old man with no agenda or grudge. His most common line is: “Nope, I’m ah-ight.”

Colin and Lindsay

Colin is a local “Recovery Agent” (bounty hunter). He frequently serves as a source of intelligence or “word on the street.” He’s unintentionally hilarious in his cut and dry perspective on things (think Ron Swanson with a Glock).

Lindsay is the other half of Colin, the sweet, lovable, red-haired half.

Virgil

Virgil is the line-cook at Bobby’s. He’s always working and always brutally honest.

Season 1: Episode concepts

Episode 1: Redneck Superheroes

This episode in its entirety is in the final portion of this series bible. As written, it is roughly 44 minutes (two episodes), but could be consolidated to a single 22 minute episode if necessary.

Episode 2: Brik Through the Window

The NEX are enjoying a typical evening of beer and talking at Bobby’s when the front window shatters, and Brik (Adoyan security officer) bursts through. Brik has been given the task of recapturing the NEX so their memories can be wiped, and they can be de-powered. Throughout the episode, Brik and the NEX actually fight more like friends than combatants, culminating in the realization that Brik would rather stay on earth with his new buddies than go back to working for Adoyan Abductions.

*Upon joining the NEX, Brik becomes obsessed with college football and southern food; causing him to become so morbidly obese that he is dependent on his trusty Rascal Motorized Scooter™ for mobility.

Episode 3: Beware the Chigger!

Bucksnort has the NEX to defend her shimmering double-wide village during the day...but what about at night? That’s where “The Chigger™” comes in.

Gifted with the ability to telepathically communicate with any chigger within a 10 mile radius; the Chigger normally uses his power for good. Recently though, his chigg-ness has fallen on rough times. In an effort to fund his lavish superheroing efforts (and keep his Festiva gassed up), the Chigger has turned to crime (and recycling). It falls on the NEX to find and reform this scourge of crotches & leg hair.

Episode 4: Dumbass*

Pierre St. Dumás is a lonely hermit, living in the rolling hills of Quebec. Upon receiving an invitation to visit his only living relative, Dumás travels to America...and hates it.

Dumás decides it is his responsibility to educate the “ignorant Americans” living in Bucksnort, TN. His plan is to overtake a local television station, and force broadcast French-Canadian history to the dim Bucksnortians. Unfortunately for him, the NEX happen to be in the same station at the same time for their first interview since becoming superheroes. The NEX are initially defeated by Dumás (and his monkey Chirac), but return later in the episode with a giant robot built of trailers from Mack’s trailer park.

*Dumás’ aunt knit him a lovely black and red striped sweater with his last name emblazoned across the chest. Even though the sweater clearly says “Dumás,” the NEX refer to him as “Dumbass” based on phonetic pronunciation. This error infuriates Dumás, and only encourages the NEX further.

Episode 5: Wampires and Werewuffs

Edwin is a Wampire (and a male model). His existence is a dichotomy of timeless love, and immortal torture. Tonight, Edwin has travelled to Bucksnort seeking to recruit the NEX in his war against the buff but evil Werewuffs, who seek to capture the focus of Edwin’s agonizing love...Billy. (As a side-note, the NEX assume that Billy is a man, and that Edwin is gay because he’s so...sensitive. Billy, however is a whiny brunette girl who speaks in melodramatic half-sentences, and is always grabbing Edwin by the arm and shouting “NO! Don’t you leave me again!”)

Each time the Werewuffs attack, Edwin begins a dramatic monologue about the situation in his annoyingly raspy voice:

“Oh Billy, why can’t you just let me go...Your life would be so much easier...but my immortal existence would be a never ending Billy-less prison...Oh, Billy...Billy, Billy, Billy...”

The NEX are hesitant to help, but ultimately have no choice as the Werewuffs arrive and begin utterly destroying Bucksnort. The episode is resolved when the NEX tranquilize the Werewuffs and neuter them (using “Bret’s In-Home Pet Castration Kits™”); believing that much like dogs, it will help them “calm the hell down.” The plan works, and when the Werewuffs awaken they’re very docile. Mack explains his insane actions like this:

“Well, my granddaddy had this dog that was meaner than a hornet. He tried a rolled-up newspaper, yellin’, even sweet-talk. The only thing that made that dog calm down was a good, old-fashioned castration.”

Episode 6: Tony, the Racist*

Tony has a special power. He can instantly change his ethnicity. The problem? Tony believes these changes grant him the inherent powers of whatever race he assumes*. In his mind, Tony’s Asian form grants him super-human intelligence, his Native American form can speak to animals, his African-American form has street knowledge and the ability to terrify large groups of white people, and his “Middle Eastern” form...well, he just won’t use that one.

Tony wants to be a part of a team, specifically the NEX. Unfortunately, Tony only gets in the way. Finally, the NEX send Tony on a long-term wild goose chase that will occupy him until he reappears in season 2.

*Tony’s “power” only changes his appearance. He gains no other benefit from his transformation into another ethnicity.

Episode 7: Momma Kitty

Bret never mows his yard. This lack of landscaping has created tension between he and his cat-loving neighbor. This neighbor has one cat in particular that constantly plays in Bret’s yard, and even on Bret’s prize mower, “Green Thunder.” This is Momma Kitty.

After one particularly vicious argument with his neighbor, Bret rents a tractor, and mows his yard. While cutting his grass, Bret accidentally runs over Momma Kitty. In an effort to hide the dead body, he buries the cat in a Native American graveyard that happens to sit in his backyard. As is always the rule when burying things in Native American graveyards...the cat comes back to life. Momma Kitty is now a lumbering mass of decomposing fur and bone. After resurrecting, she kills all of Bret’s dogs and devours them whole.

The NEX fight and finally kill Momma Kitty, only to be forced to put down Bret’s newly reanimated hounds. As the NEX kill the animals, and deal with Bret’s neighbor, the episode closes with Bret feeding a huge, zombified shih tzu* in his basement.

*The shih tzu (Flopsy) hates Bret, and is always grunting and chomping at him.

Episode 8: The Mighty Buck

One day while the NEX are in the forest hunting, they run across the largest, most impressive buck they’ve ever seen. Excitedly, they chase the beast into the forest. He runs all night, unable to elude his pursuers. The buck finally loses his tail (no pun intended) by ducking into an old shack in the middle of the woods. What he doesn’t know is, a mad scientist is using the shack to conduct experiments on a teleportation device. The buck accidentally steps into the destination teleporter tube just as the scientist steps inside the origin teleporter tube. In a flash the two are combined into a magnificent hunk of buck-human flesh. The new creature is a bipedal 10 point buck with the mind of a mad scientist.

Infuriated by the loss of opposable thumbs, the creature adopts the moniker “Mighty Buck!” and sets out to hunt those who once hunted him...beginning with the NEX!

Episode 9: Olympian Comfort*

Zeus is alive, well, and living in Crossville, TN. As the world turned away from the Greek gods, the Greek gods decided it was time for retirement. The last few thousand years, Zeus and his dysfunctional family have been living in the deep south, continuing their tradition of lying, stealing, drinking, fighting, and generally behaving like unemployed rednecks.

Recently though, tension has run high between Zeus’ family of gods and the Roman gods, or “those damn hippies.” The NEX become involved when Jupiter and Zeus place a bet on one particular NASCAR race (the NEX happen to be in attendance). When Zeus loses the wager, he isn’t willing to hand over Olympus. As a result, a god-war breaks out with the NEX at the center.

*It turns out, the redneck “tradition” is the result of the Greek gods coming down to live with humanity.

Episode 10: Return of Dumás

Dumás is back, and this time he’s decided the French should have given the Statue of Liberty to Canada instead of the United States. As a result of this “oversight,” Dumás augments the Statue of Liberty with all the necessary machinery to convert it to a huge robot capable of walking itself across the border. Dumás successfully pilots the statue toward Canada. After a call from Rick Furious, the NEX agree to save the Statue of Liberty from the clutches of the French-Canadians.

Episode 11: The Revengers (A Very Redneck Christmas I)

Rick Furious is assembling a team...a very special team.

The NEX are doing their best to prepare for a well-deserved Christmas vacation, but duty (Rick) keeps calling. Just as the NEX begin to settle back into Christmas, Rick Furious bursts in the door with a government-issued mission to “save the world.”

After completing one insane mission after another, the NEX call in a favor and have Rick abducted by a certain Adoyan organization so they can finally celebrate Christmas in peace.

Episode 12: Adam & Steve and the “Gay Ray”

Adam & Steve are scientists who have accidentally created a raygun that causes targets to become sexually attracted to their own gender.

Through a series of unlikely events, the ray rains down on all of Bucksnort. Bret, Ricky, Mac, and Keith included. As the episode concludes, Mac discovers the ray has no effect on its target’s sexual orientation – it only effects people on a purely superficial level. Keith casually comes out of the closet just before credits.

Episode 13: The Dark Desiré Saga

Didi loves Fessur, and can’t bear to live another day without him. In an attempt to blackmail him into a relationship, Didi travels to earth with an artifact called “The Box of Darkest Desiré.” This box is a sort of cosmic Pandora’s box that grants the opener their deepest, darkest Desiré and empowers them with near god-like power. Didi’s plan is to force Fessur “home” under threat of opening the box.

As Didi is explaining these terms to Fessur, Desiré walks by. Seeing her name etched on the side of the box (she assumes some dumbass admirer misspelled her name.), Desiré opens the Darkest Desiré and instantly becomes “The Dark Desiré.”

During the climax of the story, Desiré must renounce anything and everything she loves on earth in order to keep her power. The problem is, despite all the natural hate in her heart, Desiré actually loves Bret. When she can’t give up her love for him, she agrees to hand the box over to an intergalactic power for safe-keeping. Desiré doesn’t surrender her power for nothing though. She submits a list of demands that include a mansion on the moon manned by 5 super buff robot studs (cuz robots never get tired of fanning or rubbing).

*Desiré forgets to ask for a means to get to the moon; so her mansion and robot servants are stuck there without her. In a later episode, an army (they built more robo-studs) of robot studs travel to earth looking for Desiré.

Around the NEX universe...