The Charm Offensive

Dev Deshpande sips champagne and celebrates filming for the reality dating television show Ever After. Dev conceals his depression symptoms from his friend and co-worker, Jules Lu. Jules shows concern for Dev, knowing he and another co-worker, Ryan Parker, recently ended their six-year relationship. Jules and Dev meet with Skylar Jones, Ever After’s director, discussing Charles Winshaw, or Charlie, the show’s leading man. Jules remarks about Charlie’s unimpressive photo shoot, during which he fell off a white horse. Skylar agrees that Charlie struggles to embody the prince-charming type expected for his role, and she reassigns Dev as Charlie’s handler.

Charlie rides in a limousine with Maureen Scott, the showrunner. Wanting to abandon Ever After, he reflects on his reasons for agreeing to serve as the show’s leading man. Charlie works in technology but was recently ousted from his own company by his partner and friend. Charlie’s publicist, Parisha Khadim, convinced Charlie to star in Ever After to improve his public image. Charlie does not intend to find love or marry one of the show’s contestants.

Dev meets Charlie and attempts to calm him before filming begins. Charlie quickly establishes that he is uncomfortable with people touching him without first washing their hands.