Astrid is the 68-year-old matriarch of the Strick family, living in the small town of Clapham, New York. Long widowed with three adult children out of the house, she has spent decades conforming to societal norms and expectations. Following a sudden local tragedy, she decides to pursue a more authentic life. As she takes in her teenage granddaughter, she reflects on her past parenting choices and attempts to connect more openly with her family.

Porter is Astrid's adult daughter in her thirties, running her own goat dairy farm in her hometown of Clapham. Independent and determined, she has decided to undergo IVF through a sperm bank to become a single mother. She worries about sharing this news with her traditional family while quietly reflecting on her past romantic failures.

Elliot is Astrid's oldest son, running a successful construction business in Clapham. He lives with his wife and twin toddlers, checking off the boxes of a perfect, socially acceptable life. Despite his outward success, he feels unfulfilled and stressed, heavily burdened by the pressure to maintain his local reputation and a recent commercial real estate purchase in town.

Nicky is Astrid's youngest son, living a bohemian, Buddhist-inspired lifestyle in Brooklyn with his wife. He sells crystals online and actively distances himself from his hometown. Wanting to raise his daughter differently than he was raised, he struggles with the guilt of sending her away when she faces severe social trouble at her middle school.

Cecelia is Nicky's 13-year-old daughter who is sent to live with her grandmother in Clapham after a severe social fallout at her New York school. Feeling abandoned by her parents but determined to make a fresh start, she faces the challenge of adapting to a new junior high school environment. She possesses a strong moral compass that often puts her at odds with adolescent social dynamics.

Robin is a young transgender girl attending junior high school in Clapham. She is publicly known by her birth name, August, and only feels truly herself while away at an inclusive summer camp. Facing isolation and the threat of bullying in her hometown, she struggles with the heavy burden of keeping her true gender identity a secret from her peers.

Barbara is a local Clapham resident and a contemporary of Astrid. Having spent decades in a steady but unfulfilling marriage, she recently made the radical choice to separate from her husband and pursue personal happiness. Her sudden involvement in a tragic accident sets off a chain reaction of self-reflection among the town's older residents.

Birdie owns and operates a local hair salon in Clapham. She is a warm, supportive presence who provides free haircuts to retirement home residents and cares deeply about the community. She offers a steady, loving anchor in Astrid's changing life.

Wendy is Elliot's wife and a lawyer who has largely stepped back from her career to manage their household in Clapham. Originally preferring city life, she feels isolated and overwhelmed by her young children and disconnected from her husband, longing for more partnership and appreciation.

Rachel is an English teacher at the local junior high school and Porter's former friend from high school. Recently separated from her cheating husband and expecting a baby, she is processing the emotional fallout of divorce while preparing for single motherhood. She sponsors the school's Parade Crew.

Jeremy is a local veterinarian in Clapham, married with children. He is Porter's former high school boyfriend. He maintains a respectable public image in the community but struggles with fidelity and personal boundaries in his private life.

Sidney is Jeremy's daughter and the reigning queen bee at Clapham's junior high school. She relies on rumors, intimidation, and social exclusion to maintain her popularity, making her an immediate adversary to anyone who challenges her status.

Juliette is Nicky's French wife and Cecelia's mother. She works as a dancer in New York City and shares her husband's alternative lifestyle, though she struggles alongside him with the consequences of sending their daughter away.

Bob is Barbara Baker's husband, a retired man living in Clapham. He is left to manage an empty house and his own confusion after his wife leaves him to seek a new life, shortly before tragedy strikes.

Katherine is Cecelia's former best friend from New York City. She engaged in a risky relationship with an older man and ultimately turned on Cecelia, spreading malicious rumors to deflect blame when adults became involved.

Aidan and Zachary are the twin toddler sons of Elliot and Wendy Strick. Their constant need for attention and occasional behavioral issues contribute significantly to the high stress levels in their parents' household.