Isabel is a woman in her late thirties who lives in a Brooklyn apartment with her husband, Dan, and their two children. She works booking photographers for a magazine, a job she recognizes is threatened by the decline of print media. She feels deeply dissatisfied with her marriage and her daily routine. She frequently retreats to the stairs of her apartment to avoid her family responsibilities and search for moments of isolation.

Dan is Isabel’s forty-year-old husband and a stay-at-home father to their children. He is a former musician who once opened for other bands and produced a single, unsuccessful album. He spends his time writing new songs, hoping to launch a comeback and recapture the thrill of his younger days. He maintains a cheerful, sometimes oblivious demeanor that masks his awareness of his failing marriage.

Chess is a college literature professor who lives with her baby, Odin. She deliberately chose to raise her son as a single mother. She asked her long-time friend Garth to be the sperm donor so she could have a child without a romantic relationship. She actively resists societal pressures to form a traditional nuclear family and sets firm boundaries regarding Garth's involvement.

Garth is Dan’s thirty-seven-year-old younger brother. He works as an artist creating sculptures in a rent-controlled apartment. He maintains the carefree, irresponsible demeanor of his youth, contrasting with his older brother's settled family life. He harbors romantic feelings for his friend Chess and frequently pushes against her boundaries to spend time with her and their son.

Robbie is Isabel’s younger brother and a middle school English teacher. He lives in the attic of his sister's Brooklyn apartment. He faces pressure to move out so his nephew can have his room, prompting him to reconsider his career path. He serves as a vital emotional support system for his sister's household.

Violet is Dan and Isabel’s five-year-old daughter. She is highly sensitive to the emotional undercurrents in her home. She relies on routines and is deeply attached to her uncle Robbie, who acts as a stabilizing presence in her daily life.

Nathan is Dan and Isabel’s ten-year-old son. He is preparing to move out of the shared bedroom with his sister into the attic apartment. He seeks the approval of his slightly older, more rebellious friends and distances himself from his parents' involvement in his daily routine.

Odin is the infant son of Chess and Garth. He is the center of his mother's world, raised primarily in the secluded environment of her apartment.

Derrick is Isabel’s boss at the magazine where she works. He is dismissive and holds conservative views regarding the subjects of the magazine's photography. He forces Isabel to compromise her artistic integrity to appease his demands.

Wolfe is a fabricated Instagram persona created jointly by Robbie and Isabel. Portrayed as a pediatrician living an idyllic life in Brooklyn with a roommate and a dog, Wolfe functions as a projection of the unfulfilled desires harbored by his creators.

Oliver is Robbie’s most recent former boyfriend. Their breakup leaves Robbie untethered and searching for a new living arrangement.

Adam is one of Robbie's former boyfriends. Robbie views him as the man he truly loved, remembering how Adam eventually left him for a younger violinist.

Zach was Robbie's first boyfriend during their sophomore year of college. Robbie views their time together as a high point in his life before Zach realized he was not attracted to men.

Peter is a former boyfriend of Robbie. He gifted Robbie a scarf for his twenty-fifth birthday, which Robbie keeps in his possession despite knowing he will never wear it.

Chad is one of Nathan's school friends. He acts slightly more mature than the other students in his grade, commanding Nathan's respect and attention.

Harrison is friends with Nathan and Chad. He shares a tighter bond with Chad than with Nathan, creating a dynamic where Nathan continually tries to impress them.