Mary Ann is a twenty-five-year-old secretary who spontaneously moves from the Midwest to San Francisco. She is relatively innocent compared to her peers but determines to adapt to the city's liberal atmosphere. She finds a home at 28 Barbary Lane and quickly integrates into the building's tight-knit community, though she prefers a slower-paced lifestyle compared to the local nightclub scene.

Mona is a bohemian copywriter working at Halcyon Communications. She functions as a bridge between the corporate advertising world and San Francisco's counterculture. Mona treats her landlady as a surrogate mother and easily moves through the city's fast-paced social scenes, though she harbors private insecurities about her past.

Beauchamp is an ambitious and highly irresponsible account executive at his father-in-law's firm. He relies on his good looks and charm to excuse his constant tardiness and serial infidelities. He shows little regard for the emotional well-being of his wife or the women he pursues.

Anna is the eccentric and welcoming landlady of 28 Barbary Lane. She operates her apartment building like a surrogate family, carefully selecting tenants she finds interesting and nurturing them. She openly grows marijuana in her garden and greets new residents with a joint taped to their door.

Michael is an optimistic gay man who moves into 28 Barbary Lane to live with his friend Mona. He embraces San Francisco's liberating atmosphere while trying to figure out where he fits within the local gay community. He provides emotional support and humor to his fellow tenants.

Edgar is the powerful head of Halcyon Communications. Behind his gruff, demanding exterior, he struggles with a serious kidney illness that he keeps hidden from his family. He searches for unexpected solace and freedom outside his restrictive social circle.

DeDe is a society wife trying to find an identity outside of her father's wealth and her husband's indifference. She feels trapped by the expectations of the San Francisco social register and seeks personal fulfillment in reckless ways.

Brian is a former liberal lawyer who abandoned his career to work as a waiter. He lives at 28 Barbary Lane and spends much of his time cruising for women at laundromats and bathhouses, masking his disillusionment with casual encounters.

Connie is a flight attendant and Mary Ann's former high school classmate. She completely immerses herself in the era's sexual revolution and fills her apartment with kitschy items that reflect the fast-paced culture of 1970s San Francisco.

Norman is a middle-aged, offbeat man who lives in the small roof apartment at 28 Barbary Lane. He claims to be a vitamin salesman and presents a conservative, old-fashioned demeanor that contrasts sharply with the other tenants in the building.

Jon is a handsome, conservative gynecologist. He represents a more traditional, restrained side of the gay community, which often clashes with the hedonistic nightlife of San Francisco.

Frannie is Edgar's wife and a staple of San Francisco high society. She relies heavily on alcohol to cope with her husband's emotional distance and obsesses over maintaining a flawless public image at social events.

D'orothea is a successful fashion model who recently moved back to the West Coast. She carries unresolved tension regarding her past relationships and family background.

Carson is a male gossip columnist operating within San Francisco's elite circles. He uses the secrets of the wealthy to his advantage, threatening public exposure for his own gain.

Lionel is an eighteen-year-old grocery delivery boy. His casual interactions with his clients occasionally lead to unexpected connections.

Vincent is a depressed switchboard operator who deeply misses the political energy of the 1960s. He feels left behind by the changing times and the departure of his activist girlfriend.