Savannah is a 36-year-old professional woman who works in the publicity department of a local television station and aspires to be a producer. She relocates to Phoenix to be closer to her friend Bernadine, accepting a pay cut in the process. Independent and strong, she deals with loneliness and intense pressure from her mother and sister to find a husband.

Bernadine is a mother of two and controller for a real estate management company who sacrificed her personal ambitions to support her husband's businesses over their 11-year marriage. Outraged by his betrayal, she manages the abrupt loss of her marital identity and fights to secure her financial future. She expresses her anger by destroying and selling his remaining belongings.

Robin is an insurance underwriter in her thirties who yearns for marriage and a family so she can leave the corporate workforce. Despite her professional success, she often relies on astrology to guide her choices and frequently falls for handsome but financially unstable men. She is extremely generous but struggles with compulsive shopping when stressed.

Gloria is a 37-year-old single mother and owner of the Oasis Hair salon. Having lost her parents when her son was young, she built a successful business and a stable life in Phoenix. She struggles with high blood pressure, uses food for comfort, and maintains an unreciprocated affection for her son's father.

John is a successful software business owner who relied heavily on his wife's support to build his wealth early in their marriage. He is manipulative and controlling, actively attempting to hide his assets and diminish his apparent income to avoid paying a fair divorce settlement.

Russell is a handsome, charming man who makes a habit of living off the women he dates. He claims to be frightened of commitment but continually returns to Robin when he needs financial help, a co-signer, or a place to stay.

Tarik is Gloria's 16-year-old son who is exploring his independence, dealing with peer pressure, and managing racial tensions at school. He is musically talented and has ambitions to join the performance organization Up with People rather than immediately attending college.

David is Tarik's father, who occasionally visits Phoenix. He shares little emotional connection with Gloria despite her long-standing feelings for him, and his visits often bring tension rather than comfort to the household.

Michael is a twice-divorced coworker of Robin's. He is kind, considerate, and generous, offering financial and emotional support, though he lacks the physical attractiveness Robin typically seeks in a romantic partner.

Kenneth is a former lover of Savannah's who reaches out when visiting Phoenix for a conference. Now married with a child, he attempts to rekindle his past romance, claiming he was always in love with her.

Kathleen is a white woman who works as a bookkeeper in John's software business. She is the woman John leaves Bernadine for, sparking intense resentment as she performs the same supportive role Bernadine once did.

Sheila is Savannah's sister who frequently stays with their mother due to her own marital troubles. She constantly pressures Savannah to find a husband and criticizes her focus on her career.

Lionel is an acquaintance of Savannah's brother-in-law who presents himself as an ambitious businessman. He is quickly revealed to be a con artist looking for someone to fund his life and travel expenses.

Phillip is a gay hairdresser who works at Gloria's salon, Oasis Hair. He is a skilled stylist who faces significant health and financial challenges during the unfolding AIDS epidemic.

Marvin is Gloria's new neighbor, an older, widowed Black man. He is handy and attentive, frequently coming over to fix things around Gloria's house and sharing home-cooked meals with her.

James is a civil rights lawyer from Virginia whose wife has terminal cancer. He shares an intense, honest connection with Bernadine during a chance encounter that shifts her perspective on relationships.

Charles is a television producer from San Francisco who attends the same conference as Savannah. They share what seems to be a deep emotional and intellectual connection during their short time together.

Geneva is Bernadine's mother, who provides a steady source of practical advice and emotional support to her daughter during the turbulent divorce process.

Onika is Bernadine and John's young daughter, who experiences illness and the stress of her parents' contentious separation.

John Junior is Bernadine and John's son, whose academic struggles reflect the emotional toll of his parents' divorce. He demonstrates loyalty to his mother during the family's upheaval.

Jane is Bernadine's divorce lawyer who advises her to protect her finances and helps uncover the fraudulent ways John is hiding his wealth.

Troy is a man Robin dates briefly who initially seems promising but is soon revealed to be unreliable and involved with crack cocaine.

Carolyn is another woman involved with Russell. She lives with him and continually clashes with Robin over his attention and commitment.

Savannah's mother lives in Philadelphia and struggles to get by on her Social Security checks. She relies on Savannah for financial support and continually pressures her to find a husband.

Robin's mother is a breast cancer survivor who serves as the primary caregiver for her husband. She is devoted to her marriage and refuses to put her husband in a nursing home despite the severe toll it takes on her.

Robin's father suffers from Alzheimer's disease, creating significant emotional and financial strain on his family.