Larry Sellers is a high school student living in the Los Angeles suburbs. His widowed father, Arthur Digby Sellers, is an acclaimed television writer who wrote the bulk of the series Branded but is now in an iron lung. Larry also lives with his Mexican housekeeper Pilar who speaks little English. Larry is a poor student with a D average and is a terrible writer despite his father being a talented writer. Larry often breaks the law by shoplifting and even stealing cars. He doesn't talk too much.