Expats: Los Guiris Series Bible

A Substack TV Show

Expats: Los Guiris

Series Bible

FORMAT: One-hour dramedy (42–50 minutes per episode). Limited series with potential for anthology-style follow-ups set in other cities (e.g., Vancouver, Dubai, Tbilisi).

TONE & STYLE: Darkly comedic, sharply observed, emotionally raw. Stylistically akin to The White Lotus (surreal social critique with a mystery plot), Fleabag (wit and fourth-wall breaks), and the Spanish satirical flair of Machos Alfa. A multilingual series (English, Spanish, and other languages depending on location), grounded in realism yet heightened by stylized elements like confessional asides, dreamlike vignettes, and overlapping timelines.

The "Spanish satirical edge" draws from local customs and institutions: it mocks bureaucratic absurdities, lingering nationalism, the cult of Catholic festivals, Mediterranean machismo, expat privilege, and the subtle hierarchies between locals, "guiris," and migrants.

LOGLINE: When a young woman disappears after a festival in Castellón, a dysfunctional group of expats and locals set out on an impulsive road trip across Spain to find her, each with their own secrets, motives, and growing doubts about whether she wants to be found at all.

Series Overview

Expats: Los Guiris explores the tensions and contradictions of global expatriate life and the extremes to which we go to belong.

Season one begins in the overlooked coastal town of Castellón, where a mismatched group of expats and locals have gathered to escape or find themselves. But their fragile social bubble is ruptured when Noe, a troubled young woman known by all but truly understood by none, goes missing.

What begins as a shared concern soon escalates into paranoia, blame, and bizarre alliances. The disappearance becomes the catalyst that pulls this ensemble out of complacency and into motion. One member of the group receives a cryptic message hinting that Noe may have joined a cult. Another admits to knowing her family. Instead of turning to the authorities, the group decides to take matters into their own hands.

What follows is a twisted, character-driven road trip across Spain—equal parts emotional excavation and cultural misadventure. Each stop on the journey peels back the layers of their curated lives, revealing what they've done, what they're capable of, and the truths they've buried. From yoga retreats and anarchist squats to dusty pueblos and over-the-top festivals, they chase shadows of Noe—and themselves.

The road destabilizes relationships and redefines alliances. Each new town is a mirror, each ride a confession, each night a gamble. And still, no one agrees on who Noe really was—or why she vanished. The season culminates in an unexpected reveal—Contact me if you want the series bible with spoilers.

Each future season could reimagine this same premise in a new setting and with a new disappearance, turning Expats into a hybrid anthology about identity, illusion, and the magnetic pull of escape.

Why This, Why Now?

The global rise of remote work, migration, and digital nomadism has created a class of people caught between cultures, belonging everywhere and nowhere. Expats: Los Guiris taps into that disorientation with biting humour and raw vulnerability, offering a mirror to our shifting sense of identity, community, and purpose. This series explores timely themes: cultural appropriation, privilege, burnout, emotional isolation in hyper-connected times, and the seductive illusion of reinvention. The world is craving stories that are deeply personal yet universally resonant—stories that reveal how belonging is both our greatest need and our greatest trap. Expats delivers that with flair, laughter, and heartbreak.

The World

Season one begins in Castellón, a coastal Spanish city rarely seen onscreen. Urban yet overlooked, it's a melting pot of sun-seekers, locals, misfits, and middle-class dreamers burned out by their home countries. But the story quickly expands beyond Castellón—into a road trip that becomes as much about Spain's cultural contradictions as the characters' inner ones. From tourist-catered clubs in Benidorm to working-class suburbs of Vigo, wine country communes to abandoned inland pueblos, each stop offers a new mirror. The country itself becomes a secondary character—seductive, elusive, and full of contradictions.

Rules of the world:

• Appearances deceive. The most well-adjusted character is often the most lost.

• Each location changes the group dynamic—what works in one town fails in the next.

• Languages, customs, and regional tensions vary wildly. Miscommunication is inevitable.

• Time is slippery—memory, fantasy, and desire constantly distort reality.

Main Characters

"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main."

— Meditation XV. Keep that in mind as you read the character descriptions.

• Emma Smith (UK, 26): A vibrant but emotionally chaotic yoga teacher whose influencer persona masks a traumatic divorce and contact me for character arc reveals.

  She wants to "do less harm" but can't stop meddling in others' lives. Her bubbly exterior hides darker tendencies, which begin to surface after a surprise visit from her controlling ex-husband. Once her violent side emerges, we start to wonder if her involvement in Noe's disappearance runs deeper. Emma receives the initial message from Noe's burner account: "I had to leave. Don't follow". That message sets everything in motion—and puts her own sanity under scrutiny. Her fierce (and perhaps naive) sense of responsibility for Noe is a primary driver for the initial search.

• David Aldea (Spain/Romania, 41): A disillusioned academic turned bartender hiding family shame and professional failure. He struggles with resentment toward foreigners, although many still consider him one due to his Romanian background. "Estos putos guiris vienen en chanclas con calcetines..." is a weekly refrain. Nobody cares what David says as long as his beers remain cheaper than the other bars. He whispers in Romanian, pretends not to understand English, and fails spectacularly with women. His misogyny begins to unravel when—The rest of the character description contains spoilers.

• Tima Ivanenko (Ukraine, 22): A brilliant but politically incorrect engineering student. His coldness and arrogance are usually forgiven thanks to his gift for fixing anything and his quietly tragic past. Although his family lost part of their fortune in the war, he hasn't lost his pride. When María softens his heart, she also distracts him and—Spoilers.

• Jake Conroy (US/UAE, 26): A remote tech bro with a curated online presence masking his inner chaos. Raised between luxury and neglect, Jake has no idea who he is. He performs masculinity—weightlifting, crypto, alpha posturing—but avoids any real intimacy. As tensions rise, Jake's backstory surfaces: Contact me for spoilers. The trauma distorts his sense of control and emotional response, especially—You know what to do.

• María (Colombia, 36): Charismatic and impulsive, María uses seduction and storytelling to control her narrative. Her past traumas are unclear—and that's exactly how she wants it. Like Tima, she didn’t leave her country out of choice, but necessity. When she hears Tima and Jake express (spoilers) views, she seduces them both, planning to—Sorry, spoilers.

• Laila Flores Rivera (Spain, 28): A local artist who feels too cultured for Castellón but can't bring herself to leave—mostly because she’d miss the comforts of living with her wealthy parents (but that’s something she denies). She thinks she's morally superior to Jake and Emma, but when it comes to her crush on Mateo, it’s clear she’s just as hung up on superficialities. Her moral compass is real, but it's been through a few earthquakes— she once dated a cult leader, which makes her an integral part of the investigation into Noe. Although she avoids Jake as much as possible throughout the trip, his privilege reflects her own, and after—Spoilers.

• Mateo Van de Broek (Canada/Netherlands/Mexico, 32): A third-culture kid working in online sales. He understands everyone but feels connected to no one. He’s a charming alcoholic who drinks like a fish and swims like one, too. Mateo is intellectual, cultured, and triggered by family conversations. Every discussion on identity leads him to drink. As Noe's disappearance deepens, so do suspicions around Mateo's lost nights. He's not a killer, but—Spoilers.

• Noe Soler Garcia (Spain, 24): Manipulated by her parents and the Catholic Church, rejected by her peers, and damaged by men—or so she claims. Her disappearance unites and divides the group. Everyone's memories of her contradict. She's a mystery to others and to herself. Noe is charismatic but unsettling, a "human mirror" who reflects the hidden desires and fears of those around her. Her eventual revelation of—More spoilers.

• Inspector Beltrán (50): Castellón's local cop, initially introduced as a side character, becomes a dark horse. Buttoned-up, conservative, and quietly observant, he approaches Noe's disappearance with stoic detachment—too stoic, it turns out. As the group gets deeper into the investigation, Beltrán reappears in increasingly inappropriate contexts. By mid-season, we discover—If you want to know more, help me get this produced.

Minor Characters

People they meet along the way:

• Hans (Germany): A retired philosophy professor who's become a local conspiracy theorist.

• Debbie (UK): An estate agent with a loud laugh and a sixth sense for expat divorces.

• Theo (France): A wannabe screenwriter who never finishes anything. Claims he's "researching".

• Raquel (Spain): A weary bureaucrat at the immigration office. Knows more than she lets on.

• Jordi (Spain): Owner of the local café where the expats hang out. Dry humour, deeper heart.

• Nico (Spain): The charismatic and spiritual sex addict—the leader of the cult.

• Marek (Poland/UK): I can’t describe him without spoilers.

• Rotating guest expats, seasonal tourists, language students, and locals who keep the world alive and unpredictable.

Pilot Synopsis

Episode 1 Synopsis: "Toro Embolado"

"Expats: Los Guiris Pilot" introduces a diverse group of expatriates living in Castellón, Spain, whose lives are disrupted by the disappearance of Noe Soler Garcia. The episode opens at a "toro embolado" festival where a bull injures Mateo van de Broek, while Noe is observed by a blurry, unreadable figure in the crowd. Later, at Bar Aldea, Mateo, María, Laila, and Emma discuss Mateo's injury and Noe's absence, hinting at a connection between them and Mateo's encounter with the bull. Jake Conroy, a tech bro, arrives, more interested in viral content than Noe's well-being. Tima Ivanenko, a Ukrainian engineering student, also appears, subtly hiding an earring. The bar owner, David Aldea, expresses disdain for “guiris,” white-ass foreigners who say things like:

JAKE: Well, tell him to get me one of the Spanish Sangria things.

EMMA: Sangria is Spanish.

JAKE: Yeah, but the cheap, fruitless version they actually drink here.

EMMA: Tinto de Verano?

JAKE: Yeah, that. Un Pinto de Verano, por favor.

The group's conversation that goes from alcohol to Spanish red tape is interrupted by Inspector Beltrán Sanchez, who is investigating Noe's disappearance. He questions them, noting Mateo's injury and asking if anyone has heard from Noe or received unusual messages. While Jake quickly denies any knowledge, Emma receives a distorted voicemail from Noe saying, "Tuve que pillarme. Ni se te ocurra seguirme." Emma hides this from the inspector. María, under pressure, reveals that Noe sometimes spoke of joining new "spiritual communities" or cults in Aragón, a detail Mateo recalls from a hazy night.

After the inspector leaves, Emma reveals Noe's message, leading to a heated discussion. Despite Laila's hesitation and David's cynical warnings, Emma, Mateo, María, Laila, and Tima decide to go after Noe themselves, believing she might be in a spiritual community in Aragón. The episode ends with the group preparing for their journey, each with their own personal baggage and motivations, hinting at deeper individual struggles and unresolved pasts.

Episode List

Episode 2: "Echoes in the Emptiness" (Aragón / Muro de Bellos)

Plot:
The group sets off for Aragón, chasing Mateo’s vague lead about a spiritual community connected to Noe. They arrive at Muro de Bellos, a nearly abandoned village nestled in the sublimity of the Pyrenees, where the empty landscape mirrors their buried fears and unresolved pasts.

Character focus:

• Emma struggles to keep the group cohesive while battling mounting anxiety about Noe and a cryptic message from her burner phone. Her fractured past simmers beneath the surface, but the—Spoilers.

• David vents bitter resentment about foreigners, channelling his anger into fracturing group dynamics.

• Tima stays coldly pragmatic, silently haunted by his own losses.

• Jake uses humour and tech distractions to keep his distance.

• María appears confident but keeps her cards close. She doesn’t know much about the cult, but subtly tests the group’s boundaries while hiding the fact that she—Spoilers.

• Laila reveals hints of a painful and meets her—Spoilers.

• Mateo drinks heavily, carrying guilt tied to Noe’s disappearance.

Tone & Themes: Isolation, hidden truths, early fractures.

Cliffhanger: As the group settles into a creaky inn for the night, Emma notices a familiar silhouette—Inspector Beltrán—standing outside the window, watching them in silence.

Episode 3: "Vineyard of Secrets" (Rioja Wine Country)

Plot:
They arrive at a secluded wine commune where Laila’s ex-cult leader once exerted influence. The community’s insular nature offers both refuge and danger, reflecting the seductive pull of false belonging and blind loyalty.

Character focus:

• Laila confronts painful memories while supporting Mateo, whose—Spoilers.

• Emma tries to maintain control, but her mental strain grows. After a drunken—Spoilers.

• David’s hostility toward outsiders spikes, but cracks appear in his hard shell. It’s clear these are the only people who—Spoilers.

• María remains mysterious and wary of revealing—Spoilers.

• Jake and Tima share tension-filled exchanges about trust and survival in an unstable group. They also hustle—Spoilers.

Tone & Themes: Groupthink, addiction, fractured loyalties.

Cliffhanger: Deep into a midnight vineyard scavenger hunt, Tima steps in to protect María from—Spoilers.

Episode 4: “Que te largues” (Vigo)

Plot:
In Vigo, tensions around immigration and identity surface. The group encounters distinct immigrant communities, and María’s—Spoilers—rocking the group’s dynamic and exposing their biases.

Character focus:

• María’s reveal shocks the group but also—Spoilers.

• Emma struggles to reconcile her own privilege with María’s experience.

• David’s prejudices emerge bluntly, creating conflict and forcing self-reflection.

• Jake grapples with discomfort and guilt.

• Laila and Mateo try to mediate while wrestling with their own insecurities.

• Tima’s cool and calculated shell is finally broken. We see—Spoilers.

• Tone & Themes: Identity, belonging, prejudice, trust fractures.

Cliffhanger: Overwhelmed by guilt and shame, Mateo staggers into a dingy Vigo alley and—Spoilers.

Episode 5: "Festival of Fools" (Festival Internacional de Música y Danza de Granada)

Plot:
A bustling multicultural festival becomes a pressure cooker for the group’s tensions. Emma’s darker impulses rise as her fragile grip on reality slips. The sensory overload and crowd chaos provoke betrayals and dangerous confrontations.

Character focus:

• Emma edges toward volatility, her behaviour increasingly erratic and unpredictable.

• Jake’s trauma and jealousy explode after discovering—Spoilers.

• María is left vulnerable but begins to open up when she notices—Spoilers.

• David and Tima (too many spoilers)

• Laila and Mateo lose themselves in excess but find moments of painful clarity.

Tone & Themes: Chaos, emotional overload, fractured bonds.

Cliffhanger: As the festival’s fireworks explode overhead, Jake, trying to save—Spoilers.

Episode 6: "The Unseen Hand" (Rural Andalusia / Cult Compound)

Plot:
The group nears the cult compound controlled by the charismatic Nico, where Inspector Beltrán’s sinister presence looms. As they infiltrate or spy on the cult, psychological manipulation tightens its grip, forcing each member to face their vulnerabilities.

Character focus:

• Mateo's depression from—Spoilers.

• Laila wrestles with painful memories of the cult leader she once loved.

• Emma’s obsession deepens, blurring reality and paranoia.

• María remains cautious, learning dangerous truths about—Spoilers.

• David struggles against manipulation, revealing cracks in his bravado.

• Tima tests his loyalty and strength as the cult’s enforcers circle closer.

Tone & Themes: Manipulation, power, vulnerability, dark secrets.

Cliffhanger: Hidden in a shadowed corridor, Inspector Beltrán slips a groomed dossier into María’s duffel—a photo of her—Spoilers.

Episode 7: “Fucking Lads" (Benidorm / Alicante)

Plot:
In the chaos of Benidorm, a tourist hub and anarchist squat-turned-digital nomad space, the group searches for new leads. Emma’s—spoilers—forcing Emma to face her double life. Inspector Beltrán also appears, using his power to—spoilers.

Character focus:

• Emma is torn between—Spoilers.

• Jake’s—Spoilers.

• María tries—Spoilers.

• Laila and Mateo face the toll of—Spoilers.

• David and Tima navigate the noisy urban alienation, their—Spoilers.

• Inspector Beltrán exerts his—Spoilers.

Tone & Themes: Family fractures, control, loneliness in crowds, shadow power.

Cliffhanger: Too many spoilers.

Episode 8: "Mirrors of Truth" (Return to Castellón)

ALL SPOILERS.

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