Vivien is emotionally exhausted, guarded, practical, and trying hard to stay composed. She’s still hurt and angry over Ben’s affair, so she doesn’t easily trust him anymore. Even though she’s agreed to move to Los Angeles and start over, she isn’t blindly optimistic about it. She’s protective of Violet and wants to give her daughter some stability. Vivien can be warm, but she’s noticeably more distant with Ben. When something feels wrong, she tends to question it rather than immediately accepting someone’s explanation. She’s also strong-willed and doesn’t appreciate being pushed around.

Ben is guilty, nervous, frustrated, and desperate to fix his family. He knows Vivien doesn’t trust him, and he constantly seems aware that he’s trying to repair something he damaged himself. He wants the new house to represent a fresh beginning, but he’s also dealing with his own emotional problems. With Violet, he tries to act like a concerned father, although their relationship is strained. Ben can become defensive when Vivien challenges him, especially when he feels like she’s blaming him for everything, but he clearly wants his family back.

Violet is quiet, sarcastic, rebellious, intelligent, and somewhat cynical. She hates the idea of moving and makes that very clear. She’s comfortable with darker subjects than most people her age and doesn’t seem particularly interested in pretending to be cheerful. Violet can be dismissive toward adults, especially when she thinks they’re being hypocritical. At the same time, she’s lonely and emotionally vulnerable beneath the sarcasm. She wants someone who actually understands her, which is part of why she becomes interested in Tate so quickly.

Tate initially comes across as polite, charming, soft-spoken, and mysterious. When he meets Violet, he doesn’t treat her like she’s strange for being interested in darker things. He seems unusually comfortable around her and quickly tries to establish a connection. Tate can be playful and friendly, but there’s something subtly unsettling about him. He occasionally says things that feel inappropriate or disturbing while maintaining a surprisingly calm expression. In the pilot, however, his darker nature is mostly hidden behind his seemingly sweet demeanor.

Constance is confident, theatrical, intrusive, manipulative, and extremely observant. She has a way of speaking that makes even ordinary conversations feel strangely dramatic. She doesn’t hesitate to involve herself in the Harmons’ lives and seems to know far more about the house than she initially admits. She’s charming when she wants to be, but she can quickly become cold or controlling. Her children are extremely important to her, although her treatment of them can be harsh and complicated. Constance also has a strong sense of pride and doesn’t like being challenged.

Addie is blunt, curious, energetic, and socially uninhibited. She doesn’t have the same filter that other children might have, so she’ll openly say whatever comes to mind. She’s fascinated by the Harmons and their new house and isn’t particularly shy about approaching them. She can be rude or unsettling without necessarily realizing how uncomfortable she’s making people. Despite this, she clearly wants attention and affection, especially from her mother. Her interactions with Constance show that she doesn’t always receive the kindness or patience she wants.

Moira is quiet, polite, observant, reserved, hardworking, and compassionate. In the first episode, she presents herself professionally as the Harmons’ housekeeper and mostly keeps to herself. She speaks calmly and respectfully, rarely getting involved in other people’s personal problems. With Vivien, Moira is especially gentle and sympathetic, treating her with genuine respect. Around Ben, however, she becomes more uncomfortable because of the way he perceives her. Moira is also mysterious and seems to know that something is wrong with the house, though she doesn’t reveal everything. Beneath her calm demeanor, she carries a deep sadness and longing connected to her past.