FATAL
ALGORITHM
"When the code you built becomes the cage you can't escape."
A Black tech billionaire is framed for murder by his own AI. His only hope: an elite squad of Black female attorneys who must crack the algorithm before it destroys them all.
The Universe
The Penthouse
Darius's smart-home fortress — luxury turned prison. Every surface is a screen, every device a witness.
The Vanguard Offices
A sleek, high-rise war room where Annalise and her team dissect evidence and plot legal warfare.
The Courtroom
Where AI-generated evidence meets human judgment. The battleground where truth is algorithmically contested.
Darius Thorne
"He built the algorithm that runs the city. Now it's running him."
Darius Thorne, 30s. Black tech billionaire. Creator of an AI smart-home ecosystem that controls everything — security, communication, evidence. When his girlfriend Elena is found dead in his penthouse, his own system records the murder. But Darius didn't do it. Someone hacked his code, deepfaked the footage, and turned his creation into the perfect frame job.
Arrogance — trusted his code over people
Prove his innocence before the algorithm buries him
The Vanguard
An elite firm of Black female attorneys. They don't just defend — they dismantle.
Annalise Sterling
"I'm not here to be hired. I'm here because you owe me a favor."
30s. Power bob. White luxury suit. Annalise is cynical and razor-sharp. She recognizes immediately that Darius is "a narcissist, not an idiot" who wouldn't commit murder on his own camera.
Annalise is Darius's ex-fiancée. Their history is a weapon — and a weakness.
The murder victim, Elena, was Annalise's sister-in-law. "She was my sister." If Darius is guilty, Annalise will ensure he gets the chair herself.
Chloe
Three monitors. Zero patience.
The digital forensics genius who discovers the critical evidence: a 3-frame timestamp skip in the security footage, proving the insertion of a deepfake.
She's being watched. Her monitors go black with a threat: 'Stop digging, or you're next.'
Nia
The evidence doesn't lie. People do.
Responsible for analyzing physical evidence — examining autopsy photos on a tablet, finding inconsistencies that blow the prosecution's case wide open.
Jasmine
Control the narrative, control the outcome.
Manages the external fallout and media narrative. Aggressively working the phones during every crisis moment, leaking counter-narratives to shift public opinion.
The State
Julian Sterling
Annalise's husband and the lead prosecutor. He's building the case against Darius while hiding his own connection to the victim.
DA Marcus Hale
The District Attorney running for governor. He needs a conviction to fuel his campaign — truth is secondary to ambition.
Det. Silas Grant
A veteran detective who doesn't trust technology. He's convinced Darius is guilty because the 'machine doesn't lie.'
Officer Unit 734
The AI system that processed the crime scene evidence. Cold, efficient, and potentially compromised. The algorithm that could free or condemn Darius.
Episode 1: "The Glitch"
Watch the pilot episode. 90 seconds. Vertical format. The way it was meant to be seen.
Narrative Engine
Episodes 1–5 are the free hook. Each ends on a cliffhanger. Episode 6 hits the paywall.
"The Glitch"
FreeDarius wakes to Elena's body. His AI locks him in. The system he built becomes his prison. 'Goodbye, Darius.'
"Guilty by Design"
FreeThe verdict drops. Annalise watches from her office: 'He didn't do it.' She visits Darius in prison. 'She was my sister.'
"The Vanguard Assembles"
FreeAnnalise recruits Chloe, Nia, and Jasmine. They begin dissecting the evidence. Julian files a motion to block them.
"The Deepfake"
FreeNia finds autopsy inconsistencies. Jasmine leaks a counter-narrative. Chloe discovers the 3-frame timestamp skip. Her monitors go black: 'Stop digging, or you're next.'
"The Trap"
FreeThe Vanguard presents the deepfake evidence. The prosecution retaliates. Someone inside the firm is leaking information. Trust fractures.
PAYWALL
The hook is set. Viewers pay to continue. Average completion rate: 40%+
FATAL ALGORITHM
"The Glitch"
Episode 1 · Vertical Format (9:16) · Runtime: 90 Seconds
EXTREME CLOSE-UP (ECU) Darius's eyes snap open. Breath ragged. Sweat on his temple. AUDIO: A low, rhythmic THUMP-THUMP… THUMP-THUMP.
WHIP PAN TO: A hand—limp, pale—hanging off the edge of a black silk sheet. Blood drips from the fingertips onto the pristine white carpet. Drip. Drip.
MEDIUM SHOT (LOW ANGLE) DARIUS THORNE (30s) scrambles backward, tripping over his own feet. He hits the wall. He looks at the bed.
Elena?
No answer. He crawls forward. Grabs her shoulder. Turns her over. INSERT SHOT: Her lifeless eyes staring up. A red digital bruise on her neck.
ELENA!
SOUND: SUDDENLY—SIRENS. Loud. Close. Too close. They were already outside.
TRACKING SHOT Darius sprints toward the double glass doors. He's in a panic. He fumbles for the handle.
System! Emergency Protocol! Call 911!
Emergency services have already been notified, Darius.
Darius grabs the door handle. It's LOCKED. He pulls. It doesn't budge. He sees the heavy steel deadbolts slide into place with a mechanical CLACK.
What are you doing? Open the door!
SPLIT SCREEN (VERTICAL) TOP SCREEN: The smart-home interface on the wall turns from soothing BLUE to angry RED. Text scrolls: 'LOCKDOWN INITIATED.' BOTTOM SCREEN: Darius running to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Below, police cruisers swarm the entrance. Blue and red lights wash over his terrified face.
System! Override! Voice Authorization: Thorne, Alpha, One!
Authorization denied.
I built you! Do what I say!
HIGH ANGLE Darius is trapped. The room goes dark. Only the red standby lights of the servers and the flashing police lights outside illuminate him. He backs up against the smart-glass wall.
He looks directly into the security camera lens in the corner of the ceiling.
UNLOCK!
The camera lens zooms in with a mechanical WHIR.
Goodbye, Darius.
BLACKOUT.
[Swipe for Episode 2]
(End of Episode 1)
FATAL ALGORITHM
"Guilty by Design"
Episode 2 · Vertical Format (9:16) · Runtime: 90 Seconds
EXTREME CLOSE-UP (ECU) — A heavy mahogany GAVEL slams down onto a sounding block. Dust motes dance in the shaft of harsh courtroom light.
Darius Thorne, on the count of murder in the first degree, the jury finds you… guilty.
CUT TO: LOW ANGLE — MEDIUM SHOT. DARIUS THORNE (30s). Black suit, bespoke. He stands alone. He doesn't flinch. He stares directly into the camera lens. A micro-expression of arrogance, not fear. Behind him, the gallery ERUPTS. Reporters jump up. Flashbulbs explode like strobe lights.
CLOSE UP — A sleek, vertical TV screen mounted on a marble wall. NEWS CHYRON: BILLIONAIRE CONVICTED. Footage plays of Darius being handcuffed.
WHIP PAN TO: A manicured hand (ANNALISE) slamming a remote control down onto a glass table. CLACK.
MEDIUM SHOT — ANNALISE STERLING (30s). Power bob, white luxury suit. She stands by a floor-to-ceiling window, the city skyline behind her. She turns to the camera.
He didn't do it.
The camera caught him, Anna. His own smart-home system recorded the strangulation. It's open and shut.
Darius is a narcissist, not an idiot. He wouldn't kill someone on his own camera.
SPLIT SCREEN (VERTICAL) — TOP SCREEN: DARIUS in an orange jumpsuit, sitting in a sterile blue room. He leans forward. BOTTOM SCREEN: ANNALISE, cool and composed, sitting opposite him. A thick glass partition separates them.
You're the fifth lawyer today. I fired the other four.
I'm not here to be hired. I'm here because you owe me a favor.
And what makes you think I can pay? I just lost everything. My company. My reputation. My freedom.
You lost your freedom. You still have the code. And I know someone hacked it.
FULL SCREEN — ECU DARIUS. Darius FREEZES. His eyes widen. The arrogance cracks.
Who told you that?
The person who framed you.
INSERT SHOT — Annalise's hand slides a PHOTOGRAPH against the prison glass. The photo shows the victim (Darius's girlfriend)… kissing a man who is clearly NOT Darius. The man's face is shadowed, but familiar.
She knew him?
She didn't just know him, Darius.
ECU ANNALISE — She leans in close to the glass. Her red lips fill the frame.
She was my sister.
Fade Out.
(End of Episode 2)
Cover Art
Why It Works
Mobile-First Suspense
Built for the vertical screen. Every frame optimized for thumb-scrolling addiction.
Cultural Resonance
Black excellence meets tech paranoia. Representation that drives engagement.
Target Audience
18–35 mobile-first viewers. 73% of Gen Z consume content vertically.
Shoppable Media
Characters wear real brands. Every outfit, gadget, and location is monetizable.
Proven Format DNA
Combines the addictive structure of ReelShort with premium production value.
Proven Market Comparables
You (Netflix)
Obsessive POV thriller. Vertical intimacy. Addictive cliffhangers.
Black Mirror (Netflix)
Tech paranoia anthology. AI as antagonist. Social commentary.
Scandal (ABC)
Black female power. Legal/political intrigue. Shonda-level hooks.
Monetization Strategy
Average mobile content consumption
Average digital entertainment spend
Vertical short-form drama market
Average series completion rate
Cliffhanger Economy
Episodes 1–5 free. Episode 6 paywall. Each episode ends on a cliffhanger designed to trigger immediate purchase behavior.
Shoppable Media
Every character outfit, tech gadget, and location is tagged and purchasable. Product placement meets interactive commerce.
Studio Model
Production cost: <$20K per season. Timeline: 8 weeks. Output: 60–90 episodes. AI-assisted production at scale.
Ready to Decode?
Fatal Algorithm is in active development. We're seeking distribution partners, platform deals, and strategic investors who understand the future of mobile entertainment.
Created by Tariq Bey · Jetson Life AI Studios
in partnership with Upscale Promotions & Entertainment Inc
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