A spider, a rat, a flea, and a wasp dream of a life at the apex of creation. The Vermin Spirit heard their cries, and thus, the Vermin Rumble was given the green light. Three years as a human, only one may remain, the rest must return to the gutters. As a parody of serialized sitcoms about city-dwellers with big dreams, the four have to collaborate amid their competition to ensure their inherent vermin-hood doesn’t rear its head at inopportune times.

Irene the spider got the short hand of the stick. The Vermin Spirit made her a menopausal therapist with a mortgage. But, she’s going to win the Rumble, regardless if she makes a few clients cry in the process. A rocky start to a role so contrary to her nature, she discovers her hidden talent of being a competitive e-sports “athlete”. Sort of embarrassing work to put on a W2, especially for a middle-aged woman, but it pays the bills. And if there’s one thing a proper human adult woman should do, it’s pay the bills.

Lindeyman the rat is an accountant. A morbidly frail accountant. That’s it. Most mundane role ever given to a mundane human adult. Truly mediocre at everything. It’s fine though, everything is fine, because if most people are stuck in middling, dead-end jobs, then he will be too. Silver lining- he’s the man of the house, as long as Irene is ok with it. Thus, he’s going to win. The patriarch always wins. Daytime TV told him so.

Kian the wasp, placed in a juvenile body, isn’t taking the Rumble too seriously. That is until they find the true essence of human life- contrarianism. Armed with the Unabomber Manifesto, 120 Days of Sodom, the Antichrist, and many other illicit works, they set about being the best nuisance they can be. After all, to be human is to be nasty. And Kian is the proprietor on all things nasty.

Dana the flea loves being a parasite. Technically, she has a job, and technically, she clocks in. But she can’t help digging her face into all the warm body critters that occupy her cashier role at Pet-O-Rama, nor stop herself from stealing commissions from her coworkers. When she isn’t at work, which is often the case, she burrows into the trenches of sleazy digital subcultures. Maybe someday, she too can be an alt-right grifting influencer. She’ll win the Rumble, because being a parasite and being a human eclipse in the most satisfactory of ways.

Parody Inspiration: Friends, Sex and the City, Leave it to Beaver, Drawn Together