Cupid (2009) Information

Premise

Characters

• Cupid / Eros (Bobby Cannavale), a New York bartender of unknown origin on a mission to unite one hundred couples in true, lasting love. Though his apartment is leased under the name "Ed Ross" (based on his Greek title, Eros), he is known officially by the hospital and to most others as "Trevor Pierce" (a name taken from the marble inscription "?the world felt the tremor, and the darkness was pierced," on the hospital wall). According to Trevor, the gods of Olympus banished him to earth with the task of uniting one hundred permanent couples without the aid of divine omniscience or his bow and arrows as punishment for his poor performance as god of love. A string of hardwood beads hung in his apartment (and seemingly controlled by supernatural forces) tallies the couples he has effectively united (one). Though Trevor's claims of divinity lack sufficient proof, he displays an uncanny knowledge of Mediterranean culture, excels in archery, and is well versed in all Greco-Roman myths except the story of Cupid and Psyche (either indicating that he has forgotten this occurrence, that it has yet to happen, or that he is lying). But in the episode, 'My Fair Masseuse', as Claire is trying to dig out the truth of Trevor's identity, he tells a story of a professor who falls in love with one of his colleagues. A previous lover of his is jealous and tries to ruin it by making the man out to be a monster, and not being able to take it, the woman takes tons of pills and places herself in a deep sleep. (According to the legend of Cupid and Psyche, Psyche had jealous sisters who filled her head with lies about Cupid, which led her to open a box from the Underworld that she thought was filled with beauty, but was actually filled with an infernal sleep.) Which means he is really Cupid, but places a humorous spin on the legend to get Claire off his tracks, which works.

• Dr. Claire McCrae (Sarah Paulson), a New York psychiatrist who leads a support group for singles seeking lasting, meaningful romantic relationships based on shared interests and friendship. She has been assigned the task of supervising and studying Trevor Pierce (whose name she knows is an alias), and readmitting him to a mental institution if he poses any significant danger to the public. In her case study ("Cupid: A Case Study") she expresses the belief that Trevor's delusion is in response to the repressed memory of a former lover (explaining his lack of knowledge about Cupid's mythical wife, Psyche). However, there is some indication (if Trevor is, indeed, Cupid) that she herself may be Psyche: Greek ps?kh" (psyche) means "soul - spirit", and she is a psychiatrist; furthermore, in the myth Psyche is a mortal who falls in love with Cupid but believes he is a monster, not a god (whereas McCrae, who has expressed an attraction to Trevor, believes he is mentally unstable, not a god).

• Félix Arroyo (Rick Gomez), Trevor's landlord and employer.

• Lita Arroyo (Camille Guaty), Félix's sister and Trevor's coworker.

Episodes

US Nielsen ratings

Production history