"Scum" takes place in Modern Day Americana, following the exploits of the lazy, unmotivated twenty somethings that are now part of our country's business infrastructure. Bart Sellers is one of these people - an unsatisfied, lethargic, pot smoking tattoo store owner. In his youth, he wished to own his own tattoo business - and now that he does - he's dissatisfied with the kind of work he gets to do as a result. Bart spends most of his time to and from work, or lazing around with his two roommates, Brad and Stacy. Just as Bart thought life was going to get any more dissatisfying, a new neighbor moves in right across the street from him. This newcomer approaches Bart and introduces himself as Alan Smith - the squeaky clean, Jesus loving, polar opposite of Bart. Bart ignores Alan until Alan reveals he too is a tattoo artist, albeit completely free of tattoos himself, and Bart's annoyance has suddenly become his number one enemy. Alan draws in the kind of customers that Bart hates - the tramp stampers, the "I heart Mom's", the tribal surfer bros. Even though Bart can't stand doing these tattoos, they're also his bread and butter. After Alan discovers Bart smoking pot outside his storefront, he calls the police. Tired of being inconvenienced, Bart sets out to get revenge against his new neighbor, setting off a string of increasingly worse bouts of retaliation from both sides. Alan's mother - holding a secret past from him - and a detective - curious of the domestic disturbance - help unfold the tale that shows that some people just weren't born to play nice.