THE STORY – A darkly comedic tale of three middle-aged individuals entangled in a love triangle, leading to one’s untimely demise.
THE CAST – Jason Bateman, David Harbour, Linda Cardellini, Richard Jenkins, Joy Sunday, Peter Sarsgaard & Chris Perfetti
THE TEAM – Steven Conrad (Creator & Director)
For a show that involves the intersection of an app for hookups, an affair, and a potential murder, Steven Conrad’s “DTF St. Louis” is fundamentally about love. Not only the romantic love that gets idealized in the classic romcoms, but also the love in spending time with your best friend, or caring for your son more than he can ever understand, or understanding who you are and what your values are. What begins as an offbeat but seemingly clear-cut case of a scorned man murdering the husband of his lover morphs into a heartfelt exploration of humanity, masculinity, and perception. As one of the show’s best characters, Modern Love (Peter Sarsgaard), puts it, “No one’s normal. It just looks that way from across the street.”
“DTF St. Louis” revolves around a complicated love triangle among charming weatherman Clark (Jason Bateman), his earnest ASL translator Floyd (David Harbour), and Floyd’s tough wife, Carol (Linda Cardellini). The show is at its best when it focuses on all three characters, as their interactions are both deeply engrossing and incredibly revealing about each of them. Clark and Floyd’s dynamic tends to get the most spotlight, and for good reason: their relationship is oddly sincere not only because of the lies at its core but also because seeing two men grow that close and vulnerable with one another is stunningly rare. They are as unable to wrap their heads around their beautiful friendship as the audience. But Carol is equally compelling because vulnerability is so antithetical to her character. Watching her desperation and exhaustion feed into her dynamics with these men is both ripe for comedy and innately tragic. If the mystery of Floyd’s death is compelling television, it is because watching these characters, entangled in this web of messy emotions, slowly unravel over the course of the show is deeply heartbreaking.
Interestingly, every member of our main trio is playing against type here. Far from the slick-talking know-it-all Jason Bateman usually plays, Clark is almost charmingly clueless about what he really wants and who he really is. Aside from being the kind face citizens of St. Louis wake up to every day to hear inevitably inaccurate predictions of this week’s weather from, who is Clark Forrest? He seeks answers about his desires from Carol and Floyd, and it is in this curiosity that Bateman truly shines.
David Harbour is best known for being Jim Hopper in “Stranger Things,” a stern cop with a surprising heart of gold. But nothing is shocking about the kindness Floyd Smernitch displays in “DTF St. Louis.” From his very first scene, he is a soft-spoken, gentle man whose love for others far dwarfs the love he has for himself. Harbour is nothing short of heartbreaking here and portrays Floyd’s endless care for Clark and Carol with devastating sincerity.
Linda Cardellini usually plays a sweetheart and has had her fair share of wife and love-interest roles. It is fitting that Carol Love-Smernitch, too, is constantly putting on a kind of performance. To Floyd, she is a thoughtful wife who is attracted to him. To Clark, she is a damsel in distress who needs him to see her as herself. To the detectives who begin suspecting her of murder, she is a calculating woman who is overly defensive. None of these descriptions is incorrect, but they point to a perhaps fundamental problem with these characters. None of them can fully understand one another’s true natures because none can fully understand themselves.
Despite being advertised as a murder mystery, the best parts of “DTF St. Louis” are entirely centered on the drama between these three unique characters. Instead of being the driving force of the story, the investigation undertaken by the comically different Donogue Homer (Richard Jenkins) and Jodie Plumb (Joy Sunday) serves as a framing device for this central drama. A more conventional show would make the murder mystery more complex while keeping the narrative more straightforward. But from its offbeat sense of humor to its often sexual subject matter to its quirky character dynamics, “DTF St. Louis” is anything but conventional. As a result, the identity of Floyd Smernitch’s killer is fairly easy to suss out. The more important mystery — how these characters found themselves in the middle of this tragedy — is what the show is fundamentally involved in. And because of that choice, “DTF St. Louis” is emotionally resonant and will stick with you far longer than your average whodunnit thriller.
Ultimately, “DTF St. Louis” is one of the year’s finest shows because of how deftly it weaves its characters’ relationships throughout the episodes, culminating in a thoroughly emotional finale. It lays these characters’ souls bare without ever losing the bizarre tone that made it so singular in the first place. “DTF St. Louis” is a masterclass in writing elevated by the three powerhouse performances at its heart.
THE GOODÂ – The show is completely in its own lane with its unique blend of offbeat wit and emotional ruminations on identity. The three core performances are phenomenal and some of the best of the year.
THE BAD – The investigation storyline is undeniably weaker than the character drama. The show prioritizes Clark & Floyd’s dynamic, but Carol is equally compelling.
THE EMMY PROSPECTS – Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie & Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
THE FINAL SCORE – 9/10
