DTF St Louis Review: An Addictive Tale of Middle-Age, Swinging, and Murder
David Harbour stars in a deliciously dark dating app drama that cuts close to the bone, especially after his real-life fallout with Lily Allen. Alongside Jason Bateman and Linda Cardellini, he delivers a performance that makes for a wonderfully bingeable show, exploring themes of marriage, malaise, and murder in a seven-part series.
Never Trust a Man on a Recumbent Bicycle
That seems to be the first lesson from DTF St Louis, a new dark comedy starring Jason Bateman, David Harbour, and Linda Cardellini. Who could resist such a message? Bateman plays Clark Forrest, a local weatherman and microcelebrity who rides a recumbent bicycle around St Louis, Missouri. He quickly befriends Floyd, a sign language interpreter played by Harbour, after Floyd saves him from a flying stop sign during a violent storm.
Floyd is a goodhearted soul with a rebellious stepson, a hot wife, and Peyronie’s disease—a condition causing abnormal penile curvature that can make penetration difficult, often linked to middle age. However, penetration issues become moot as Floyd struggles to see his wife, Carol, sexually after seeing her in padded baseball-umpiring gear. The show humorously depicts her protective gear and Floyd’s shirtless Batman comic readings, highlighting their marital tensions.
Exploring Swinging and Sexual Dissatisfaction
Clark, unaware of Carol’s umpire gear, introduces Floyd to the DTF St Louis app, designed for those looking to spice up their lives without endangering marriages. After some explanation and hesitation, Floyd signs up, adding a layer of irony given Harbour’s real-life headlines with Lily Allen. The show initially risks becoming too whimsical with its quirky elements but gains confidence as it delves into a murder mystery, probing deeper questions about marriage, middle age, and the efficacy of motivational podcasts.
Detective Homer, played by Richard Jenkins, investigates a suspicious death at the Kevin Kline Junior Community Pools, surrounded by gay porn. His poignant reflection—”You shouldn’t have to get up so early just to be you. It should be an all day kind of thing”—resonates beyond sexuality, touching on the burdens of duty and hidden selves that accumulate with age.
Can Sex Solve Anything?
DTF St Louis questions whether sexual dissatisfaction is merely that or a proxy for greater emotional needs or existential crises. Through a mix of sexy and hilarious intimate scenes, it explores if indulging in kinks with someone new can provide temporary relief. Carol’s discovery of a lover with a particular proclivity, allowing her to multitask, adds a humorous twist, suggesting such traits could be a unique selling point in dating profiles.
The leads deliver outstanding performances, with Bateman’s ability to blend creepiness into his everyman persona shining brightly. Jenkins and Joy Sunday as his partner also excel, making the characters believable and congruent despite their oddities. The show’s blend of dark humor and emotional depth makes it easy to binge-watch in one sitting.
DTF St Louis aired on Sky Atlantic and is available on Now in the UK, while HBO Max streams it in the US and Australia. This series offers a compelling look at modern relationships, wrapped in a gripping murder mystery.
