After copious amounts of promos, Stumptown finally premiered on ABC last night. No doubt Cobie Smulders fans were eager to see how she fared in her new role of private investigator Dex Parios. At the same time, I’m sure many fans would’ve preferred an Agent Maria Hill show from Marvel. ABC is owned by Disney, after all.
Stumptown is a simple concept. Dex investigates a new case every week, and we get to know her along the way. However, the success of the show hinges on Dex connecting with the audience. Cobie Smulders is certainly game portraying the whip-smart, tenacious Army veteran. She’s definitely cool. But protagonist being likable is far more important than being cool.
It’s hard to identity the key to a great protagonist, otherwise they’d all have it. Dex’s loving relationship with her brother Ansel (Cole Sibus), who has Down Syndrome, shows the kind of caring person she is, but that alone is not enough. The premiere unfortunately bogs Dex down with a typical backstory of a dead loved one. I complained about this when I reviewed FBI last year. A tragedy like this can work, though it’s usually better when it happens during the events show, instead of before, when we’ve already gotten to know the loved one who dies. Stumptown would be better off exploring how Dex went from the Army to driving a piece of crap car, ducking out of traffic tickets, and gambling her life away in casinos. But I fear these aspects of her character will disappear too soon after she settles into her new job as a P.I.
Being a detective is not something Dex plans but rather walks into because of her aforementioned gambling debt. The case just so happens to mirror her tragic past. There’s not too much to say. Procedural plots are a dime a dozen. I will say that there are a couple twists I didn’t see coming. You, on the other hand, might.
One element employed in the premiere is its use of mainstream music. Dex’s car plays classics like “Sweet Caroline” and “Heart of Glass” throughout the episode, and similar songs have been used in commercials for Stumptown. While music is a good way to define a character, this type of jukebox soundtrack has been done to death over the past five years. Then again, if you like the music, you probably won’t care.
Stumptown is a well-made show, there’s no denying that. The stunts are good and Smulders commits to the role. The show has room to improve, but it’s apparently based on a series of graphic novels, so it might be married to the material. If you want a procedural with personality or just want to watch Cobie Smulders kick butt, go ahead and check it. But I’m fine with just watching the premiere.
