DTF St. Louis (HBO) 

By: Rachel Brodeur

In a bizarre love triangle turned murder mystery, HBO’s DTF St. Louis takes audiences on an emotional journey of disgust, dismay, hope and love. The series is named for a fictional app designed for the purpose of people in the St. Louis area to find each other for casual sexual encounters, regardless of marital status. This hookup culture is not focused on the dating exploits of people in their 20s, but instead, a generation of Gen Xers who are now exploring digital anonymity, as well as the more old-fashioned ways that affairs get started.  

The cast is stacked with familiar faces. Jason Bateman from Arrested Development and Ozark, where he was the underdog trying to keep his family together against challenging odds; David Harbour, best known for Stranger Things where he was the hero officer and father trying to save his family and the world; and Linda Cardellini, who gained her fame playing the kind and capable nurse on ER. It’s not an accident that these actors are known for likeable characters, because here in DTF, they all play people with questionable morals. Harbour and Cardellini play a husband and wife, struggling to maintain the spark in a marriage shrouded by years of financial stress. Their relationship feels lived in, with history, depth and love. But the real chemistry is between Harbour and Bateman. Audiences see their friendship through many lenses, and each one is captivating and endearing. For a show to center on flawed individuals who actively make immoral and duplicitous decisions, it takes a cast like this to keep the characters watchable and sympathetic. 

A strength of DTF St. Louis is how the mystery is revealed; each episode is a cliffhanger. One of the cast meets an untimely end, and each layer of the story is uncovered as the audience moves through the episodes of this seven episode limited series. Questions that will be answered are the circumstances around the death, who is sleeping with who, who is in love with who, and ultimately, who is responsible. The episodes shift their points of view to focus on each of the three characters, and it is a challenge to discern what the truth of the situation is, and even more of a challenge to determine what ending would be satisfying. 

In true HBO fashion, DTF is unlike other content on television and has its share of both male and female nudity. The content is scandalous, the characters are liars, and despite all of the darkness, the show manages to maintain a comedic edge. There are moments that feel surprisingly wholesome and ultimately, it’s a story about love. 

Rachel’s Rating: 8/10

DTF St. Louis blends dark comedy and mystery through the story of three middle-aged characters entangled in a messy web of relationships that leads to deadly consequences. Its shifting perspectives gradually reveal the truth, keeping viewers guessing about motivations and outcomes.