'Stumptown': Cobie Smulders' graphic novel-inspired crime drama promises laughs, tears, knee-jerk reactions and everything in between
Inspired by the graphic novels of the same name, ABC is debuting crime drama series 'Stumptown' on September 25 and there are several reasons to be excited. Starring three tried-and-tested heartthrobs of television - Cobie Smulders, Jake Johnson, and Michael Ealy - the show narrates the gritty story of a private investigator in Portland who also happens to be an alcoholic battling PTSD and a gambling problem.
And despite the very dark roads, we are also promised some hearty laughs and tearfully wholesome moments. In fact, here are the three things you should definitely look forward to when 'Stumptown' premieres:
An unhinged protagonist
We don't often get central characters that are as unstable as Smulders' Dex Parios, certainly not female protagonists. And yet, it seems natural to see Dex act the way she does, thanks to a brilliant combination of great writing and Smulders' acting. Even though we don't get to see her entire backstory at the very beginning, we get a glimpse of who she is, and why she is the way she is, in a way that is very believable.
In an interview with MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), Smulders had revealed, "This is a character who's dealing with PTSD. She had some really traumatic events happen to her when she was in the military service. She's 10 years out but she's still struggling, and she copes with that through many different addictions," adding how she is just floating through life and just barely getting by financially, and in her relationships.
Representation of a self-sufficient autistic character
On 'Stumptown,' we see that one of Dex's responsibilities in life is to take care of her brother who is on the autism spectrum. Portrayed by the talented Cole Sibus, the character of Ansel Parios is a working man, who ironically worries about his sister as much as Dex worries about him. This character is very important in the current television landscape because it shows how much difference authenticity can bring to a character.
The show does not paint a rosy picture of what it is like to be an autistic man living in a neurotypical world, but it narrates the realistic accounts of how facility and accessibility can equip an autistic person to have a fulfilling, wholesome life.
A love triangle with a splash of LGBT
We know for a fact that Dex is not, not going to have a romantic storyline with both Johnson's Grey and Ealy's Detective Miles Hoffman. From what we understand, she will have a will they-won't they relationship with her long-time friend Grey, while with Ealy, she is expected to have a more explosive, hot and cold, sexual relationship. However, this is not going to be your average love triangle.
We know that Dex is bisexual and generally promiscuous, owing to her sex addiction, and we expect to see some genius writing that would result in potentially sexy and comedic situations that would arise from this.
Don't forget to watch the series premiere of ABC's 'Stumptown' when it releases on September 25.
