STUMPTOWN Roundtable: Forget it Dex, It’s Stumptown

New Fall Prime-Time TV is back! Join us while we discuss the pilot episode of Stumptown –  “Forget it Dex, It’s Stumptown”

The series premiere. Dex Parios is a strong, assertive and sharp-witted Army veteran with a complicated love life, gambling debt and a brother to take care of. With only herself to rely on, she solves other people’s messes with a blind eye toward her own, finding herself at odds with the police and in the firing line of criminals.

The Good
Roz I had a friend talk about Dex as if she were what we’d wish from an older Veronica Mars, and I’m here for this level of complicated relationship between our heroine and the people around

her. Life is messy and Dex is as messy as it gets. It’s great to see women not be pretty for the sake of a story, too.

Leah I did like the character overall, maybe she was a bit too messy? Should I even say that not having personally served 5 tours, probably not. PTSD and how you cope with it can be a bitch. So I’m giving her some leeway. I do appreciate that she didn’t win every fight – that is unrealistic and made her character seem real. I 100% can get on board with the older Veronica Mars vibe. Pilots are hard – you have to sell us on a character and her surroundings in under an hour. So far though, I’m happy to stick out this journey.

Lisa: I think Dex embodies the type of character we like to cover at Nice Girls TV. She is strong but complicated with a lot to explore. I love that she unapologetically is who she is (a bit of a hot mess) and kicks ass! Her relationship with her brother, who is autistic, is gold. Oh and there is Michael Ealy *swoon*. He is always on the good list in my book. A perfect recipe for a hit show.

The Bad
Roz Some of the storylines – well the way in which they played out – are exaggerated, but we do need something big and splashy for television so I guess it’s part of the show’s charm.

Leah I’m with Roz and Lisa – a little bit too exaggerated and far fetched in places, but also – TV is TV – it’s not reality.

Lisa: I’m not sure if I would classify this as bad, more as a little far fetched. The car scene where they flew over the bridge and landed and she barely had a scrape. A little unrealistic…but it is TV.

Final Thoughts
Roz It’s compelling to see something like this on my TV and I’m curious about where the show can go when we’ve already seen Dex sleep with Hoffman. (Not that that’s the only reason I’m watching, but it’s different.)

Lisa: I love the diversity of this show. We have three kick ass women, Dex, LT. Cosgrove and Sue Lynn Blackbird, the casino owner and a member of the indigenous community (which is rarely depicted on TV played by Tantoo Cardinal). I am hooked and look forward to see the rest of this season!

Leah I’m withholding 100% “approval” of this show pending a few more episodes. I’m not sure I can watch another show where the main character is so smart yet so unaware of her surroundings that she hurts everyone around her. I also have to wonder how it will work out having a brother with special needs. Dex isn’t very present. Thank goodness she has Grey (Jake Johnson) because she wouldn’t make it day to day without him. Which brings up my final question – how are they friends? Childhood? Just friends? Was he in the Service? 

STUMPTOWN airs Wednesday 10/9c on ABC