Jason Bateman (Clark) and David Harbour (Floyd) star in the series 'DTF St. Louis,' created by Steve Conrad. TINA ROWDEN/HBO
A type of series that has become increasingly rare, DTF St. Louis neither relies on one big name nor on real events. It begins with a prologue that unfolds slowly, with no catastrophe or sudden twist, no chilling revelation or suspense. Not often does fiction truly gives us the sense of venturing into uncharted territory, yet the setting and starting point of the HBO Max series are as ordinary as can be. DTF St. Louis tells the story of the improbable friendship between Clark (Jason Bateman), a local TV weather star, and his sign language interpreter, Floyd (David Harbour).
As different as they are, the two men embody near-diametric visions of masculinity at the cusp of one's fifties. On the surface, Clark seems to have all the trappings of success – a beautiful wife, charming children, a lovely house – while Floyd struggles with unpaid bills and the indifference of his wife and stepson. He also suffers from an illness that has left his penis curved, a detail that appears to weigh heavily on his life choices.
Between family barbecues and gym sessions with colleagues, this "bromance" unsurprisingly crystallizes around marital boredom and sexual frustration, as well as a hookup app called DTF St. Louis that Clark persuades Floyd to join. The intrigue is that, all the while, Clark himself has started an affair with Carol, Floyd's enigmatic wife played by Linda Cardellini. It does not take much foresight – and the series makes no secret of it – to predict that all of this will end badly.
