HBO's DTF St. Louis Turns an Erotic Thriller Into a Deadpan Laugh Riot

HBO’s limited series DTF St. Louis, created and directed by Steven Conrad, uses a bland Midwestern backdrop and deadpan humor to spin an erotic thriller into a sly, character-driven mystery. Jason Bateman plays a blandly sinister on-air weatherman, David Harbour is a bashful friend, and Linda Cardellini grounds the trio as an opaque wife, with nonlinear flashbacks and frank talk about sex driving the humor. While the premise may be a tough sell for some, the precise tone, strong cast, and a murder-mystery framework suggest the show could reach a wider HBO audience, premiering March 1 with episodes airing Sundays.