Stumptown is a crime drama about a woman who cannot stop running from herself. Dex Parios is a private investigator in Portland, Oregon, and she solves other people’s messes while ignoring her own. The show, created by Jason Richman and based on the comic book series by Greg Rucka, Matthew Southworth and Justin Greenwood, ran for one season on ABC from 2019 to 2020. It was canceled after 18 episodes.
The show follows Dex, played by Cobie Smulders, as she navigates her past, her family, and her PTSD. Her brother Ansel, played by Cole Sibus, is her constant burden and her only anchor. Grey McConnell, played by Jake Johnson, owns the bar where Dex works and where she drinks. Miles Hoffman, played by Michael Ealy, is the detective who sends cases her way. The series is built around Dex’s sharp wit, her military background, and her complicated personal life.
Dex Parios and Her History
Dex is a strong, assertive, and unapologetically sharp-witted Army veteran. She works as a private investigator in Portland, Oregon, solving problems where the police are not getting involved. Her personal history is complicated, and she relies only on herself. She has a gambling problem and heavy debts, and she struggles to hold down a steady job. Her solution is to become a P.I., taking cases that the police ignore.
The show’s premise is simple: Dex takes on cases, solves them, and moves on. But the personal stakes are high. Dex’s PTSD comes from her time as a Marine in Afghanistan, where she worked in military intelligence until she was injured by an explosion that killed her college sweetheart and former lover. That loss haunts her, and the show returns to it often. Dex’s past is not just backstory; it drives her present actions and her relationships.
The Cast and Their Roles
The cast is led by Cobie Smulders, who plays Dex with a mix of toughness and vulnerability. Smulders has said that Dex’s bisexuality will “definitely be addressed in the series.” Dex is attracted to both men and women, and she uses sex as a way to cope with her PTSD. Smulders described Dex as “definitely attracted to women and men … she tries to recover from her PTSD through sex. She’s up for anything — it’s one of the things that drew me to this character.”
Jake Johnson plays Grey McConnell, the bar owner and Dex’s closest friend. He provides moral support and employs her brother Ansel at his bar. Michael Ealy plays Miles Hoffman, the detective who refers problems to Dex. Camryn Manheim plays Lieutenant Cosgrove. Tantoo Cardinal plays Sue Lynn Blackbird.
“Definitely attracted to women and men … she tries to recover from her PTSD through sex. She’s up for anything — it’s one of the things that drew me to this character.”
The One Season
The show premiered on ABC on September 25, 2019. In October 2019, ABC issued a full season order. Then everything changed. In May 2020, the series was renewed for a second season. In September 2020, ABC reversed the renewal decision and canceled the series after one season. The reason was production delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The series would not have been ready until April 2021.
That timeline is notable because it shows how quickly the show fell apart. A full season order in October turned into cancellation nine months later. The pandemic accelerated a decision that might have happened anyway. The show ended, but the second season never got made.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 25, 2019 | Premiere on ABC |
| October 2019 | Full season order issued |
| May 2020 | Renewed for second season |
| September 2020 | Canceled after one season |
The First Season
The first season ran for 18 episodes. The show follows Dex as she takes on cases, deals with her brother, and copes with her past. The writing leans on Dex’s sharp wit and her unfiltered approach to life. She is not a conventional hero. She is a survivor, and the show treats her that way.
The season covers a range of cases, from missing persons to murder investigations. Dex’s methods are often unconventional, and she does not play by the rules. She is a private investigator, but she operates more like a lone wolf than a professional. That is part of the appeal. Dex is not a clean character, and the show does not pretend she is.
The Show’s Strengths
The show’s strengths are its central performance and its tone. Smulders is excellent as Dex, and she brings a physicality to the role that fits the character’s military background. The show also benefits from its setting. Portland is a specific place, and the show uses it well. The streets, the bars, and the neighborhoods feel lived-in.
The show also handles its themes with some care. Dex’s PTSD is not just a label; it shapes how she behaves and how she sees the world. Her sexual behavior is a symptom of trauma, not a character flaw. The show does not judge her for it, which is a rare choice. Most shows would treat a character’s promiscuity as a flaw. This show treats it as a coping mechanism.
The Show’s Weaknesses
The show is not perfect. Some of the cases are routine, and the show repeats itself over the course of the season. The pacing can drag in the middle episodes, and the show spends too much time on Dex’s personal life at the expense of the cases. The show is at its best when it focuses on the investigation and at its worst when it focuses on Dex’s inner turmoil.
The show also has a structural problem. It was designed for a second season that never happened. Fans were left waiting for a resolution that never came. That is a frustrating way to leave a series. The show deserves a better ending than that.
The Verdict
Stumptown is a solid crime drama with a strong lead performance and a specific, lived-in sense of place. It is not a great show, but it is a good one. The show’s handling of Dex’s PTSD is thoughtful, and the show’s commitment to its lead character is admirable. The show is flawed, but it is worth watching.
The show’s cancellation is a shame for fans. The show had potential, and it was cut off before it could fully develop. The show’s final episode left fans wanting more. That is a frustrating way to leave a series.
The show is not a masterpiece, but it is a solid entry in the crime drama genre. It is worth watching for Smulders’s performance, for the show’s handling of PTSD, and for its specific sense of place. The show is flawed, but it is worth watching.
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