Why ‘DTF St. Louis’ Proves David Harbour Is More Than a Genre Star

David Harbour is currently experiencing a strong career momentum.

At 50, Harbour’s commanding presence has made him a natural for superhero and genre roles in both film and television. He has portrayed a range of powerful characters, from the lead half-demon in the 2019 “Hellboy” reboot to the Russian super-soldier Red Guardian in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the tough police chief Jim Hopper in the Duffer Brothers’ “Stranger Things.” With the conclusion of “Stranger Things” in its fifth season on Netflix, Harbour is now showcasing his best performance yet in the HBO Max crime dramedy “DTF St. Louis,” which is worthy of Emmy consideration.

The seven-episode miniseries revolves around a love triangle involving three adults: local weatherman Clark Forrest, played by Jason Bateman, ASL interpreter Floyd Smernitch, portrayed by Harbour, and Floyd’s wife, Carol, played by Linda Cardellini. The plot thickens when Floyd is discovered dead at a community pool, surrounded by a poisonous drink and a vintage Playgirl magazine. Detectives, played by Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday, work to piece together the strange circumstances of his death. Created, written, and directed by Steven Conrad, known for “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Wonder,” the series has been gaining attention since its March 1 debut, moving towards its April 12 conclusion.

Alison Herman, chief TV critic for Variety, noted in her review: “It is both an ineffective sales pitch and generally accurate to call “DTF St. Louis” the unsexiest erotic thriller ever made.”

Although the series initially attracts with its shocking sexual scenes, Harbour’s poignant and human portrayal steals the spotlight. Whether it’s Floyd performing an ASL dance at a concert as his wife watches lovingly or hearing Clark admit, “I loved him,” in a flashback with Harbour’s character sitting cross-legged, Harbour infuses the role with warmth and vulnerability.

The audience is captivated by him as well.

The series combines two parallel stories with quirky humor and unexpected heartfelt realism. Floyd is a devoted stepfather to Richard, Carol’s son from a previous relationship, who consistently wears the same vest to school and initially appears similar to troubled children from films like “Mystic River.” However, when Richard skips therapy to hang out with Floyd at a park, the scene reveals Floyd’s quiet, infectious goodness — even as a man grappling with weight gain, low self-esteem, and substantial debt.

Later, when Floyd meets a date from the “DTF St. Louis” app — a user named “Modern Love” featuring a profile photo of David Bowie, whom Floyd mistakenly assumes is a woman — he is taken aback when a man, portrayed by Sarsgaard, shows up. Yet Floyd remains composed, listens, and engages in conversation. When “Modern Love” requests a kiss, Floyd obliges — not from repressed desire (or so we’re led to believe), but because, as Clark later tells investigators, “He’s a nice guy.” In a mystery series, it may seem silly to voice this, but this viewer believes it.

Floyd’s inherent goodness shines through Harbour’s performance. It’s as if he channels the “everyman” warmth long associated with actors like Tom Hanks — “America’s Dad” — using it to explore new emotional depths in his acting repertoire.

The show began its development in 2022 with Harbour and Pedro Pascal initially set to star, inspired by James Lasdun’s New Yorker article “My Dentist’s Murder Trial: Adultery, False Identities, and a Lethal Sedation.” By 2024, Pascal was no longer involved, and Jason Bateman joined, leading to a shift towards a completely original concept. Harbour serves as an executive producer alongside Bateman for Aggregate Films, Lasdun, as well as Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, and Steve Tisch for Escape Artists, Molly Allen, Bruce Terris, and Michael Costigan for Aggregate Films, Kristina Wenson for Bravo Axolotl, and MGM Television. The ensemble cast also features Peter Sarsgaard, Arlan Ruf, and Wynn Everett.

In an Emmy season that will include another HBO property — “The Comeback” — the title aptly describes this time for Harbour. It’s been a challenging year for him. The Nov. 6 premiere of “Stranger Things” occurred shortly after a Daily Mail report claimed that co-star Millie Bobby Brown filed a bullying and harassment complaint against Harbour before Season 5 filming began. Neither actor commented, and Harbour minimized press interactions at the premiere. The report quoted a “friend” of Harbour’s ex-wife, Lily Allen — notable given their divorce’s attention and Allen’s new album, “West End Girl,” which allegedly references Harbour’s infidelity, including in the song “Pussy Palace.”

In January, Harbour also withdrew from Tony Gilroy’s film “Behemoth!,” which was to reunite him with Pascal, before being replaced by Will Arnett.

(Will this long-anticipated collaboration between Pascal and Harbour ever materialize as the two talented actors strive to make it happen?)

For someone like Harbour, the beauty of this moment is evident to many.

He has been candid about his mental health journey. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 26 after a severe episode, he shared in a 2022 Variety interview that while discussions about mental illness are more open today, they often focus solely on the “tragedy.”

Regarding Emmy strategy, HBO Max strategists and representatives have yet to finalize category placements. Several options are being considered, especially with Bateman also vying for recognition with his Netflix miniseries “Black Rabbit,” which premiered last September and performed well during the fall awards season. Bateman will be submitted in the lead actor (limited) category for the Netflix series, which has already garnered nominations from The Actor Awards (formerly SAG) and the DGA for directing the episode “The Black Rabbits.”

Unlike the Oscars, actors can earn multiple nominations in the same category, although Bateman risks splitting votes if he competes against himself. For example, Lee Grant received two nominations for a single performance in 1971 for “Columbo” and “The Neon Ceiling.”

One option is to submit the entire “DTF St. Louis” ensemble in the supporting acting categories, where more slots will be available. Another is to place Bateman, Cardellini, and Harbour all in lead roles and see where the chips fall. Whatever the final strategy, Harbour’s likely nomination will be well-deserved. He could be a strong contender for his first Emmy after previous supporting drama nominations for “Stranger Things” in 2017 and 2018. He will be submitted again this year, along with character voiceover work in “Marvel Zombies.”

Harbour’s year is far from over. He will continue to be active in the genre field, reprising Red Guardian in the eagerly awaited “Avengers: Doomsday” and returning as Santa Claus in “Violent Night 2.” Nevertheless, his standout performance in “DTF St. Louis” should pave the way for more diverse and challenging roles in the future. Hollywood should take notice.

“DTF St. Louis” airs every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.