Stumptown

Dex Parios is a strong, assertive, and unapologetically sharp-witted Army veteran working as a P.I. in Portland, Oregon. With a complicated personal history and only herself to rely on, she solves other people’s messes with a blind eye toward her own.

Stumptown (2019-2020) is an American network crime dramedy created by Jason Richman for ABC. Cobie Smulders plays Dex Parios, an assertive, sharp-witted Army veteran who works as a private investigator in Portland, Oregon, taking on other people's messes while largely ignoring her own complicated history. Jake Johnson co-stars as Grey McConnell, a rival and reluctant partner whose banter with her gives the show much of its energy, while Michael Ealy plays Miles Hoffman, a figure from her past who keeps pulling her back toward unfinished business. Her younger brother Ansel, played by Cole Sibus, adds a grounded domestic thread. Each episode is built around a fresh case, from missing persons to tangled family disputes, with a serialized undercurrent of personal stakes running beneath the week's work. The series is a single-season run of eighteen episodes that was canceled before its story could fully resolve. Its tone mixes wry, bruised humor with moments of real vulnerability, set against the rain-soaked streets, food carts and quirky neighborhoods of contemporary Portland. Viewers who enjoy Veronica Mars, Castle or Jessica Jones will find a similar pleasure in a capable, wisecracking investigator whose cleverness hides real wounds.

Critics broadly appreciated Cobie Smulders' sharp, wisecracking lead and the Portland private investigator setting, though the series was not enough of a hit to continue beyond one season.

• Veronica Marssharp witted female private investigator, wry urban crime tone, case of the week structure
• Castlequippy detective partnership, crime procedural with comedic tone, Portland setting
• Jessica Jonesveteran protagonist with personal trauma, serialized crime with ensemble of eccentric side characters

Created by

Jason Richman

Release Date

2019-09-25

Episode runtime

43 min

Rating

7.5 / 10 (181)

What is Stumptown about?

A sharp-tongued Army veteran turned Portland private investigator takes on messy cases while wrestling with her own past.

What is Stumptown like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Stumptown as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Stumptown violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Stumptown as mild.

What did critics think of Stumptown?

Critics broadly appreciated Cobie Smulders' sharp, wisecracking lead and the Portland private investigator setting, though the series was not enough of a hit to continue beyond one season.

Which shows are like Stumptown?

Shows with a similar feel include Veronica Mars, Castle, and Jessica Jones.

How long is Stumptown?

Stumptown: 1 season, 18 episodes.

Is Stumptown still running?

No, Stumptown was canceled.

Where can I watch Stumptown?

In United States, Stumptown streams on Tubi TV.