DTF St. Louis Premieres Sunday on HBO: Jason Bateman and David Harbour Are Already Getting Emmy Buzz
The most buzzed-about new show of the late-winter television season debuts in just two days. DTF St. Louis, a seven-episode dark comedy limited series, premieres Sunday, March 1, at 9:00 PM ET on HBO and streams simultaneously on Max, with new episodes releasing weekly through the series finale on Sunday, April 12. Early reviews have arrived this week — and they are electric.
What Is DTF St. Louis? The Setup Explained
DTF St. Louis follows a love triangle between local weatherman Clark Forrest, played by Jason Bateman; his American Sign Language interpreter and best friend Floyd Smernitch, played by David Harbour; and Floyd's wife Carol, played by Linda Cardellini — an accounting clerk for Purina who umpires Little League baseball games on the side for extra cash.
The seven-part series is about a love triangle between three adults experiencing middle-age malaise, which leads to one of them ending up dead. "DTF" stands for "Down to F***" — a reference to a fictional dating app for married people seeking casual affairs that sets the story's catastrophic events in motion. Clark introduces Floyd to the app for selfish reasons, and everything unravels from there.
Jason Bateman, David Harbour, and Linda Cardellini: The Cast
Pairing Ozark's Jason Bateman and Stranger Things' David Harbour in a black comedy about a suburban love triangle sounds like a recipe for outrageous humor — and there are plenty of laughs to be had in DTF St. Louis. The series also stars Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday as the two detectives investigating Floyd's death, alongside Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Perfetti, and Arlan Ruf.
The series started development in 2022 with David Harbour and Pedro Pascal attached to star. In October 2024, Pascal departed and Jason Bateman joined the production. Bateman serves as both star and executive producer through his Aggregate Films banner, alongside Harbour and creator Steven Conrad.
DTF St. Louis Reviews: 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and Early Emmy Conversation
DTF St. Louis currently holds an 87% critics score based on 15 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating a strong positive early response from TV critics. Reviewers praise the new series' performances, tone, and slow-burning, quirky storytelling.
TV Guide's Liam Mathews wrote that the show has some of the most unique dialogue you will ever hear and described it as one of the best shows of 2026 if it sticks the landing — calling it an audaciously original show that HBO is making without compromising its vision. The Daily Beast called it startlingly insightful and moving, recognizing how financial destitution cascades into personal, parental, and marital problems — and said Harbour's performance is so fantastic it would warrant being called a revelation if he were not already widely known from Stranger Things.
David Harbour Steals the Show as Floyd Smernitch
Harbour makes Floyd a lovably self-aware loser in search of confidence — an elusive commodity given his sizeable physique and paltry bank account — and the performance repeatedly reveals new, poignant layers as the series progresses.
Floyd and Clark work together on the local news — Clark delivering the weather while Floyd performs sign language interpretation beside him. They also work out together as Floyd tries to lose weight and feel better about himself. Both men are mildly unhappy in their marriages and looking for something to spice up their lives — a relatable if disastrous starting point. Harbour throws himself into physical comedy, dance sequences, and raw emotional vulnerability in equal measure, producing what critics are calling a career-best performance.
How to Watch DTF St. Louis on HBO and Max
DTF St. Louis debuts Sunday, March 1 at 9:00 PM ET on HBO and streams simultaneously on Max. The series runs seven episodes, with new episodes released weekly, and the finale airs Sunday, April 12 at 8:00 PM ET — ahead of the Season 3 premiere of Euphoria. No binge model here — this is old-school weekly appointment television, designed to build anticipation between episodes.
