Before Netflix’s Ozark, Jason Bateman hadn’t had a major dramatic TV role since he appeared in 21 episodes of Little House on the Prairie at just 11 years old. Between those two shows, Bateman had built an extensive comedy career, becoming predominantly associated with his starring role as Michael Bluth on Arrested Development.
All the while, Bateman also established a deadpan, straight-man persona that he utilized across his projects. Be it shows like Arrested Development or movies like Horrible Bosses, Bateman typically played the dry, sarcastic voice of reason amidst an otherwise chaotic ensemble.
In 2017, Bateman brought his trademark persona to a completely different kind of show. Ozark still stands out as one of Netflix’s best crime series, notable for its memorable setting, rich characters, and tense crime storylines. Through it all, Bateman’s Marty Byrde was characteristically straight-faced, but the seriousness that surrounded him gave his performance a new intensity.
Ozark saw Marty launder money, get kidnapped, and even kill without an ounce of irony, and Bateman, as an executive producer and frequent director of the series, leaned all the way into its dark, tense tone. All in all, Ozark was a landmark in Bateman’s career, and undoubtedly paved the way for the more dramatic work the actor has pursued since.
While Ozark established Bateman as a prominent and capable dramatic actor, Bateman’s performance in another, more recent series has actually eclipsed the award-winning drama. HBO’s DTF St. Louis at first utilized Bateman’s familiar persona, but then quickly pushed past it to reveal a much more unique, nuanced, and layered character.
DTF St. Louis Showcased Jason Bateman Like Never Before
At its core, DTF St. Louis was a murder mystery, a premise that, on the surface, fit right in with Bateman’s previous dramatic work. Similarly, his character, weatherman Clark Forrest, seemed like a familiar role for the actor. Clark was the put-together, straight-faced half of the friendship between him and David Harbour’s earnest, quirky, sign language interpreter Floyd Smernitch.
When Floyd was found dead at the end of the first episode, Clark was, seemingly, the first and only suspect. Yet the show’s tension hung on the situation at hand and the relationships involved not being what they seemed, something that was only convincing with Clark’s genuine, deep, and unexpected love for Floyd.
As the mystery unfolded, Clark proved to be far from the “normal” person in the story, something the show made a point to prove didn’t exist. Instead, Clark, too, was messy, emotional, vulnerable, sincere, and unexpectedly sexual. Clark was a character who wore Bateman’s trademark aloofness as a mask, and DTF St. Louis allowed him to take it off.
DTF St. Louis Is A Pivot For Jason Bateman
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Not only did the role of Clark allow Bateman to tap into a different side of himself, but DTF St. Louis as a whole marks a notable shift in the projects the actor is pursuing. Ozark and, more recently, Black Rabbit were thrillers that focused primarily on the crime elements of their plots and the tension that accompanies that genre. DTF St. Louis, meanwhile, was more of an eccentric character study than anything.
In fact, while it can certainly be described as a murder mystery, there is a notable absence of crime that suggests the true meaning of DTF St. Louis lies somewhere else entirely. As the show went on, there was no shortage of twists and turns, but those twists relied entirely on character development rather than shocking action or the tension of an elaborate plan.
Compared to the likes of Ozark and Black Rabbit, DTF St. Louis was far from gritty. It was sincere, emotional, heartwarming, and odd, all of which was shrouded in the mundanity of suburban life.
Ozark was a splashy change of pace for Bateman, as the crime drama genre was so radically different from his comedic roots, but Clark Forrest truly revealed the depths of the actor’s range, making him one of Bateman’s best TV characters. With him serving as an executive producer as well, DTF St. Louis signals that Bateman is interested in continuing to challenge expectations of his performance.
DTF St. Louis
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