Stumptown Review: Dex, Drugs and Rock & Roll (Season 1 Episode 6)

Stumptown Season 1 Episode 6, “Dex, Drugs and Rock & Roll,” splits the pins.

Even though there are a couple of big misses the show needs to knock down, there is reason to believe a killer shot is up next. 

There will be bowling puns to spare in this review. You’re welcome?

The trust Dex and Grey shared is in the gutter after the events of Stumptown Season 1 Episode 5, “Bad Alibis.” 

Dex lets very few people into her life. Sure, she scores constantly. But, true intimacy does not come easily for her.

The closest she comes is with her brother Ansel and her best friend Grey. 

She resists the very clear attraction she has to Grey because crossing the line would strike down the compartmentalized barriers she has put up.

Sex is a way that Dex deals with her PTSD. Like smoking or hot yoga, it gives her needed release. 

If she is in a relationship where she has to give as well as take, that coping technique loses its simplicity and perhaps its utility. 

All that to say, Grey is so much more to Dex than an outlet for her pain.

She’s been able to grow and become better than when she was with Fee because their relationship has been platonic. Even though her professional life a steaming hot mess, she comes back to the bar and feels safe and secure with Grey. 

I think this means she was nearly ready to reset her romantic pins when Grey bowled them all over. 

Dex is devastated.

I don’t think Miles is right that Dex is playing games. I think her guarded and inattentive ways are because her heart is unavailable. Half of it’s with Grey and half of it is buried with her ex.

She forgets about her Friday night plans with Miles, and she doesn’t remember details she shared with Fee about studying psychology. 

Even her (adorable and sexy) steps forward with Miles don’t feel full-hearted. 

We need Detective Kara Lee to give Dex some of that good advice she doles out to Hoffman. Dex needs to tell Grey how she feels!

Instead, she lashes out with punches, yelling, and snide remarks. On her surface, she’s cold and unforgiving.  

Her decisions on “Dex, Drugs and Rock & Roll,” indicate that her anger is just a mask for her bruised heart. 

When Fee asks Dex to leave Stumptown and go on tour with her, she refuses, citing how her life is not where it was ten years ago. 

Dex has stepped forward and made positive changes in her life, no matter how incremental, because of how Grey supports her and Ansel. That safety is precious to Dex. 

She gets a respite from the night terrors, the flashbacks, and the drug use. Grey’s actions threaten her feeling of home. THAT is why she is so pissed. 

Cobie Smulders adds to the depth that the writing on the show gives Dex. As Fee notes on the episode, Dex is wildly complex and it could take a lifetime to decode her. 

The investment Stumptown makes in developing Dex’s emotionality and sexuality is already paying off. 

Unfortunately, Grey’s development totally misses the mark. 

Unlike the heat and smolder we get from Dex, Grey doesn’t give us much to work with. 

This HUGE life-threatening thing just happened to him and the people he loves most. But, he still seems to be approaching Dex with this “friendly bartender la-tee-dah” attitude. 

Then this love interest waltzes in and suddenly he’s divulging all his secrets within an hour. Huh?

There could be a number of reasons he is doing this. 

He could be really into this particular girl because he finds her quirky total honesty thing really attractive. He could be acting out of some bitterness because he has been holding back on dating because he’s holding a flame for Dex. Or, he could be trying to move on because he interprets Dex’s anger as a sign that there is no hope for them romantically. I suppose there could be some larger scheme afoot and she is a mark? 

That last one seems far fetched, but it could be.

The thing is, we do not get any information about what Grey is thinking and how he feels. It is agonizing!

We need more to understand and care about Grey as a character. Honestly, it’s as simple as a strained look on his face after telling Truth Lady that he and Dex are just friends. 

It’s an admission to Ansel that he needs to be able to move on romantically from Dex. 

It’s an argument that suddenly gets their faces physically close and then Grey’s eyes dart to Dex’s lips and back up to her eyes. 

It takes very little time to build a sense of where Grey is at emotionally.

We are given an empty lane. 

Also, the Truth Lady relationship sprints. One second she’s doing a ghost tour and the next Grey is choosing her over Ansel’s comfort? 

Yikes. It doesn’t make sense. 

Why not make Truth Lady a fixture at the bar who has always flirted with Grey when they make their stops, but now he finally responds?

It’s frustrating because the set up is perfect. The acting talent is certainly there. Let’s hope there are no more fouls in the future. 

The other pin left standing on the episode is the notable absence of Dex’s car and Sue Lynn Blackbird. 

Dex’s car sets the tone for Stumptown. The blasting, often ironic, tunes have provided a new kind of language that fans of the show can speak. 

Especially because “Dex, Drugs and Rock & Roll,” is a markedly musical episode, the exclusion of Dex’s mustang makes the hour feel lacking and more grey. It’s almost like the episode has the flu and isn’t up to its usual level of productivity. 

I adore Tantoo Cardinal as Sue Lynn Blackbird and I hope to see her more central to the character development on the show. 

Perhaps she can get in on the foodie magic happening between Tookie and Bobby!

Speaking of which, the budding friendship between Lieutenant Cosgrove and Tookie is delicious!

TOOKIE: The taco trade, it isn’t for kittens, Lieutenant

The repeated mention of their marriages is odd. This could be a charming romance or a delightful friendship. But, a cheating situation? That leaves a bad taste in my mouth. They need to pick a lane and stay in it. 

The chemistry between the two characters is vibrant and fun. It fits in nicely with the off-beat tone the show is establishing. 

Like Hoffman says to Dex, the best thing about the game is you always get a second chance.

We are on board for Stumptown hitting a spare on the next episode by bringing back the stang and giving us insight into Grey’s emotions!

Stray Thoughts

• Fincklebocker, teehee.
• Dex has Miles, Grey, and Fee going after her. Lucky strike doesn’t even begin to cover it.
• Ansel’s fear of abandonment is heart-wrenching. 
• Dex and Grey are clearly mother and father figures for Ansel. Our agony at the slow burn must be nothing compared to his. 
• Detective Kara Lee is intriguing and wonderful. SHE would be a cool love interest for Grey. 
• Someone was taking pictures of Fee inside her hotel room. Why in the world wouldn’t you close the blinds before you get it on! Sheesh. 
• Fee is a surprisingly complex and well-developed character given her brief appearance. Her memories of Dex are illuminating and rich. 
• Where can I order one of those flauta eggrolls? YUM.

What did you think of this episode of Stumptown? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Stumptown airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.

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