Stumptown Review: The Dex Factor (Season 1 Episode 13)
That is how you make an episode of Stumptown folks. There are no emotional crescendos or shocking twists on Stumptowns Season 1 Episode 13, “The Dex Factor,” but it is still one of the best episodes of the season.
Stumptown has developed a rhythm of cycling through mini-arcs that could easily be extended into season-long stories but instead seem to wrap up within a few episodes. It could be that some of these mini-arcs are actually going to build into something larger by the end of the season though.
Sometimes this is to the series’ detriment with storylines that feel rushed or unearned, as with Liz, Grey’s best-forgotten girlfriend. Other times it works really well for the show, keeping the story moving at a fast pace even as the character development progresses at a much slower one.
“The Dex Factor” is the culmination of one of those mini-arcs that works and serves the characters well.
COBIE SMULDERS, JAKE JOHNSON
The character that most benefits from the undercover storyline is Grey who, despite the always likable presence of Jake Johnson, has been a rather boring character until recently. He has been further hindered by what feels like forced romantic tension with Dex and an uninspired love triangle as his main purpose.
Over the last few episodes, though, he’s really come into his own and started to change my opinion of him. On “The Dex Factor” his back and forth with Dex even makes the romantic undertones of their relationship more endearing. I’m not quite ready to root for them as an actual couple but I’m more open to it now than at the end of Stumptown Season 1 Episode 9, “Dex Education.”
One of the best parts of “The Dex Factor” is how they choose to handle Dex’s relationship with the assassin, Violet. They could have easily chosen to use Dex’s night with the assassin as a big reveal within the episode, which probably would have been fun too.
COBIE SMULDERS
It wouldn’t have been a bad thing to have Violet’s identity revealed after Dex sleeps with her, but it is more interesting and more heartbreaking that they choose suspense over surprise in this instance by introducing who the character really is at the beginning.
Watching Dex genuinely happy that she’s made this connection and feeling safe enough to show vulnerability so soon, knowing the blow that’s coming makes your heart ache for her. She’s spent so many years with her guard up either protecting herself from heartbreak or punishing herself for Benny’s death that it makes seeing her so sweetly smitten with this mysterious woman all the more affecting.
INBAR LAVI
Knowing who Violet is at the start creates a great tension similar to that between Max and Grey because we don’t know for most of the episode if Violet is playing Dex from the start, or if she feels the same connection Dex feels. It adds an interesting complexity to Violet and leaves a bigger mark when we find out, and believe, that the connection is real.
The end of the episode suggests we haven’t seen the last of Violet and while that might not be great news for Dex, it is welcomed news for viewers.
Outside of the main undercover story, the subplot with Tookie and Ansel is a fantastic touch. Tookie and Ansel’s relationship is an unexpected but wonderful development. It is something we didn’t know we needed but now that it’s here, the show wouldn’t be complete without it.
JAKE JOHNSON
One last thing worth noting is the stellar work by the episode’s director, Stacey K. Black. A lot of what makes “The Dex Factor” work so well is its execution. The script is solid and there are excellent performances from the entire cast, but that has been true of past episodes that are far less engaging.
In this episode, the script and performances are elevated by the pacing, and style set by Black, who manages to find that perfect Stumptown tone that is always irreverent and fun but with a strong emotional core.
“The Dex Factor” is what Stumptown looks like when it’s at its best and exactly what made the show worth watching in the first place.
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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Sarah Fields
Sarah is an obsessive geek who likes to get into the weeds and over think things. She is passionate about Sci-Fi and comics and is a giant classic film nerd. Sarah cares deeply about media representation and the power of telling diverse stories. When she's not writing or watching her favorite shows she spends her days working in the non-profit world trying to make life a little better for those that need some extra help.