‘R.J. Decker’ Premiere on ABC: Tom Petty Is a Dog Now

If you’ve seen any of the promos or watched last night’s premiere of R.J. Decker and said to yourself, “This looks familiar.” You’re not crazy, and you’re not wrong. ABC is treading a path so well worn that the carpet is bare with their new show that stars Felicity’s Scott Speedman. Decker is the latest iteration of the down-on-his-luck private investigator trope. He even wears a Hawaiian shirt.

Speedman isn’t bad in this role. He plays it scruffy, smart, and affable. He’s a dirtbag with a heart of gold who has friends in both low and high places who help him get by and solve mysteries. He’d be kinda sexy if this weren’t the millionth time I’ve come across this character. The supporting characters are also familiar players in the genre.

There’s the former cellmate (Kevin Rankin from the short-lived East New York) who now owns a bar where Decker hangs out. Decker helped get him released, so now they’re bonded for life.

He has an ex-wife (Justified: City Primeval’s Adelaide Clemens). She married a woman after their marriage ended. But don’t worry, it’s cool. He knew she was bi when they met, OK?

The ex is married to a cop (Bevin Bru) who is not super fond of Decker. But they get along well enough for her to keep him in the loop on a case he’s not supposed to be working on.

There’s also the niece of a corrupt state politician (in Florida? What?) She (Station 19’s Jaina Lee Ortiz) is obviously attracted to Decker, and I expect there to be recurring bad decisions made between the two of them this season. I also suspect Decker will eventually bring about her uncle’s political downfall. But they might be saving that for season two if there is a season two. With few exceptions, these types of shows don’t tend to last long (RIP The Glades).

Decker lives in a Fort Lauderdale trailer park, in a trailer that perches on the edge of a giant sinkhole. It’s a quirky location with quirky neighbors, and a dog named Tom Petty whose owner doesn’t believe in leash laws, if those are a thing in Florida.

They really did too much with the mystery in the first episode. It’s a murder that’s tied to Decker’s past as a photojournalist who went to prison for 18 months. Every ancillary character we’re introduced to is involved, and the resolution hinges on a set of unexplained calf implants. The whole thing is very Florida Man coded.

Whether or not R.J. Decker becomes a long-lasting standout in the genre à la Burn Notice remains to be seen. There was nothing in the premiere that made it stand out to me. And, because I’ve watched so many of these shows and have a decent sense of pattern recognition, I anticipated a lot of the plot points and some of the dialogue. With Will Trent and High Potential as its lead-ins, it might be a fun distraction for the Spring. But I wouldn’t get attached.

R.J. Decker airs at 10 pm EST, Tuesdays on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.