‘DTF St. Louis’ Stars Joy Sunday & Richard Jenkins on Defining Their Detective Dynamic

DTF St. Louis dug deeper into the mystery surrounding Floyd’s (David Harbour) death in the latest episode, as investigators Jodie (Joy Sunday) and Homer (Richard Jenkins) divided and conquered when it came to inquiries on the case.

After uncovering Clark’s (Jason Bateman) secret relationship with Floyd’s wife, Carol (Linda Cardellini), Homer pushed Jodie to question Carol, while tackling Clark’s interrogation himself. Their efforts yielded interesting results as Jodie decided it seemed as though Carol was responsible for instigating the affair, despite the initial suggestion that Clark had.

As Jodie and Homer, who are on opposite ends of their careers, collaborated, viewers got a glimpse at how their detective dynamic will continue to unfold. It’s clear from the beginning that Homer sees Jodie as his subordinate, initially ignoring her leads and suggestions, but bit by bit that begins to shift.

“Jodie isn’t necessarily just exerting her ego; she’s focusing on the truth, and so she doesn’t allow Homer’s doubt to be an obstacle,” Sunday tells TV Insider. “She searches for the truth and gets results, and I think that’s what proves herself, and she knows that’s what will move it along, in her relationship with Homer.”

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As for Homer, Jenkins acknowledges potential burnout, pointing out,”This is his last case, and he seemed to [think] he had it all figured out. It was kind of by the numbers, and then you realize… What’s gonna happen to him? It’s like his life is over, until he meets her, and she breathes life back into the guy.”

So, while Homer may be initially dismissive of Jodie, she rekindles his passion for the job, pushing to go further with the investigation instead of wrapping things up quickly for the sake of wrapping them up. And after initially believing Floyd’s body was discovered with porn he was interested in, Jodie’s investigation uncovered a shocking lead, that the Playgirl issue and photos were of a younger Floyd, only adding the mystery unfolding.

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While Jodie was insistent that the images weren’t “porn” by Homer’s standards, her insistence was proven right with this discovery, and Sunday says, “I don’t think you can make any judgments as to what it is. I think it presents itself, and it kind of gives you the opportunity to take what you need from it. It just allows you to kind of approach it with openness and curiosity, which I think is kind of the crux of the show.”

Meanwhile, Jenkins adds, “The world is more complex than Homer sees it. He learns that. Issues are more complex, the suburbs are more complex, murder is more complex, and it’s kind of a shame that he spent all his life coming to these conclusions that are wrong,” he concludes regarding Homer.

See how the investigators continue to unravel the mystery surrounding Floyd’s death, and see their dynamic transform as the season plays out.

DTF St. Louis, Sundays, 9/8c, HBO