Backstrom
Detective Lieutenant Everett Backstrom is a man with no filter. After a five-year exile to the traffic division for offensive behavior, he has returned from disgrace to lead Portland's newly minted S.C.U. Tasked with navigating the city's most sensitive and serious cases, he must solve each crime as he tries, and fails, to change his own self-destructive behavior. Based on renowned Swedish criminologist and novelist Leif G.W. Persson’s hit series of books of the same name.
Insights
Plot Summary
Everett Backstrom is a brilliant but deeply flawed detective brought back to the Serious Crimes Unit after being exiled for his offensive behavior. Reluctantly paired with a capable female partner, he must navigate his own vices and eccentricities while solving complex cases. The series explores his troubled personal life and his unique, often abrasive, methods of law enforcement.
Critical Reception
Backstrom received mixed to negative reviews from critics. While some praised Rainn Wilson's performance and the show's dark humor, many found the character too unlikable and the procedural elements derivative. Audience reception was similarly lukewarm, leading to its cancellation after one season.
What Reviewers Say
- Rainn Wilson's performance as the ethically challenged detective is a standout element.
- The show struggles with a protagonist that is often too abrasive and unsympathetic.
- The procedural crime elements are largely unremarkable and feel familiar.
Google audience: Audiences found the show to be an interesting premise with a charismatic lead, but many felt the character was too unlikable and the storylines lacked originality. Some appreciated the darker comedic tone.
Fun Fact
Rainn Wilson, who plays Detective Everett Backstrom, also served as an executive producer on the series.
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