DTF St. Louis Misses the Mark on St. Louis Geography

The new HBO Max series gets many details about the city wrong, especially the commute of the main character.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The new HBO Max series "DTF St. Louis" is set in the St. Louis area, but the show's writers and producers seem to have little understanding of the actual geography of the region. One major issue is the location of the fictional suburb of "Twyla" where the main character Clark lives, which is depicted as being around 50 miles from downtown St. Louis - far too far for Clark's daily bike commute to his job as a TV weatherman. The article's author, a St. Louis native, points out numerous other details the show gets wrong about the city, from street names to regional terminology, arguing that if a show is going to use a city's name in the title, it should at least strive to accurately represent that location.

Why it matters

Accurately depicting the setting of a TV show is important for creating an authentic and immersive viewing experience, especially when the show is set in a real-world location that viewers may be familiar with. The author's frustration highlights how getting the little details wrong can undermine the credibility of the show's world-building and distract viewers from the actual story.

The details

The article cites several examples of how "DTF St. Louis" gets St. Louis wrong, from the fictional suburb of "Twyla" being located too far from downtown for the main character's commute, to characters using terminology like "down state" that is not common in the region. The author notes that while these details may not directly impact the plot, they add up and prevent the city from feeling like a true character in the show.

  • The new HBO Max series "DTF St. Louis" premiered in 2026.

The players

Jason Bateman

The lead actor and producer of "DTF St. Louis".

Linda Cardellini

An actress starring in "DTF St. Louis".

David Harbour

An actor starring in "DTF St. Louis".

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What they’re saying

“Why, then, are they getting basically everything wrong about the city? Have the writers and producers ever even set foot in St. Louis, or did they simply Google 'things about St. Louis' and then completely ignore whatever they learned?”

— Hugh Scott, Author (cinemablend.com)

What’s next

The author plans to continue watching "DTF St. Louis" despite the show's inaccuracies, hoping the writers will make more of an effort to authentically represent the city in future episodes.

The takeaway

While "DTF St. Louis" may be an entertaining show on its own merits, the author's critique highlights the importance of getting the little details right when setting a TV series in a real-world location that viewers are familiar with. Failing to do so can undermine the show's credibility and prevent the setting from truly becoming a character in its own right.