Scott Speedman Leads ABC’s Quirky New Crime Drama R.J. Decker
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Reel Perspectives
March 6, 2026
ABC's exciting new crime series "R.J. Decker" debuted on ABC on March 3, and we have to admit we didn't know what to expect heading in, but given its prime slot debut alongside hits "Will Trent" and "High Potential" on Tuesday, the network has high hopes that the nine episode series has staying power, and we tend to agree.
Scott Speedman stars as the titular R.J. Decker, and who doesn't love Speedman? The "Felicity" alum and most recently, "Grey's Anatomy" star, plays a former newspaper photographer and ex-con who reinvents himself as a private investigator in the colorful, crime-filled world of South Florida. The series follows him tackling cases that range from slightly odd to outright bizarre with the help of his journalist ex, her police detective wife and a shadowy woman from his past who could be his greatest ally … or his one-way ticket back to prison.
Based on the 1987 novel by best-selling author Carl Hiassen titled "Double Whammy," the series is written and executive-produced by Rob Doherty. In addition to Speedman, the series stars Jaina Lee Ortiz as Emilia "Emi" Ochoa, Bevin Bru as Detective Melody "Mel" Abreau, Kevin Rankin as Aloysius "Wish" Aiken, and Adelaide Clemens as Catherine Delacroix.
Speedman is a solid choice to play R.J. Decker, bringing this rugged, morally layered investigator to life. One of the biggest reasons Speedman works so well as R.J Decker is his track record of playing characters who live in emotional gray areas. RJ Decker offers Speedman the opportunity to combine many elements of his past work - the emotional realism he showed in "Felicity", the darker tone of "Animal Kingdom", and the mature character work seen in "Grey's Anatomy". The supporting cast, along with the dark humor and vibrant, quirky Florida settings, make the series a standout worth keeping an eye on.
R.J. Decker airs on Tuesdays at 10 pm EST on ABC and is available to stream the next day on Hulu.
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