‘American Rust’: Jeff Daniels stars in a mystery-drama that’s more ambitious than absorbing

With so much upsetting news coming at us every day, it’s a challenge for a TV drama that’s soaked in sad situations to make us want to watch. That’s the difficulty a show like “American Rust,” which premieres Sunday, Sept. 12 on Showtime, faces. And, based on the first three episodes made available for preview, the series falls short.

Inspired by Philipp Meyer’s novel, the story involves a small town and a murder investigation. But “American Rust” lets us know early on that it’s aiming to make a statement about greater themes. From the somber mood to the brown-tinged cinematography (does anybody in this town ever turn on a light?), “American Rust” is apparently intended to be an exploration of how the American Dream has decayed, leaving residents of the fictional Pennsylvania town of Buell struggling with disappointment, addiction, and economic despair.

Jeff Daniels stars as Del Harris, the police chief in Buell, who’s trying to mask demons from his past, including his military service, with a “PTSD cocktail” of prescription medications. Harris isn’t alone in his dependency, as we see others in the town are abusing opioids and alcohol.

From left, Maura Tierney as Grace Poe and Alex Neustaedter as Billy Poe in “American Rust.” ( Photo: Dennis Mong/Showtime) Dennis Mong/SHOWTIME

When a body is found in an abandoned steel mill, Harris’ investigation of the murder quickly gets complicated. For one thing, the dead man is a former cop, who Harris has fired. For another, the prime suspect is Billy (Alex Neustaedter), the son of Grace (Maura Tierney), with whom Harris has been having an on-again, off-again relationship.

The setting and premise can’t help but recall HBO’s recent “Mare of Easttown,” which starred Kate Winslet as a Pennsylvania small-town detective investigating a murder in which her personal connections to the townspeople clashes with her law enforcement duties.

Both “Mare of Easttown” and “American Rust” run the risk of seeming like they’re the result of entitled entertainment types bending over backwards to tell stories about working-class people. For the most part, “Mare of Easttown” managed to avoid that whiff of condescension, thanks to humor and empathy, which made all the characters feel like distinct people, not refugees from a cable TV news report.

In a virtual Television Critics Association summer press tour panel discussing the show, Daniels seemed aware of how a short-sighted lens can diminish the way blue-collar people are regarded. Daniels cited his own small-town background, and said that “sometimes these folks are considered less, inferior, not as smart as those on the coasts. And, you know, we feel it…So, I knew these guys. I knew Del enough to dive into him, and then embrace the things that I did not have in common with him and make those part of the performance.”

With only three episodes to judge, “American Rust” so far, at least, doesn’t seem totally successful at transcending stereotypes, and creating characters who come across as individuals who are caught up in specific situations.

As was the case with “Mare of Easttown,” “American Rust” boasts a skilled cast, who help bring dimension to their characters. Daniels is characteristically gruff and vulnerable, and Del’s dryly sarcastic comments add some much needed-moments of levity. As Grace, a seamstress who’s trying to get her fellow workers to organize for health care and benefits, Tierney, as always, makes her character complex and thoughtful.

At times, though, the actors are stuck with dialogue that’s less than inspired (“You’re a good man, Del Harris,” Grace clunkily declares), and the tangled bonds between the younger people, including Billy, his beloved Lee (Julia Mayorga), and her brother, Isaac (David Alvarez), aren’t as riveting as they’re meant to be.

Perhaps, after the first three episodes, creator Dan Futterman (“The Looming Tower”) and the rest of the writers and directors will deliver a portrait of a town that’s more insightful and original. But, so far at least, “American Rust” is more ambitious than it is absorbing.

“American Rust” premieres at 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12 on Showtime. The first episode can be viewed ahead of time, for free, on YouTube, Showtime.com, and Sho.com, and On Demand.

— Kristi Turnquist

[email protected] 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist