TV Review: "Rutherford Falls" Is Strong Enough to Not Rely on Its White Leads
Sierra Teller Ornelas knows how to tell a great story. In an interview with the New York Times, Ornelas recalled how her mother and aunt utilized their skills as Navajo weavers to generate income for their family. By working painstakingly for four years, these fifth-generation weavers crafted a rug that sold for $60,000. Thanks to the sale of this beautiful piece, the Ornelas family improved their lives for the better. Ornelas's father went to pharmacy school, while her mother and aunt became world-famous tapestry weavers.
Motivated by her family's entrepreneurial spirit, Ornelas threw caution to the wind and decided to become a television writer. After graduating from the University of Arizona, Ornelas wrote for hit shows such as Happy Endings and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Now with co-creators Ed Helms and Michael Schur, the Navajo and Mexican American showrunner helms a charming but slightly flawed sitcom on Peacock called Rutherford Falls. Starring Ed Helms and Jana Schmieding (who is also a writer on the show), the first four episodes of Rutherford Falls break barriers by focusing on the lives of indigenous people. However, its reliance on white-centric stories – and to a certain extent white creatives – slightly holds it back.
Set in the Eastern Seaboard, Rutherford Falls follows the story of Nathan Rutherford (Helms) as he tries to save his ancestor's statue, which depicts the founder of Rutherford Falls, Lawrence "Big Larry" Rutherford. Known as the last living Rutherford, Nathan aims to preserve his rich family history and prove that it still has a place in his small town. Unfortunately, the cultural effigy is a safety hazard for drivers since it lies in the middle of the street. Furthermore, the townsfolk do not care about the statue (one townsfolk suggests replacing the figure with Jenna Marbles). And the town's first Black mayor, Deidre Chisenhall (Dana L. Wilson), wants the darn thing removed.
To make matters worse, Terry Thomas (Michael Greyeyes), an ambitious council leader of the fictional Minishonka tribe and C.E.O. of the Running Thunder Casino, intends to sue the wealthy Rutherford family for their mistreatment of the local indigenous community. While at the same time, hungry NPR reporter Josh Carter (Dustin Milligan) will do everything he can to cover the conflict between Terry and Nathan. Fortunately, Nathan has some folks to aid him, including his loyal assistant/intern Bobbie Yang (Jesse Leigh) and his childhood best friend, Reagan Wells (Schmieding), who runs the Minishonka Cultural Center inside the town's casino.
Rutherford Falls may take its cues from quirky comedies like Parks and Rec and Gilmore Girls, but what separates the sitcom from the previously mentioned shows is its premise puts indigenous people front and center. Instead of watching indigenous people be stoic or spiritual, we get to see them live their lives to the fullest. We get to watch Reagan, an intelligent college-educated woman from the Minishonka tribe, struggle to fit in with her community, challenge her boss Terry, and even fall in love with a hot NPR reporter within the first four episodes. The sitcom also shows indigenous people leading council meetings, playing lacrosse (a sport created by indigenous people from Canada), and just be generally happy. One might argue these storylines may seem a little too small and quirky, but in a world full of Dances with Wolves, it's revolutionary to see indigenous people take charge of their own stories for once.
With that said, it is still a little disappointing that Rutherford Falls needs to rely on the stories of its white lead for it to succeed. Nathan's fight to preserve his family's history may reflect several hot-button issues, including but not limited to how white Americans tend to whitewash history for their benefit (hello, Christopher Columbus). However, plenty of shows feature seemingly nice white guys who are racially blind, such as The Office. And in some ways, having Helm and Schur assist with getting Rutherford Falls on the air confirms that television networks like N.B.C. are still skittish of the idea that a woman of color can run a successful show on her own.
Aside from the show's focus on its white male lead, the performances in Rutherford Falls are surprisingly layered. Schmieding embodies Reagan as a fully formed being, both as a writer and performer. She knows how to mix the character's nerdy personality with her eagerness to please her community and Nathan. And despite the fact Helms can play characters like Nathan in his sleep, his performance is just as dimensional as Schmieding's. The actor takes his character up a notch by showing how privileged and obtuse he can be, especially during his hilarious and cringy performance in the Founders Day scene.
Notably, the best performance comes from noted Plains Cree actor Michael Greyeyes. He takes a manipulative and antagonistic character and makes him charming, funny, and sympathetic. One scene that genuinely stand out is when Terry meticulously points out to Josh, who accuses him of selling out his community, that it is his job to ensure the future of the Minishonka tribe through economic prosperity. That said, the characterization of Bobbie Yang needs more work. Though Leigh stands out in every one of their scenes, the show barely explores the character's backstory. Hopefully, as Rutherford Falls progresses, the story will explore Bobbie's wants and desires more.
And like its main cast, Rutherford Falls delivers on the writing. Not only are the jokes funny, but the writers, which includes five indigenous writers, give their performers zingers that highlight the actor's comedy chops. For example, when Reagan complains to Terry that she never caulked a bathroom, Terry responds gleefully, "That's why the Creator gave us YouTube."
The production team at Rutherford Falls also does a good job of collaborating with indigenous designers and musicians. Costume designer Kirston Mann weaves various indigenous designers into the costumes, including Bethany Yellowtail and Jamie Okuma. Father-daughter songwriters Lucy and David Schwartz and First Nations electronic group, The Halluci Nation also co-write the upbeat theme song.
As stated, Ornelas is a great storyteller with an extensive background in television writing, so it is great to see her finally get a sitcom on a major streaming service. And her show, Rutherford Falls has an intriguing premise, relatable characters, and humorous jokes. Hopefully, shows like these can prove that they are strong enough not to rely on the stories of white men.
