Network: FOX
Episodes: 13 (hour)
Seasons: One
TV show dates: January 22, 2015 — April 30, 2015
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Rainn Wilson, Genevieve Angelson, Dennis Haysbert, Kristoffer Polaha, Page Kennedy, Beatrice Rosen, and Thomas Dekker.
TV show description:
This offbeat crime procedural is based on the Swedish book series by Leif G. W. Persson. The series follows Detective Everett Backstrom (Rainn Wilson). He’s an unhealthy, offensive, irascible (also brilliant) detective who is brought back from exile to run the Portland Police Bureau’s Special Crimes Unit (SCU).
Tasked with navigating the city’s most sensitive and serious cases, Backstrom must solve each crime as he tries, and fails, to change his own self-destructive behavior.
Backstrom’s second in command is Detective Nicole Gravely (Genevieve Angelson). Detective John Almond (Dennis Haysbert) is a kind and devoutly religious man who’s been married for 30 years and serves as a pastor on weekends.
Sergent Peter Niedermayer (Kristoffer Polaha) is the unit’s Forensics Liaison and Officer Frank Moto (Page Kennedy) is one of the members of the Special Crimes Unit. Foreign-born civilian Nadia Paquet (Beatrice Rosen) supports the detectives.
Meanwhile, Gregory Valentine (Thomas Dekker) is Backstrom’s decorator and “underworld connection”.
Episode #13 — Rock Bottom
When a Native American is found dead under a bridge on the Wabacooche Indian reservation, Amy’s (guest Sarah Chalke) new boyfriend and Indian Reserve Police Captain, Jesse Rocha (guest Adam Beach), wants in on the case. Backstrom then learns that Indian meth-king Norwest (guest Gregory Cruz), of Cooch County, is a suspect in the case, and he is convinced his father, Cooch County Sheriff Blue Backstrom (guest Robert Forster), knows about Norwest’s drug dealings, leaving Backstrom to make a difficult decision. Meanwhile, in order to keep his job with the S.C.U., Backstrom must impress Dr. Deb (guest Rizwan Manji).
First aired: April 30, 2015.
What do you think? Do you like the Backstrom TV show? Do you think it should have been cancelled or renewed for a second season?
Backstrom is an exceptional show. Characters, plot and screenwriting are not predictable, does not talk down to the audience yet is amusing in a dark way.
Just when you thought there could be no room for another police/detective show, this stands above so many!
Please renew this entertaining addition to television viewing!!!
Totally agree, great show. Please bring it back.
One of the best shows on television.
This was my favorite show. If there was a way to petition to keep it on air, I would certainly do so.
I agree with other comments, already expressed; this is a great show. It should not have been cancelled. Shame on F OX! You gave House, who was a repulsive character initially, a chance and thanks to Hugh Laurie and the rest of the excellent cast, great writing and time to build an audience it became a hit. Too bad you couldn’t have done the same for Backstrom. Maybe another network will give it a chance.
Please consider reinstating this REFRESHING show!!!!! The only decent one on TV this past season!!!! The perfect casting of the characters and the writers engaging dialogue combined with the unusual story lines made for an hour of delightful TV. The person responsible for putting it up against Scandal and Blacklist should be let go!! Come on… it was Backstroms first season. It takes the public a while to try a new show. This one is EXCELLENT! But with all the singing, dancing and quiz contestent shows not to meantion the vile reality shows, the public has dumbed down to it’s… Read more »
Boy,,,FOX really bombed in their selection of great shows to cancel…The Following and Backstrom both!
I really didn’t like Rainn Wilson at first, but after the second show, he reminded me a little of “Columbo”, then, I just Had to watch him and the other great cast and storylines…
I think FOX lost it this time around..they’re joining ABC and CBS in their poor decisions…Or maybe they don’t realize that us Baby-Boomers are becoming their new & largest demographic?
This is one of the best shows on right now. I’m so bummed!!!
One of the best shows on your station. Good drama, likeable characters, excellent story lines and way better than almost every other crime and cop show on TV. A whole lot more entertaining than the dumb sitcoms, and the more than dumb and boring vampire junk.
Hope you reconsider and bring this show back.
This is a great show with interesting story lines and complex, realistic interractions between the characters. I wish the network would give it another season to extablish an audience.
This show took awhile to get into the characters. I ended up loving it Could be a slow starter. Shame it ended so quickly.
Too bad. I really liked this show.
I loved this show, I laughed and cried and loved the inner action with all the charters, not many shows on I watch and this upsets me!!! guess gotta be 20 CSI on every channel anything diffrent always gets canceled BOO TO YOU FOX!!!
I agree with everyone there is only a handful shows on network television worth watching and this was one. Now there are even less. I’m FOX I think America only cares about the Kardashians and Celeb filth. I’m America we hate the Kardashians we hate reality we want good wholesome family television. The playoffs are almost over and there will be nothing to pass time now because FOX cancelled their best show!. I’m me Thanks for nothing and blow it up your ass!!!
You made a mistake this a great show.