We’ve seen quite a few quality series debuts in the past few months, so the new Michael Schur show on Peacock might have flown under the radar for some. Schur recently teamed with Sierra Teller Ornelas and Ed Helms to create Rutherford Falls, one of the most prominent Peacock original releases to date.
The new comedy tells the story of two friends who are pitted against one another when the community around them wants to remove an ancestral statue from its place as a traffic hazard. Obviously, the world-building continues from there, and the community springs up with a number of likable figures.
Tobias
Tobias (Paul F. Tompkins) is far from a likable character, but he’s such a classic Schur-esque creation. One could definitely imagine Tobias as a hilarious recurring figure who’d give Leslie Knope a lot of trouble.
Instead, he just gives Nathan (Helms) a ton of guff. He says a lot of detestable things, but the do-nothing podcaster is played to perfection by Tompkins and makes for a memorable guest spot.
Rayanne
Rayanne (Geraldine Keams) only ranks lower on this list because there has not been a lot for her to do yet. Still, her brief appearances were marked by humor and history.
Hopefully, her role on the show will expand over time, as she brought an interesting perspective of Minishonka history to the show. Rutherford Falls could definitely use more of that.
Ms. Fish
Ms. Fish (Beth Stelling) is a character who basically exists to facilitate some of the ancillary stories floating around Nathan’s character arc. She doesn’t rank too highly because her crush on him becomes a bit one-note after a while.
Towards the denouement of season one, though, Ms. Fish begins to demonstrate agency independent of Nathan, so any direction her character takes going forward will be refreshing. There’s only so much one can do with unrequited love.
Nathan
As the main character in the series, Nathan is obviously going to receive a lot more development than some of the supporting stars on Rutherford Falls. However, Nathan still has a lot of growing up to do to become one of the best characters on the show.
For now, he’s simply one of the most complicated. There are flashes of Nathan proving that Ed Helms can progress past the petulant man-child archetype. Hopefully, the soul-searching at the end of the first season will set Nathan up to become one of the best in the series’ future.
Josh
Josh (Dustin Milligan) is another character who felt sort of directionless on an episode-by-episode basis. Both he and Nathan served ever-rotating purposes in each installment, and some distance from the statue story arc could better flesh out their roles on Rutherford Falls.
As for Josh, he has a ton going for him. He’s a fascinating journalist who never comes across as too cloying or superficial. But, some out-of-whack perspectives could use some tightening up to develop Josh into a much stronger figure.
Duz
While there’s a good amount of fairly ho-hum characters featured on Rutherford Falls, there are a few we find to be genuinely likable. Duz (Ben Koldyke) is Nathan’s brother, and the show achieves a particularly tricky balance with his role.
He is both supportive and loving of his brother while also exercising more practicality and authenticity for his truest self. He’s loyal without being unreasonable, and he recognizes what is genuinely important in life instead of holding himself hostage to tradition.
Deirdre
If there is any character on Rutherford Falls who should be bumped into series regular territory going forward, it’s Deirdre Chisenhall (Dana L. Wilson), the mayor of the community. Hopefully, Peacock will come through with a season two order soon.
Over time, Deirdre’s role expanded on Rutherford Falls, and she became one of the more nuanced characters on the show by the end. She’s a highly capable mayor who always brings a valuable perspective to the many petty squabbles of the town.
Bobbie
Bobbie Yang (Jesse Leigh) will surprise people when they learn that they are a high school student. They seem like a much more competent and career-driven character rather than a student who is attaining some internship credits.
As Nathan’s assistant, Bobbie is bizarrely—but endearingly and humorously—obsessed with Nathan, and, most importantly, with doing a good job. It’s unclear why exactly Bobbie ties so much of their identity to Nathan, but it always makes for hilarious moments.
Reagan
With Nathan, Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding) essentially serves as the co-lead of Rutherford Falls. It’s quite clear that much of the heart in the show revolves around Reagan and her earnest passion for educating others about the history of the Minishonka Nation.
Her enthusiasm and hope blend just slightly with an outspoken attitude and a slight cynicism about the privilege she sees in her best friend. It makes for one of the most fully realized character arcs in the first season.
Terry
Reagan is more outwardly likable than Terry Thomas (Michael Greyeyes), but Terry is definitely the best character Rutherford Falls has so far. He’s the breakout of the show.
As the CEO of the local casino, Terry is finance-oriented and certainly materialistic. Yet, he also possesses an inspiring ambition for his legacy and the legacy of the Minishonka. Terry consistently finds remarkable compromises that aid the people he pretends not to care about in surprising ways. Yet, he’s always honoring the emotional authenticity within himself. It’s a great arc developed for the show, and Greyeyes’ performance is probably the series’ best, on top of it all.
