Even though the new AMC+ show Ragdoll is a brand new addition to the streaming service, the series is off to an exciting start and is reminiscent of some other incredible crime dramas. One way of describing the series to newcomers is that if Sherlock and Dexter had a baby, it would be Ragdoll.
That said, the character in this show are much more realistic, not quite as charming as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s quick-witted detective. Although audiences have only been introduced to the cast of characters, there are some that are much more likable than others right off the bat.
DCI Terrance Simmons
DCI Simmons isn’t terribly involved in the first episode’s investigation, but he’s obviously an important part of the police force and will be present for the Ragdoll Killer case. He has a calculated, no-nonsense, and ambitious attitude reminiscent of Ann Coulter’s Capricorn energy in Impeachment: American Crime Story.
While he shows support for Nathan Rose and wants him on the case even after he appears on the kill list, he’s brash and rude, especially to DC Lake Edmunds, who is Lucy Hale’s character. He even calls her “DC State The S—ting Obvious” when she implies one of the kill list names could be the Mayor of London.
DI Chambers
Chambers is someone who let down Nathan Rose in a big way. Although he was just doing his job, he reported Nathan for obtaining testimonies and evidence illegally and his letter got out to the press and let Mark Hooper get out of his first trial.
This sent Nathan on a spiral that had him institutionalized and gave him severe PTSD, turning him into a common trope of crime dramas as the troubled lead detective. Later in the episode, though, Nathan doesn’t seem to hold it against him when Lake brings it up. He makes a comment about how they were all friends and jokes about Chambers choking on a piña colada on his vacation.
Andrea Wyld
Andrea is a reporter who seems to have had some sort of romantic entanglement with Nathan prior to his court breakdown and hospitalization. They’re decently friendly with each other, even whispering to each other during Emily Baxter’s press conference.
However, there seems to be a more cutthroat side to Andrea. She adamantly proclaims that she wasn’t the one to leak Chambers’ complaint letter about Nathan, but then later she apparently wrote about the whole thing and Nathan accuses her of “barely pulling any punches” when she insists she defended him. She obviously chose her career over her friend’s mental health so she wouldn’t “lose her job to the intern.”
Robert Maloney
Audiences have only gotten a quick glimpse of Robert Maloney, but he’s keyed up to be a charming and funny character. He works in IT at the police department and was just recently invited into the conversation about the case after fixing the projector before the meeting.
He’s cheery and is responsible for coming up with the Ragdoll Killer moniker. It’s quite clever, too, because of the different body parts being sewn together to make one complete person. He doesn’t let Nathan harsh remark about picking the name get him down, and he attentively continues to man the projector.
DS Finlay
It’s clear that DS Finlay really cares about Nathan and Emily. He’s the one who escorts Nathan to the trial at the start of the episode, pushing journalists and news anchors out of the way, and telling Chambers not to make a scene when he tries to apologize to Nathan in the courtroom.
Additionally, he tells Emily not to shirk off the praise she’s getting for catching a serial killer, and that she helped families get closure that they sorely needed. He’s a trusted confidante for the core cast and is experienced in what he does.
DI Emily Baxter
Emily Baxter is one of Nathan’s closest friends and his partner on the police force. She’s always got his back and defends him against anyone who wants to use his PTSD against him or as publicity stunt. Emily embodies Scorpio energy, much like Dexter’s Deborah Morgan, and can be a bit harsh and closed off to those she’s just met, like Lake. But it seems like she warms up to people as they earn her respect and trust.
Emily and Nathan’s friendship is adorable, they joke around and even go to karaoke bars together. She tells him about her struggle with her father’s passing and he feels comfortable talking to her about his therapy and mental health.
DC Lake Edmunds
One of the more familiar faces of the Ragdoll cast is Pretty Little Liars’ Lucy Hale, who plays Lake Edmunds, an American transplant whose vegan, anti-palm-oil, feminist demeanor is a bit jarring to the more reserved British detectives. She repeatedly tries to assert herself, share ideas, and get to know the other people on the force, and they’re not always open to it.
Lake’s assertiveness is both a strength and a weakness. While she can come off as a little much to the people around her, she also knows how she’d like to be treated and isn’t afraid to say when she finds something rude or unnecessary, which is an admirable trait. She’s enthusiastic about her job and wants to enact change for the community.
DS Nathan Rose
Nathan has been through the most out of everyone in the main cast of characters, and he’s done a lot of work on himself to get to where he is. After having an entire investigation blow up in his face, leading to a breakdown in the courtroom and a stay at a mental institution, he now meditates and sees a therapist regularly.
PTSD is a very real thing for many people who experience trauma, and men and law officers aren’t exempt from it. Nathan’s journey and flashbacks is relatable and helpful to see depicted onscreen. Nathan’ character is also the most nuanced one. He was in such a dark place after Mark Hooper’s trial, that he may have ordered a hit on him. Because of his mental state at the time, though, and because the hit contact came from fellow patient Joel Shepton, there’s no way of knowing if Nathan’s actions were real or had any effect, or if he’s next on the hit list.
