A new television series set in Florida featured a brief reference to Marion County in its nationwide premiere last week.
R.J. Decker, which stars Scott Speedman (Felicity, Grey’s Anatomy) as the titular character, debuted on Tuesday, March 3.
The series follows Decker, who is described as a disgraced newspaper photographer and ex-con attempting to rebuild his life as a private investigator in South Florida.
During the show’s pilot episode, Decker mentions having served time in a Marion County correctional facility. The fictional character did not specify which of the county’s facilities he occupied.
Based on the 1987 novel Double Whammy by acclaimed Florida author Carl Hiaasen, the show follows Decker as he tackles bizarre and often “whimsical” crimes. The plot centers on Decker’s transition from an unlucky “good guy” who spent two years in prison to a P.I. navigating crimes in South Florida.
Decker is joined by a cast of characters from his past, including his former cellmate Aloysius “Wish” Aiken, played by Kevin Rankin. The series premiere established that the two shared a powerful, “brotherly” bond during their time behind bars, where Wish reportedly “taught R.J. the ropes” and helped him survive the experience.
Although the show is set in South Florida and filmed portions of its pilot in West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, much of the production took place in Wilmington, North Carolina. The series is created by Robert Doherty, known for his work on the long-running procedural Elementary.
R.J. Decker airs Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. on ABC and is available for streaming the following day on Hulu.
