'R.J. Decker’ Star Officially Confirms Season 2 Brings Bigger Threats and More Suspense

Published Oct 6, 2026, 11:00 PM EDT

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Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for R.J. Decker Season 2, Episode 4.

Summary

• In Episode 4 of Season 2 of 'R.J. Decker,' Beau Bridges joins as R.J.’s dad and sparks old fights with a genuine, messy attempt at reconciliation.
• Florida weirdness, trailer park clowns, and eccentric locals act as a significant part of the show.
• Season 2 raises the stakes with more action, tested relationships, and throughlines that deepen R.J.’s past.

On the surface, the ABC series R.J. Decker might seem like your typical procedural. But its colorful crime-filled world of South Florida and its ex-con private investigator (Scott Speedman) namesake make it much more layered and at times a bit weird. In the fourth episode of Season 2, entitled “The Angler,” a murder at a fishing tournament brings R.J.’s father (Beau Bridges) back into the picture, forcing them to deal with personal issues they’d both rather keep avoiding. Not bad at working together if they can get past their accusations and suspicions, the two men genuinely want to forge a better relationship, even if they’re not entirely sure how to do that.

Collider recently got the opportunity to chat with Speedman about where things are headed in Season 2. During the interview, he discussed what it’s like to have Bridges play his TV dad, the different sides that get brought out of R.J. around family, embracing the weirdness of Florida and life in a trailer park, getting glimpses of R.J.’s past from when he was locked up, the relationships he has with the various women in his life, and what’s still to come for the P.I. this season. He also talked about joining Grey’s Anatomy, nearing the 30^th anniversary since the debut of Felicity, and whether Felicity and Ben might still be together.

Scott Speedman Was Thrilled To Have Beau Bridges Playing His Father in ‘R.J. Decker’ Season 2

"They surprised me with it one day, and I was ecstatic."

Image via CBS

COLLIDER: How did you find out that Beau Bridges would be playing your father? Was he always a name that was mentioned? How did that come about?

SCOTT SPEEDMAN: They mentioned some names, and he was not one of them. But that was because I think they were worried they couldn’t get him. They surprised me with it one day, and I was ecstatic. Beau Bridges is perfect for so many reasons. Physically, I think it’s a great match, and for what the character is, it couldn’t be more perfect. Everyone was so thrilled and very thankful we were able to actually snag him for this because it’s not easy to get him. We were very happy.

And then, when we went to go do the scenes, it was almost like it was written for him, with his cadences and how he likes to speak and his mannerisms. It was just a perfect character for him. And so, when you have somebody like that who’s as good as he is, it makes my job so easy and more of a reactive state, just to whatever is going on with him. We were very, very lucky. It doesn’t get much better as a TV dad. I’ve been lucky with that a few times, and he was a highlight for sure.

Do you feel like he brings out sides of R.J. that only a father can?

SPEEDMAN: Oh, yeah. R.J. is a pretty calm, cool, collected guy for the most part, who likes to be in control. And then, you put him with his dad, and he goes into teenage triggers and old fights and old arguments they’ve been having for decades. Those came up fast and it put R.J. on his back heel. For an audience, I think it’s really nice to watch R.J. not suffer from one of the cases, but suffer from something intimate, like a family member, and see that side of him. I think it’s really important that we do that as a show and that we get to know R.J. in that way, not just through his cases or through his relationships with the series regulars, but for something like this that is so close to home.

I thought it was also fun that the case involved him so that you guys had some time to spend together and work together a bit. What was the first scene that you guys shot together?

SPEEDMAN: The first thing we shot was in the bar when I show up and he says he’s already been doing some legwork and he actually found the guy I’m looking for, but I’m very suspicious that he found the guy that knows the guys that we’re searching for. That day was a huge day. That day, we did that scene, we did the stakeout scene in the car, and we did the big fight scene outside the police station, where we have at it. It was a full day of all that stuff. And then, we came back the next week and did all the fishing site stuff. It was a lot right away, so it was fun. We jumped in with both feet.

I love that we got that quiet moment with them fishing together at the end of the episode, after everything they went through before that. Do you feel like you left them and their relationship in a better place by the end of the episode?

SPEEDMAN: I think so. There’s more to do, more to come, more to see, and more to discover with those two. But with that arc, I think they did a good job. I don’t know how these writers do it, balancing a story and characters, and then having this force with R.J.’s dad come on and have a beginning, middle, and end to that whole storyline, and weave it into a mystery. It’s really crazy, what they do, and they do it so well. I think they do end up in a better place. I do think there was an understanding. R.J. loves his dad no matter the pain that goes on between them. I think there’s a lot of love there and I think there’s a genuine attempt by his dad to come back into his life in a genuine way. It’s cool.

Do you think he really does want to have a better relationship with him, or is it just too exhausting to expect anything other than who his father is?

SPEEDMAN: Those characters are always going to be those characters, and if that relationship continues on screen, I’m sure there will be pit pitfalls, and ups and downs. But I do think there’s a genuine need. I do think that character can’t get out of his own way. He is what he is and will absolutely cause R.J. strife, but I do think it’s absolutely genuine that he does want to make amends for the past transgressions or whatever he did or didn’t do in the past. But I think it’s definitely genuine.

Scott Speedman Loves Embracing the Florida Weird of ‘R.J. Decker’

"The whole vibe of Florida is its own character in our show. Without that, there is no show."

Image via ABC

I love that this is a series that really kind of embraces the Florida weirdness, but it also feels like it could go even weirder because is anything ever really too weird when it comes to Florida?

SPEEDMAN: No, it is not. It could go weirder. We could push it further, for sure. We’ll see.

What do you love about what all of that adds to the series? Do you love the trailer park clowns as much as I love the trailer park clowns?

SPEEDMAN: I love them so much, and we lost them a bit in the first season. I’m so happy to have them back. And not just them, but the whole vibe of the trailer, I felt was its own character. The whole vibe of Florida is its own character in our show. Without that, there is no show. It is the backdrop of our world, and the weirder it is, the better. I think Florida wears this on its sleeve. If you come down here and you just walk around in Fort Lauderdale, you see some stuff that’s just unique to [Florida]. I drive to Los Angeles from here every time we’re done for a season, and to get out of Florida, you have to go north for a day. It takes forever to get out. You’re just like, “Wow, this is the most beautiful place, but also the weirdest, wackiest place you’ve seen.” It’s the end of the earth.

You see a bit of that in California, but it’s different. It’s got its own texture to it, and it’s got its own vibe to here (in Florida). We love it. And then, the trailer park with the clowns and all the stories and the weirdness of my trailer park and the characters that are in there, it’s a great service to our show and a great backdrop. If you’re shooting in Florida proper, which we are right now, and you put a camera up, you’re going to find something to shoot. We’re very lucky to be here and to have Broward County welcome us here. We’re very happy about it.

In the first episode back this season, we got to spend time with Stevie (Jordan L. Jones), one of R.J.’s friends from jail, and it really gave us some insight into not just how he was in jail, but how he has the back of someone who had his. What did that relationship teach you about R.J.?

SPEEDMAN: To a fault, he’ll back somebody if there’s a love and trust and a need there. He’s always been that way with Stevie. First of all, that kid was amazing. That actor was amazing. I love him, and I’d love for him to be back. He was such an addition to our show, very funny and very fun, but also had a very strong quality on screen. The crew really liked him. The crew was super engaged watching him. They would love for him to be back as a part of our show. I love how the writers do that. They show what R.J. was like by action. He does risk it all. I kept saying to the writers, “This is risky. If he gets caught doing this, we can’t forget that he’ll go back to jail for a long time, not 18 months anymore. He can go back for a decade or two for aiding and abetting, and doing all these things that he’s doing.” That’s the crux and the DNA in the center of R.J. Decker, the character. He’s going to go on a limb for people, whether it’s good for him or not. That’s a huge part of this show.

The Dynamic Between R.J. and Emi Still Isn’t Clearly Defined in ‘R.J. Decker’ Season 2

"It’s the second season, and we’re still figuring out what we’re doing, what works, and what doesn’t work, so stay tuned."

Image via ABC

What has it been like to find a new dynamic with Emi (Jaina Lee Ortiz) this season? With everything they went through last season, they weren’t even really able to get to know each other that well because of her father. Especially now that she’s been cleared of murder, what does that look like for them?

SPEEDMAN: That’s a good question. The honest answer is that I don’t know. Given what we’re doing this season and the number of episodes we’re doing, I just think it was in the best interest of both characters to not split us up but help us move on. It just frees us up, character wise. But that story is going to continue to weave in and around our relationship, and in different iterations. That’s just how it is. I was surprised by it, but it was a smart move. I love working with Jaina and I think we’ll continue to see where that goes. It’s the second season, and we’re still figuring out what we’re doing, what works, and what doesn’t work, so stay tuned. I don’t know. I’ll be finding out when you do.

We’re also seeing R.J. with Trudy (Shantel VanSanten). What is going on there, and what are you enjoying about whatever is happening there?

SPEEDMAN: That’s a totally different energy than Emi. It’s a quirky energy. Shantel has been incredible. She’s such a good actor and very fast. She’s really fun to play with and bounce off of. We can jump into a scene, and we’ll find it very quickly. She’s great. That’s been fun. Again, we’re figuring stuff out. We’re a new show. Even though we’re on our second season, we haven’t had that many episodes yet, so we’re finding what works. Bringing Shantel on has been great for our show, so we’ll see what happens. We’ll see how long that continues, but she’s been great.

There is so much to unpack in R.J.’s relationship with both Catherine (Adelaide Clemens) and Mel (Bevin Bru). I love how they balance each other out and the dynamic that they each have with R.J. What do you enjoy about that trio, especially when they are together as a trio?

SPEEDMAN: Mel and I have a very unique relationship that’s adversarial and combative. There’s also a lot of love going on, but both of them can’t admit it. It’s family. That’s the coolest part. I think Mel and Catherine’s relationship will continue to evolve as they get more involved with each other, story-wise, on screen. In terms of R.J. and them, in the first season, he was around a lot. Back in the trailer park, he’s been outside looking in with that world, but that’s good. He comes in and they have great scenes and they’re so fun to work with. I love doing those scenes with Mel because Bevin is just so fast and so great, and she’ll give it back to me. She is a feisty one, on screen and off. She’s great to work with. I love people like that. When I push, she’s right there pushing back. We have a very good chemistry, working on these cases. Doing the procedural part of the show is not easy, but that just flies out of Bevin. She’s so good with the procedural part and the cop stuff and the cop language, which is tricky. She does it so well, so that makes it very easy.

There’s been talk of more action in this series. Will things be getting more dangerous for R.J.?

SPEEDMAN: I love what they’ve done with that. I think there is more action than we saw last year. I think our show can take it. It works with the style of the show. It doesn’t seem like something that’s foreign to our show. I think it works really well. I think we’ll keep expanding the stakes, the threats, and the suspense. Frankly, our show needed it and it’s adjusted well to it. It’s worked really well this season, so I think we’ll just keep doing that and keep expanding that as we go. As far as R.J. goes, he’s not an action hero. I don’t know if we’re ever going to see him in a gunfight.

Scott Speedman Says the Relationships Will Continue To Be Tested in ‘R.J. Decker’ Season 2

"You'll see if those characters and R.J. can come through the other side, in any way, shape or form."

What can you say to tease what’s still to come this season, especially after this episode? What do you think fans will be most excited about when it comes to the rest of this season?

SPEEDMAN: Getting into the personal things with the characters and having those relationships tested. Some primary real relationships are tested, amongst real threats to our lives and our safety and what’s happening. You’ll see if those characters and R.J. can come through the other side, in any way, shape or form. We’re going to keep leaning on the craziness and weirdness of Florida and keep trying to push the boundaries of that. We’re going to keep trying to get that on screen as much as possible. What I love about our show is that we do have the cases of the week, but we also have throughline storylines. We’ll see that continue to play out over these next episodes. It leaves us in a good spot, and hopefully we’ll be doing more.

Do you have questions of your own about R.J. that you’d like to get answered on the show at some point?

SPEEDMAN: I’m sure I do, if I sat down and really thought about it. It’s a nice place to be right now. I really trust what the writers are doing, and they’re doing such a good job. They don’t have a lot of, “Hey, we’re not doing this, and we’re not doing that.” If we didn’t do the family stuff this year, I’d probably be wondering what that is, where he came from, how he came to be, and all those things. I think that’s super interesting. What led him to prison and the prison time is always interesting. I think we’ll lean on that when the time comes. Him and Catherine’s relationship is always interesting to me – what that was, what it wasn’t, and why it was not meant to be. We’ll see.

I would imagine any time that you join a new project, or at least a project that’s new to you, to find your groove and figure out where you fit in can take a minute. Was it a different feeling to join something like Grey’s Anatomy, so deep into the run of that series? Did your first day there feel very different to your first day on R.J. Decker?

SPEEDMAN: Oh, my gosh, yes, totally. At that time in my career, when I joined that show, it was a really fun thing and I learned a ton from joining that show. When I joined, there were 20 trailers for people out front. It’s a behemoth of a show and, to this day, I came on and felt like a guest. No questions about the writing. I’m always just going there and trying to serve what’s already working, as opposed to this show where I’m getting it off the ground and am immersed in that. It was a luxury to go on and do as good a job as I can, and while I’m there, have fun with those people. It’s been an amazing thing for my life, to be totally honest with you. R.J. Decker wouldn’t have happened without me going onto Grey’s Anatomy. They’ve been amazing to me. I’ve never been a part of something like that, with the fandom of that show. That’s totally new for me. I’ve loved every part of that.

Does it make it easier to juggle getting to do both of those shows because you were able to get a bit familiar with your Grey’s character first?

SPEEDMAN: Yeah, I’ll finish this, and then I’ll go and do that. I did do both at the same time last year. But they’re such different things that it’s not that difficult. It wouldn’t be too hard without that part of it. That’s just been such a great thing in my life.

It’s Been Nearly 30 Years Since the Debut of ‘Felicity’ but Scott Speedman Remembers It Vividly

"That was obviously a very, very, very special one, and it always will be."

Image via The WB

I first became aware of your work with Felicity. When you think about the fact that it’s been nearly 30 years since that TV series premiered, does your experience working on it still feel very vivid or does it feel like a distant memory?

SPEEDMAN: It’s both. It’s just a memory, but it’s also extremely vivid. I’d never been to L.A. before. That was the one that got me down to L.A. and launched my career, for whatever that is. When it’s your first show, you don’t really know how good you have it when Keri Russell is the lead of your show and the top of the call sheet, and Matt Reeves and J.J. Abrams are your showrunners and writers and directors, and you’re shooting on film and doing 12 takes of a close-up. There was so much care that they put into it, and it looked and felt and was emotional how it is. You just don’t understand how rare of a thing that is, to be able to do that as a coming-of-age story and to have one that resonated. It was massive for me. That was obviously a very, very, very special one, and it always will be.

You’ve previously said that you would be game to reprise Ben and that it would be fun to see where those characters are now. Do you think Ben would have his life together?

SPEEDMAN: No. He’s got to be a mess.

It seems like that wouldn’t be any fun to explore if everything was just good.

SPEEDMAN: And he’s a dentist in Ohio. No. You can turn it on its head, and she could be the mess. That would be fun too. Basically, just to get to work with those people again would be so fun. My standard answer is that I’d love to do anything with them. We all have lives and kids and it’s hard to even go for dinner with schedules. So, to be forced into a work mode again with those people, that would be the most fun thing for me.

I’ll never forget an interview that I did with Hugh Grant, where I asked him whether he thought any of his romantic comedy characters would have been successful in their relationships and actually stayed together, and he told me, no, absolutely not.

SPEEDMAN: That’s a very Hugh Grant answer.

That just got me wondering about any TV or movie couples that we seemingly leave in a good place. Have you and Keri Russell ever talked about whether you think Felicity and Ben would still be together or not?

SPEEDMAN: Funny enough, it hasn’t come up in phone calls, but I will ask her next time what she thinks. It’s a good question. I think for the purposes of our show, I’m with Hugh Grant on this. They would have to not be together. They would have to be split up by now, for the sake of good drama.

R.J. Decker airs on ABC and is available to stream on Hulu.

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