‘The Residence’ (Season 1) Review: There’s a New Detective in Town
I have been waiting for the next murder mystery that gave me the same thrill as Rian Johnson’s Knives Out. Everyone loves a murder mystery — the excitement of guessing the potential suspect, the countless twists and turns that slowly begin to unravel itself. I fear I may have found that series.
Move over, Benoit Blanc! There’s a new detective in town, and her name is Detective Cordelia Cupp. She’s an obsessive birdwatcher, extremely thorough in her investigations, and likes to eat sardines to boost her energy. Lastly, she is the world’s best detective. Netflix’s new whodunnit series by Paul William Davies, The Residence, an eight-episode series comedy mystery (critics received seven episodes) produced by Shonda Rhimes, stars Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black) as Cordelia.
On the night of an important state dinner at the White House with the Australian delegation to repair broken ties with them, AB Wynter’s (Giancarlo Esposito), the Chief Usher, body is found in the private quarters of the Presidential residence. After the President’s mother-in-law found the body, the domestic and political staff were alerted, as well as the director of the FBI, the President’s best friend and chief adviser, Harry Hollinger (Ken Marino) and the head of the Secret Service, the Metropolitan Police’s Chief Larry Dokes (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) arrived and called Cordelia to solve this case.
While Harry and FBI Special Agent Edwin Park (Randall Park) want to rule AB Wynter’s death as a suicide, Cordelia believes that someone was behind his murder. She interviews the Assistant Usher Jasmine Haney (Susan Kelechi Watson), White House Butler Sheila Cannon (Edwina Findley), White House chef Marvella (Mary Wiseman), White House pastry chef Didier (Bronson Pinchot), and the President’s brother, Tripp Morgan (Jason Lee).
Cordelia interviews the administration, political staff, and VIP guests — Kylie Minogue (played by Kylie Minogue) and Hugh Jackman (unfortunately, not played by Hugh Jackman). She re-enacts every possibility and analyses the witness statements meticulously. Alongside Cordelia’s investigation at the White House, there is also a Congressional hearing for the witnesses to testify about AB Wynter’s death on the night of the state dinner.
The Residence has a massive cast. Usually, the writers cannot keep track of the subplots and characteristics with a cast such as this. But Davies can balance out the time jumps and stories so efficiently—the narrative switches between two timelines: Cordelia’s investigation and the Congressional hearing. While Cordelia asks questions to the suspects, the script brilliantly switches to the Congressional hearing, where the same character answers the question in front of the committee judges. It’s a clever way to structure the narrative cohesively without being repetitive. The best part about this structure is that it gives room for comedic moments.
Despite the massive cast and timelines, The Residence is an amusing story that works really well. The show never takes itself seriously. Honestly, that’s how a murder mystery series should be! Cordelia is determined to find the answers by herself and sometimes with the help of her only friend, Chief Larry. Even if she finds FBI Special Agent Edwin hindering her investigation, she never lets him forget it. She has her own methods for the witnesses to tell the truth: silently stare at them until they cave. This silent interrogation is her great trick and has proven to work every single time.
The Residence is a delightful and chaotic murder mystery series. It is set in the White House with a massive cast and pulls off comedic beats spectacularly. Aduba devours every scene. She is eccentric and can lead a role by herself. This series is the perfect show for her to showcase her talents. It is impossible to look away when she works her magic in the scenes.
Although I haven’t watched the last episode, I believe Cordelia will solve the mystery and find the culprit behind AB Wynter’s murder. Hopefully, the final episode of the season doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, although I doubt it will because this season needs to wrap up soon. The Residence is an entertaining escape for viewers looking to fill the voice of Benoit Blanc’s absence.
Donate to the Lebanese Red Cross.
Thread of Sudanese initiatives to donate.
You can also join the BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) movement, a Palestinian-led movement as a form of resistance to Israeli occupation.
Books about Palestine on Verso Books
