Lying on the couch back home over break, my mom and I were trying to find something to watch. When we try to pick out a show or movie to watch, my family and I try to find something new, but more often than not, we return to something we’ve seen countless times. With unsatisfying endings or unlikable characters, I have become somewhat apprehensive about Netflix-original series. However, I love whodunits. When my mom brought up the idea of watching The Residence, I thought we could give the series a shot. I mean, in the worst-case scenario, we would turn on The Food Network and watch Ted Allen deliver another predictable ending for a less-than-successful Chopped contestant.
Created by Paul William Davies, The Residence follows the staff of the White House after the death of their Chief Usher, A. B. Winter. Occuring on the night of a state dinner with Australian Prime Ministers, Ken Marino’s Harry Hollinger quickly rules the death a suicide. However to his dismay, despite being the Presiden’t chief advisor, once Detective Cordelia Cupp appears on site, she makes it very clear that this was no suicide. Beyond the unusual circumstances of his death, it becomes very clear that A.B. Winter, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito, had issues with everyone in the White House. Paralleling her hobby of birding, the viewer follows Detective Cupp’s observations as she investigates inside the White House. No one is above suspicion, and the various characters — the staff, Australians, and even the President himself — are all interviewed and in some way exposed by Detective Cupp. Full of clues and red herrings — fitting for bird watcher Detective Cupp — throughout the eight-episode series, everyone appears as though they could have killed Winter.
I love mysteries — Rear Window, Charade, Agatha Christie’s novels, Knives Out, and so many more. The whodunit as a genre, in essence, is simple; you just need a large cast, a crime, a fun location, a sidekick, and a detective who thinks very highly of themselves. Another key aspect of the genre is the viewer or reader is supposed to be trying to solve the mystery before the detective makes the grand reveal at the end. The Residence was a really interesting embodiment of the mystery archetype. Taking place in the White House, the utilization of various rooms within a residence felt very reminiscent of Clue. Reducing the rooms to colors made it easy to isolate actions throughout the series as it unfolded, and I believe it’s very useful as a viewer to have those distinctions. However, the facts and locations that seemed concrete become distorted as testimonies and clues begin to discredit what people say as the investigation reveals what actually happened.
The series flips back and forth between the events within the house and a Senate Hearing. I thought it was a very creative and useful tactic on the part of the series. There was so much going on throughout the show, and this parallel allowed for frequent recapping and clarification for the viewer. That being said, I don’t think, for the most part, it diluted the drama or felt redundant. However, there were moments where I wish they had moved more quickly past. The storyline unfolded in a way that constantly brought new people into a shroud of suspicion. The way the events occurred made a lot of sense, and rewatching the first episode after finishing the series, it’s amazing how much they hid even within the first twenty minutes.
The characters made the show. One of my favorite aspects of the genre is that there are so many fun nuances of characters and their backgrounds. There are certain movies and shows I have watched for which I feel that a better casting choice could have been made, but I don’t feel that way here. Each character, I felt, has their own identity, and as the series progresses, the actors all embody their characters. When my mom and I first started watching, I thought, Oh come on, this is going to be boring and not funny, but I was so wrong. After the first couple of scenes, it was hard not to laugh. It felt as though the script and characters were playing into the genre, but it didn’t feel cheesy. Everyone was amazing in their roles, however, there are more than a few characters that were my favorites:
Colin Trask – Dan Perrault
Probably my favorite character was Colin Trask. There was something about him being the head of the President’s secret service and also being starstruck by Hugh Jackman that was so funny. His mannerisms reminded me of myself— conceded I know — but I feel like this aspect connected me more to the story. It was fun to have a character that behaved the way I would have.
Harry Hollinger – Ken Marino
He just has the slimy nature that I feel resembles several politicians. Wanting to quickly rule the death a suicide— more than making himself a suspect— was representive of some of the ways people behave in an office. However, he was redeemable because he wasn’t that evil, just in many ways self-centered and wanted the easy route. He was also hysterical, which, for me, helped his case.
Cordelia Cupp – Uzo Aduba
Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp was an amazing lead. It can be hard with the genre to lean too far into the detective who is so smart that they become obnoxious. Her hobby of birding not only was reliable as a hobby my mom has, but it also detached her from the story and made her plot a main factor of the series. Her relationships and life being brought in made her a much more complex character, and it was a brilliant chance to have a woman as the lead character.
Sheila Cannon – Edwina Findley
As an incredible comedic relief, Sheila Cannon not only threw the investigation multiple ways, but was also so fun to watch. The way she interacts with others and the contrast she provides to the supposedly professional staff made her a unique character in this series.
Patrick Doumbe – Timothy Hornor
After not thinking this series was going to be funny I’m realizing that every character was funny. Patrick Doumbe comes in as a random character, however, he becomes pivotal to the investigation. Whether in the Senate Hearing or in the last episode — no spoilers, I promise — he had me laughing so hard. Timothy Hornor had such a range within this character, and it was so entertaining to watch.
There were no weak points within this series. From the fun illustrations at the start of every episode to the thoughtfully created characters and the interesting use of camera angles, this story was executed masterfully. The dialogue and script felt authentic, and despite feeling like a show, there was a naturalness to their behavior that made the story believable. The music aided so much, and it was felt when the music would stop. Additionally the use of silence and bird calls were really interesting and they created depth to a story heavily confined to one property — the White House.
This show is something I believe anyone interested in a murder mystery would find entertaining. Overall, I would give the show an 87% out of 100. Many aspects were so thoughtfully placed that I believe that this is one of the best series I have watched in a while. Not having been huge on TV in the past few months, this series broke the cycle, and I hope they pick up again for a second series.