Netflix’s new short series “The Residence” is an addictive treat that I recommend to everyone. As an avid reader and viewer of murder mysteries, this show fits right into my expectations as an intricate and entertaining binge.
This review is spoiler-free.
One of my favorite parts of the show was the incredibly realistic set. According to The Washingtonian, the show was filmed at Raleigh Studios in Los Angeles, Calif., where a huge set of the White House, consisting of over 132 rooms, was built. The realistic touches to the rooms also became a crucial part of the narrative, setting the stage for secrets and unexpected narratives. You can tell the set designers put a lot of thought into every detail, creating an enticing setting that makes you feel like something unexpected could be waiting around every corner.
At the beginning of the first episode, we are shown a giant state dinner happening at the White House. While everything seems to be going great, we are suddenly brought to the third floor, where an old lady is screaming her lungs out while gazing at a traumatizing dead body. Throughout the course of eight episodes, we are led through Detective Cordelia Cupp’s journey to find out who murdered the White House’s Chief Usher, A.B Wynter.
Detective Cupp is accompanied by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Edwin Park, and their relationship over the course of the series adds so much personality to the show. At first, Cupp is annoyed that a man is going to be following her around and trying to control her investigation. However, the two eventually warm up to each other through their interest in solving the case.
This series also stood out to me because in it, diversity is the norm. Something I noticed in most shows or movies is that the lead role is usually played by a white person or a man. However, in this series, the main character, Detective Cordelia Cupp, is played by Uzo Aduba, a well-accomplished Black woman. Even though at first the men in the White House, such as the president’s closest adviser Harry Holinger, do not fully acknowledge her talent, Cupp eventually asserts her dominance by pointing out details no one else noticed, and becomes highly respected. By casting a Black woman in a position of authority, the show demonstrates inclusive writing that shows talent is all that matters when it comes to casting a lead role.
The character Perry Morgan, the nation’s first gay president in “The Residence,” also highlights the show’s focus on inclusion. By placing a gay man in the highest leadership position in the country, the show redefines what leadership might look like in today’s society. Instead of Morgan’s position being revolutionary, it is considered ordinary, challenging outdated norms and offering a more inclusive version of an important role.
Another special thing about this show was the focus on Cupp’s obsession with birds. Oftentimes in other murder mysteries, the detective has something peculiar about them. For example, in the movie “Death on the Nile,” Detective Hercule Poirot demands a breakfast with two symmetrical hard-boiled eggs and toast cut into a square. Small idiosyncrasies revealed about the detective being highly picky, even in the shape of his food, hint that he pays close attention to details, making him an excellent detective for solving many challenging mysteries. Through Cupp’s patience when birdwatching and her ability to never give up on finding a certain species of bird, I could see how it helped her figure out who murdered A.B. Wynter. While most detectives would have tried to hammer an answer out of a person of interest, Detective Cupp reveals a bit of what she believes or knows, and waits quietly as the information looms in the air, observing the person’s body language and causing a sense of pressure on the other person to reply. Even when they do reply, they wait for her response, and when it doesn’t come, they feel she knows they are lying, causing them to panic and say everything they know in order to gain her trust, which they depend on.
While Detective Cupp reels in an answer, she pays close attention to how the person of interest acts. Based on her interpretations, it is clear that she has become one step closer to finding the murderer, making you curious about what she is thinking and why. In episode two, Detective Cupp tells Park, “I start by listening to everything. You learn that when you’re out trying to find birds. You have to watch and listen to as much as possible. You have to take it all in. Otherwise, you start focusing on the wrong things.” Here, the writers take us along the path of Detective Cupp’s thought process. She reveals that it is important to focus on every detail, not just the obvious ones. This demonstrates how birdwatching might help her solve the case and keeps viewers highly engaged through her expertise.
Cordelia Cupp’s character was certainly a masterpiece, however, the show’s variety of characters is what made it extra special. The way they interacted, like the conversations between Marvella, the head chef of the White House, and Didier Gotthard, the pastry chef, kept the show highly comedic, and added drama similar to what you would see every day, making this show way more realistic. One example of this is that due to their highly picky preferences and obsessions over absurd things, like the perfect croquembouche, they were always yelling and arguing. This gave me a sense of comedic relief as one second you would be following Detective Cupp hunting down evidence to find a murderer, and the next you would be listening to two grown adults arguing over a single dish.
Along with the chefs, most of the White House staff weren’t just background characters. The maids, butlers and maintenance staff had secret alliances and grudges that helped to develop the plot. During every episode, the fact that anyone could be a potential person of interest made even the smallest character seem important, keeping the drama extra juicy. While they developed the murder mystery theme, the focus on every character’s differences and personalities made me care a lot more about their fate and personal lives, making each episode stand out.
From the realistic set design to the diversity and representation, this show set my murder mystery standards way higher. Not only did it have a variety of characters and comedic moments, but the way the show progressed kept me hooked and constantly trying to figure out who the murderer could be. This made it way more fun to discuss possible suspects with my other family members who had also binged it with me. It had a ton of tiny details like character traits and subtle clues that made every scene feel important. This show was way different from any other murder mystery I have read or watched, and was one of my favorites, so I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good murder mystery or comedy series.
