Writer Paul William Davies—inspired by journalist Kate Anderson Brower’s 2016 book The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House—created this TV miniseries about the innerworkings of the U.S. president’s living quarters in the White House. At the center of Davies’ story is a mystery surrounding the death of Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), who manages the residence’s extensive staff. Was it suicide or murder? That’s for Metropolitan Police Department consultant and self-described world’s greatest detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba) to figure out. (eight approximately 50 min. episodes)
Glen Whodunit-style detective-driven murder mysteries used to be so popular. Hercule Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, Perry Mason—people loved playing armchair detective as these (ahem) clever white men through keen observation and brilliant deduction discovered the killer in their midst. In The Residence, instead of a white dude, the brilliant detective is a Black woman whose mind can run circles around the men, including FBI Special Agent Edwin Park (Randall Park), Secret Service Agent Colin Trask (Dan Perrault), presidential advisor Harry Hollinger (Ken Marino), Metropolitan Police Chief Larry Dokes (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), U.S. President Perry Morgan (Paul Fitzgerald), First Gentleman Elliot Morgan (Barrett Foa), and the president’s loser brother Tripp Morgan (Jason Lee), not to mention a whole house full of servants and the members of the Australian government in the White House for a state dinner. Twisty and turny, I was guessing right to the end. The writing wraps it up brilliantly.
Anna This series is one of the rich, vibrant, gold nuggets that Netflix turns out every now and again. Wickedly clever with the sheen of Hollywood money on it, The Residence is a fun romp through the ins and outs of the White House. Cordelia is peculiar, a birder, and very keen on detail. Nothing passes by that she doesn’t file into a folder in her brain, ready to pull it out as soon as it’s needed to solve a case. Aduba has shown us how astute she is at playing very memorable characters; in fact, her character Crazy Eyes in Orange is the New Black is one of the few things I remember about that show. This series relies on the mystique of the White House in many ways, from secret doorways to interior staff passageways, to a group of workers that seem to all be trying to keep their own secrets. The series starts with Wynter foretelling his own death, and then the rollercoaster ride begins. I, for one, find this type of rollicking mystery to be a great time, so grab your Harriet the Spy notebook and start searching for answers alongside your new pal, Cordelia.
Glen With a lot of characters to keep track of, the series wisely unfolds patiently, and there are memorable reoccurring roles, for instance Jane Curtin as Nan Cox, the president’s alcoholic mother-in-law; and Al Frankin as Sen. Aaron Filkins, who’s chairing a hearing into the White House’s handling of Wynter’s death. I love that the series doesn’t make a big deal out of the U.S. president’s homosexuality, and that racism doesn’t exist in the series’ world. We should be so lucky.
Anna It truly had me guessing until the end—a pretty impressive feat. Anyone who loves a puzzle, a gloriously built set, and some fun, unreliable narrators piecing together a murder mystery, this one is for you. I’m hoping there’s a season 2 in the wings. I’m happy to join Cordelia on another adventure any day! Δ
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Apr 10-20, 2025.