The Residence is Knives Out Meets Veep
Shonda Rhimes’ political whodunit runs the gamut of genres.
There are countless famous murder mysteries, but all the greatest share one thing in common: a memorable detective. Agatha Christie had a whole host of go-to figures, from Poirot to Miss Marple. Murder, She Wrote had Jessica Fletcher. Knives Out has Benoit Blanc. Poker Face has Charlie Cale.
But because a story draws an audience because of these quirky characters, establishing a new lovable detective for people to follow is actually quite difficult — for every memorable detective, there are so many more in the dustbin of history. Thankfully, a recent Netflix series effortlessly sets up a thrilling high-profile murder mystery series with an all-timer quirky detective.
Netflix has found another instant classic detective in Cordelia Cupp.
The Residence is intriguing enough with its premise alone: a body is found in a room of the White House during a state dinner, putting everyone on staff under suspicion. Because of the White House’s extreme levels of security, this isn’t just a locked-room mystery, it’s a locked-house mystery.
Assigned to the case is Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), an unorthodox detective with a passion for birding. To her, looking for a murderer is just like looking for a rare bird: something that requires research, patience, and intuition. Through the series’ eight episodes, we slowly learn the ins and outs of White House hospitality and the levels of secrets behind every door.
But this isn’t the tense whodunit you may think. Much like Shonda Rhimes’ other shows, The Residence balances the dramatic with the comedic in a way that should give viewers whiplash, but somehow doesn’t.
The cast of The Residence is jam-packed with all-star talent in every historical room.
Supporting the complex and carefully balanced script is an all-star cast of actors, most of whom have a background in comedy. From the victim, chief usher A. B. Wynter, played with trademark stoicism by Giancarlo Esposito, to chief advisor Harry Hollinger, played by Party Down’s Ken Marino — every actor gets a chance to the chew the scenery. There are even cameos from former senator Al Franken (a comedian in his own right) and Kylie Minogue playing herself as a guest at the state dinner.
The series also manages to depict a story set at the White House that doesn’t touch on the political sphere at all, something not achieved since the Disney Channel Original Series Cory in the House. The only things we really know about the President are that he has a husband and likes hot showers. Is it realistic? Probably not. Is it comforting to watch? Absolutely. This is a show about the staff of the White House, not the temporary residents.
Codelia’s detective skills are shown in tandem with glimpses of her life outside the case: her travels while he travels the world looking for birds and the lessons she learns along the way, lessons that apply directly to the case later. It delivers some well-needed heart to blend together the thrills and the goofs, forming a well-rounded story that makes the perfect weekend binge — and possibly a new mystery franchise for Netflix itself.
