“We’ve Never Been This Close to Solving a Murder—Or Completely Losing the Plot”
🕵️♂️ A Wild, Overstuffed Mystery With an Unforgettable Lead
Netflix’s The Residence, produced by Shondaland, takes the classic murder mystery format and dials the chaos up to eleven. Featuring an eccentric detective, a White House setting, and a ridiculously large ensemble cast, the show attempts to blend political intrigue, comedy, and Clue-style twists into a single series.
🎭 Uzo Aduba shines as Cordelia Cupp, a brilliant but peculiar investigator who finds herself untangling a murder at a state dinner while dodging political cover-ups and outlandish suspects. However, the frantic pacing and convoluted storytelling sometimes bury the show’s potential under layers of unnecessary distractions.
🕵️♀️ A Murder, A State Dinner, And Too Many Suspects
At a White House event honoring the Prime Minister of Australia, chaos erupts when the chief usher, A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), is found dead in the game room. What initially appears to be a suicide quickly turns into a full-fledged murder investigation, much to the dismay of presidential advisor Harry Hollinger (Ken Marino), who wants to sweep things under the rug.
Enter Cordelia Cupp, a quirky police consultant who prefers canned fish, birdwatching, and solving crimes with a piercing gaze. She teams up with Edwin Park (Randall Park), a skeptical sidekick, and their investigation soon reveals a laundry list of eccentric suspects, including:
- A White House chef and pastry chef duo (Mary Wiseman & Bronson Pinchot), both with secrets as layered as their desserts.
- A vodka-loving First Gentleman’s mother (Jane Curtin), who might be too drunk to be guilty—or maybe that’s just her cover?
- The President’s oddball brother (Jason Lee), whose obsession with salt is the least of his problems.
- A feisty conspiracy-theorizing senator (Eliza Coupe), an exaggerated MAGA caricature who disrupts hearings with outlandish theories.
With flashbacks layered upon unreliable witnesses’ stories, the show keeps the audience guessing—but also overwhelms with information dumps. By episode seven, the murder case starts to feel like an elaborate shell game, shifting so quickly that it’s hard to stay emotionally invested.
🎭 A Star-Studded Cast, But Not Enough Room For Everyone
The ensemble cast is both The Residence’s biggest strength and its greatest weakness. While some actors steal scenes, others feel wasted in underdeveloped roles.
🌟 Standouts include:
- Uzo Aduba, who effortlessly balances humor and mystery, making Cordelia Cupp both entertaining and enigmatic.
- Randall Park, who provides a great comedic foil as the grounded, skeptical partner to Cupp’s over-the-top methods.
- Isiah Whitlock Jr., in one of his funniest performances, playing the only cop Cupp truly respects.
🎭 Underutilized stars:
- Giancarlo Esposito (the murder victim) barely gets time to establish his character before being offed.
- Jane Curtin & Jason Lee get hilarious moments but too little screen time to fully deliver.
- Al Franken’s senator character feels like an inside joke that never quite lands.
With such a large roster of talent, some characters get one great moment before being lost in the shuffle. The show would have benefitted from fewer side plots and a stronger focus on core suspects.
🎬 Aesthetic & Direction: A Political Dollhouse of Secrets
Visually, The Residence is striking. Directors Liza Johnson and Jaffar Mahmood transform the White House into a living, breathing mystery board, filled with:
🏛️ Secret corridors, hidden passageways, and ornate ballrooms, all adding to the intrigue.
🎥 Dramatic overhead shots and fast-moving camerawork, keeping the energy high.
🎶 A soundtrack packed with nods to classic murder mysteries, including themes from The Third Man and Charade.
The problem? The storytelling doesn’t always match the style—it’s frantic when it should be suspenseful, and exposition-heavy when it should be letting the mystery breathe.
🔎 Verdict: Fun, But Overstuffed & Chaotic
While The Residence delivers plenty of sharp dialogue, quirky humor, and an engaging lead, it stumbles under the weight of its ambition.
✅ Pros:
✔️ Uzo Aduba’s magnetic performance
✔️ A unique White House murder mystery setting
✔️ Strong chemistry between the lead detectives
✔️ Visually impressive with a sharp comedic edge
❌ Cons:
❌ Overcrowded with too many subplots & characters
❌ Frantic pacing sacrifices emotional depth
❌ Some comedic elements feel forced or underdeveloped
💬 Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) – A fun but messy murder mystery that entertains but never fully satisfies.
📢 Would we watch another season? Yes—but with a tighter script and a more focused mystery.