Based on the book by Kate Andersen Brower, “The Residence” is staking its claim in Netflix’s top 10 TV shows this week with a slapstick murder comedy that constantly causes audiences to ask, “Who did it?” During a chaotic state dinner for the Australians, White House staff find the chief usher dead and call world-famous detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba) to the scene.
Conveyed through a Congressional Committee case, characters come to the stand to recount the events of the state dinner as the world holds its breath and watches conspiracies unfold. The characters’ stories explore the White House inside and out, but hidden passages and secret chambers keep much unseen. As Cupp uncovers tensions between the characters and the deceased, everyone becomes a person of interest — the gardener, the chef, the maid, the engineer, the President’s brother and “a third man.” In this absurd game of Clue in the White House, Cupp must find the murder room, the weapon and the murderer before her time is up and dinner is over.
Aduba portrays Cupp as a hilariously blunt detective who pulls answers from suspects with a blank stare that makes them talk. Aduba says more with a single deadpan look than all her sarcastic, biting comments combined. She makes a potentially major diplomatic incident appear secondary to which famous birds she might spot on the White House lawn. Aduba perfectly displays the confidence and arrogance of Cupp as well as the emotional detachment with which she approaches each case. Despite the incompetent men that surround Cupp when she enters the murder scene, her spunky attitude and unconventional investigative methods force them to defer to her.
“The Residence” blends a complex commentary on the superfluous attitude of some White House officials and the diligent work of their staff. While numerous TV shows and movies depict the drama of the Presidential Cabinet or judicial system, “The Residence” looks into the life of those who run the United States.
Cupp’s assigned FBI agent, Edwin Park (Randall Park), closely follows her every move but is never able to keep up, further amplifying the gap between Cupp’s genius and the stupidity of seemingly important men. When Cupp meets him, she simply says, “Another dude?” Park’s rapport with Cupp added great comedic value but became redundant. Park’s character development lagged behind the rest, which proved destructive and frustrating.
At around an hour each, the episodes were lengthy, but cliffhangers kept audiences engaged. Throughout each drama-packed episode, more questions were posed than answers were found. Each individual’s story delicately weaved into the others with details almost impossible to keep track of for anyone but Cupp. The final episode could be a stand-alone movie, lasting an hour and a half, of stories recounted and conclusions formed. One could watch the final episode and get a satisfying summary of the series.
“The Residence” touches on all possible types of comedy while remaining a complicated mystery. Just like Cupp, the show is unconventional but effective. Season 1 ends Cupp’s adventures in the White House but leaves the possibility of further “unsolvable” cases open.
4 out of 5 Hugh Jackman cameos
