Mystery lovers get ready because Netflix just dropped a brand new whodunit and it is set in a pretty interesting location: the White House ! 'The Residence' is giving us Agatha Christie vibes but with a modern twist and a whole lot of humor. So is it worth adding to your watchlist? Let's investigate!
'The Residence' Plot: A Body at a State Dinner and a Detective in the White House - Sounds Intriguing Right?
Okay here's the deal. Imagine a fancy state dinner at the White House honoring Australia. Everything is fancy and proper until BAM the head usher A.B. Wynter played by the always amazing Giancarlo Esposito turns up dead. Talk about a party foul! The D.C. police are called in and they bring in their best detective Cordelia Cupp. Cordelia is played by Uzo Aduba who is just fantastic in this role. Think stylish Sherlock Holmes but way funnier.
Cordelia shows up on the scene and basically puts the White House on lockdown. No one is leaving until she figures out who did it. She starts grilling suspects left and right and there are plenty of them. Was it the President's advisor? The ambitious staffer who wanted the head usher job? The President's weird brother? Or maybe even the pastry chef? This place is crawling with potential suspects!
Meet the Suspects: A Star-Studded Cast of Quirky Characters in This White House Mystery
'The Residence' is packed with a killer cast pun intended. You have Ken Marino as the President's top advisor Susan Kelechi Watson as the staffer with ambition Jason Lee playing the President's odd brother and Bronson Pinchot as the pastry chef with a temper. And that's just scratching the surface! There is also a boozy butler a suspicious mother-in-law a social secretary and even a White House engineer all with secrets to hide.
The show keeps you guessing with twists turns and red herrings galore. But don't worry this is a proper whodunit. The answer actually makes sense and the clues are all there if you pay attention. Cordelia is a smart and reliable detective. She's also a birdwatcher which she points out is like President Teddy Roosevelt (random fact!) so you know she's all about details and patience. Plus she's hilarious but in a dry witty kind of way.
Is 'The Residence' Funny or Serious? It's Both! A Blend of Comedy Mystery and Even Romance
What's the vibe of 'The Residence'? It's definitely not your typical serious crime drama. It has a light comic touch that makes it super fun to watch. Think 'Knives Out' meets 'Veep' at the White House. The show producer even described it as "funny suspenseful clever totally farcical in places genuinely romantic in others". Romantic? Yes apparently there's a bit of heart in this mystery too.
We also get glimpses of congressional hearings happening after the murder investigation is all said and done. These scenes feature Al Franken and Eliza Coupe as senators who bicker their way through testimonies. It adds another layer of humor and political satire to the mix. Some might say this framing device is a bit much but it does add to the overall comedic tone.
'The Residence' Episodes: Get Ready for a Binge-Worthy Mystery (But Maybe With a Little Trim)
'The Residence' clocks in at eight episodes with the finale being a whopping 90 minutes long. That last episode is where Cordelia gathers all the suspects in classic whodunit style to reveal the killer and explain everything. Some reviews suggest maybe that final 90 minutes could have been a bit shorter . It might drag a little bit at the end. But hey they are really going for that classic murder mystery grand reveal moment and Uzo Aduba is clearly having a blast with it.
The episode titles are also a fun nod to famous mystery stories. You'll see episode names like "Knives Out" "Dial M for Murder" and even a punny "The Fall of the House of Usher." It shows the show is paying tribute to the genre while doing its own thing. If you enjoy a good old-fashioned whodunit with a modern comedic spin and a great cast 'The Residence' is definitely worth checking out on Netflix .