Netflix’s brand-new whodunnit series The Residence, created by Paul William Davies and inspired by Kate Andersen Brower’s book The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, dives headfirst into a murder mystery set against one of the most iconic settings in the world.
The story follows detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), who finds herself investigating what appears to be a suicide but is very much a murder, of the White House’s Head Usher, A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito). With 132 rooms and 157 potential suspects, the show wastes no time throwing viewers straight into the deep end of palace intrigue, only it’s the White House instead of a palace.
Honestly, following that many suspects, gets exhausting fast, especially because the show takes its time introducing each character’s connection to the victim. And to make matters worse, more than a few of them had borderline criminal interactions with A.B. Wynter the very night of his death. But what keeps this whole chaotic mess from spiraling is Uzo Aduba. She is, without a doubt, the heart and soul of this show. Her portrayal of Detective Cordelia Cupp is sharp, dry, and effortlessly fun to watch. Cupp is the kind of quirky detective you’ve seen before — detached, highly observant, socially awkward — but Aduba makes her feel fresh. She doesn’t play it up for comedy or force the eccentricities. Instead, her dry humor lands perfectly, especially during her deadpan observations or when she’s subtly toying with suspects mid-interview.
Pairing Cupp with Randall Park’s FBI agent Edwin Park is one of the smartest decisions the show makes. Park’s character is naive, well-meaning, and the perfect “normal” foil to Cupp’s brilliance. Their chemistry feels natural, almost like watching two sides of the same coin. Park grounds the show, while Aduba keeps the mystery alive with every scene she’s in. Watching them bounce off each other is half the fun — Park getting flustered, Cupp dryly amused — it just works.
Surprisingly, what caught me off guard was how The Residence somehow made the murder mystery... wholesome. The more time you spend with the suspects, the harder it becomes to imagine any of them as the murderer. The writing does such a good job of peeling back the layers that by episode four or five, I found myself rooting for most of them. You start thinking, “Maybe it was just a terrible accident?” because genuinely, a lot of these people don’t seem capable of cold-blooded murder. There’s something human about how the show explores the White House staff’s relationships such as their rivalries, unspoken love stories, ambitions, and quiet betrayals. It’s less about power plays and more about survival, about how far people will go to protect the little worlds they’ve built within those 132 rooms.
But then there’s the whole Hugh Jackman subplot... and wow, that WAS painful. Every time his name popped up, I physically rolled my eyes. You sit there waiting for some grand reveal, some payoff thinking maybe he shows up, maybe there’s a twist, but no. It’s just name-drop after name-drop, with the occasional body double lurking in the background. It felt lazy, almost like a running gag that overstayed its welcome. Whatever they were going for with that... it didn’t land.
The Residence is a solid binge. It perfectly balances mystery, dark humor, and heartfelt moments. Uzo Aduba carries this show on her back, turning what could’ve been another run-of-the-mill whodunnit into something worth sticking around for. But if I’m being honest, the show could’ve benefited from tighter pacing. Some episodes drag because of unnecessary bits like the shower gag or the random flashes of characters’ faces every time someone says their name. I get it, there are too many characters and they wanted to remind us who’s who but at some point, it becomes too much. Less is more.
Still, if you’re in the mood for a murder mystery that’s chaotic, charming, and surprisingly emotional at times, The Residence is worth checking out. Maybe don’t expect Knives Out level tightness. Think of it as a murder mystery that meanders a little, but knows exactly when to pull you back in with its characters.
Rating: ★★★½
About The Residence
Premiere Date: March 20, 2025
Episode Count: 8
Executive Producers: Paul William Davies, Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers
Writer: Paul William Davies
Director: Liza Johnson
Production: Shondaland, Davies Heavy Industries
Distribution: Netflix
Cast: Uzo Aduba, Randall Park, Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Edwina Findley, Molly Griggs, Al Mitchell, Dan Perrault, Spencer Garrett, Bronson Pinchot, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mary Wiseman
Synopsis: A brilliant, eccentric detective must solve a murder in the White House residence — where the staff and guests at a state dinner are all suspects.