Netflix’s newest series, The Residence, will ignite your inner detective from the very start. The murder-mystery series stars Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp, the lead detective who is tasked with solving a murder in the White House. This Shondaland-produced show is a fresh spin on the genre, blending humor and intrigue with an all-star cast.
The Residence kicks off with the unexpected murder of chief White House usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito) during an important yet disastrous State Dinner, and everyone is a suspect. The screwball comedy takes you upstairs, downstairs and backstairs of the White House as Cupp shifts through 132 potential offenders.
Detective Cordelia Cupp is on the case
“There are clues everywhere. If you pay attention. If you just listen and pay attention to what is happening around you, there are clues for good and for other. You know there’s always clues right there to to take in,” Aduba told Blavity’s Shadow and Act during a recent interview.
Aduba’s character proves her sleuthing abilities during each of the series’ eight episodes, holding hilarious but tactical questioning sessions with potential suspects, including everyone from the White House executive chef to pop icon Kylie Minogue.
Cupp’s investigation style goes beyond asking unconventional questions; she’s also hunting for unconventional birds. The detective’s obsession with spotting and sketching rare birds is her way of processing clues and intensifying her observation skills. The three-time Emmy winner said her character’s obsession rubbed off on her post-filming, as she found the hobby “relaxing.”
Cupp’s sidekick, Edwin Park (Randall Park), is a straight-laced FBI agent who often butts heads with Coup when her thinking goes off track.
“I think we all have both sides in us,” Park said of his on-screen partner’s more eccentric ways.
He continued, “There are parts of us that are eager and just work off of instinct. And then there’s that more thoughtful side of us that says, ‘Okay, wait, wait, let’s think this through.'”
Behind-the-scenes antics
The unforeseen pairings are emphasized in the multifaceted supporting cast of “suspects,” who keep viewers and Cupp on their toes.
“When we got on set, it was a natural rapport. We also enjoyed each other’s talent and are fans of everybody,” Susan Kelechi Watson said. Her character, White House usher Jasmine Haney, has the pleasure of leading Cupp around 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as she shifts through the suspects.
Ken Marino, who plays the president’s cunning yet purposeless best friend, Harry Hollinger, was happy to be the “abrasive bulldog” on-screen but was the main culprit when it came to playing pranks on his co-stars behind the scenes. He laughed through the memories of creating chaos by FaceTiming the entire cast during a set change.
Never stop digging
Aside from her quirky bird sketching and murderer-eliminating tactics, viewers will fall in love with Cupp for her determination and persistence in solving the case, no matter how many dead-ends she runs into.
“There’s always still something. Just because it feels like you’ve hit hard ground doesn’t mean there isn’t softer soil beneath it. Keep trying, keep going. I think that’s a larger symbol for solving a case and for her work,” Aduba said.
The Residence combines the political suspense of Scandal with the witty whodunit comic relief of Clue, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats as they attempt to figure out who, what, when and where.
The Residence is now streaming on Netflix. Watch the full interviews above.
