You’re probably already familiar with the character of Alex Cross from the James Patterson novel series. The character has previously been played by Morgan Freeman in the movies Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider and by Tyler Perry in Alex Cross. In the Amazon Prime Video series Cross, Aldis Hodge takes on the role of the titular character. He’s a grieving but brilliant police detective and forensic psychologist who hunts down serial killers.
This new take on the story is dark, gritty, and rife with racial undertones. With eight episodes all released in mid-November, it’s a quick and enthralling binge watch. The feel is that of a mix of procedurals like The Mentalist and action-packed shows like Reacher.
What is Cross About?
The story in Cross begins with flashbacks to the day Cross’ wife was brutally murdered in the street. A year has gone by, and he is still haunted by the case. He’s desperate to find out who murdered his wife. But Cross also has to get back to doing what he does best, which is finding and interrogating deplorable killers in a way no one else can. He knows how to get into their heads, find their weaknesses, and pull confessions thanks to his background in psychology. As a cop, he’s also a menacing adversary: no one wants to be on Cross’ bad side because he always gets his targets.
The newest case involves the death of a local Defund the Police and Black Lives Matter activist. The politically ambitious Chief Anderson (Jennifer Wigmore) wants to close the case, deeming it a simple drug overdose to avoid further protests and unrest. But Cross isn’t convinced that this is what happened. He thinks this young man was murdered and he’s intent on proving it.
As Cross investigates and dives deeper into the web of secrets, conspiracies, and lies, the detective becomes convinced that the young man was actually the victim of a serial killer who has been ravaging the town. Now Cross not only has to prove that Emir Goodspeed didn’t just overdose but also identify who his sadistic killer is and stop him from taking his next victim. The perpetrator maims and tortures the victims in a ritualistic way before ending their lives. There’s no one better than Cross to penetrate the psyche of such a heinous psychopath.
In a parallel storyline, Cross and his family are being stalked and taunted by a mysterious person or group. It’s threatening his safety and the safety of those he loves. And it’s also pulling Cross in every direction. Cross needs to focus on hunting down this killer but also protect his own family. It doesn’t help that Cross refuses to talk about his wife’s death nor face it in any meaningful way that can help him heal.
Cross Review
Cross is dark, injecting important social issues into the plot: the central story involves a Black man who was an outspoken critic of the police. As a Black man himself, Cross is sent in to run damage control, chosen not only for his skill but also the colour of his skin, a reality that isn’t lost on Cross. Most of the protestors, however, believe his position as a cop has clouded his judgement. They believe he has become unsympathetic to the plights that people of colour face when it comes to law enforcement, despite his every effort to prove otherwise. This is an overarching story that we see throughout the first season, one that mirrors real-life sentiment when it comes to social injustice issues.
The cat and mouse game between Cross and the killer, whose identity is revealed early on, is electric, both actors nailing their respective roles. Seeing how Cross moves from one place in the case to another by psychoanalyzing situations and potential motivations is fascinating. While the story is reminiscent of one you might see in a traditional PG-rated procedural, Cross adds the terror and grit of a streaming show with an MA (18+) rating. The killer’s fractured psyche combined with his torturous, malicious acts of mutilation reach Hannibal Lecter-like skin-crawling levels.
Ironically, while watching Cross dive deep into the minds of people involved with the case, we also get to see how he refuses to face his own trauma. Haunted by constant flashbacks from happier times with his wife and the vision of finding her dead on the street, Cross does everything possible to distract himself from actually dealing with his pain. It’s a telling tale about the importance of talking through grief and a cautionary warning about what can happen if you don’t.
As expected, the plot in Cross takes various twists, some unexpected, some you might see coming. Yes, even with knowing who the killer is, there are still numerous twists that throw you for a loop. It’s arguably a bit too much, almost as if the show is trying too hard to increase its shock value and score on the whodunit radar. But the performances from the entire cast make it worth going along for the ride, even if there might be some eye-rolling moments.
Cross is also a commentary on wealth and power, police abuse of power, focus on optics over justice, and interestingly, also friendship and familial bonds. There’s a lot to unpack with each episode and each character, every one eliciting some type of emotional connection with the viewer.
While the finale of Cross wraps everything up in a nice, neat bow, there’s room for another story. Cross, after all, handles different cases all the time. An already confirmed second season might not tackle a case that’s so close to Cross’ personal life, but some of the most compelling scenes involve him and another person in a dark interrogation room with nothing but a table and a chair. Sure, Cross is a skilled shot with a gun and does amazing field work. He’s a menacing force who can chase and take down a criminal in the blink of an eye. But it’s his psychological prowess that really sets this character apart from your cookie cutter cop. I wish there was more of that.
Should You Watch Cross?
If you love network procedurals but you want something grittier, darker, and more politically charged, Cross will be a good fit. It’s comparable to The Night Agent in its format but far more serious (and arguably much better acted as well). If you love shows like Luther, Hannibal, The Mentalist, and Prodigal Son, you’ll love Cross.
Hodge seems tailor-made for the role, his lowered-eye glare enough to make anyone shake in their boots, yet the sweet smile he gives his kids suggest a softness beneath the hardened surface as well. Ryan Eggold as the wealthy businessman Ed Ramsey is also a stand-out, playing a very different role from his leading one in the medical drama New Amsterdam, while Eloise Mumford (Fifty Shades of Grey) as Shannon Witmer, an art director for hotel chain with big dreams, is outstanding.
Juanita Jennings (Pearson) as Regina “Nana Mama” Cross, Cross’ grandmother who raised him and is now helping him raise his kids, is a force to be reckoned with. It’s clear where Cross got his incredible drive and strength. Isaiah Mustafa (yes, he’s that guy from the old Old Spice commercials) as Cross’ best friend and partner John Sampson is like the best friend anyone would be lucky to have. Alona Tal (SEAL Team) as Kayla Craig, an FBI agent, is someone invaluable to Cross in more ways than one. The entire cast works beautifully together.
The eight-episode first season includes episodes that run about an hour each, but you’ll find it difficult to stop after each one, desperate to see what happens next. It’s a relatively slow start, but the opening scene as Cross interrogates an obvious killer that has been taken into custody is beautifully indicative of his psychological skills.
No one wants to get in the crosshairs of Cross, to put it simply. The man who spends his entire career psychoanalyzing criminals has an obvious hero complex and a deep-seated, obsessive desire to win at all costs. But that results in a thoroughly entertaining story for viewers that’s a wild, eight-episode ride you’ll enjoy from start to finish.