A number of years in the past, TV powerhouse Shonda Rhimes left her authentic residence at ABC behind and signed a significant improvement take care of Netflix, marking a brand new period for the creator of reveals like “Gray’s Anatomy” and “Scandal.” Arguably, “Bridgerton” has been her greatest credit score on the streamer but — although it was created by Rhimes acolyte Chris Van Dusen, she does function an govt producer — however now, a brand new sequence by Paul William Davies with Rhimes’ identify hooked up as an govt producer is making waves on Netflix in its personal proper.
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“The Residence” is a madcap, high-octane, and very humorous homicide thriller conceived by Davies and facilities round a homicide on the White Home throughout a state dinner honoring Australia; when the Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito) is discovered lifeless within the recreation room, everyone seems to be trapped within the presidential residence till the offender is caught. That is the place Uzo Aduba’s sensible Cordelia Cupp comes into play; like Benoit Blanc in “Knives Out” (one other Netflix icon who’s talked about by identify in a passing reference), Cordelia is able to fixing crimes no person else can crack, and he or she’s on the case as she tries to determine which member of the big White Home Employees had cause and motive to take down Mr. Wynter. (The primary season is, touchingly, devoted to the reminiscence of Andre Braugher, who was initially set to play Wynter however handed away in 2023.)
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Although it is based mostly on “The Residence: Contained in the Non-public World of the White Home” by Kate Andersen Brower, the occasions of “The Residence” are fictional; presumably, the present’s artistic staff merely used Brower’s e-book to be taught extra concerning the inside workings of White Home help employees, together with and particularly the ushers who maintain the whole lot working easily. The sequence is lighting up the Netflix charts in keeping with FlixPatrol — so what do critics suppose?
What do critics consider the brand new Netflix sequence The Residence?
Critics actually loved the primary season of “The Residence,” really! On Rotten Tomatoes, the season — which premiered in full on the streamer on March 20, 2025 — earned an 82% score as of this writing with a essential consensus that reads, “‘The Residence’ situates itself within the White Home for a lighthearted homicide thriller that will not tax the mind, however Uzo Aduba’s eccentric sleuth brings a welcome stage of sophistication to proceedings.” Particular person critics felt fairly good concerning the sequence general as nicely, with a lot of them additionally singling out Aduba, a three-time Emmy Award-winning actress who lastly will get to take middle stage after spending years in (largely) supporting roles.
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“In the end, ‘The Residence’ is that rarity: one thing that is made with nice care and far expertise, and but is at coronary heart extraordinarily foolish,” Moira McDonald wrote for the Seattle Occasions. At The New York Occasions, Margaret Lyons praised the lead performer, saying, “Aduba is excellent, exuding inflexible brilliance and enchantment.” Judy Berman, writing for Time Journal, expressed an identical sentiment however expanded on it: “‘The Residence’ will not be rather more than an overstuffed, Shonda-fied tackle the identical homicide thriller you’ve got seen 100 occasions. However Cordelia Cupp? She’s a revelation, and Netflix could be smart to appreciate her potential past this story.”
Over at Selection, Aramide Tinubu straight in contrast the sequence to the “Knives Out” movies, writing, “Although the tone of ‘The Residence’ is not as clean and satisfying because the Rian Johnson movies, there may be nonetheless a lot to thrill in right here.” In the end, Robert Lloyd on the Los Angeles Occasions made probably the most traditional reference in his evaluate, saying, “‘The Residence’ is basically a blown-out model of an Agatha Christie country-house thriller set within the White Home, amongst its many chambers, public, non-public and sensible.”
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Will there be a second season of The Residence?
As of this writing, we do not know for positive whether or not or not “The Residence” will come again for a second season, but when it is a hit for Netflix, it in all probability will; with Shonda Rhimes as an govt producer and Uzo Aduba within the lead, the present might nicely additionally choose up some key nominations through the subsequent awards season. Aduba’s offbeat, irreverent bird-watching detective Cordelia Cupp is, as critics famous, compulsively watchable (although the remainder of the forged, which incorporates Susan Kelechi Watson, Randall Park, Ken Marino, Taran Killam, and Jane Curtin, simply to call a few, all pull their weight as nicely), and if we use “Knives Out” as a template, the chances do really feel infinite for Cordelia.
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Possibly “The Residence” is supposed to be a one-season surprise, and perhaps Paul William Davies and his staff will increase Cordelia’s universe and have her clear up completely different “not possible” crimes going ahead. Till we all know what’s subsequent for Cordelia, you may binge all the first season of “The Residence” on Netflix now … and see if you can determine who killed A.B. Wynter earlier than the large reveal.
