Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Chris Revelle | TV | March 23, 2025
Whodunnits these days often riff on the vibes of canonical hits and iconic sleuths of the past. There are Sherlocks, Jessica Fletchers, Miss Marples, Hercule Poirots, and more—each with their own mystery-solving style. It makes sense, then, that Shondaland’s zippy new madcap murder mystery The Residence would toss a whole bunch of inspirations into a blender to spin its wild tale. It’s here to entertain, not reinvent the genre. And entertain it does, telling a sprawling, funny story of murder most foul in the White House. The show’s many charms—including a killer cast and a smart handle on its references—would mean little without the magnetic Uzo Aduba as brilliant detective Cordelia Cupp.
President Perry Morgan (Paul Fitzgerald from Veep) is hosting the Australian Prime Minister for a state dinner to smooth over the weird bad blood left by the previous, apparently bonkers, administration. As Kylie Minogue serenades the guests post-meal, Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito) is found dead upstairs by the President’s mother-in-law, Nan Cox (Jane Curtin). While the party rages on downstairs, the President’s closest advisor Harry Hollinger (Ken Marino) gathers local law enforcement to decide how to proceed. DC Police Chief Larry Dokes (Isiah Whitlock Jr.—also from Veep) calls in “the best detective in the world,” Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba). After a brief bit of night-birding on the White House lawn, Cordelia gets to work solving the case.
The investigation is framed by a near-future Senate hearing that introduces each episode. Senators Aaron Filkins (Al Franken) and Margery Bay Bix (Eliza Coupe) bicker their way through witness testimony, which provides narration, punchlines, and recaps as the story unfolds.
Aduba is wonderful as the extra-dry sleuth extraordinaire Cordelia Cupp. The way she cuts through Marino’s blustery buffoon with just a look or a clipped word is pitch-perfect. On paper, “a genius detective who’s really into birds” sounds like a gimmick, but Aduba makes it sing. She gives Cordelia a calm, assured confidence whether she’s interrogating witnesses or nerding out about presidential birding. With everyone from the dinner under suspicion and stuck in the White House, Cordelia is under pressure to solve the crime fast. Aduba captures that urgency in her eyes while keeping her face composed. She doesn’t need to raise her voice to command attention—she’ll slice you with a look if you waste her time. Ideally, The Residence will become an anthology of Cordelia Cupp mysteries, much like Knives Out has with Benoit Blanc.
In fact, The Residence directly references Knives Out both in style and name—one character even compares Cordelia to Benoit. It also channels Scandal-era Shondaland with its ensemble of over-the-top characters wreaking havoc inside the White House. Many episode titles are pulled from classic mystery films like Knives Out, Dial M for Murder, and The Last of Sheila. Your mileage may vary on such overt nods, but the show clearly sees them as part of the fun.
Maybe another wink to Knives Out: the show is packed with recognizable faces. In addition to the aforementioned players, there’s Randall Park (Veep again!) as an FBI agent who slowly earns Cordelia’s trust, Taran Killam as an “energy medium,” Jason Lee as the President’s layabout brother, and Bronson Pinchot as a mustachioed pastry chef. Everyone seems to be having a blast. Even Kylie Minogue plays a delightfully over-it version of herself. There’s also a running gag about Hugh Jackman being one of the guests. Occasionally, the show overindulges in florid dialogue or leans too hard on flashbacks to reinforce clues—but it’s all in service of the playfulness.
As a vehicle for Uzo Aduba and some delightfully twisty murder mystery antics, The Residence is a great romp packed with quips and surprises. It’s a perfect weekend binge, and here’s hoping we get more Cordelia Cupp in the near future.
