Uzo Aduba stars in Netflix ‘well mixed Whodunit: NPR

Uzo Aduba, Center, plays as a detective Cordelia Cupp in Netflix’s The residence.

Erin Simkin/Netflix

Hide the caption

Switch the image signature

Erin Simkin/Netflix

I love a whodunit – especially one with a light comic touch. Rian Johnson Knife out And Glass onion Are two of my latest latest films, and they owe everything, from Agatha Christie to Sherlock Holmes to everything, a lot to be owed Columbo To the criminal lower investment film The last of Sheila.

Now imagine my joy in Netflix The residenceAn energetic comic that plays in the White House.

The story is the following: one night, during a state -eating Australia who honors Australia, the head of the White House – played by Giancarlo Esposito – is dead. The head of the DC police brings in the brilliant detective, whom he most familiar: Cordelia Cupp, played with Verve and attitude of the wonderful Uzo Aduba. If you think of the tweedy detective, only much more stylish, sweeps into Cupp, lets anyone go and begin to question witnesses. The FBI agent Edwin Park (Randall Park), which helps, can only try to keep up with it.

So who did it? Wynter had many conflicts with many people, we will learn. Was it the best advisor of the President, played by Ken Marino? Was it the loyal employee, played by Susan Kelechi Watson who should see Wynter as Head Usher? Perhaps it was the detesting brother of the President, played by Jason Lee or the spirited confectioner of Bronson Pinchot. What about the butler served, the president’s mother -in -law, the social secretary or the engineer?

The show will tell you. The answer will be fair; The murderer is not a random person who appears at the last minute. The evidence makes sense and a lot of it was there all the time. In other words, a properly executed wish with all the joys that suggest. You will get red men and misconceptions, but Cordelia is a reliable narrator and only says what she knows to be true. She is an enthusiastic bird (just like President Teddy Roosevelt, she emphasizes), so you know that it is detailed and patient. It is also bad, but its delivery is usually dry like a bone.

At the same time, we also receive scenes from the hearing of the congress on the later investigations that make a certificate to prepare for the publication of a report. Maybe this is a frame device more than the show, but Al Franconia and Eliza Coupé are funny when you play senators who enjoy it uncomfortably.

There are eight episodes; The last one is almost 90 minutes, and it is the segment in every great history of this kind in which the detective gathers all suspects, explains the crime and announces the murderer. The show probably doesn’t need 90 minutes; In this section it could have used a trim. This is closest to a beef that I have. But they are faithful to the roots of the genre by enabling Aduba to make a meal out of it.

There is a lot of respect for tradition. The episodes have titles that pay tribute to other crime thrillers – there are episodes entitled “Knives Out” and “Dial M for Mord”. (And a name “The Fall of the House of Usher”, which is a good pun, that it is easy to award, even if the original is not a murder is not secret.) A good execution of a loved formula is a wonderful thing, and you will not regret it.

This piece also appeared in the Pop Culture Happy Hour newsletter from NPR. Register for the newsletter So you don’t miss the next and receive weekly recommendations, which makes us happy.

Listen to the pop culture happy hour Apple podcasts And Spotify.