Cross - season 1: An Enjoyable but Uneven Detective Story

Cross is the story of Washington D.C. detective Alex Cross who, still grieving from his wife’s unsolved murder a year earlier, is assigned to a case of what appears to be a drug-related death. Going against his chief’s and lieutenant’s wishes to close the case quickly, he begins to investigate and finds there may be an as-yet-undetected serial killer at large. All the while, a shadowy figure is stalking Cross and his family, with unknown intentions.

Cross is based on the popular Alex Cross novels from James Patterson. The show is not an adaptation of any specific novel, nor a true sequel to any of the movie adaptations (although it references the villain from Along Came a Spider). Instead, it uses the novel’s characters to create its own story. Fans of the novels will recognize the characters, but you need not have read any of the books to watch this series.

Cross is primarily a police procedural, although originating on a streaming service (Prime Video) does allow it to be a little edgier and show more violence. I have read many of the novel of the book series on which this is based, having been a big fan at one point (not so much anymore), and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. As it turns out, Cross is a decent show but gets in its own way too often to be really good.

The series follows two parallel stories: the serial killer (known as the fanboy) and the murder of Cross’s wife. However, the show never pays either storyline it’s due. The investigation into the serial killer is by far the most interesting, and does get the most attention, but still feels rushed. This could have been an excellent storyline, with an interesting villain, but it never explores its full potential.

The wife’s murder is far less interesting, gets far less attention, and almost seems a throwaway storyline only being used to justify Cross’s behaviour at times. That is, until suddenly, the last episode is all about wrapping up that plot. The sudden shift is a little jarring. I never felt the two stories integrated as well as they should, and it did lead to some pacing issues, particularly with the first 2 and last 2 episodes. It all amounts to a good show, but I felt the possibility was there for something much stronger.

Aldis Hodge stars as Cross, and while his acting is fine, the characterization is uneven. He gives the character the right amount of charm, but he is continually running through a gamut of emotions every episode. He is calm and rational, then intensely angry. He is the smartest guy in the room, then makes dumb decisions. He’s all over the place. This is an attempt to give the character depth, but when it is all happening each episode, it feels forced and the character comes off more like a caricature then a real person.

The rest of the cast is good. I really enjoyed Ryan Eggold’s performance as one of the villains. He creates a character that is a meticulous planner, yet clearly unhinged. He also thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room and any verbal sparring with Cross is a highlight. Isaiah Mustafa as Cross’s best friend Sampson, and Alona Tal as an FBI ally are also quite strong.

Although I’m generally positive on the show, it does commit the cardinal sin of having virtually no one believe the protagonist even though the evidence is all there. It’s a tired, old trope used to create tension and isolate the protagonist, but it just frustrates me. I wish movies and shows would stop doing this. In this case it just makes most of the police department look like idiots.

While I did enjoy the show, it unfortunately reminded me a lot of the latter Alex Cross novel. Most of them seem to have parallel storylines as well, almost as if neither on its own is enough to justify a novel. Although both storylines here could have easily been flushed out for 8 episodes, not focussing enough on either really hurts the show. It’s still good and if you’re a fan of this type of show, I do recommend giving it a try. I just hope that if there is a second season, it focuses on one storyline.

Have you seen Cross? Are you planning to? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.