Common Sense Media Review
By Polly Conway
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dead body, some language in fun, droll White House mystery.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Residence
What's the Story?
In an alternate United States, the staff of THE RESIDENCE (aka the White House) works hard to keep things in perfect order. This includes Assistant Chief Usher Jasmine Haney (Susan Kelechi Watson from This Is Us). When the Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito) is found dead, chaos ensues. With dignitaries from the Australian government, a full staff, and a party's worth of suspects in the building, figuring out what happened to Wynter is going to be a tough job. Enter quirky detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), who attempts to put the pieces together.
Is It Any Good?
In 2025, the timing may be a little off for a quippy, rapid-fire White House farce, but this series is still good fun. The Residence brings lots of Upstairs Downstairs-esque clichés about staff versus those they serve, but what it does within that framework feels fresh. Cupp also has a few things in common with other famed detectives, and not just in her tweedy style. Her social skills are unusual, not unlike Sherlock's, but her brilliance is undeniable. We've seen this before, of course, but Adubo shines in the role. The series is a little meta about itself, even mentioning comparable comedic mystery Knives Out in its first few moments. Plus, it looks great. There are some remarkable shots showing a colorful cross-section of the White House's many rooms. Families with teens who are fans of Only Murders in the Building and the like will probably enjoy a visit to this particular building.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the long history of detectives in media. Who is your favorite? How is Cordelia Cupp similar? Different?
Do you think there are other places with similar dynamics as the White House? Talk about how much organization it takes to manage such a large operation. Where might you fit in?
TV Details
- Premiere date : March 20, 2025
- Cast : Uzo Aduba , Edwina Findley Dickerson
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : March 20, 2025
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