THE RESIDENCE Episode 1.1
Was there a Murder in the White House?
What You Need To Know
Netflix’s THE RESIDENCE is a twisting whodunit with an interesting twist — what if a murder occurred during a state dinner at the White House? Detective Cordelia Cupp is on the case, juggling disgruntled employees, difficult dignitaries, and a chief adviser who seems eager to end the investigation.
Episode 1 of the first season of THE RESIDENCE opens a few months after the discovery of a body in the White House on the night of an important state dinner with Australian government officials. A hearing is taking place to determine what happened that night and during the subsequent investigation.
A.B. Wynter, the White House’s Chief Usher, is found dead in the White House residence, and police, Secret Service agents, and the President’s friend and chief adviser Harry Hollinger are anxious to have it declared a suicide — and for no one at the state dinner downstairs to know what has happened.
Before they can wrap things up, Cordelia Cupp, a detective with an impressive resume in mystery-solving, arrives to consult on the case. She immediately notices some strange things about A.B.’s apparent suicide and determines that it’s not a suicide but a murder.
Throughout her initial investigation, many suspects make themselves evident, from Jasmine Haney, who was upset to hear that A.B. was not retiring and letting her take on his role, to Hollinger, who seems a little too eager to have the death declared a suicide.
Cordelia insists on interrogating everyone at the state dinner, but the clued-in President tells her that’s impossible. However, when the Australian Prime Minister and his staff demand to know what’s happening, Cordelia notices a clue, telling her that the Australian Foreign Minister is somehow involved. The President agrees to lock down the state dinner and allow Cordelia to investigate further.
THE RESIDENCE is a fun and creative whodunit. The first episode sets up a mystery that immediately draws the viewer in and leaves them eager to watch the next installment. Lead actress Uzo Aduba gives a hilariously deadpan performance, and the rest of the cast is similarly talented in comedy.
While THE RESIDENCE has a moral worldview, as most of the characters are concerned with solving A.B.’s murder and bringing the killer to justice, it does contain lots of strong language and a few inappropriate jokes, so Movieguide® advises caution for older children.
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Light moral worldview, as Cordelia and many of the people she is working with are concerned with finding out the truth about A.B.’s death and bringing his killer to justice
Foul Language
24 obscenities (including 15 “f” words), 2 profanities (including 1 GD), and a scene that includes jokes about a character watching a pornographic movie, however, she makes it clear she was not watching anything inappropriate
Violence
A dead body is shown several times, but there is no blood seen
Sex
None, but be advised that later episodes include a gay relationship (the President and his husband)
Nudity
No nudity
Alcohol Use
Characters are shown drinking alcohol at the state dinner, but not to excess
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
None;
Miscellaneous Immorality
One character is dismissive of the police and disrespectful to Cordelia, many of those involved in the investigation seem more concerned with any bad press that might arise than with the fact that a man has died and act happy when a suicide note is found because it means they won’t have to deal with a murder investigation.
