Cross is a crime drama about a complex yet genius homicide detective Alex Cross, who is hunting down a deadly serial killer. Impressively, Alex holds a Ph.D. in psychology.
This mysterious thrilling series is based on one of the book series authored by James Patterson. Notably, he has written thirty novels, wherein Alex Cross is the protagonist.
Cross Is A Complex Yet Brilliant Homicide Detective; He Is Hunting Down A Cruel Serial Killer & Solving Her Wife’s Murder Case In It
Spoiler Free Review of the Cross (Season 1/2024) Series
The trailer
The synopsis
Alex Cross, an esteemed detective specializing in homicide and a forensic psychologist, is on the trail of a sadistic serial killer in Washington, D.C. So, he investigates the psychological profiles of some of America’s most malevolent killers, all the while endeavouring to shield his family from the perils of the criminal landscape. In addition, his closest companion and associate, Detective John Sampson, provides support as they traverse this treacherous journey, further complicated by the reappearance of a menacing figure from Alex’s history.
Meet the three main characters
Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge) is a 38-year-old homicide detective hailing from Southeast Washington, D.C. Besides, a PhD in psychology enables him to analyze the complexities of the human psyche, especially that of criminals. Moreover, as a dedicated and caring father, he strives to provide for his two children following the tragic loss of his wife, Maria. Not to forget, he possesses remarkable intelligence, charm, and sharp wit. Additionally, while balancing his professional challenges, he finds solace in playing Gershwin on his baby grand piano.
John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa) is Alex Cross’s loyal and larger-than-life best friend and partner. The strong bond between Cross and Sampson is akin to that of brothers. While they may not always share the same perspective, they are willing to lay down their lives for one another and are always there to support each other.
Kayla Craig (Alona Tal) is a clever, resilient, and goal-oriented FBI agent. She often teams up with Cross. Even though she serves as a key professional ally, her motives and actions are often under scrutiny, causing apprehension for Cross and others in Washington, D.C.
Please note: The character known as Kyle Craig in the novel has undergone a name change to Kayla Craig in this series.
Then, there are a few other major characters too
Regina (Juanita Jennings) is the matriarch of the Alex Cross family. Being Alex’s grandmother, she assumed a pivotal role in maintaining family cohesion after Maria’s death. She oversees the household, aids in the care of Damon and Jannie, and offers comfort to Cross as he navigates his grief. With her enchanting demeanour, spirited personality, sagacity, and strength, she rises at a quarter to five each morning to prepare breakfast for her family.
Elle Montiero (Samantha Walkes) is a longtime friend of Cross, a former college basketball player and the founder of a non-profit organization in Washington, D.C. Both of them share a comfortable rapport and a significant attraction towards each other. Still, the potential for a serious relationship is questionable due to Cross’s challenges in personal life. Elle is aware that Cross is still grieving and is eager to help him navigate this difficult period. However, she will not stay if he does not start to fight for his well-being as he does for those he cares about.
Ed Ramsey (Ryan Eggold) is a clever political operative who is a prominent force in the D.C. power structure. He possesses charm, intelligence, and a sociable nature. So, many people like him because of all of these positive qualities. Ed skillfully manipulates the political system and orchestrates actions to shield himself and his allies. His influence is vast, and he has compromising information on all significant (political) players.
Aldis, Isaiah, Ryan & Karen were impressive
Almost all the (main) characters in the series have been well-etched out. Additionally, most of them have been given enough screen time to dazzle us with their performances. Still, to be honest, Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa, Ryan Eggold and Karen Robinson were impressive while playing their complicated characters. Moreover, the rest of the cast also portrayed their characters quite well. We also liked the two child actors – Caleb Elijah (Damon) and Melody Hurd (Janelle), they looked the part.
Also, we liked the layered storyline
The best-selling book series about the hero Alex Cross has inspired this series, as we have mentioned earlier. We liked the intensity of this thrilling crime drama. There are two distinct layers of stories in this mysterious tale. The first one involves solving the whodunit murder mystery involving the shocking murder of Alex’s lovely wife. Many (viewers) were genuinely worried about Alex and his kids’ well-being. Later, when we learned about the murderer’s identity and the murder mastermind, we were shocked. Parallely, Alex is trying to unmask the sadist serial killer and catch him. As viewers, we know about the identity. So, it was a riveting watch, as Alex found the serial killer using his smart brain power.
The rating
| FM Rating | 3.65/5 |
The conclusion
We enjoyed the marathon (binge) watching this engrossing crime drama series. And thankfully, there was no cliffhanger ending and this series has already been greenlit for a second season. We would certainly love to see more of this clever and brooding detective in the future. As there is enough source material to inspire another well-made crime drama series. Fingers crossed.
Key Details about this 2024 Crime Drama from the USA
| Genre | Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller |
| Original Language | English (USA) |
| Season | First Season | Season (1) One |
| Episodes | Eight (8) Episodes |
| Creator | Ben Watkins |
| Cast | Aldis Hodge (Detective Alex Cross), Isaiah Mustafa (Detective John Sampson), Juanita Jennings (Regina ‘Nana Mama’ Cross), Alona Tal (FBI Agent Kayla Craig), Samantha Walkes (Elle Monteiro), Caleb Elijah (Damon Cross), Melody Hurd (Janelle Cross), Jennifer Wigmore (Chief Anderson), Ryan Eggold (Ed Ramsey), Eloise Mumford (Shannon Whitmer), Stacie Greenwell (Shawna De Lackner), Johnny Ray Gill (Bobby Trey), Dwain Murphy (Akbar), Karen Robinson (Miss Nancy), etc. |
| Network | (Amazon) Prime Video |
The Poster of this 2024 Crime Drama from the USA
Spoilers Alert – Episodes Summary & Brief Notes
Summary of the Eight (8) Episodes of the Season (1) One
Hero Complex (S1, E1) | 1 Hour 2 Minutes
Washington, D.C. Detective Alex is called to solve the case when a Black Lives Matter activist is killed in cold blood.
Ride the White Horsey (S1, E2) | 53 Minutes
Emir Goodspeed’s murder spreads like wildfire through D.C., catching others in its burn, while D.C.-powerbroker Ed Ramsey seduces his next victim: an art aficionado named Shannon Witmer.
The Good Book (S1, E3) | 58 Minutes
Alex raids a home connected to Emir’s murder. The suspect escapes but leaves behind a piece of evidence so unique, that it limits the list of suspects to an elite D.C. few.
Masks (S1, E4) | 58 Minutes
With Alex hot on his heels, Ed Ramsey sets up a new locale to perform his kills, as Alex’s family continues to be tormented by a mysterious someone connected to Deirdre Nolan.
What Happens At Ramsey’s (S1, E5) | 51 Minutes
Alex and Elle dine at Ed Ramsey’s house for his annual birthday soiree. But the night’s twists take a dark turn when Alex realizes that Ramsey’s next victim is in the house.
A Bang, Not A Whimper (S1, E6) | 54 Minutes
A fresh lead sends Alex to Philly with his son Damon. Along the way, father and son reconnect through the shared grief over Maria’s death.
Happy Birthday (S1, E7) | 59 Minutes
Alex closes in on Ed Ramsey as the clock desperately ticks down to the moment when Shannon Witmer is set to die. Will Alex make it in time?
You Had Me At Motherfucker (S1, E8) | 1 hour
Alex realizes that his attempt to protect his family has put them in more danger. He races against time to rescue the people he loves.
A brief note about the Novels references and the Serial Killer
So many references to the novels
The series frequently references titles from the Alex Cross novels.
In a notable episode, Alex finds a note that states “Kill Alex Cross,” which is the title of the 18th book. The song “What a Wonderful World” is prominently featured, especially the line “Red Roses Too,” linking it to the 6th book in the series. Moreover, there is a scene where the camera focuses on a spider on its web, referencing the first book, “Along Came a Spider.” The title of the series is derived from Cross, which is the 12th book in the series.
About the Serial Killer (DCAK)
While the principal antagonist (Serial Killer) is a new figure not previously encountered in the Alex Cross novels, he is modelled after the DC Audience Killers (DCAKs) from those works. This is particularly evident in his tendency to live-stream his murders and the scenes in which he wears a mask. In the original novels, it was a copycat, not the original DCAKs, who was depicted wearing the mask. Furthermore, the DCAKs in the literature were characterized as a brother/sister pair, rather than a lone adversary.
Bonus Information
Aldis Hodge is the third actor to portray the character of Alex Cross, following Morgan Freeman, who first played the role in the 1997 film Kiss the Girls (1997) Movie and reprised it in the 2001 sequel Along Came a Spider (2001) Movie. Then, Tyler Perry also took on the lead role in the 2012 film Alex Cross (2012) Movie.
Also read the FM Series review of the award winning True Detective: Night Country (2024) Series from the USA.
Featured Image of Ryan Eggold (Ed) at the front and Aldis Hodge (Alex) at the back.
Poster, Featured and Other Images of the Cross (Season 1/2024) Series are credited to Prime Video.