‘Cross’ Is a Tantalizing Crime Thriller With a Towering Aldis Hodge: TV Review

Standing on the shoulders of Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry, who portrayed the character in the films “Kiss the Girls,” “Along Came a Spider” and “Alex Cross,” Aldis Hodge is taking on James Patterson’s beloved character in Prime Video‘s heart-racing crime thriller “Cross.” Created by Ben Watkins, Hodge portrays the detective and forensic psychologist. A widower and a father of two, Alex is determined to get answers at any cost. In this first season of “Cross” — in a sign of confidence, it was already renewed for Season 2 earlier this year — Alex finds himself pursuing a prolific, meticulous serial killer while trying to solve the mystery of his late wife’s murder. It is an exhilarating series that goes beyond victims and murderers to examine mental health and unhealthy fixations. Centering on two different mysteries woven throughout eight episodes, “Cross” is shocking and exciting. 

“Cross” opens at an outdoor brewery. Alex and his wife Maria (Chaunteé Schuler Irving) engage in playful PDA while watching a football game with Alex’s best friend and partner, Detective John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), and his date. Shots ring out just minutes after the women excuse themselves from the table. By the time the men run toward the restrooms, they find Maria bleeding out and dying on the concrete. One year later, the audience finds Alex filling out a leave of absence form at his desk. However, his request is put on hold when a popular Black Lives Matter activist, Emir Goodspeed (Donovan Brown), is found dead. 

The police want to write the death off as an accidental overdose, but the Black community pushes back. To avoid a scandal, Metro bosses Chief Anderson (Jennifer Wigmore) and Lieutenant Oracene Massey (Sharon Taylor) task Alex and John with solving the murder. As the men begin peeling back the layers of the crime, it leads them down a shocking road of power and monstrosity. Audiences spend a great deal of time with the killer who is seeking to make a name for themselves amid some of the most sinister murderers of all time. Their single-minded process and special techniques make for deeply disturbing television.

Meanwhile, though Alex is focused on solving Emir’s death, he’s also facing a personal challenge. Frustrated by Maria’s unsolved murder, Alex is further agitated by a stalker. He receives flower bouquets at his office and at the home he shares with his young children, Janelle (Melody Hurd) and Damon (Caleb Elijah), as well as his grandmother, Nana Mama (Juanita Jennings). As the threats escalate, Alex becomes rageful. His inner turmoil spills forth into his work and family life. These dual crimes make for a layered show. Unfortunately, they aren’t equally intriguing. Emir’s case gets more explosive as the narrative continues. Yet, the mystery behind Alex’s stalker and his wife’s death withers as the season comes to a close. 

Still, “Cross” remains effortlessly cool. Watkins is careful to infuse music from artists like Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and Rick Ross into the show while showcasing pillars of D.C., including Ben’s Chili Bowl, the Howard Theatre and the Lincoln Memorial. Moreover, the central characters retain their Black vernacular as they move through different spaces, adding to the series’ realism. Even in the presence of Washington D.C.’s elite, including billionaire Ed Ramsey (an enticing Ryan Eggold) or having challenging conversations with his love interest Elle Monteiro (Samantha Walkes), Alex never conforms or codeswitches.

While the cases remain at the series’ core, “Cross” stands out among typical thrillers because it’s intricately layered. Though the trained psychologist is fantastic at his job, his inability and unwillingness to face losing Maria eats away at him. His deteriorating mental health interferes with his work and his relationships. In Episode 2, “Ride the White Horsey,” his paranoia wakes him up in the middle of the night, and he mistakenly pulls a gun on his daughter, Janelle. In later episodes, Damon begins acting out at school, and Cross struggles to break through to him because of his own reluctance to show vulnerability. 

Neither Nana Mama nor John give up on Alex despite his faults. One of the most endearing things about “Cross” is the depiction of the lifelong bond between the two men. Deeply concerned with Alex’s well-being, John constantly pushes him to seek help, even when it causes a fracture in their friendship. Complex and dynamic friendships between Black men aren’t often showcased on screen, so seeing John act as a support system for Alex is a beautifully unique experience. Mustafa is also well cast, matching Hodge’s prowess and strength.

“Cross” is largely captivating, but there are a couple of flubs. Most of the scenes and acting are appropriately tempered, but the series sometimes gets overly theatrical, flattening some more emotional scenes. Also, Johnny Ray Gill, who portrays a manic former police detective, Bobby Trey, is criminally underused. However, with that early renewal, let’s assume that viewers likely haven’t seen the last of the charismatic character. 

Still, with Hodge at the center and Watkins at the helm, “Cross” is a crime drama boasting several astonishing curveballs. A detective story at its core, the series gracefully addresses the anguish of grief, toxic masculinity and the pitfalls of obsessions. Engaging until its very last moment, this is a winning drama that will undoubtedly captivate Alex Cross fans across generations.

The eight episodes of “Cross” premiere on Nov. 14 on Prime Video.