Cross Promises DC Fan Service and Intrigue But Provides Little
Image Courtesy of Prime Video
By Dean Robbins
This is a review of the first episode of Cross. While an inherently incomplete review, first episodes are critical for forming initial impressions and making decisions about whether to continue watching.
Metro Center station is currently covered in ads for Cross, the new Prime Video adaptation of James Patterson’s Alex Cross detective novels. The series follows the titular detective (Aldis Hodge), a member of DC MPD, as he investigates a suspicious death in the wake of a painful personal tragedy. I was intrigued by the setting and Prime Video’s cast splash page referencing Ben’s Chili Bowl. It is unfortunate to say then that Cross does not make a strong impression in the pilot episode, “Hero Complex”.
The premise is that Cross desperately wants to take a leave of absence following the tragedy that struck him, but MPD first wants him to solve a racially-sensitive case. A local activist was found dead in a suspected suicide, but the details are suspicious. The community points the finger at the police, putting MPD and Cross in an uncomfortable position.
The killer seems to be revealed rather clearly in the first episode, although the broader conspiracy they play into is still unclear. Cross is not, at least in this episode, an action-packed show. There is one short chase sequence. If this continues to be the case, it would seem that Cross is more interested in exploring the complex dynamics of policing in a post-Black Lives Matter America than being Reacher in DC. So far, creator and writer Ben Watkins (Burn Notice) is doing a good job of tackling this issue, showing genuine corruption and racism in MPD but also letting Cross properly defend his job from naysayers. This is certainly the most interesting part of the show; however, the script is confusing, and the presentation is off-putting.
Past an establishing prologue, watching the pilot of Cross makes one feel halfway through a season. It is one thing to avoid an overload of exposition, but the world Alex operates in is too vague. We aren’t given much of a reason to care about any of the characters beyond the lead. Cross’ partner, John (Isaiah Mustafa), is just sort of there for the whole episode. The rest of the MPD characters are either racist, stupid, or both. That may be social commentary, but none of the other characters are particularly smart by comparison.
A big reason for this underdeveloped world is the bafflingly dim cinematography by Brendan Steacy. Every character seems adverse to turning a light on, and the exteriors make DC weather look eternally overcast. This is a show that requires raising the brightness on your laptop, phone, or television. With “The Long Night” of Game of Thrones Season 8 behind us, we should move on to having more color in media, especially with characters of color who are not accentuated by this style. It reminded me of the ongoing controversy about Annie Leibowitz’s photography of African-Americans. We can do better.
With regards to DC representation, “Hero Complex” is okay. There is a scene set in a location of Ben’s Chili Bowl. Alex brings home a box of District Doughnuts. Local rapper Fat Trel makes an appearance performing his song “Tokyo Spinach”. We get a few external shots that show parts of the city, but the camera is often held close to the characters making it harder to see the surroundings.
The opening credits are a montage of various areas in the city from Shaw to Georgetown. So if you are a local, it may be worth watching on those grounds. However, Cross has yet to do much with the location story-wise.
The teaser for future episodes at the end, which appears to spoil a lot of story material, does imply a much more interesting show than the one displayed in the pilot. Nevertheless, “Hero Complex” is not a fantastic incentive to see Cross through, especially in the increasingly crowded entertainment space. All episodes of Cross are now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Rating: ★★ ½ out of 5.
