TV Review: ‘Cross’

The new TV adaptation hedges its bets by not directly adapting any one of James Patterson’s novels, but can’t quite break out of the rut of its genre.

Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in 'Cross'. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.

Launching on Prime Video on Thursday 14th November with all eight episodes, ‘Cross’ is the newest cop thriller based on the work of prolific author James Patterson.

While previous versions have been on the big screen –– Morgan Freeman famously played the character in a couple of movies and Tyler Perry was Cross in the 2012 film named for the character –– this incarnation features Aldis Hodge as the main character.

But is TV, famously home to the police procedural genre, the right place for the character? The answer to that is complicated.

Does ‘Cross’ make its case?

Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in 'Cross'. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.

Perhaps the biggest issue that Patterson fans may have with ‘Cross’ is that it takes some big liberties with the character. Show creator Ben Watkins skirts around that by having this take on the conflicted cop be “inspired” by the books, which means he’s not beholden to any one plotline.

And it’s certainly true that a lot of what you might expect from Cross –– his intelligence, his tragic past, his determination –– is present and correct here. Hodge is also an asset, playing the character with grit, steel and charm. The biggest problem is that a lot of ‘Cross’ is essentially the usual serial killer plot with a few extra layers, and it doesn’t always work.

Script and Direction

Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in 'Cross'. Credit: Quantrell Colbert/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.

With Watkins leading the writers’ room, the ‘Cross’ story will probably be familiar to anyone who has watched a serial killer thriller, and that’s partly by design. After all, the Alex Cross books are very much in that mold. Yet while Watkins has got a better handle on what makes Cross tick as an African–American man than Patterson might, what that inspires feels like fairly standard stuff.

Tensions a running high on the initial case Cross is working, as a local leader and activist is found dead, and the Washington, D.C. community is up in arms. But it soon transpires that the dead man is just one of the targets of a devious serial killer who has a twisted extra reason for getting creative with his victims.

While Watkins has a way with Cross’ sweary attitude, the feeling is less of Alex Cross than just a generic homicide on cop on the trail of a killer.

Stacey Muhammad, Craig Siebels and Nzingha Stewart, share directing duties on the series, and while the show is generally well shot, there’s not much that makes it stand out from a hundred other offerings in the genre.

Performances

A show like this lives and dies on the casting of its central figure, and fortunately for ‘Cross,’ it has a strong leading man in Aldis Hodge. In fact, he stands out to such a degree that it’s hard for many others to make an impact.

Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross

Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in 'Cross'. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.

We’re introduced to Cross (well, after a quick flashback to see how his wife died) in the midst of an interrogation where his smarts and charisma are allowed full flow. Hodge nails the scene and the rest of the show, bringing the character life in a way that’s different from how he’s been seen on screen before.

It might not quite be the Cross of the books, but he’s the one thing that actually makes the show stand out more from the pack. There’s a real feeling of energy and intensity from the actor, and he carries the baggage of Cross effectively. It’s not his fault that his character’s background is so straight-from-the-shelf it nears parody at times.

Ryan Eggold as Ed Ramsey

Ryan Eggold as Ed Ramsey in 'Cross'. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.

Eggold does his best as Ramsey, the twisted mind who has been kidnapping people and… well, the rest would be a spoiler. But while he’s suitably creepy and weird, undercutting his handsome looks with twitches and glassy-eyed moments, the role is still very much seen-it-before serial killer stuff: lots of speeches about his own genius and ideas and preening when he thinks he’s gotten away with it all.

Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson

Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson in 'Cross'. Credit: Quantrell Colbert/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.

Cross’s best friend and fellow detective is a key part of this story, and Mustafa plays well against Hodge, though the role doesn’t often give him much of a chance to shine, at least until tension creeps in between the pair.

Supporting cast

Cross (the man) comes complete with two adorable moppets who are also mourning their mother’s death and a kindly, but no-nonsense mother-in-law. Dotted around are the usual gathering of cop colleagues and criminals.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson, Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in 'Cross'. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.

There’s some entertainment value in ‘Cross,’ but at times it is painfully generic. There’s only so much you can do to jazz up an Alex Cross tale, and honestly, while this has an edgier feel than the Morgan Freeman movies, it can’t overcome the strictures of its own genre.

Yet if you enjoy the show, there’s good news to report –– Prime Video has already announced that a second season has already been commissioned.

‘Cross’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.

Cross

TV-MA1 SeasonsNovember 14th, 2024

Alex Cross is a brilliant but flawed homicide detective and full of contradictions. A doting father and family man, Cross is single-minded to the point of obsession... Read the Plot

What’s the plot of ‘Cross’?

‘Cross’ follows the investigations of brilliant forensic psychologist and DC Metro Detective Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge). Together with his best friend and partner Detective John Sampson (Isiah Mustafa), Cross delves into the psyches of insidious murderers while fighting to protect his family from the dangers of the criminal world.

Cross and Sampson are backed by a team of Washington DC detectives, along with FBI agent Kayla Craig (Alona Tal). Together, they help Cross uncover the truth behind serial killers, high–profile kidnappings, and even a deadly personal stalker.

Yet all the backup in the world can’t save Cross from himself. Cross is driven by a deep desire to do right –– especially by victims who don’t have the power to defend themselves. But he struggles with the psychological fallout of his work, desperate to insulate his family and everyone he loves.