Aldis Hodge’s Spin On Classic Character fascinates

Standing on the shoulders of Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry, who portrayed the character in “Kiss the Girls,” “Along Came a Spider” and “Alex Cross,” Aldis Hodge takes on James Patterson’s beloved character in Prime Video’s heart-racing crime thriller “Cross”. Created by Ben Watkins, Hodge portrays the detective and coroner. A widower and 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 stalking a prolific, meticulous serial killer while trying to solve the mystery of his late wife’s murder. It’s an exciting series that goes beyond victims and killers to examine mental health and unhealthy fixation. Focusing on two different mysteries woven throughout eight episodes, “Cross” is shocking and thrilling.

“Cross” opens in 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. The shots ring out minutes after the women excuse themselves from the table. As the men run towards the toilets, they find Maria bleeding to death on the concrete. A 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 off the death as an accidental overdose, but the black community is pushing back. To avoid a scandal, Metro bosses Chief Anderson (Jennifer Wigmore) and Lieutenant Oracene Massey (Sharon Taylor) assign Alex and John to solve the murder. As the men begin to peel back the layers of the crime, it leads them down a shocking path of power and monstrosity. The audience spends a lot of time with the killer, who seeks to make a name for himself among some of the most sinister killers of all time. Their single-minded process and special techniques make the television deeply unsettling.

Meanwhile, although Alex is focused on solving Emir’s death, he also faces a personal challenge. Frustrated by Maria’s unsolved murder, Alex is further agitated by a stalker. He receives bouquets of flowers 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 enraged. His inner turmoil spreads into his work and family life. These double crimes make for a layered show. Unfortunately, they are not as exciting. Emir’s case becomes more explosive as the narrative continues. Still, the mystery behind Alex’s stalker and his wife’s death fades as the season draws 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 DC pillars including Ben’s Chili Bowl, the Howard Theater, and the Lincoln Memorial. Furthermore, the central characters retain their black language as they move through different spaces, which adds to the series’ realism. Even in the presence of Washington DC’s elite, including billionaire Ed Ramsey (an alluring Ryan Eggold) or in challenging conversations with his love interest Elle Monteiro (Samantha Walkes), Alex never conforms or switches codes.

While the cases remain at the core of the series, “Cross” stands out among typical thrillers because it is intricately layered. Although the trained psychologist is great 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 starts acting out at school and Cross struggles to break through to him due to his own reluctance to show vulnerability.

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

“Cross” is largely captivating, but there are a few flubs. Most of the scenes and acting are suitably tempered, but the series sometimes gets overly theatrical, smoothing out some more emotional scenes. Johnny Ray Gill, who portrays a manic former police detective, Bobby Trey, is also criminally underused. But with the early renewal, let’s assume viewers probably haven’t seen the last of the charismatic character.

Still, with Hodge at the center and Watkins at the helm, “Cross” is a crime thriller that boasts several astonishing curveballs. A detective story at its core, the series gracefully addresses the pangs of grief, toxic masculinity and the pitfalls of obsession. Engaging until its very last moment, this is a winning drama that will no doubt captivate Alex Cross fans across generations.

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