A juicy whodunnit with a twist of political intrigue, The Residence promises a thrilling ride through the most famous house in America: the White House. Add in Bridgerton-queen Shonda Rhimes as the creative force behind it, and you’ve got a show that’s practically screaming to be binged.
The Premise: A Murder in the White House
Here’s the set-up: 132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. That’s right — The Residence is no ordinary crime drama. It’s a sharp, unpredictable mystery set in the upstairs, downstairs, and even the backstairs of the White House. Based on the nonfiction book The Residence by White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower, the show takes inspiration from the real lives of staff working behind the scenes in the presidential home. But while the book sticks to the facts, the series dares to ask — what if one of those staff members was a killer?
Murder Meets Politics Meets Screwball Comedy
Described by Netflix as a “screwball whodunnit,” the series blends the high-stakes tension of Knives Out with the political flair of The West Wing. The drama kicks off during a high-profile State dinner, when White House Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (played by Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito) is found dead. Suddenly, every guest and staffer is a suspect.
Enter Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba), a quirky, no-nonsense consulting detective for the Metropolitan Police Department with an unmatched ability to read people. She’s teamed up with skeptical FBI Special Agent Edwin Park (Randall Park), and together they sift through a tangle of secrets, egos, and motives in a race to uncover the truth.
The Star-Studded Cast (Yes, That’s Kylie Minogue!)
The cast is stacked — and not just with acting heavyweights. Pop icon Kylie Minogue is among the high-profile guests at the fatal State dinner, playing herself as a representative of Australia. Could she be hiding more than just a killer dress?
- Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp
- Giancarlo Esposito as A.B. Wynter
- Randall Park as Edwin Park
- Edwina Findley as Sheila Cannon
- Molly Griggs as Lilly Schumacher
- Jason Lee as Tripp Morgan
- Ken Marino as Harry Hollinger
- Al Mitchell as Rollie Bridgewater
- Dan Perrault as Colin Trask
- Bronson Pinchot as Didier Gotthard
- Julieth Restrepo as Elsyie Chayle
- Mel Rodriguez as Bruce Geller
- Susan Kelechi Watson as Jasmine Haney
- Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Larry Dokes
- Mary Wiseman as Marvella
- Eliza Coupe
- Jane Curtin
- Paul Fitzgerald
- Barrett Foa
- Al Franken
- Spencer Garrett
- Taran Killam
- Julian McMahon
- Kylie Minogue
- Matt Oberg
- Brett Tucker
When Can You Watch It?
The Residence is now on Netflix with all eight episodes available to stream. With a Shonda Rhimes production, a cast full of talent, and a murder plot that keeps you guessing, we’re calling it now: this might just be your next favorite mystery series.
