I was all set to get some weekend work done, but then I stumbled upon The Residence on Netflix—and there went my productivity. It’s got its fair share of woke elements, but not in an over-the-top, cringe-inducing way. What really hooked me is that it’s a murder mystery—because, honestly, who doesn’t love a good whodunit?
The plot kicks off with the White House chief usher turning up dead in the middle of a fancy dinner party, and the case falls into the hands of the woman from Orange Is the New Black, who teams up with her reluctant FBI sidekick—aka Asian Jim from The Office. The cast is stacked: the butler from Community, leads from Party Down, My Name is Earl, and Perfect Strangers, plus Kylie Minogue playing a version of herself.
Not sure if this is a limited series or if they have bigger plans, but aside from the murder-mystery setup, it also has the sharp, satirical energy of Veep. I’m five episodes in, and at this rate, my work-from-home schedule is officially in jeopardy.
The next time I write about this show, I will include many spoilers.