‘The Residence’ Was Mostly Good, But It Didn’t Quite Earn a Second Season

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The Residence is not extending its residence at Netflix.

On Wednesday, the streamer decided to halt two freshman shows: the medical drama “Pulse” and “The Residence.” While “Pulse” lacked any real momentum from its start, “The Residence” was generally well-liked.

On Wednesday, the streaming platform chose to discontinue two new shows – the medical drama called “Pulse” and “The Residence.” To be honest, “Pulse” didn’t have any initial impact at all, but “The Residence” was generally well-appreciated.

And On hump day, the streamer axed a couple of rookie series: the medical drama “Pulse” and “The Residence.” To put it straight, “Pulse” wasn’t going anywhere from the outset, but “The Residence” was pretty popular.

During their initial run, both shows performed exceptionally well in terms of audience engagement. Debuting on March 20, 2025, “The Residence” entered Netflix’s rankings as the second most-watched show, narrowly falling behind the highly popular “Adolescence.” This pattern persisted for the subsequent week, and while “The Residence” started to lose some ground following that, it continued to hold a place in the top 10 for another two weeks.

One program that significantly impacted the rankings of “The Residence” on Netflix was “Pulse,” which debuted on April 3, 2025. Both series managed to stay on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Shows chart for four weeks. The duration of “Adolescence” was twice as long, and it currently ranks as the second most-watched English TV show on Netflix, trailing only a few behind the all-time leader.

In essence, it’s unfortunate that both “The Residence” and “Pulse” only had a single season, but for distinct reasons. While “Pulse” might not have been particularly excellent, being Netflix’s initial attempt at medical procedurals – a genre with a long history of success on television – it was bound to establish new norms in one way or another. Interestingly, the precedent it set turned out to be positive.

It’s disappointing to see “The Residen” end after only one season, given that it was generally well-received and enjoyable – for the most part.

Almost all TV shows, including The Residential, have their imperfections. However, these shortcomings were only noticeable towards the end, which is when a first-season show should intrigue the audience and leave them eager for additional episodes (and ideally many more).

You never want to end on a low note, especially if it doesn’t have to be the end.

Initially, let’s discuss some notable aspects of the show, The Residen. To begin with, Uzo Aduba delivered a captivating performance as Cordelia Cupp, the world’s best detective. Randall Park was outstanding in his supporting role, and Giancarlo Esposito, Ken Marino, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Susan Kelechi Watson were equally impressive. The entire cast was truly exceptional. Moreover, having Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland as the producer of your series is a significant advantage.

The elaborate recreation of the White House at Raleigh Studios in Los Angeles, constructed by the production team, was breathtakingly beautiful. Spanning over seven stages, it connected 132 rooms, utilized a staggering 10 miles of molding, and had 200 functioning doors. The colors were exquisite, and each room had its unique charm; in fact, it might have even surpassed the real White House in terms of elegance. If you’re still unsure, let me clarify: The Residence was costly, a level of cost that makes deciding whether it’s worth the investment a challenging task. Keep in mind, this is not the Netflix we knew in 2021; today, profit is paramount (as shown on an income statement).

If “The Residence” had continued for a second season, it was intended to transform into an anthology series where Cupp would tackle a fresh case each time. Given that there wouldn’t be many more White House murders (although, it seemed to work well for “Only Murder in the Building“), all that woodworking and interior design would essentially go unused. It doesn’t make sense to invest more money into something that was already quite good.

Or

Given that “The Residence” was planning a second season, the idea was for it to evolve into an anthology series with Cupp investigating new cases each time. However, if there weren’t many more murders in the White House (even though it seemed to work for “Only Murder in the Building“), all the carpentry and decorating would be wasted. Investing more money into something that was already quite valuable didn’t seem sensible.

In terms of storytelling, the season finale of “The Residence” was disappointing because it didn’t allow us, as viewers, to feel like active participants in solving the mystery. A key element of great whodunnits is the opportunity for the audience to follow clues and solve the crime alongside the characters. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an option with “The Residence.” While there were hints scattered throughout, the complexity of the production made it unrealistic for us to arrive at the same conclusion as Cupp. Even if we had guessed the culprit, there was no practical way to understand how or why they committed the crime. This is frustrating, especially since the show had managed to keep us engaged with a wide array of potential suspects and theories for seven out of its eight episodes.

So the ending was a let down — but then the ending-ending was a head scratcher.

Following the resolution of Cupp’s case and capturing her suspect, a long-awaited disclosure during the final episode, before she embarked on another birdwatching excursion – a pastime that started amusing but grew somewhat tiresome as the season progressed – the world’s best detective had to make an unexpected detour.

This upcoming segment might be considered a spoiler, but since its relevance to the overall narrative is minimal, it essentially doesn’t matter much.

In a different scene, detective Cupp convinces her boss, Larry Dokes from Metropolitan PD, to stop by the White House. However, instead of revisiting the crime scene, we move on. A missed opportunity perhaps, as it would have been fitting to give the young boy, who had shown an interest in the White House and provided a crucial clue, a tour he longed for (but couldn’t get because of the previous crime). Instead, Cupp pays a visit to Nan Cox, the mother-in-law of the President, at the residence. The purpose of this encounter was not to solve the mystery but to inform her that A.B. Wynter, the White House chief usher, had been murdered. Interestingly, Nan, who has been a minor character throughout the series, seemed to already know the identity of the killer or guessed correctly in the moment. The story then comes to an end, leaving one wondering about the significance of this encounter with Nan Cox.

In the novel “The Residence”, there was another extended sequence lacking a climax that you might notice. Interestingly, although he doesn’t physically appear in the book, Hugh Jackman significantly influences the narrative of “The Residence”. His impact is more substantial than that of Jane Curtin.

The main storyline for this season revolves around a murder that takes place during a state dinner at the White House, intended to improve relations with Australia. The dinner invites many Australians, most of whom are fake, but it also includes the real Kylie Minogue, who portrays and sings as herself. However, throughout the season, there’s a running gag about another famous Australian allegedly present at the building – the actor who plays Wolverine. Although Jackman himself is not shown, stand-ins for his body are frequently used, and an acceptable vocal imitation is provided as well.

Though Hugh Jackman himself didn’t take part in the series, producers initially wanted him for “The Residence.” It was an interesting concept, but when the actor declined the project, why keep the running joke alive? This could mislead viewers into believing that Jackman might be the villain or that an imposter with Jackman’s face would be unmasked. However, none of this happens, and it seems unnecessary since it doesn’t add to the humor; instead, it creates an unsatisfying anticipation that detracts from the mystery of “The Residence.” In a way, this plot twist can symbolize the series itself.

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2025-07-03 21:55