The Residence has style and a pleasantly eccentric personality. Its eight-part White House mystery focuses on the staff who keep the institution functioning rather than the presidential family or political advisers.
Uzo Aduba is excellent as Cordelia Cupp, an unusual investigator with an interest in birdwatching and a sharp feeling for human behavior. Her combination of intelligence, eccentricity and dry humor fits the series perfectly.
A murder during a state dinner turns the White House into a closed world of suspects. The appeal is not only identifying the killer. Secrets, working relationships and small power struggles reveal how this elaborate household operates.
Episodes bring different staff members into focus, from kitchens to flowers and communications. That variety is enjoyable, but the middle of the season loses some momentum in side stories that delay the investigation.
The setting looks excellent. Public grandeur and private chaos create an effective contrast, turning a symbol of power into a stage for ordinary human tensions. Sharp dialogue and a well-cast ensemble sustain the peculiar atmosphere.
The finale could have landed more strongly, and not every character receives enough space. Even so, I found The Residence convincing: intelligent, playful and visually assured, with a central investigator distinctive enough to remain memorable after the case is over.