REVIEW: Prime Video’s ‘CROSS’ Brings New Life to Alex Cross

James Patterson’s Alex Cross returns to our TV screens in the new Prime Video series, CROSS. First introduced in the 1993 novel, Along Came a Spider, Aldis Hodge beautifully takes on the role of Alex Cross, a detective/forensic psychologist in Washington, D.C., who is tasked with tracking down some of the city’s illusive killers. When the murder of Black Lives Matter activist, Emir Goodspeed (Donovan Brown), hits the streets of D.C., Cross and his partner, Detective John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), set out to find the person behind the killing. But, as the death toll continues to rise, the two will find that they aren’t dealing with just any killer, but a killer who is determined to go down in serial killer history.

Unlike the past film adaptations, this series isn’t focused on one particular book in Patterson’s CROSS series. Instead, creator, Ben Watkins, takes pieces from all of the books to create a new story for the detective while still paying homage to the character. And, like the book series, the overall story is told through the point of views of Cross and the season’s villains. It is the villain’s scene that sets this show a part from other TV thrillers. Watkins and his team were not afraid to show just how diabolical this villain can be, creating for some pretty cringeworthy moments.

While all this is going on, the audience is also watching as Cross battles with his own inner demons as someone connected to the murder of his wife, Maria (Chaunteé Schuler Irving), begins taunting him with gifts and notes. This storyline adds a whole new layer to not only the story, but the character as well. The audience gets to watch as Cross’ obsession with finding this person, and the fact he never fully grieved the loss of his wife, takes a toil on not only himself, but his family and friends as well.

There isn’t a weak link in this series. Hodge carries this show on his shoulders, but it is his secondary cast mates that help alleviate some of the weight. Mustafa and Hodge play off each other as if they have been doing it for years, while Ryan Eggold can only be described as charismatically evil. Juanita Jennings (Regina Cross) brings a calmness to the show as the Cross matriarch, and Caleb Elijah (Damon Cross) and Melody Hurd (Janelle Cross) allow Hodge to escape the detective role and show off a softer side to Cross.

From political games to romance to action, there is something for everyone with Prime Video’s new series. The only negative to be found is the story can be a little slow in the beginning. However, the pay off is well worth the wait. And, thankfully, the show has already been renewed for a second season, so we won’t have to wait too long to find out what happens next to Cross and his team.