Prolific book-based sagas involving intrigue, spies, detectives, and ex- military men are having an extended moment on streaming services. From Slow Horses to Jack Ryan, The Night Agent, and Reacher, subscribers are enjoying both straightforward and off-kilter adaptations of best-selling novels with multi-season success and viewers reaping the benefits of these literary inspirations.
On subject of that last “detective” (an amateur, since he’s now civilian and no longer a “Special Investigator”), even the biggest Reacher devotees can admit that his power of deduction can be silly to behold. That’s a rough realization to admit since Jack Reacher’s mind is supposed to be as powerful as his body, but we can’t have perfection, or can we? The upcoming Alex Cross TV show starring Aldis Hodge could deliver that seemingly impossible combination but in a less showy way. Amazon certainly has confidence in the show while renewing for a second season before first-season premiere day. Let’s talk about what we can expect from Amazon’s Cross.
Plot
This series follows Tyler Perry’s 2012 Alex Cross movie and Morgan Freeman’s version of the character in Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider in 1997 and 2001, respectively. Due to Amazon’s commitment to read its audiences’ minds in the Dad TV realm, however, Cross is promising to be the next long-running, great-detective bingewatch. The show is, of course, based upon James Patterson’s long-running book series, in which the Washington, D.C.-based forensic psychologist and detective is known to climb inside the heads of a wide variety of criminals from serial killers to bank robbers.
Amazon’s series description pounces on Cross’ unique, laser-focused abilities that make him “uniquely capable of digging into the psyches of killers and their victims, in order to identify—and ultimately capture—the murderers.” A teaser trailer has shown a defendant refusing to believe that Cross can climb inside his head, only to be told that Cross is “living rent free” there, regardless of what the defendant does. And what of due process? Don’t worry, that will happen, but let’s just trust the storytelling process here.
What might be unexpected with Cross, however, is that the show (the first season at least) will not be based upon a specific Patterson novel.
In a new interview with TV Insider Aldis Hodge has dropped some hints about the show’s practical set up, which (at least with the first season) isn’t based on any particular book but, instead, “is based on the foundation of Alex Cross” with creator Ben Watkins “tak[ing] the bone structure of that world and fill[ing] it up with a beautiful story.” As a result, the TV series will stand separately from the movies as “something completely unique.”
The show will begin with the death of Cross’ wife, after which a year will pass, and the the PD pulls him back from family leave because he’s the only guy who can work this serial killer case. Hodge told TV Insider how these two separate developments will fuel his character through the first season:
“He is absolutely looking for his wife’s killer and we explore that through the season. The greatest failure of his life is the fact that he was not able to protect his wife. It affects every facet of his life, it’s what motivates him. You get to see what love means to him after his loss … He wanted to take some time away, but instead, he gets pulled into a very serious and sinister case with a new serial killer moving narcotics and they need him to handle it.”
Hodge added of this serial killer, “Without saying too much, he is definitely a formidable opponent for Cross. He has a very specific and unique ambition that drives what he does and why he does it.”
For his part, Patterson has called the series “a little edgier” than his books, “which I really like.” And here’s the first-season synopis:
Cross is a crime thriller that follows the investigations of brilliant forensic psychologist and DC Metro Detective Alex Cross. Together with his best friend and partner Detective John Sampson, Cross delves into the psyches of America’s most insidious killers while fighting to protect his family from the dangers of the criminal world.
On a seemingly unrelated note but still relevant, Aldis Hodge is no slouch in the “being ripped” department. Yet it seems unlikely that his sex appeal will figure prominently into Cross during the first season, given his character’s grieving period. And whether or not future Cross seasons will take him there, or further adapt specific Patterson books remains a mystery (please do not draw from Patterson’s sex-prose, Amazon), but there are 30+ possibilities to draw from if the show’s writers choose to do so.
Cast
A new Alex Cross is truly upon us with Aldis Hodge. He will be joined in the first season by Isaiah Mustafa (as Cross’ best friend, John Sampson), Caleb Elijah and Melody Hurd (as Cross’ children), and Juanita Jennings (as Cross’ grandmother), along with Eloise Mumford, Samantha Walkes, Jennifer Wigmore, Alona Tal, Ryan Eggold, and Johnny Ray Gill. For the second season, Matthew Lillard, Jeanine Mason, and Wes Chatham will join the cast.
Release Date
On November 14, 2024, audiences will be able to compare Hodge’s Cross with that of Tyler Perry and Morgan Freeman. The second-season release date likely won’t be revealed until a year or so from now, so enjoy that ride.
Trailer
The aforementioned one-liner goes a long way here to stoke audience interest:
