Netflix’s The Residence Deserved The Knives Out Treatment

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Netflix had a really creative murder mystery show that reminded many of the film Knives Out, but unfortunately, it was canceled after just one season. Knives Out, directed by Rian Johnson, was a surprise success when it came out in 2019, and it starred Daniel Craig as a detective in the style of classic sleuths like Hercule Poirot or Sherlock Holmes.

After Netflix secured the rights to continue the Benoit Blanc mysteries created by Rian Johnson, the films became known as the Knives Out series. Each new movie takes Blanc to a completely new location and presents him with a different murder to solve. As long as Daniel Craig wants to continue playing the charmingly Southern detective, Netflix can keep making and profiting from these “A Knives Out Mystery” films, potentially creating a long-running franchise.

The success of movies like Knives Out and the continued interest in unique detectives made the cancellation of The Residence quite unexpected. The eight-episode series, created by Shondaland and Paul William Davies, presented a truly original mystery and introduced audiences to the memorable Cordelia Cupp, a detective played by Uzo Aduba who also happens to be a bird-watching enthusiast.

Netflix’s The Residence Had The Perfect Setup For More Seasons

Taking inspiration from Kate Andersen Brower’s book, The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, the television series The Residence showed audiences how incredibly complicated life is inside the White House. When the Chief Usher (Giancarlo Esposito) was discovered dead in a private section of the building, Detective Cordelia Cupp was brought in by Washington D.C. police to investigate.

It was an incredibly complicated night at the White House, not your typical detective visit at all. The President was hosting a state dinner for the Australians, and Kylie Minogue was performing! Because of that, everyone – guests and staff alike – was essentially stuck inside while Detective Cupp tried to solve the case. It really threw a wrench into things, having a whole international event happening during an investigation.

With its stunning recreation of the White House’s West Wing, The Residence stood out visually. Combined with fast-paced editing, a truly funny script, and a fantastic cast, the show brought something new and exciting to a familiar genre. Uzo Aduba proved to be a perfect lead – her sharp wit, piercing gaze, and strong presence made her character, Cordelia Cupp, instantly captivating; you’d have been hooked watching her solve any mystery, anywhere.

Overall, The Residence would have worked really well as an anthology series – a show with different stories each episode. Netflix and other streaming services have been trying out this format, and Beef, created by Lee Sung Jin, is a great example of how it can succeed. Just like each Benoit Blanc movie is known as ‘A Knives Out Mystery,’ each Cordelia Cupp mystery could have had a similar, memorable title.

With all the buzz around Cupp’s work in The Residence, it would have been great to see her tackle more complex and politically sensitive murder mysteries. That would have really made her stand out from most other well-known fictional detectives, even someone like Benoit Blanc.

Why Netflix Canceled Shonda Rhimes’ The Residence

Building the White House set for The Residence was a major expense. When the show was canceled, reports indicated that most of the budget went towards creating the elaborate sets and visual effects. While the impressive setting was a key part of the story—more dynamic than in other murder mysteries—it likely contributed to the streaming service considering the show too risky. Using different locations in future seasons might have helped avoid this problem.

The show’s release timing couldn’t have been worse. It came out only a week after Netflix’s hugely popular British crime drama, Adolescence, which ranks as the streamer’s second most-watched show globally (behind Wednesday season 1 and ahead of Stranger Things seasons 4 & 5). Adolescence‘s massive success overshadowed The Residence, even though it still made it into Netflix’s worldwide Top 10. Had it been released at a different time, it likely would have attracted a larger audience when it first launched.

It sounds like Rian Johnson is open to making a fourth “Knives Out” movie, which is great news! Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, is a fantastic detective and could solve many more mysteries. Uzo Aduba’s character, Cordelia Cupp, was also a standout, and “The Residence” had the potential to launch a really exciting and unique series of murder mysteries.

All episodes of The Residence are streaming now, only on Netflix.

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2026-04-17 15:08