logo
The Residence review – this joyful murder mystery is eight hours of gorgeous, gleeful escapism

The Residence review – this joyful murder mystery is eight hours of gorgeous, gleeful escapism

The Guardian20-03-2025

Like a locked-room mystery, do you? How about a 132-locked-rooms mystery, with more than 150 murder suspects? Settle in for some uber-Christie with comic knobs on, courtesy of Shondaland's latest production: The Residence, a bonkers whodunnit written by Paul William Davies (who worked with Shonda Rhimes on her most famous creation, Scandal) and starring the magnificently inimitable Uzo Aduba, who appears to be having almost as much fun as her audience. The Residence is a very happy experience all round – moreish, bingeable, a complete tonic.
Aduba, known for her portrayal of Crazy Eyes in Orange Is the New Black, is more than capable of inducing emotional devastation in the viewer, but she is also funny to her marrow, as we see here. She plays Cordelia Cupp, a brilliant detective (and keen birdwatcher and, er, sardine-eater) called in to investigate the death of the White House's chief usher, AB Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito). His body is found in the private quarters of the presidential building while a state dinner designed to repair fracturing relations with Australia unfolds below. (The Australian prime minister is played by Nip/Tuck's Julian McMahon, who is the son of the country's 20th PM, Sir William McMahon. How about that, fact fans?)
Enter the president's advisers, the director of the FBI and Secret Service agents ('Jesus,' sighs Cupp at one point, 'how many dudes do you need?'). They assume, from their confidence in the security procedures, that it must have been suicide. Cupp takes one look at the body – after a brief stop outside to see if she can spot any of the birds in the White House grounds that fellow birding enthusiast Teddy Roosevelt noted over his years in residence – and knows that it is murder. The dudes are furious … and that is before she informs them they are going to have to tell everyone at dinner they cannot leave until the case is solved.
Off we go on a wild yet perfectly controlled caper, which incorporates Cupp's genius deduction skills and cartoonish cutaway visions of the first family's home, interrupted by interviews with an array of fabulously idiosyncratic characters, who provide clues, possible motives and suspects for the murder.
An assistant usher, Jasmine Haney (Susan Kelechi Watson), explains the them-and-us divide between the domestic and political staff – then reveals that she was due to take over as chief usher before Wynter's mysterious decision that day not to retire as he had planned. The president's friend Harry Hollinger (Ken Marino) is found secretly searching the victim's study for 'important papers'. The permanently drunk butler Sheila Cannon (Edwina Findley) has left a potentially incriminating cigarette butt near the garden shed from which a fateful call to Wynter was placed. And does the pastry chef's resentment over Wynter's relegation of his annual Christmas gingerbread masterpiece to a lesser showroom make him a suspect, too, or just a heartbroken but harmless patissier?
There is also a cameo from Kylie Minogue (who has been bribed to perform with the promise of an overnight stay in the Lincoln bedroom); a spot of outdoor sex between the Australian foreign minister (Brett Tucker) and a White House chef (Mary Wiseman), before Cupp trains her binoculars on him and discovers, thanks to her knowledge of Australian and American tailoring, that he is wearing the dead man's shirt; and much, much else besides. It's all executed with absurd audacity and panache.
The Residence is a gorgeous, gleeful romp that allows not just Aduba but all of the many players in the cast to shine. A spirit of uplifting generosity and joy infuses the whole thing. The investigation is cleverly structured as a flashback, delivered between scenes of them all – or almost all, and therein lies a growing secondary mystery – giving testimony before a congressional committee full of bickering senators, but ostensibly designed to lay rumours to rest and counter the misinformation distributed to the public since the death became public.
Although there is an ensemble vibe, it remains Aduba's show, and rightfully so. She is a magnetic presence and The Residence takes full advantage of that. This is not television that is going to change the world, but it is going to give you eight hours of fantastic escape. Enjoy.
The Residence is on Netflix now

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

We're Obsessed With Maya Jama's Swimwear Collection - Here's Where To Shop It
We're Obsessed With Maya Jama's Swimwear Collection - Here's Where To Shop It

Graziadaily

time3 hours ago

  • Graziadaily

We're Obsessed With Maya Jama's Swimwear Collection - Here's Where To Shop It

With Love Island season 12 about to kick off, let us take a moment to rejoice in the people's princess and queen of Love Island , Maya Jama, who is poised to return to our screens tonight. Not only are Maya Jama's Love Island outfits something to behold (we all know she's the real bombshell here) but her bikini-wearing ability is nothing short of perfection. With countless cozzies and two-pieces to choose from, if you're looking to add to your swimwear collection, finding a starting point can seem a little overwhelming. So instead, take note from someone who spends many weeks of the year surrounded by swimwear-clad girlies, a certified bikini connoisseur if you will, Maya Jama. A quick check on Jama's Instagram and you'll soon see plenty of envy-inducing holiday snaps that'll give you plenty of bikini inspo before you've even started watching Love Island . Most recently, a recreation of an archival Versace catwalk look from the spring '92 collection, complete with matching sarong and headscarf, of course. Or for something a little more wearable, note the black-and-red patterned two piece from Australian label TRIANGL, which is actually available in plenty of different versions if you're not into a thong bikini ('thongkini') bottom situation. So, from the itsy bitsy, teeny weenie 'kinis to more straightforward separates, we've been tracking down some of the best so you can get in on the action. Thank us later. TRIANGL Palma Berti Knit Balconette Bikini Set Head to TRIANGL for plenty of printed pieces. Choose from bandeau tops, micro shorts or classic cup styles to find your perfect fit. Versace Underwater Barocco One-Piece Swimsuit Whilst this exact swimsuit isn't available to buy, Versace's swimwear collection is full of pieces that give the same glam vibe. This logo version does the trick. Monday Swimwear Palma Triangle Bikini Top You can't beat a classic. This black-and-white triangle bikini is one you'll come back to time and time again. Melissa Odabash Monza Chain-Link Bikini Top This triangle top and tie-side bottom Melissa Odabash bikini will make for perfect poolside posing, plus, the pieces are sold separately so you can mix and match on sizes. Skims Signature Swim Triangle Bikini Top If all else fails, opt for classic black. Skims's triangle set is available in six different colourways and ranges from size XXS to 4LX. Calzedonia Triangle Bikini Top with Removable Padding Crinkle Waves Try a crinkle textured bikini for a style that's always super flattering, also available in cream, raspberry red and deep burgundy. Julia Harvey has been Grazia's shopping editor for four years, overseeing and editing all things shopping for the title from trend pages, interiors, gift guides and the best things to buy now in both print and online.

Cascais hosts Atlantic Sunsets: electronic music parties take over the Marina and Forte de Santo António da Barra
Cascais hosts Atlantic Sunsets: electronic music parties take over the Marina and Forte de Santo António da Barra

Time Out

time5 hours ago

  • Time Out

Cascais hosts Atlantic Sunsets: electronic music parties take over the Marina and Forte de Santo António da Barra

It's not every day that the Cascais' Marina and the Forte de Santo António da Barra in Estoril get transformed into dance floors – but that's exactly what's happening this August with Atlantic Sunsets, a series of electronic music parties set to take over these unlikely spaces. On August 2nd, the Marina de Cascais hosts sets from Australian DJ RY X, French artist Marten Lou, local duos Moullinex & GPU Panic (in a special hybrid set they're calling MXGPU) and Ari Girão & John Woods. Then, on August 16th, as previously announced, the Forte de Santo António da Barra welcomes the British act Jungle (in DJ set mode), Turkish talent Carlita, plus Ari Girão & John Woods once again, along with a surprise international artist whose name will be revealed on June 29th due to contractual reasons. 'With a limited capacity, the Cascais Atlantic Sunsets were designed as a sophisticated, sensory experience where every element – from the line-up to the setting – was chosen to create unforgettable sunset moments,' the organisers said in a statement. 'The Marina, usually all about nautical life, and the Forte de Santo António da Barra, rarely opened for events, are now transformed into unexpected stages for a unique celebration of music and place.' Tickets are available online now, priced between €30 and €35, with a VIP package also on offer for €150. The event is organised by Gigs on Mars with support from Cascais City Council and Turismo de Cascais.

Nursery teacher turned OnlyFans star to SUE student's dad who leaked x-rated pics to football mates and got her sacked
Nursery teacher turned OnlyFans star to SUE student's dad who leaked x-rated pics to football mates and got her sacked

The Sun

time8 hours ago

  • The Sun

Nursery teacher turned OnlyFans star to SUE student's dad who leaked x-rated pics to football mates and got her sacked

A CATHOLIC nursery school teacher turned OnlyFans star is set to sue the dad of a pupil who got her sacked after leaking her X-rated snaps. Elena Maraga, 29, became the centre of a scandal after her erotic online account filled with adult content was leaked to a football team's group chat. 6 6 6 6 She was suspended without pay from her job at a nursery in north Italy after refusing to delete the account before being sacked. Although she fought fiercely to stay, church leaders said her adult content had exposed the school to "reputational risks". Now Elena is suing the dad she says found her OnlyFans profile and leaked the subscriber-only pictures to a football fans' group chat. The racey snaps spread like wildfire before the dad's wife reported the miss to the school authorities. Elena said: 'There are parents who accused me, but they are the same ones who paid to see me. It's embarrassing. "They made me look like a harlot, but who is the immoral one? "I want to give voice to all those women who, like me, have felt condemned or punished for doing things that men also do without facing any consequences. "Me, who can do what I want with my body in my spare time, or them, who pay to watch and then condemn? "I'm tired of the injustices I've suffered." Elena also filed complaints against three social media users for allegedly defamatory comments posted after the revelation broke. OnlyFans star Merve Taskin ARRESTED over offering Valentine's night with fan for £9k…& listing what she'd give in return The miss turned OnlyFans star is also facing a second legal battle in an appeal for financial compensation against school officials who she says dismissed her without reason. She said: "Despite everything, I miss the children - but not the problems related to that job that I loved. "But today I would not go back." School authorities said her contract would be terminated "for just cause with immediate effect. It claimed that her OnlyFans account "contrasts with the Catholic inspiration that guides the educational direction of the school". The controversy was unearthed after the father of one of her pupils allegedly bought photos from her OnlyFans. Maraga claims that the man's wife found out after he distributed the pictures to a football group. But the 29-year-old has blasted the way her former employer handled the matter. She said: "They attacked me, saying I was seeking media attention. "Taking compromising photos has never compromised my professionalism at work. "The school has never wanted to talk to me, they have always acted with letters and have never wanted dialogue. 6 6 "I am surprised that a Catholic school that preaches morality treats an employee in this way." The Italian education ministry has signalled its intent to draw up a new code of ethics to prevent teachers appearing on adult sites, The Telegraph has reported. Maraga told Italian media she has a degree in Educational Sciences and that she had been working in a Catholic nursery for five years. She told Il Messaggero: "I love being a nursery school teacher, it was my vocation since I was a child." She added that she opened the account one month ago "partly for fun, partly out of curiosity, partly to see if you could really earn money". She said: "In one day I get a month's salary."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store