Latest news with #TheResidence:InsidethePrivateWorldoftheWhiteHouse
New York Times
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A President Obsessed With Water Pressure? On Netflix and in the White House.
This week, as the global economy struggled to adjust to whipsawing tariff policies, President Trump signed an executive order to address another national crisis: weak shower head pressure. The order, aimed at reducing bureaucracy and regulation, reverses limits on how much water can pour out of a nozzle per minute, which were implemented by the Obama and Biden administrations in an attempt to conserve water. Mr. Trump, while signing the order, noted that, in particular, he doesn't appreciate that weak pressure hinders him from getting a good hair wash. 'In my case I like to take a nice shower, to take care of my beautiful hair,' he told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday. 'I have to stand under the shower for 15 minutes until it gets wet. It comes out drip, drip, drip. It's ridiculous.' Weak shower pressure has been one of Mr. Trump's longstanding pet peeves. But the whole thing may have sounded familiar — a little too familiar — for anyone who has been watching Netflix's recent screwball mystery series, 'The Residence,' in which President Perry Morgan, played by Paul Fitzgerald, has a similar pet peeve, with a White House usher explaining that he demands 'pressure like a fire hose.' As the White House staff tries to get the pressure right, President Morgan is vocally disappointed. 'A rumor of a mist,' he declares after one attempt. At one point, NASA gets involved. The Shondaland show, which features stars like Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito and Randall Park, revolves around a murder at the White House during a state dinner, unleashing a sprawling whodunit in the mansion, with details about the building and its history that are drawn heavily from Kate Andersen Brower's nonfiction book, 'The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House.' It premiered last month and rocketed into Netflix's top-10 most-watched shows. The water pressure incident was a quirky scene that proved almost too prescient, and Paul William Davies, the writer and producer of the show, took some time on Friday to discuss how he finds the whole thing 'thoroughly amusing.' This show leverages the White House's many rooms, secret passageways and quirky staffing details. How much of it is fact and fiction? Obviously, the big picture part of it — the dead body in the White House — is 100 percent fiction. But, as much as I possibly could, I tried to draw on, or at least be inspired by, things that did actually happen that I thought were kind of fascinating. So I used quite a bit of stuff that Kate Brower had in her book — anecdotes, specific things about relationships or just incidents and so forth. And other things that I had found doing research outside of the book as well. So, there are a fair number of things in the show that I think people would be surprised to realize that they were actually rooted in some real White House history. So is the shower scene based on fact? It is. It's based on a thing that happened with President Johnson, who was obsessed with his shower — both the water pressure and the water temperature. And when he moved into the White House, immediately after the Kennedy assassination, obviously, he became very fixated on the low water pressure. To the extent that, as Kate reports it, he threatened to leave, to move out of the White House and to move back to where he lived in Washington. And it was like a multiyear effort to kind of tackle the plumbing in the White House to achieve what he wanted, which was apparently unreal, like he wanted a fire hose. There was one plumber who worked in the White House who did, at one point, bring in folks from outside, the Park Service and other federal entities, to see if they could work on the water pressure, and also had people leave the White House to go look at other buildings that he had been in to see if they could kind of replicate the systems. Have you tested the water pressure at the White House? I have not. There's just something about shower water pressure that feels so personal and relatable. It's one of those things that reminds you, 'Oh, presidents, they're just like us.' Yeah. I mean, it really does go to the fact that this is the home of the president. You know, it's an old building — there's lots of quirks to it, and the water pressure is certainly one of them. And to your point, it is very relatable because at the end of the day, that's where somebody is living and waking up and going to bed and doing all the things that we all do in our places. So what were your thoughts when you saw life imitating art in this way? It made me laugh because I hadn't really thought about the water pressure thing as being something that would come back up again. There are a couple of other things in the show: I have a scene between two senators where they talk about buying Greenland and also abolishing the Department of Education. Both of which have obviously come up as concepts in the last couple of months. And I've gotten a lot of people come to me saying, 'Wait, when did you write this?' But the shower thing kind of surprised me because it seemed like such a particular obsession of President Johnson's that I didn't expect to hear about it. When did you write those references to Greenland and Department of Education? A couple of years ago. Wait — are you a clairvoyant? Well, there's a third thing in that speech about fracking under San Francisco — that's the only one left. I haven't heard anything about that. OK, I want to get a little bit personal — what is the water pressure like in your house? It's terrible. It's actually bad and I do appreciate a strong shower. I don't think I would survive something like President Johnson's, but somewhere between what I have in my house and President Johnson's would probably be good.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This New Murder Mystery Is A Top Show On Netflix Right Now
'The Residence' is currently the second most popular show on Netflix, according to the platform's public ranking system. The new mystery drama was inspired by Kate Andersen Brower's 2015 bestseller 'The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House.' Starring Uzo Aduba, the show follows an eccentric detective as she investigates a murder at the White House during a state dinner. Produced by Shonda Rhimes' Shondaland, 'The Residence' premiered on March 20 with the simultaneous release of all eight episodes. The cast also includes Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Edwina Findley and Randall Park. Read on for more trending shows of the moment across streaming services including Max, Paramount+, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. And if you want to stay informed about all things streaming, subscribe to the Streamline newsletter. The most popular series on Hulu is the new limited series 'Good American Family.' Based on the story of Ukrainian-born orphan Natalia Grace, the drama depicts the child's adoption and subsequent abandonment by her new American parents, who accused her of being an adult impersonating a young girl. 'Good American Family,' which premiered on March 19, stars Ellen Pompeo, Mark Duplass and Imogen Faith Reid. 'A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read' is one of the most popular shows on Max at the moment. The Investigation Discovery docuseries explores the death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe, who was found dead in a snowbank under mysterious circumstances. More specifically, the five-episode series dives into the controversial trial of O'Keefe's girlfriend Karen Read, who was accused of his murder. Another true crime-focused series premiered on Paramount+ on March 20. 'Happy Face' is an adaptation of Melissa Moore's podcast 'Happy Face' and 2009 memoir 'Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer's Daughter.' Starring Annaleigh Ashford and Dennis Quaid, the drama debuted with the release of the first two episodes. The subsequent six will drop on Thursdays until May 1. The South Korean zombie rom-com (or 'zom-com') series 'Newtopia' is currently trending on Amazon Prime Video. The show revolves around a recently broken up couple finding their way back together amid a zombie apocalypse. Blackpink singer Jisoo stars alongside Park Jeong-min. 'The Residence' Is A Fresh Twist On The Classic Murder-Mystery Formula 'Snow White' Is A Strange, Hot Mess 'Ice Princess' And Michelle Trachtenberg Helped A Generation Of Girls Gain Confidence
Gulf Today
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
‘The Residence': Uzo Aduba delights in Netflix murder mystery
OK, so think 'Scandal,' but take out the sex and the spying and the occasional gruesomeness and all but one suspicious death, and add more wit, a lot of bird-watching, a dash of 'Knives Out' and a lot of behind-the-scenes-at-the-White-House-family-quarters dish, and you'll get 'The Residence,' the latest Netflix offering from Shonda Rhimes' factory of addictive TV. Starring a delightfully unimpressed Uzo Aduba as eccentric detective Cordelia Cupp, 'The Residence' is a murder mystery unfolding over eight episodes, in which Cordelia and a gaggle of hangers-on try to figure out why White House lead usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito, mostly turning up in flashbacks) was found dead on the Game Room floor after a state dinner. (Nonspoiler alert: Netflix didn't make the final episode available for preview, so I have no idea whatsoever whodunit — but let's just say I, like Cordelia, have my suspicions.) Though now might not be the ideal time for a screwball comedy set in the White House, rest assured that 'The Residence' is strictly apolitical and might actually provide a cheerful diversion from daily news; the residence staffers on the show emphasize that (as in real life) they work for the house, not the specific administration. The show is inspired by Kate Andersen Brower's 2015 nonfiction book 'The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House,' and fascinating tidbits from that book pop up in the show; for example, the fact that first families, often to their surprise, are billed for their own food at the White House. And Lyndon B. Johnson's legendary obsession with having the hottest, strongest shower possible appears in a late episode, as the pet cause of fictional president Perry Morgan (Paul Fitzgerald). The fun here, though, is in the performances, and in the snappy pacing that wouldn't be out of place in a rat-a-tat '30s rom-com. Series creator Paul William Davies (a 'Scandal' veteran) rapidly introduces us to a vast crowd of characters: Cordelia, a genius detective who loves tinned mackerel and would really rather be bird-watching; FBI special agent Edwin Park (Randall Park), reluctantly paired with Cordelia; would-be head usher Jasmine Haney (Susan Kelechi Watson); usher/loose cannon Sheila Cannon (Edwina Findley); Reese Witherspoon-ish social secretary Lilly Schumacher (Molly Griggs); the president's ne'er-do-well brother Tripp (Jason Lee); a rather dramatic pastry chef named Didier (Bronson Pinchot); and ... sorry, I need to catch my breath here, something the show doesn't really let you do. Anyway, there seem to be approximately 200 main characters, including a senator played by Al Franken who caused me to think for much too long that wow, that actor really looks a lot like Al Franken, and a very funny running gag involving Hugh Jackman. Things unfold in a way familiar to anyone who's read an Agatha Christie novel or watched Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc: The detective asks questions, hears multiple versions of what happened, looks for clues, gets distracted by rare birds. (OK, that last thing is a fresh twist.) It's great fun to follow the twisty cameras up and down the beautifully re-created White House hallways, to watch as the rapid-fire narrative zips from one scene to the next, to appreciate Aduba's multiple variants on Cordelia's weary resignation to being the smartest person in the room. (I loved the slightly blase tone which she sighs, upon seeing an array of men determined to weigh in on the investigation, 'That is a lot of dudes,' and the way she gets people to confess to things simply by holding her face very still.) And there are enough supporting players from 'Veep' (Park, Fitzgerald, Isiah Whitlock Jr.) to make you wonder whether Julia Louis-Dreyfus' President Selina Meyer might suddenly sashay into the room and start barking orders; a welcome thought indeed. Tribune news Service
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix and Shondaland's 'The Residence' Premieres in Hollywood
On Wednesday, March 19, Netflix and Shondaland held the world premiere of The Residence, a new White House murder mystery series starring Uzo Aduba and a cast that includes Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson, Randall Park, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Edwina Findley, Al Franken and Eliza Coupe. The eight-episode series is inspired by the book, The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, by Kate Andersen Brower. The story follows Cordelia Cupp (Aduba), an eccentric detective who investigates a murder that occurs during a state dinner at the White House. The entire staff — and everyone present at the dinner — becomes a suspect. Prior the screening at the Egyptian, writer, producer, and showrunner Paul William Davies shared how working on a TV show is a lot like working in the White House: 'When you really look at that house, you see a lot of people working together and there are a lot of ups and downs, but that's what the stairs are for," he joked, adding, "It's ultimately one house undivided." Executive producer Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers also said a few words. 'We are so excited to be here tonight, and honestly, we're thrilled to finally bring this show to the world,' said Rhimes. Read more from Abduo on The Residence here.
Chicago Tribune
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘The Residence' review: A comedic whodunint … at the White House?
When a White House employee is found dead on the premises during a state dinner, Cordelia Cupp, a consulting detective for the police, is called in to find out who done it in the Netflix series 'The Residence.' The series comes from Paul William Davies, whose credits include the soapy Shonda Rhimes drama 'Scandal' about White House power players and the fixer tasked with keeping their secrets hidden. It probably wasn't a leap for Davies (or Rhimes, who is an executive producer here) to wonder if that setting would work as the backdrop for a comedic murder mystery. Considering the real-world state of affairs at the moment, I don't know what to do with the cognitive dissonance of a concept that envisions the White House as a neutral location for a breezy, deeply nonpolitical TV series. Just go with it, I guess? But at least Davies has done something increasingly rare. Instead of putting wielders of influence at the story's center, he's refocused his attention — and therefore ours — to the people who labor in the background tasked with the upkeep and cleaning of the building itself. He's drawing from the 2015 book 'The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House,' a non-fiction account of the behind-the-scenes staff who work official events, as well as accommodate the whims and needs of the first family in their private residence. The latter is where the dead body is discovered. Starring Uzo Aduba, Cordelia Cupp is a sleuth defined by her competence. That's her quirk. It's a great spin on a character trope more typically written as an over-the-top eccentric genius. Cordelia can be blunt, which generates all kinds of sputtering and appalled reactions, which she blithely ignores. People assume she cares what they think of her. She doesn't! A Senate hearing investigating her investigation provides a framing device for much of the season, in which relevant witnesses recall what happened on the night of the murder. Randall Park plays the FBI agent who is paired with Cordelia, though she has little use for him and he tries to get this point across in his testimony. 'And she didn't care about anything you said?' a senator asks? 'No! She didn't care about what anybody said! And a lot of people were saying things at that point.' Striding around the White House in her wooly brown suit and nerdy sweater vest, she's too self-assured to even notice, let alone be bothered. She's there to work, but she doesn't make a show of it because she doesn't have to. Her reputation for solving unsolvable crimes precedes her. She doesn't rush into assumptions and this makes her a spiritual cousin of the indelible private detective Hercule Poirot, In one of Agatha Christie's novels, he's asked what he thinks. 'As yet, I think nothing,' he says. 'I collect only impressions. What kind of people they were, all those who were involved and what happened exactly on those last few days?' This is Cordelia's style as well. Instead of setting up a murder board, she quietly sketches and jots down her thoughts in a journal. She's a serious birder, which seems to confuse or at least annoy everyone, but it reflects her curiosity and her patience. Her interview technique is to simply sit and stare until the person becomes so uncomfortable they start babbling. It's nearly impossible for anyone to get a read on Cordelia, and Aduba is having a lot of fun with the role. The dead man, one A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), was a head of the household staff. Elegantly professional, we get a sense of who he was in flashbacks, where he's shown to be an impeccable if quietly demanding, sometimes inflexible boss. When he loses his cool with subordinates, it's behind closed doors. But in public, he's the picture of self-control. Who would want him gone? Any number of people who were at the White House that night are possible suspects, with a focus on the 'downstairs' personnel, including a pastry chef (Bronson Pinchot), a maintenance worker (Mel Rodriguez), a housekeeper (Julieth Restrepo) and a butler (Edwina Findley). As for the president (Paul Fitzgerald), he's a cypher. His political party, or anything even hinting in that direction, never comes up. His bland facade is occasionally threatened by a freeloading brother (Jason Lee) who also lives in the White House because he's the rogue family member who needs stashing away to prevent any unseemly PR disasters. The president's vodka-loving mother-in-law (Jane Curtin) also lives in the White House, and she's able to tell Cordelia the exact time she heard a thump when Wynter's body hit the floor a few rooms over. How can you be so precise, Cordelia asks suspiciously? 'Well, I have a clock,' says the older woman, gesturing to a nearby digital clock with large red numbers. ' That is a clock,' Cupp concurs. Reader, I have the same clock. The numbers are enormous. I bought it specifically so I could see the time from anywhere in the room. I had to laugh. I also love a throwaway gag as two people go at it amorously in the kitchen; the physical comedy is brief but wonderfully ridiculous as they're splayed on a counter with all four legs clanging on the pots and pans hanging overhead. The show is structured as a manor house murder mystery and wears its influences on its sleeve. Impatient with Cordelia's process, one outraged and betuxed member of the president's inner circle declares: 'I don't care if she's Miss Marple or Sherlock Holmes or whoever Daniel Craig is in that movie.' Episode 3 is literally titled 'Knives Out,' just in case anyone missed the parallels. But if anything, I wonder if the concept would be better suited to a more traditional network TV-style series, featuring Cordelia Cupp in a new location each week, solving another unsolvable crime. She's the kind of character who could work in any setting, surrounded by a new ensemble each time. That requires a strong, no-nonsense performance (check) but also writing that understands what makes self-contained storytelling so satisfying on an episode-by-episode basis (and there are real hints of that here). 'Murder, She Wrote' made it work for 12 seasons and 264 episodes. It's a shame streaming platforms have lesser ambitions. 'The Residence' — 3 stars (out of 4) Where to watch: Netflix
