‘Cross’ Season 1 Review — A Misfire, For Now

No adaptation of the James Patterson Alex Cross book series has been executed without significant flaws. The closest attempt was the first, Kiss the Girls, with Morgan Freeman portraying Alex Cross. However, even that film is barely recommendable. It relies more on tone and a decent atmosphere than logic or genuine suspense. It is a classic example of a ’90s thriller where a notable actor appears in a minor role only to be revealed as the killer.

Then came Along Came a Spider, which epitomizes the generic thriller formula. The 2012 franchise reboot Alex Cross, starring Tyler Perry, followed this. Unfortunately, that iteration offered little originality, failing to elevate or even competently handle the genre’s well-established tropes. Perry, miscast in the lead role, struggled to bring depth to the character. Moreover, the film veered into brutal horror territory, which felt at odds with the series’ essence.

Now, we have Cross, the first streaming adaptation of the series, premiering on Prime Video and starring Aldis Hodge. Casting a new generation of actors in the role is a smart move. Hodge brings magnetic sex appeal and some genuinely compelling moments, especially when viewed through a socially conscious lens. However, this adaptation ultimately misses the mark, failing to capture what makes the titular character so distinctive.

Specifically, the show sacrifices the intelligence and skill that define Alex Cross in favor of other qualities. As a result, the character feels less unique, blending into the sea of generic police detective archetypes. For example, in the opening scene, Cross overhears a white supremacist suspect saying something incriminating that everyone else—sergeants, captains, and others in the observation room—misses.

The interaction is so poorly constructed and implausible that it fails to meet even the modest standards of typical police procedurals for crafting clever interrogations. Yes, you can argue it is television because of a “good” story. After all, this is not a documentary. However, that makes Alex Cross such a profound summer reading literary character—the ability to be unconventional compared to others around Cross does not exist in the Prime video series.

The case, for example, is virtually free of teaching the viewer about forensic psychology. Cross and his partner, John (Isaiah Mustafa, excellent here), try to track a suspect (a creepy Ryan Eggold) who is killing people as a tribute to infamous serial killers over the years. There is little focus on understanding human crime-related behavior, legal processes, and societal rules to solve this crime. Where Cross excels is about folding in the trauma of Cross’s past into his personal life and with the “Black Lives Matter” movement.

These are the themes that elevate Cross beyond the generic horror-thriller tropes. One poignant and moving scene features Hodge’s Cross calling a local radio station to request a song he and his late wife used to love. The subplot involving the first victim touches on timely themes of socioeconomic and racial injustice, but unfortunately, it quickly becomes an afterthought. When the series revisits these themes, it leads to a plot twist reminiscent of countless ’90s thrillers—tired, predictable, and lacking originality.

This issue stems partly from the source material’s age suffering from imitation countless times over the years. Still, Cross is worth watching if you’re a diehard fan of the book franchise or prefer your television thrillers leaning toward the horror spectrum rather than intellectual crime dramas. Hodge’s performance is commendable, and the supporting cast delivers solid work, particularly Alona Tal, who shines as a dynamic FBI agent. Her character’s rebellious streak against the grain makes her worthy of a spinoff series.

However, Cross suffers from clunky execution and uneven pacing, making it difficult to recommend devoting eight episodes of your time. The television reboot of the uber-popular James Patterson franchise of novels is as misfire, for now, but has a chance to improve on mistakes if given another season.

You can stream the entire freshman season of Cross now on Prime Video!