There have been issues adapting James Patterson’s signature character, Alex Cross. Even Morgan Freeman’s starring turns in Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider were in uninspired mystery films that lacked a script as smart as their protagonist. Placing Tyler Perry as the DC area detective who also happens to be a forensic psychologist was pandering of the highest order.
Then came Prime Video’s Cross, a series entry into prestige dad television. A tonal misfire, the first season suffered from clunky execution and uneven pacing, making it difficult to recommend, especially with its supercharged horror bent, whose own unpleasantness took away from a genuinely intriguing mystery. However, you knew the qualities were there and that, if given a second season, it could fix the obvious mistakes.
A misfire then, but not now. The creative team has found the sweet spot for Cross, perfectly mixing thriller, horror, and suspense, with a magnetic lead, strong supporting characters, and a plot that is relevant, timely, and surprisingly soulful when seen through the antagonist’s eyes. The second season of Cross is the best James Patterson adaptation ever, which is saying something.
The second season continues to follow Alex Cross (One Night in Miami’s Aldis Hodge), dealing with his trauma and grief while hunting down the new flavor of the month when it comes to the brilliant but deranged, theatrical yet sadistic villain he faces on an annual basis. This time, the story focuses on real-life issues like corporate billionaires who traffic young women to an island for their sexual pleasures and fantasies.
That villain is Rebecca (Upload’s Jeanine Mason, fantastic here), who targets human traffickers and their associates. Her partner, Donnie (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’s Wes Chatham), is the muscle, not that she needs it. Every time Rebecca finds one of these corporate rich assholes, she cuts off their fingers, daring others who read about her vengeful antics never to touch another young girl again.
One of the corrupt fat cats is Lance Durand (Scream’s Matthew Lillard), who is receiving death threats. Soon, Cross and his partner, John Sampson (It Chapter Two’s Isaiah Mustafa, who has come a long way since his Old Spice commercial days), ugh, no pun intended, cross with FBI Agent Kayla Craig (a terrific Alona Tal). Suddenly, the stakes are higher, the complications are messier, and they begin to hit far too close to home.
Cross is from writer-producer Ben Watkins (Burn Notice), who also plays Roy, a federal agent on the show, and who fixes the biggest mistake from the first season. Now, Alex Cross’s intelligence and skill, both mental and physical, are put on display instead of being overshadowed by countless scenes of horror. Here, Cross stands out and feels unique, with Hodge delivering an extraordinary performance of depth and raw emotion in the role.
Then there is the “villain” role played by Jeanine Mason. The writing here, in particular, is not as salacious as it could be. The story and subtext are rich, following a woman fueled by vengeance and a mission to rid the world of sex traffickers everywhere. Sure, it may be more fun when someone is pure evil. However, the creative team makes you question whether Rebecca should be stopped. That type of compelling storyline is where this genre lives.
The second season of Cross is worth watching because it extroardinally compelling television. The cast is pitch-perfect, and Isaiah Mustafa deserves his own spinoff. Sit back, pop some popcorn, and enjoy Prime Video’s latest dad television for a new generation.
Season 2 of Cross is now available to stream exclusively on Prime Video.
The second season of Cross is worth watching because it extroardinally compelling television. The cast is pitch-perfect, and Isaiah Mustafa deserves his own spinoff. Sit back, pop some popcorn, and enjoy Prime Video's latest dad television for a new generation.
I am a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. However, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, and that’s when I often stumble over. When I’m not writing about movies, I patiently wait for the next Pearl Jam album and pass the time by scratching my wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. I was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs, but I chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find my work on InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Hidden Remote, Music City Drive-In, Nerd Alert, and Film Focus Online.
