James Patterson Loves This Version Of Alex Cross (Sorry, Tyler Perry)

Feminista Jones (aka Michelle) thinks Aldis Hodge's portrayal does justice to the author's brilliant police detective by leaning into the character's authenticity.

Hold onto your horses, hats, hearts, and hind parts, Aldis Hodge (Leverage) is doing a thing! Does it matter what this gorgeous, sexy man is doing? Nope. We’re watching it because we all need to be graced with this kind of beauty whenever we can. In this case, Hodge stars as the title character in a new series, Cross, based on the James Patterson novels about the brilliant detective, Alex Cross. If that name rings familiar, it’s because this is one of the most popular literature-to-screen crossover characters in modern times. Previously played in films by Morgan Freeman and, uhhh, Tyler Perry, Alex Cross is back in the streets of Washington, D.C. solving difficult crimes and navigating the lingering effects of personal trauma and the kind of spiritual conflict that comes with being a Black male police officer in the hood.

The television series is streaming on Amazon Prime, with all eight episodes available to binge from start to finish or watch at a decent pace like someone not experiencing post-election existential dread. I binged it for you and this is definitely a show you want to add to your list. If you’re an Alex Cross purist, you may get distracted by differences in his narrative. With more than thirty books written about Cross’s life and career, it’s hard to include every detail in eight episodes. However, the key elements that make Cross an intriguing character are there. He’s a widowed dad plagued by the unsolved case of his wife’s murder. Cross is being surveilled by someone who is obsessed with him. His Ph.D. in psychology, combined with his street smarts, afford him the ability to see and understand things that others don’t or can’t. And, he’s fine as hell. 

My favorite thing about this series—aside from staring and salivating over Aldis Hodge’s too-tight shirts clinging to his bulging muscles—is how culturally responsible it is. My academic career is built upon my ability to analyze the depictions of African American culture in media, specifically film, and television, so I’ll always zoom in on how culturally responsible television shows and films are when it comes to portraying the lived experiences of Black folks. This series is set in Washington, D.C., a city with a significant African American population. Whenever stories are set in D.C. and appear devoid of Black folks (and culture), I raise my eyebrow. However, showrunner and executive producer Ben Watkins (Truth Be Told, Wu-Tang: An American Saga) is known for getting it “right” when it comes to representing the reality of African American experiences. The show touches on important and timely issues like police brutality and corruption, poverty and disenfranchisement, and substance abuse. There is a care with which the nuances of Cross’s cultural identity are handled that made me breathe a sigh of relief. Patterson was intentional in developing Cross as an African American man in D.C., and the character’s cultural identity factors heavily into how he moves through physical and psychological spaces. His best friend is his partner and their bond represents the power of intimate friendships between Black men. The show takes it deeper, focusing more on things like Black masculinity and the struggle to harness vulnerability as a strength as opposed to a weakness.

You’re going to enjoy standout performances from Isaiah Mustafa, someone I’ve been waiting to have a role like this to bring him into the spotlight, and Ryan Eggold (New Amsterdam) as Ed Ramsey, the main villain of season one (and yes, they’ve already ordered a second season). What you may not like are some of the violent scenes, especially those against women (there is one scene early on depicting particularly violent acts against a Black woman that might disturb you). Keep in mind that it is a series about a homicide detective, so it will get gruesome at times. I’m excited to have a show with an African American male protagonist who is brilliant, complex, a champion of his people, and did I mention absurdly beautiful? Have you seen it? I’m interested in your thoughts!