I like how long dragged it was. Full of actual plot twists and surprises. Loved the acting and the way it was filmed.

Took a bit to get there but the writers had to a lot of pipe. Then it became a delightful whodunit! Awesome cast too, love Jane Curtain!! I’m sure it’ll get some kinda nod come awards season.

Very fun "American" whodunit! We don't have many old manor houses or brilliant little old ladies/self absorbed but genius Belgians...and so the setting of the White House and the bird watching, eccentric detective were familiar but also refreshing! More please Netflix.

I started watching this a while on a trip in Hawaii because it reminded me of my mom and her never-ending love of Agatha Christie... And it was so funny and rewarding and full of intriguing characters and yes very much Agatha Christie but the lead actress is phenomenal and her supporting cast are intriguing as well... The neurotic obsession with birding is also highly entertaining for me

The show starts off slow but does pick up on the 3rd ish episode. It did keep me on my toes wondering who it could have been. Thought it could have been a bit better as in the plot but was not horrible.

We watched the first three episodes, lured by the quirky characters and White House setting. Then they started adding so much filler to the hamburger that it ceased to taste like meat. Skipped to the last episode---turns out we didn't miss a thing, since they recycled plot points—and, talky talky talky, this balloon deflated to its ho-hum ending.

It was entertaining. Best thing I think was that it doesn't take it self so serious. Fun characters and good acting. Plot was predictable unpredictable.

one of the BEST shows Netflix has to offer

Very enjoyable cross between knives out style detective work and the chaos of a non-political washington dc. Quirks like frequent kylie minogue mentions and the focus on birding add levity and hilarity.

Everyone loves a good whodunit. It's one of the few genres that have remained relevant since its conception. Authors and screenwriters alike love a good mystery and trying their hands at making one themselves. Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot were vehicles for some of the most iconic mysteries ever told, with ‘Knives Out’ and ‘Chinatown’ being cinema’s most iconic mystery stories. Now, amongst their ranks, we have Netflix’s ‘The Residence’, perhaps one of the greatest entries of the genre this decade. Based on ‘The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House’ a nonfiction book detailing the roles of the service staff of the play in the White House, the series follows Cordelia Cupp as she tries to solve a murder within the messy and conflicting politics that play within the home of the US president. Immediately, the show plunges into the chaotic rhythm of its unusual non-linear story beats. The show frequently flashes back, flashes forward, and flashes back again from a different perspective, depending on a specific character’s recollection of events. Our guide through all this, Cordelia Cup, played by Uzo Aduba, is perhaps the best suited for this brand of quirky series of events. As the seeming love child of Sherlock Holmes and Captain Raymond Holt from Brooklyn 99, she is tired of the social-political ramifications of having a suspicious death in the white house. She would much rather spend her time watching birds than deal with the comedically scrupulous and incompetent suspects that surround her. Luckily, her willingness to call out BS when she sees it and her retailer-like willpower to wait out other people’s BS pair nicely with the series' sporadic routine. She isn’t a downer that drags the show down, but she acts as a sort of quirky straightman/woman up against the entire cast, and she pairs off them exceptionally well. The Mystery itself isn't too different from your standard mystery. The death seems simple, but everything about it falls apart after closer scrutiny. Throw in three to four red herrings and a surprise twist, and then you arrest the perp. The Residence follows all these beats, more or less, but what makes this show so enjoyable is the roundabout way they approach it all. Similar to how the story structure is fast and loose, taking place in the past or present. Every episode, at every moment of progression, the show would take an energetic yet comedic detour, exploring how each suspect or incident became such a problem. A humorous example is when, at one point, someone drove a truck into the White House gate. None of the interviewees could agree on how many people were involved or who was involved, so we are shown all interpretations of the event. This kind of attention to detail, creative form of expression, and exposure to the flimsiness of eyewitnesses make this series so endearing. You never know if what you are watching is a clue, a lie, a joke, or all of the above. It all came together as a unique style of flow and pacing that made The Residence unique among all other mystery shows of its kind. The Residence is a show with many moving parts and active characters. It's fun and engaging; every twist and turn leaves you speechless. However, like many shows with a complex build-up, the ending sometimes leaves you wanting. For the most part, that doesn’t apply here. While the ending’s theme seems to be out of sync with what the show is building up to be, the final reveal and execution line up perfectly with what the show is building. It lands the landing better than others who attempted greater. In the end, you leave the residence wanting more of Cornelia Cupp, and The Residence is just the beginning of a long batch of stories of the Bird Watching detective. But honestly, how could you possibly top a murder in the White House? Perhaps we will see more in the future and get into a long ride with Netflix and Uzo Aduba. But if this is all we get, then we should count our stars and something like that; we were able to get the residence in the first place. Overall 4.8/5

don't get all the hype. Long, overdrawn, tough to stay engaged with. Stared at my phone a lot during these 8 hours.

Just as it says on the tin. A brilliantly written and performed whodunit screwball comedy that is well worth binging: Allot less of the ‘I will kill you’s’ More of everything else though phulease.

Quirky, amusing and totally entertaining. More please.

I’m both happy and disappointed with the writing of this show. The acting, directing, and sets were all top notch, but the writing…! Yech! In some places and episodes it was clever and outstanding. But the improbabilities were distracting. First of all, why would there be pressure to solve the cause of death before any autopsy or forensic analyses were conducted? These things take months! No blood spatter, or, more likely, no pool of blood? What little blood evidence that was found was never examined, just noted, then cleaned up without any lab results revealed. Were there ANY lab results of any kind? So many other small details that just weren’t very logical…. There were many more illogical plot points: (Spoilers!…). Starting from the big reveal: After all the characters’ stories, after all the love-hate motives of so many potential suspects, after all the detailed layout of the setting, including various hidden panels, rooms, and stairways, none — NOT ONE! —of the details of the actual murder and murderer are discovered by the detective! Yes, she finally noticed a clock was missing and was probably the murder weapon, but the fact that the clock was missing but hadn’t been noticed by the original forensic investigation or by the White House archivist was a glaring plot hole. And, yes, the source of the poison was found, but I’m unclear how she managed to suddenly come up with the sequence of events involving the poison. Then, ultimately the murderer suddenly blurted out a confession without any real pressure. In fact, enough other suspects had been revealed that, considering she had remained secretive for so long, there was absolutely no reason for her to confess. So ultimately it wasn’t detective work that solved the mystery! I loved ALL the actors.(Bronson Pinchot, you are gem! Thank you, Al Franken, for adding legitimacy to the Congressional hearings!) This show kept my attention and made me stay up late on many nights. But the actual murder-mystery denouement was a big letdown.

I found this show to be wonderful. I loved the quirky detective, who knows bird watching to be a sport of observation as well as patience. The actress did a perfect job. It took me until the second episode to get enthralled in the many characters. I liked the entire show and binged watched the first season! Can not wait for another season!

It was really terrible. It's not funny, not serious, not really intriguing. The actors are excellent, but plot and the script is horrible. They keep explaining the murder for about 10 min after revealing the murder, it feels forced and never ending. It kind of considers the viewer is stupid. I hate I waisted my time watching it.

I really enjoyed this series. Super quirky and fun. Highly recommended

This was an amazing series to watch. It gets you hooked the minute you start watching it. Great storyline, cinematography & the characters are fun to watch. All the characters are fun to watch & the side storylines' of these characters are intriguing. The pace of the show is good but i think they could've wrapped it up in like 6 or 7 episodes. It is a fun series to watch & hope Netflix brings it back for a second season as Uzo Adooba nails the role of the detective.

After a slow start, it gets pretty fun and there's a lot of great character work.

This show is just amazing! Best mystery comedy in the last several years. Loved it!