Cross (American TV series)

Alex Cross is a Washington, D.C. homicide detective and forensic psychologist who is also a devoted father and family man. Driven by an obsessive determination to delve into the minds of killers and victims, he works tirelessly to uncover the truth and bring perpetrators to justice. Struggling with escalating temper issues and resisting therapy for over a year after the murder of his wife, Cross considers taking a leave of absence. However, he is drawn into a high-profile case involving the murder of a local Defund the Police/Black Lives Matter activist. The politically overambitious white police chief, seeking both a Black detective as the public face of the controversial investigation and a swift resolution, complicates matters further. ==Cast==

Main • Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross, a Washington, D.C. police detective and forensic psychologist • Isaiah Mustafa as Detective John Sampson, Alex's Washington, D.C. Metro Police Department partner • Juanita Jennings as Regina "Nana Mama" Cross, Alex's grandmother • Alona Tal as Kayla Craig, an FBI agent who helps Alex out while sleeping with Sampson on the side • Samantha Walkes as Elle Monteiro, Alex's love interest who is an executive director of a nonprofit organization • Caleb Elijah as Damon Cross, Alex's son • Melody Hurd as Janelle "Jannie" Cross, Alex's daughter • Jennifer Wigmore as Chief April Anderson (season 1; recurring season 2), the Chief of Police, Washington, D.C. Metro Police Department • Ryan Eggold as Ed Ramsey (season 1), a wealthy man with a lot of power in Washington, D.C. with secrets • Eloise Mumford as Shannon Witmer (season 1), a woman that Ed meets in a dating app • Jeanine Mason as Rebecca (season 2), a woman targeting billionaires who have ties with human trafficking underage children • Wes Chatham as Donnie (season 2), Rebecca's partner in crime • Johnny Ray Gill as Bobby Trey (season 2; recurring season 1), a former cop who now works for Ed • Matthew Lillard as Lance Durand (season 2), the billionaire CEO of Crestbrook Industries • Ethan Embry as Frederick (season 3) Recurring • Matt Baram as Detective Bill Hardy • Mercedes de la Zerda as Detective Amielynn Vega • Stacie Greenwell as Detective Shawna De Lackner • Dwain Murphy as Detective Akbar • Siobhan Murphy as Tania Hightower, a journalist who wants to get the scoop on the murder investigations • Jason Rogel as Chris Wu • Chaunteé Schuler Irving as Maria Cross, Alex's deceased wife • Sharon Taylor as Lieutenant Oracene Massey, Alex's direct superior • Karen Robinson as Miss Nancy • Deidrie Henry as LaDonna (season 2), John's birth mother • Rene Moran as Lincoln (season 2) • Ben Watkins as Roy (season 2), Kayla's boss • Michelle C. Bonilla as Clare (season 2), Rebecca's aunt • Carlos Solórzano as Berto (season 2), a young boy that Cross takes in who was being human trafficked == Episodes ==

Series overview Season 1 (2024) Season 2 (2026) ==Production==

Background The first Alex Cross novel was published in 1993, and there have since been 31 additional novels in the series, as well as two novellas and three books centered on Alex's son, Ali. The Cross character has also been featured in three feature films: two moderately successful films (with Morgan Freeman in the role of Alex Cross), Kiss the Girls (1997) and Along Came a Spider (2001); and one box office bomb (with Tyler Perry as Cross), Alex Cross (2012). Development portrays the series' main character On January 22, 2020, it was announced that Amazon Studios, Paramount Television Studios, and Skydance Television were teaming up to develop a television series based on James Patterson's Alex Cross novels. On October 27, 2022, it was given a series order by Prime Video, with Aldis Hodge in the title role and also producing, and Ben Watkins as showrunner and writer. The series is executive produced by Patterson, Watkins, Sam Ernst, Jim Dunn, Craig Siebels, Bill Robinson, Patrick Santa, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunnel. On April 30, 2024, ahead of the series premiere, Amazon Prime Video renewed the series for a second season. On March 18, 2026, Amazon Prime Video renewed the series for a third season. Casting On November 29, 2022, it was announced that Ryan Eggold and Isaiah Mustafa had joined the cast. On December 8, 2022, it was announced that Karen LeBlanc, Melody Hurd, Juanita Jennings, Caleb Elijah, Jennifer Wigmore, and Samantha Walkes had been added to the cast. LeBlanc was replaced by Sharon Taylor in a January 2023 recasting. Upon the second season renewal announcement, Jeanine Mason was added to the cast for the new season. Wes Chatham and Matthew Lillard were also added to the cast for the second season. On April 17, 2026, Ethan Embry was cast as a series regular for the third season. Filming Filming of both seasons took place in Ontario, Canada, with Hamilton, Ontario, set to feature prominently throughout both seasons of the series. Filming for the third season began in Toronto, Canada on April 13, 2026. ==Release==

Cross premiered on November 14, 2024. All eight episodes of the first season were released on Amazon Prime Video. ==Reception==

Critical response On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 76% approval rating, based on 42 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Cross case for itself isn't closed just yet, but the commanding Aldis Hodge makes for the most arresting embodiment of James Patterson's literary creation yet." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 62 out of 100 based on 21 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. James Hibbs of Radio Times rated Cross two out of five stars, describing it as a "high-octane, entertaining cop drama" but criticized it as being "cliché-ridden". He praised Aldis Hodge's "charismatic performance" but noted that the series' "lack of story propulsion" makes it more suitable for binge-watching than episodic viewing. Kelly Lawler of USA Today awarded the season two out of four stars, criticizing its pacing and plotting. Lawler remarked, "While Hodge is superbly cast and the team is clearly striving to deliver a gripping crime story, the pacing, plotting, and big reveals feel just slightly off-key. It leaves you with the impression that what you've watched is an Alex Cross cover band—not the real thing." Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter praised Aldis Hodge's humor and the series' first season "satisfactory" ending, noting that despite its flaws, Cross provides Hodge with a much-deserved career-defining role. He described the show as something Amazon executes successfully, though not always perfectly. The second season has a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 19 critic reviews. The website's critical consensus states, "Aldis Hodge leads Cross with fervor and a purpose, unifying the highs and lows for another emotionally resonant season." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100 based on 6 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Season has been hailed as a darker, bolder and more morally adventurous production which introduces one of the most compelling TV antagonists. Awards and nominations == References ==