TV Show review
March 20, 2025 · TV-MA · Canceled
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The Residence is an 8-episode Netflix comedy mystery series that follows eccentric detective Cordelia Cupp as she investigates the murder of the White House chief usher during a chaotic state dinner. The story unfolds through staff interviews, rivalries, and a congressional hearing frame, with quirky characters and classic whodunit nods. It features a Black female lead as the brilliant, dominant investigator and includes a gay president with a husband, both presented as normalized parts of the setting in a Shondaland production inspired by a non-fiction book on White House staff life.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Residence.
Woke representation / casting
Prominent Black female lead as brilliant, eccentric, and fully competent detective who leads the entire case; multiple Black actors in authoritative White House staff roles; explicit gay president and first gentleman shown as normalized leadership. Casting makes identity visible in key positions consistent with Shondaland style, and some viewers noted demographic patterns in character competence.
Woke political dialogue
Light satirical moments around advisors pushing a suicide ruling and quirky senators in a hearing, but no extended activist speeches, identity-based moralizing, or lectures on systemic issues. Tone stays comedic and procedural.
Identity-driven story themes
Main focus is classic murder mystery, staff rivalries, secrets, and the detective’s birding-based observation skills. The gay presidency adds visible modern identity representation in the background setting, yet it does not drive character arcs or central themes.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Production
Shows White House staff as eccentric and chaotic with minor cover-up attempts and hearing theatrics for comedy. Presented as low-stakes satire on human nature and bureaucracy without activist framing of patriarchy, whiteness, or systemic oppression.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. The murder plot and characters are original fiction loosely inspired by real staff routines from the source book, with no ideological alterations to established canon, historical figures, or source material.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Some online user reviews call the show woke and criticize perceived racial patterns in intelligence and likability (competent women of color versus less competent white men) plus the gay president element as unnecessary. Complaints exist but remain scattered and secondary to broader gripes about pacing.
Creator track record context
Shondaland executive production under Shonda Rhimes brings a history of diverse casting and strong leads from various backgrounds. Paul William Davies has prior Shondaland credits on Scandal. Key directors and casting director show neutral professional records with no personal activist patterns documented.
