Prime Video has unveiled its newest book adaptation in Cross.
Cross opens with Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge) and his wife Maria (Chauntee Schuler Irving) engaging in playful PDA while watching a football game with Alex’s best friend and partner, Detective John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa) and his date. Tragedy strikes and Cross is left a widow and single father to Damon (Caleb Elijah) and Janelle (Melody Hurd), with the help of Regina ‘Nana Mama’ Cross (Juanita Jennings).
Flashing forward a year, Cross, who is a police detective with a psychology PhD is about to go on leave of absence until a popular Black Lives Matter activity, Emir Goodspeed (Donovan Brown) is found dead.
Initially suspecting an overdose, it seems like an open-and-shut case. However, with community pushback, Chief Anderson (Jennifer Wigmore) and Lieutenant Oracene Massey (Sharon Taylor) task Alex and best mate John with solving the murder. As the series unfolds, its clear that this is a much larger story with a serial killer, a missing girl, and some truly terrifying TV.
In addition to his work life, Cross also has to deal with Maria’s unresolved death and re-enter the dating game, with potential love interest Elle Monteiro (Samantha Walkes) introducing him to billionaire Ed Ramsey (Ryan Eggold).
Ben Watkins oversees this book-to-screen adaptation of one of James Patterson’s well-known characters and has thrown the adaptation rule book out the window creating a completely new case. With Patterson’s blessing, what follows is a season that retains the essence of the character and is full of action, surprises and a deep look at brotherhood.
Cross is perfectly cast and is yet another book adaptation that Prime Video has done well, and thankfully season 2 is already in the can.
4 Stars
Cross is now streaming on Prime Video.
