You need to catch up on this Prime Video series before it goes viral

Cross, based on the Alex Cross book series by James Patterson, is a crime thriller currently airing its second season on Amazon Prime Video, and it seems destined to surpass some of the other great detective series on the service. It’s got great source material, an unpredictable plot that keeps you hooked, a compelling performance from Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross himself, and potentially a very bright future. If you haven’t given in a try yet, now may be the right time.

Aldis Hodge shines as Alex Cross

It’s the best take on the character yet

Alex Cross is a forensic psychologist and homicide detective working for the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. He’s actually appeared onscreen before, in the movies: Morgan Freeman played the detective in 1997’s Kiss the Girls and 2001’s Along Came A Spider, while Tyler Perry played him in a 2012 film simply called Alex Cross. Giving him a whole TV show gives the writers a chance to let the character breathe a bit, and to give Aldis Hodge a career-defining role. Hodge has long gotten praise for his supporting parts in movies like Straight Outta Compton and Hidden Figures, but Cross finally gives him an opportunity to be the leading man his fans always knew he could be, and he reciprocates by delivering quite possibly the best version of the character ever put to screen.

Hodge’s Alex Cross is driven and angry, grappling with the unprocessed trauma following the death of his wife. But he’s also tender and loving towards his family, including his son (Caleb Elijah) and daughter (Melody Hurd) and his grandmother Nana Mama (Juanita Jennings), who acts as a moral compass. Hodge brings a wry humor to the role that helps lighten the grimness of the main story. All in all, Hodge gives a nuanced performance that’s worth the price of admission in and of itself.

The supporting cast acquits itself well too, with Isaiah Mustafa’s playing Alex’s partner Detective John Sampson and Alona Tal playing FBI agent Kayla Craig. Because the story doesn’t have to rush, we get to know this ensemble better than we ever did in the Alex Cross movie adaptations, and they’re worth spending time with.

Alex Cross rips stories straight from the headlines

While also honoring Patterson’s books

Unlike the movies, the two seasons of Cross released so far aren’t based on any specific Alex Cross book, but rather use the novels as a foundation on which to build something new. And creator Ben Watkins clearly wants to engage with things going on in our world today. The first season, which aired in 2024, has Alex investigating the death of a Black Lives Matter activist. The second involves a woman who’s targeting billionaires who may have been involved in a large-scale human trafficking ring, which recalls the ongoing real-life investigations into Jeffrey Epstein. It may not be the same thing as an actual true crime documentary, but it’s exciting to watch a show that tries to keep its storytelling up to the minute.

As for the stories themselves, they are suitably twisted and twisty. In the first season, Alex’s investigation into the death of the Black Lives Matter activist leads to a wealthy man who may also be a prolific serial killer, and the two get caught up in a cat-and-mouse game that has Alex fearing not just for the man’s potential victims, but even for his own family. The second season is similarly expanding and changing as it goes, and it’s hard to say exactly where it will end up.

That said, not everyone has given Cross great marks across the board.

Drawbacks

Cross isn’t a good fit for everyone

Kayla Craig (Alona Tal), Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge)

Although Cross has received decent reviews from fans and critics alike, some still have concerns. While the focus on character drama is a selling point for many, since it means we come to care about the people we watch put their lives on the line, some have dinged the show for taking too long to get to the action. That won’t be a problem for people who want to binge the first season, but if you’re watching the second, it could be frustrating waiting week after week for a story that’s willing to take its time.

Others point to the show’s reliance on cliches. It’s true that with so many other detective shows out there, it’s hard to find a way to approach one that feels fresh, and you may find yourself thinking of other movies and series as you watch Alex Cross deal with a lineup of uncooperative police chiefs, frazzled victims, and ghoulish killers. But in the end, the writing is good enough to overcome this, and Aldis Hodge does a lot to elevate the material over and above the ordinary.

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More Cross is coming

Season 2 isn’t done, but considering the strong response and solid ratings, a third season seems likely. There are dozens of Alex Cross books to draw from, so if the cast and crew play their cards right, they could be at this for a very long time.

And if you watch Cross and want more like it, you can always watch the other major crime show on Amazon Prime Video based on a series of detective novels: Reacher. The streaming services seems to be developing a specialization in this area.