A New Fan Favorite: Amazon Prime Video’s Cross

(Courtesy/Amazon Prime Video)

Amazon Prime Video’s, “Cross”, has captured fan’s attention with the free release of its first episode on Nov. 14th. The series allows viewers to watch its first episode, leaving them on the perfect cliffhanger and wanting more.

Morgan Williams, a sophomore dance major, watched the first episode premiere at Howard University’s Cramton Auditorium with other students. She loved the first episode because of how shocking she said it was.

“Throughout the entire episode, it was just shock after shock. It kept building up tension and you could feel that everyone in Cramton felt the same,” Williams said.

The series is adapted from the James Patterson book series, Alex Cross, which tells the tales of a heroic detective and forensic psychologist based in Washington, D.C.

Ben Watkins, the show’s creator, decided not to adapt the series directly from the books, which already have two other adaptations featuring Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry in the role of Cross. 

In the series, Cross takes on a highly publicized string of murders that were staged to look like accidents while grappling with personal struggles. 

The series addresses social issues like grief, Black men’s mental health, and police brutality through Cross’s internal identity struggle as a black man and a detective, this conflict forces him to face it head-on despite his past mistakes. 

Watkins embraces DMV culture, incorporating Go-Go music at memorials, Ben’s Chili Bowl as the detective’s meet-up spot, and DMV slang that would make DMV natives proud to see on screen. 

“Seeing D.C. culture was really cool because I got to see things in it that I see every day here,” Williams said.

The series finishes with a satisfying ending that leaves viewers wanting more. Luckily, the series has been renewed for a second season, so viewers have something to look forward to. 

“I hope that there are multiple seasons of it. Even just the first episode showed that there was a lot more that could be added to it. I really want to see more. Thank God it’s getting a second season,” Williams said.