Cross: Season 1

Streaming on: Prime Video

Episodes viewed: 8 of 8

In such a competitive marketplace, all the big streaming services have been forced to carve out their own niche, something that sets it apart as something special. For Prime Video, that's become the Dad Thriller. It’s the home of Dadcore. Think Lee Child’s Reacher, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, and Jack Carr’s The Terminal List — all serviceable thrillers adapted from the pages of airport fiction. The latest to join these ranks, James Patterson's Cross, is attempting something different from the usual Dadcore fare, and it's better off for it.

As the star of over thirty books, not to mention two Morgan Freeman films and another starring Tyler Perry, Alex Cross is by this point a household name. Showrunner Ben Watkins could have easily played it safe and adapted an established book. Instead, Cross revolves around a new serial killer, takes in a family stalker subplot, and includes thorny discussions about what it means to be a Black police officer in today's political climate.

Longtime star-in-waiting Aldis Hodge steps up and elevates every scene

Such ambition should be lauded in an overstuffed genre, and for the most part, it works, gripping with a tight slow-burn that swings between police procedural and psychological thriller. It can be a lot to grapple with all at once, especially when it comes to the more improbable twists and occasionally wooden dialogue. Thankfully, longtime star-in-waiting Aldis Hodge steps up and elevates every scene with what's easily the best on-screen version of Alex Cross to date. Not only is he a better fit for the role physically, Hodge is charmingly convincing throughout, whether sharing a tender family moment or losing his cool as the grief becomes all-consuming.

It's just as well then that he and the rest of the equally capable cast are set to return for season two. Yet even with that confirmed, Cross doesn't leave us hanging with a frustrating cliffhanger. Season one feels like a largely self-contained book in that sense, despite not being adapted from one, so dads everywhere can just sit back and fully enjoy the story that unfolds.