Netflix’s The Residence is not the typical whodunit mystery. It takes place in a setting we don’t often see: inside the White House!
We are thrown into the grandeur of an Australian State Dinner in the beginning itself. But then suddenly the Chief Usher, A.B. Wynter, is found dead under mysterious circumstances.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers. Reader discretion is advised.
That's when Cordelia Cupp comes in. She is the detective called in to crack the case in the White House in The Residence. But she’s not an ordinary investigator.
People find her odd from the moment she steps into the White House. She has a fixation on birds. Her methods are unorthodox. And she spots details no one else even considers.
But that's what makes her different and brilliant. And that's the reason why she's one of the most intriguing detectives we’ve seen on TV in years.
Let’s take a closer look.
The Residence: Cordelia Cupp’s investigation methods
Cordelia Cupp in The Residence stands out not just because of her eccentricities, but also because of the way she carries herself. She’s confident and observant. But the best thing about her is that she does not care about how others perceive her.
The staff finds her intimidating because of the way she carries out the investigation. Her presence is so unsettling during the interviews that people spill their secrets before they even realize it.
Cordelia isn't like other detectives. She doesn’t begin with accusations or assumptions. She starts by gathering every available information. Then she interviews everyone present on that day in the White House. She listens to their stories. She even sketches them while jotting down notes.
She takes their photos with their names. That is an unusual but effective way to remember every detail. Every single person is important to her. And nobody is immediately ruled out or labeled a suspect in The Residence.
One of her most peculiar methods is how she gets people to talk. She doesn’t bombard anyone with questions. She just sits there, stares and lets the silence build up. Surprisingly, it works! People instinctively start talking. They reveal more than they probably intended.
Cordelia is also an expert in human behavior. She picks up on the tiniest physical cues. She studied the way Lilly Schumacher's lips moved, the way her hands and feet moved before she knew she was the killer. She even tells Edwin Park to look for a "blink" towards the end of the season. And when he spots it, they know that they've got the killer.
She reads people like an open book and knows exactly when they’re lying or spinning a story to mislead her. She refuses to believe that A.B. Wynter’s death was a suicide from the beginning itself despite the slashed wrists and the apparent suicide note. Everyone else sees the obvious but Cordelia sees beyond it.
She notices all the inconsistencies and questions what others don’t. And that's how she ultimately gets to the truth that the so-called suicide note was actually a torn page from Wynter’s journal.
Another thing that makes her brilliant is her open-mindedness. She doesn’t fixate on a single theory too soon. She considers multiple possibilities before narrowing things down.
She refuses to jump to conclusions until she’s absolutely sure. And in doing so, she makes everyone else in the room feel stupid in comparison to her. There are several moments in The Residence that proves she’s the smartest person there.
Cordelia Cupp is someone who loves solving puzzles. She is someone who sees the world differently and isn’t afraid to embrace her unique self. She’s the kind of detective who doesn’t just solve a mystery. But also makes the entire process fascinating to watch.
The Residence: Cordelia Cupp is the detective we didn’t know we needed
Cordelia Cupp's obsession with birds might seem like just a hobby at first. But it actually ties deeply into how she perceives the world. It’s not just about spotting birds on her checklist. it’s about observation and understanding behavior. These are the same qualities that make her an exceptional detective.
Her memory is another element that sets her apart. She never forgets a word. And if you try to fool her, she will catch you in your own lie. Her ability to recall exact details from past conversations helps her get to the truth. She exposes the inconsistencies that others might miss.
And then there’s her confidence. She is surrounded by men in suits. There are those FBI agents and other high ranking officials but she never wavers. She doesn’t seek validation. Nor does she need anybody's approval.
The Residence gives us something refreshingly different. Cordelia Cupp is a smart, fearless and delightfully odd character.
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