Al Franken, what are you doing here?!
Netflix’s latest murder mystery, called The Residence, features a variety of familiar faces and actors in a virtual guessing game to uncover the culprit, including the well-known former writer of Saturday Night Live turned Minnesota Senator.
Within this new program from Shondaland, Franken takes on the role of Sen. Aaron Filkins, the head of the Senate committee investigating the death of A.B. Wynter (played by Giancarlo Esposito), the top butler at The White House, and the series of events that transpired that night. Sen. Filkins is tasked with interviewing all White House staff and attendees of the event as part of the inquiry led by Detective Cordelia Cupp (portrayed by Uzo Aduba). In this blend of crime and comedy, Sen. Filkins engages in a fierce rivalry with Senator Margery Bay Bix (played by Eliza Coupe), who is determined to unveil the truth — or even a potential conspiracy theory to share with her supporters — concerning the events at The White House on the evening A.B. Wynter was found dead.
This role was likely a comfortable fit for the comedian who faced numerous challenges with his political adversaries over his nearly decade-long time in public office. (A period that notably concluded with Franken stepping down in disgrace following allegations of inappropriate behavior.) Moreover, Franken mentioned in a recent conversation with The Hill that he drew inspiration from his former peers to embody his character.
âI thought of Chuck Grassley of Iowa and [former Tennessee Sen.] Lamar Alexander, who are both very avuncular, and to some extent, [South Carolina Sen.] Lindsey Graham,â Franken said.
Outside of his role in the new Netflix series, Franken has acted in shows and movies like The Manchurian Candidate, LateLine, and Clerks, both on camera and via voice acting. He also appeared on SNL throughout his tenure as a writer on the series, on and off from 1975 to 1995.
Alongside Esposito, Aduba, Coupe, and Franken is an all-star cast of actors from notable TV shows and film, including This Is Us alum Susan Kelechi Watson, Party Down and The Other Two star Ken Marino, Fresh Off the Boat‘s Randall Park, and My Name Is Earl star Jason Lee.
The Residence jumps back and forth between the past and the present, moving between the night of A.B. Wynter’s death — when The White House was hosting the Australian PM, Kylie Minogue, and Hugh Jackman (not really) — and the Senate hearings into the security concerns. While Franken’s character is more than willing to accept that Esposito’s character may have taken his own life, Sen. Bay Bix and Cupp are a little more suspicious of the situation.
The drama and mystery of the series culminate in the eighth and final episode where questions about A.B. Wynter’s death are finally answered, both in the past and the present, making for a classic whodunnit with an unforgettable setting. Who wouldn’t want to tune in?
The Residence is currently streaming on Netflix.
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