We’ve seen Alex Cross on our screens before. But in 2024, Prime Video gave us Cross, featuring Aldis Hodge in the primary role. It set things up in a dark, gritty world. Cross wasn’t perfect, but he was good at his job. He not only solved a major serial killer case, but he was also able to find justice for his murdered wife. It was a strong, often dark season.
Back now for a second go-around, a new eight-episode mystery; that tone is established. But what kind of dark crime awaits? Well, it doesn’t take long for the season premiere, “Harrow,” to set the stage for what’s to come.
Cold open
We begin not with Cross, but with the people he’ll be chasing all season. A boat arrives at a private dock on a private island. The driver, Donnie (Wes Chatham), is bringing in a large booze shipment. He’s not the regular guy, but that doesn’t seem to bother anyone. As he clears the dock, a woman, Rebecca (Jeanie Mason), steps out of the hold. It’s clear there’s more to this visit than a booze delivery.
As it turns out, a creepy billionaire is holding girls and sharing them with his friends. Rebecca has history with the creep, and while it first seems she’s trying to get some money, it soon becomes clear she wants more. This is about her mother, who is now deceased. So, she takes his money, then his life, and finally his fingers. That last part will be important later.
Her friend, meanwhile, rounds up the rest of the girls and the rest of the guests. While he sets the mansion ablaze with the men locked inside, he and Rebecca head to the boat. Filled with a group of liberated young women, they head to shore.
Catching up with Cross
Meanwhile, we move back to Cross. He’s in a good place since we last saw him, and he’s asked to speak to a group of new cadets. He shares, honestly, about his struggles. It’s an inspiring speech that shows he’s back in a groove and ready to rock and roll.
Cross is in a good place with John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa), his partner. They are clearing cases, and they are back to being good friends. He still has hope of patching things up with Elle (Samantha Walkes), but that’s more of a work-in-progress. She’s forgiven him for the events of the first season, but despite his work on their relationship and himself, she’s not ready to start things up again.
Cross doesn’t have time to dwell. His good friend, Kayla Craig (Alona Tal), has been tapped by the FBI to lead a task force. She’s been asked to bring Cross on as her partner. Their task is to figure out who is threatening billionaire Lance Durand (Matthew Lillard). Durand is about to launch a big, new project. But he has someone after him who slipped something into a box at a recent event.
In the box was a picture indicating he’s next. Along with it was a baggie full of three severed fingers—fingers that look quite familiar. So, that sets Cross, Sampson, Craig, and many others on a chase to figure out who is targeting Durand and why. It’s clear that Rebecca and Donnie’s work isn’t done.
Odds and ends
While the bulk of the focus is on catching up and setting up the season-long arc, there are other things that turn up in the pilot. The first involves Craig and a blast from the past. Her involvement in a mission called “Bad Religion” threatens to undo her career. A weapon with no serial number being investigated by Akbar (Dwain Murphy) is tied to the mission.
Now that Craig is working with the local police department, she has access. Her boss not so subtly suggests that this is her opportunity to save herself. So, she goes to Akbar and offers to help steer things in a different direction.
Craig isn’t the only one with distractions. While Sampson is working with Cross and Craig, he’s tapped by a colleague to help with an interrogation. A woman named LaDonna Duvernay is a suspect and has asked for him by name. He doesn’t know her but offers to go with Cross along for support.
When in the room, he gets two pieces of information. First, LaDonna says she didn’t do it and needs his help. The second is the reason for the request—she’s his mother. It leaves Sampson stunned as he leaves the room. But we can bet we’re not done with this one.
Thoughts on Cross season 2 episode 1
I enjoyed the first season of Cross. It was a different take on the world and the character and felt like a bit of a darker kind of crime drama.
The eight episodes moved at a good pace, and the bones of a successful series were there. I still see those bones in the second season. We still started with a dark sequence, but I’m excited to see where Cross takes this one.
Cross streams Wednesdays on Prime Video. Check back next week as we recap the events of the second season on Show Snob.