The latest original series from Shonda Rhimes has landed on Netflix with the arrival of the offbeat murder mystery comedy The Residence on March 20. From creator Paul William Davies, the series stars Orange Is the New Black alum and Emmy Award winner Uzo Aduba as detective Cordelia Cupp. The eccentric but brilliant birder takes over the investigation of a murder at the White House during a state dinner — a murder that places many staff members and residents under consideration as a suspect.
By the end of the eight-episode first season, Cordelia cracks the case with the help of FBI agent Edwin Park (Randall Park), leaving no stone unturned in this particular residence. But could The Residence return to Netflix for season 2? While the first season finale doesn't offer any cliffhangers that tease a new case for Cordelia, unlike A Man on the Inside and The Night Agent season 2, our new favorite detective could still be back with a brand new case according to its creator and stars.
In an interview with Deadline, Davies stated that he has definitely thought about The Residence season 2 and continuing the unlikely partnership between Cordelia and Edwin. The creator believes that even though the series was named after the White House residence, there are still "lots more stories to tell" and "adventures" for Cordelia and Edwin to go on in the future. Davies confirmed that a second season could take place in a new residence and tackle a new mystery.
Here's what the creator told Deadline in a recent interview:
"I really love Cordelia Cupp. I really enjoyed coming up with her and writing her. Uzo is amazing. I love the relationship between Cordelia and Edwin. There are lots more stories to tell about her adventures and him with her. We’ll see how people feel about the show but I certainly would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought a lot about it, and didn’t have a lot of ideas about where it could go."
Aduba and Park also sat down for interviews with Deadline and agreed with Davies that they hope to return for season 2 and dive deeper into their characters' dynamics. Cordelia and Edwin were forced together during the investigation and butt heads multiple times. There was no love lost after the investigation, but after it's all said and done, the detective and the FBI agent come to have a mutual respect. It would be interesting to see what cases they would take on together next.
Looking ahead at what The Residence season 2 would mean, Park reflected on how much fun the cast and crew had making the show and commended Davies' writing. In addition, Park shared a bit of a hope that in a potential second season, Cordelia and Edwin could possible take their investigation oversees to another country. Since they've already conquered the White House, maybe next up they could get the royal scoop on a murder mystery in a castle? The possibilities are endless!
Check out what Randall Park had to say about returning for more:
"We talk about that all the time, we would love it, in part because we had such a great time in the actual making of this show. But also, the characters’ dynamic is just so fun to play, and Paul is so singular in his writing style and in the way he approaches these mysteries that the opportunity to maybe travel to another country and solve another case would be pretty amazing."
Echoing Park's enthusiasm for a second season, Aduba agreed that Cordelia will never stop solving puzzles around the world, whether that's closing an impossible case or patiently searching for a bird in the sky. Aduba says she loved playing this character, and it's apparent in her unmissable performance that should definitely earn her at least an Emmy nomination if not a win. It would be a great disservice to no longer see this quirky character on our screens.
See what Aduba had to say about season 2 Cordelia's partnership with Edwin:
"Absolutely. I love Cordelia, I love playing Cordelia. What I know for sure is that the adventures and the cases will never stop. There’s always going to be something in the world to solve. She has found an amazing partner and friend in Edwin Park, and I wish nothing more for them to continue solving, exploring and journeying around the world."
Of course, the fate of The Residence lies in the hands of Netflix. The streaming service has been announcing renewals rather quickly as of late, with the renewals of new comedy series Running Point and Tyler Perry drama Beauty in Black coming shortly after their releases. Netflix will factor in viewership numbers and completion rates for The Residence in the coming days, and possibly weeks, before making an announcement on a renewal or cancellation. Fingers crossed for the former!
Watch The Residence only on Netflix.