Cross season 2 tends to side with its ruthless antagonist, justifying her reasoning for the murder spree, in more ways than one. For example, Cross himself tries to reason with her. Initially, this seems like an odd storytelling choice, because you do not want the lead detective in a series to empathise with ‘Lady Vengeance’ in any way. However, the makers stay true to Patterson’s writing, making Cross a symbol of empathy and compassion, even as the tides go against him.
There is a more ethically and morally correct way to deal with social evil and injustice, and what Luz does is against this. However, Cross season 2 suggests that this is the case, cynically making her actions possible by underscoring that it all happens in a world as corrupt as the law enforcement system in Washington DC. When the system is this corrupt, how can ‘the wronged’ trust it enough? At least, this is what the makers suggest in the latest season. Then again, some of the writing and Mason’s performance in the role ensure that the killer is humanised and not glorified. In such a world, Cross operates with a great sense of right and wrong, a quality that always drives his actions, even if this might get him into some trouble. Aldis Hodge embodies these qualities in another masterful performance that holds the series together, even as its tangential storytelling threatens to derail everything.
Complementing Mason and Hodge well is Matthew Lillard as Lance Durand, embracing the evilness of his corporate mogul who peddles a global project as a means to end world hunger. Durand hides his crimes under the carpet with the initiative, called ‘Prosperity Seed’. When Lillard says, “Every great human advancement is built on a pile of dead bodies,” we know he means it. Cross sees through him for what he is, setting up the stage for a three-way conflict that adds to the excitement of the show, especially in its slugging portions. With very little dialogue, Hodge’s performance itself tells us that Cross has multiple adversaries and more at stake than solving the whodunnit puzzle. This is why when the series makes certain points about the system later, it does not seem a spur-of-the-moment storytelling decision.
Comments are closed.