Case Debrief: 5 Key Things We Learned About ‘Cross’ at NYCC 2024

Dance contests, giveaways, and a mix of 1990s and early 2000s hits set the tone at the Main Stage at the Javits Center on day two of New York Comic Con 2024. As the music slowly faded and the lights dimmed, a few Deadpools, a Black Panther, and a young Aang took to their seats as the cast of Prime Video‘s Cross took the stage.

Moderated by MSNBC’s Joy Reid, members of the rockstar cast, including Aldis Hodge, Isaiah Mustafa, Alona Tal, Samantha Walkes, Ryan Eggold, and showrunner Ben Watkins, dove deep into the themes, storylines, and surprises that viewers can expect from Season 1. With less than one month left until Cross begins his next investigation, here are five spoiler-free takeaways from Prime Video’s Cross panel.

James Patterson Empowered Watkins, Hodge, and Company to Take the Story Into New Territory

Author James Patterson may have created the character, Alex Cross, (Hodge), but he wasn’t afraid to let Watkins and Hodge lead him into new territory. As Watkins and Hodge explained during the panel, they connected with the famed author early in the show’s development, and he encouraged them to explore a new storyline that he hadn’t depicted in his books.

The first season of Cross follows the titular character as he investigates the horrifying work of a serial killer terrorizing his hometown of Washington, D.C. At the same time, Cross is managing parenthood, grieving the death of his wife, re-entering the dating pool, and protecting his mental health.

No One Is Safe in Cross

Part of what makes Hodge’s latest work most exciting is that no one is safe. On more than one occasion, the show’s leading man hinted that the work he does can follow him home and impact other aspects of life. From the woman in his life to his two young kids, there are several people who rely upon Cross, but how would he react if he barks up the wrong tree during an investigation and a powerful foe responds by impacting his private life? Without offering any spoilers, the cast made it feel as if every episode will be fast-paced and high stakes.

Alex Cross and John Sampson Are the Bromance TV Needs

Alex Cross and John Sampson (Mustafa) aren’t just colleagues. They’re effectively brothers. Mustafa describes Sampson as the “guardian of Cross’s mental health” as the detective manages all that life throws at him. From being a single father to going to therapy, Cross allows Hodge’s character to be seen in new ways, but with that, Mustafa is the friend who consistently steps in to make sure the star detective is OK, even in the darkest of times.

In this new story, Mustafa plays a more fleshed-out partner to Cross than he has had in previous iterations. Not only can he match Cross’s intellect and savvy, but he’s also willing to confront his friend when he’s in the wrong.

Aldis Hodge and Isaiah Mustafa appear on stage during Prime Video’s Cross panel at NYCC 2024 (Valerie Terranova / Getty Images for Prime Video)

Cross Will Make Your Skin Crawl in the Best Way Possible

Cross is a multi-dimensional story, but it’s still a thriller at its core, and according to Mustafa, it may even be a horror. In fact, he said it was scarier to work on Cross than it was to work on It: Chapter Two. As he put it, supernatural clowns are one thing, but serial killers are real.

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Throughout the panel, Watkins and the entire cast emphasized that what makes the show’s premise so eerie is that many of the most diabolical characters are often charming, influential, and hiding in plain sight as successful business owners, political officials, etc. Watkins and company also pointed out that the show will spend a lot of time getting to know the killer and his backstory, rather than dropping him in as a shadowy figure.

Cross may Be Scary, but It Isn’t Scared

Watkins and company aren’t afraid of breaking barriers and pushing past societal norms. Why not? As pointed out in the opening moments of the discussion, Watkins is the first Black lead showrunner to have control over this character in a serial format, an opportunity he considers an honor.

He made a concerted effort to show the many sides of Alex Cross, ranging from fatherhood to a dogged detective. Walkes said it was a highlight of her career to play Elle Monteiro and emphasize the importance of having complex yet fruitful Black romantic relationships onscreen. Tal, who plays Kayla Craig, said it was “wonderful” to play a confident, intelligent, and bold, and intelligent FBI agent in a male-dominated field.

Eggold explained that his character, Ed Ramsey, reflects real-life leaders who hide their evil actions behind “masks” and personas. Hodge and Mustafa also aren’t shying away from the uncomfortable relationship between Black communities and the police regarding how it shapes this series.

At every turn, Cross and its cast are ready to have tough conversations and reimagine how mysteries and thrillers are constructed.

Cross, Series Premiere, Thursday, November 14, Prime Video