When it came to adapting and reinventing novelist James Patterson’s beloved Alex Cross for television, Cross showrunner and executive producer Ben Watkins and star/producer Aldis Hodge agreed that the literary character’s already rich world little explored onscreen would be best enhanced by layering in a more complex, of-the-moment and occasionally fraught relationship with race and the criminal justice system, befitting a Black detective.
“I was actually approached about this project and my first instinct was to pass, because I knew it had been done as movies,” said Watkins, who created the Amazon Prime Video series in the wake of various films featuring Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry as Cross, during the show’s panel at the Deadline Contenders Television event. “And really, as much as I’m a crime junkie – growing up, I read a lot of books, detective novels, thrillers, but I hadn’t actually made it into the Cross series, and that is what changed my mind.”
“I went to read the books, and I realized the potential there that hadn’t actually been done yet, that hadn’t been reflected yet,” continued Watkins. “No matter what you think of the movies, there were aspects of the story that just hadn’t been touched on. And so I thought there was something we could do.”
Watch on Deadline
RELATED: Contenders TV — Deadline’s Complete Coverage
But Watkins found that it made sense to incorporate very contemporary societal concerns about policing, particularly filtered through the lens of a police officer of color. “I also felt like we were living in a time, and we’re still in a time, where the relationship between law enforcement and the community is fraught with a lot of controversial issues and a lot of really sticky talking points,” he said. “Some people shy away from that, but I was taught as an artist, if there’s something controversial and you have a chance to contribute to that dialogue, you should lean into it.”
Hodge found himself immediately in alignment with Watkins’ take on Cross. “It’s a really refreshing opportunity to be the bridge of translation when it comes to these issues, particularly when it comes to law enforcement and the community,” he said. “We often talk about the problem from the perspective of what the community should be doing, not necessarily putting the onus on the law enforcement, the judicial system in terms of this is what you need to do to clean up your own house.”
“There are so many really fantastic police officers out there who deserve to be reflected as well, because I’ve spoken to these people and I know that when they’re working, they are working for the greater, better good,” Hodge explained. “They have to stand in the lines to be the definition of what justice actually is. And yes, their jobs are difficult on a daily basis because they’re also working amongst a bunch of people who abuse the power that they’re given, the responsibility rather that they’re given.”
That inherent condition of conflict and aspiration that have serious real-world implications fueled Hodge creatively. “I love that as an actor, I get to step in the shoes of a character that is reflecting what the definitive nature of justice should be and can translate and communicate that the experience is not monolithic,” he explained. “But as he walks through, he’s going to fight his hardest to stand up for his morality and never change his ethics. That to me is what a true hero looks like.”
Check back Monday for the panel video.
The post How ‘Cross’ Pumped Fresh Blood Into A Familiar Character By Leaning In To Challenges Facing Race & Modern Policing – Contenders TV appeared first on Deadline.
