Okay, I have been trip or die with Prime’s Cross, based mostly totally on the rizz of the male lead, Aldis Hodge. Sadly, “The Good Book” checks my steadfastness due to the incomprehensible motives behind Ed Ramsey’s (Ryan Eggold) actions and the necessity for tighter plotting regarding Ramsey’s relationship with Bobby Trey (Johnny Ray Gill). Episode one was a powerful begin for creator Ben Watkins. Whereas not an entire flop, episode three, “The Good Book,”, misplaced a few of its zeal by changing into laden with inexcusable distractions. Do you need to hear about it? Right here we go!
The earlier episode left me unsure about Ramsey’s connection to Cross’s stalker. This episode begins with a drug-addicted thriller girl receiving a gun and a notice that reads, “Kill Alex Cross,” confirming the present is specializing in two distinct mysteries. In a gorgeous scene, Cross remembers his spouse on their marriage ceremony anniversary. His daughter provides him flowers as he prepares to go to the cemetery. Nana Mama (Juanita Jennings) whispers in his ear, “Talk to her. She was always a good listener.” It is a quintessential winter day—cloudy, chilly, with the snow flying. Cross stands actually frozen in place outdoors the graveyard leaving John Sampson (Isaia Mustafa) to complete the job. Sampson snatched the flowers from Cross’s arms and appeared impatient with Cross’s grief journey.
“The Good Book” – CROSS, Pictured: Melody Hurd as Janelle Cross, Juanita Jennings as Nana Mama, Caleb Elijah as Damon Cross. Photo: Quantrell Colbert/Prime @ 2010-2024 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliate. All Rights Reserved.
Later in the squad room, Cross struggles to convince Chief Anderson (Jennifer Wigmore) and Judge Matlof (Von Flores) of the connection between Emir Goodspeed’s, his friend Tavio, and Tavio’s girlfriend Vanessa’s deaths. Chief Anderson declares the Goodspeed case a drug case. Sampson has such serious doubts about Cross’s fitness for the job that he refuses to share the forensic report on DNA evidence related to his stalking case until Cross makes an appointment with his therapist. Pissed, Cross delivers one of my favorite lines to Sampson: “This isn’t some sort of Iyanla, repair my life shit,” as he makes the appointment. Sampson’s actions here seem less than supportive. However, I’m willing to concede that it might be my female filter that can’t appreciate that this is how men interact. What do you think?
“The Good Guide” – CROSS, Pictured: Eloise Mumford as Shannon Witmer. Picture: Keri Anderson/Prime Video @ 2010-2024 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliate. All Rights Reserved.
In the meantime, Ramsey is preoccupied working not on Shannon Witmore (Eloise Mumford), however on his work together with her. Shannon begs to go residence. Ramsey warns that her want to return house is self-torture. He tells her, “I need you to be strong.” Ramsey’s suggestion actually will get beneath Shannon’s pores and skin in ways in which intrude with Ramsey’s work together with her. Cross obtains a warrant to look the deal with the place Emir Goodspeed requested Tavio to select him up and the place Shannon met Ramsey. Trey warns Ramsey concerning the impending police search. Ramsey ignores him, snarling, “I will leave the door open because getting into this house is not the same as getting to me!”
“The Good Book” – CROSS, Pictured: Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson. Photo: Keri Anderson/Prime Video @ 2010-2024 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliate. All Rights Reserved.
The cops carry out the raid. They find nothing. Later in the episode, Cross and Sampson return with a sledgehammer, reasoning that, as a former brothel, the location must have multiple exits. Interestingly, the unnamed guy who cloned Shannon’s phone in the previous episode was the same man who was served the search warrant. The tattoo on this guy’s wrist, which also appears on Ramsey’s book cover, catches the editor’s eye because the camera focuses on it as the man tries to stop Sampson from knocking down the wall. However, the man and the symbol are never addressed. The absence of explanation about these elements feels like a wasted opportunity.
Cross and Sampson crash Ramsey’s space. Trey frantically phones Ramsey to let him know. Suspense builds as Ramsey repeatedly rejects Trey’s calls because he’s busy being—well—Ed Ramsey. The episode shows how Ramsey “makes the sausage” behind the scenes in Washington. Ramsey delivers some particularly crude, attention-getting dialogue in this disturbing scene with Congressperson Caitlin Goldman (Marion Adler). Trey and Ramsey finally speak via video call, and he hears the sledgehammer breaking down the wall. Trey uses the urgency of the moment to extract more money from Ramsey in exchange for getting the “Good Book” and Shannon away from the police.
Trey flees with Shannon and the book. Shannon screams. Cross and Sampson hear her and give chase. Trey pauses his sprint to talk with Shannon as if the police weren’t in hot pursuit. He continues with Shannon but leaves the book behind, creating another narrative inconsistency. It’s difficult to reconcile that, despite their close pursuit, Cross and Sampson couldn’t catch Trey. The scene becomes even more problematic when Sampson and Cross get outdoors; Trey is nowhere to be found. It’s been snowing, but there are no tracks to follow–nothing. Cross and Sampson kind of shrug and give up, which is a bit out of character for our heroes. While this scene is not exactly a plot hole, its unbelievable nature makes the show, which had previously felt emotionally true, feel disjointed and poorly thought out.
“The Good Guide” – CROSS, Pictured: Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross. Picture: Quantrell Colbert/Prime @ 2010-2024 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliate. All Rights Reserved.
Cross’s eight-episode arc makes me consider Noah Lyle’s 100-meter Olympic race in Paris final summer time. He gained in a photograph end, with every of his 9.79 seconds of his victory counting. Simply with Lyle’s race, the present’s compact construction calls for unwavering depth from begin to end, which, heretofore, they’ve delivered on.
Possibly too many components of “The Good Book” have been left on the modifying ground. All viewers need is coherent and efficient storytelling that maintains the stability between thriller and determination in methods which are believable and really feel true. As an alternative, the unexplained components on this episode really feel a bit like a damaged promise.
What say you? Am I being a lazy viewer wanting each element handed to me or have been you additionally left feeling annoyed with dangling particulars? Let me know within the feedback.
General Score:
7/10
Lynette Jones
