TV Talk: Great cast isn’t served by Netflix’s ‘Residence;’ local news race remains tight

On paper, Netflix’s latest Shonda Rhimes executive-produced series “The Residence” sounds like a potential hoot. It’s a comedic murder mystery set in the White House with a stellar cast that includes Uzo Aduba (“Orange Is the New Black”), Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad”), Ken Marino (“Party Down”), Randall Park (“Fresh Off the Boat”), Susan Kelechi Watson (“This Is Us”), Mary Wiseman (“Star Trek: Discovery”) and Jane Curtin (“Saturday Night Live”).

“The Residence,” now streaming all episodes, benefits from snappy (though profanity-laced) dialogue and quick cuts for comedic purposes, but the story and characters aren’t strong enough to support eight hours, especially given the formulaic approach to episodes. Too often, “Residence” episodes end with a new suspect. The next episode dives deep into that suspect only for a different suspect to emerge by the end of that episode. It’s repetitive and exhausting.

Created by Shondaland veteran Paul William Davies (“Scandal”), “The Residence” begins with a White House state dinner for Australian leaders attended by the president (Paul Fitzgerald), his husband (Barrett Foa) and 200 guests. In the midst of the soiree, White House chief usher A.B. Wynter (Esposito, replacing Andre Braugher who originally starred in the show prior to his death) turns up dead upstairs in the White House residence. Enter investigator Cordelia Cupp (Aduba), who goes about interviewing the staff and visitors as she tries to determine whodunnit.

Episodes also get told through a congressional hearing that features former U.S. Sen. Al Franken (“Saturday Night Live”) as the committee chair who’s always at odds with a colleague (Eliza Coupe, “Happy Endings”).

Many of the performances are great, particularly Mary Wiseman as hot-headed White House chef Marvella. But a madcap comedy that wants to be “Clue” in the White House (a candlestick even figures in later episodes) should not take eight hours to watch. Even Carol Burnett’s 1986 comedy miniseries “Fresno” was only about four hours without commercials. “The Residence” is another in the ongoing string of streaming shows that shoulda been a movie.

The series is inspired by “The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House” by Kate Anderson Brower, a nonfiction book about how the White House is run by its staff (not a fictional murder mystery). The Netflix show works some real history and staff viewpoints into the scripted interactions among its fictional White House staff. It’s a smart way to ground the zany antics, but one can imagine how a “West Wing”-style drama might have been a better take on the material.

Sweeps ratings

February sweeps household ratings, a general measure of popularity, show WTAE winning in the mornings and at 4, 5 and 6 p.m. and in second place at noon and 11 p.m.

KDKA-TV ranked first at noon and 11 p.m. and second in the mornings and at 4 and 5 p.m. and third at 6 p.m.

WPXI ranked third in households at 5 a.m., 12, 4, 5 and 11 p.m. and second at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (There was a tie for second place in households at 6 a.m.)

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In the key demo of adults 25-54, traditionally used to set ad rates, WPXI ranked first in mornings, evenings and at 11 p.m. and third at noon. WTAE ranked second in all major weekday newscast time periods. KDKA ranked first at 5 a.m. and noon, second at 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. and third at 4, 5 and 6 p.m. (There were ties for first or second place at 5 a.m., 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. in the 25-54 demo.)

At 7:30 p.m., KDKA’s newscast ranked third in households and second in the demo. The 8 p.m. news on WPKD-TV landed in fifth place in households and the key demo.

Regarding non-news local programs, KDKA’s “Pittsburgh Today Live” was No. 1 in households and the demo; KDKA’s “Talk Pittsburgh” was No. 1 in households and tied for No. 1 with WTAE’s “Kelly Clarkson Show” in the demo.

Kept/canceled

Amazon’s Prime Video renewed biblical drama “House of David” for a second season.

Hulu’s adult animated comedy “Solar Opposites” will end with its sixth season this fall.

Max canceled “The Sex Lives of College Girls” after three seasons.

Channel surfing

Mars Area School District posted to Facebook Tuesday that fourth-grader Addison Smith made her network TV debut guest starring in this week’s episode of CBS’s “FBI: Most Wanted.” … NBC’s “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: SVU” will have a crossover, 8-10 p.m. April 17. … “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” which moves from NBC to Peacock, will air its season premiere episode only at 10 p.m. April 17 on NBC. … That didn’t last long: NBC will move new drama “Grosse Pointe Garden Society” to 8 p.m. Friday effective April 4. “Dateline NBC” takes its place at 10 p.m. Sunday.