Binge-watching The Residence over the weekend - a screwball whodunnit with a brilliant, quirky detective at its helm - made me nostalgic for old-school mystery stories led by a charismatic, often eccentric, protagonist. 

After devouring Enid Blyton’s prolific output on the adventures of child-detectives as a kid, my early teens were spent enthralled by the Nancy Drew novels, and as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie’s classic works began to extend their appeal, I was well on my way to fancying myself a detective too. 

At the heart of most of these stories, many of which have been adapted for film and television, dwells one magnetic central character, a sleuth who delights, mystifies, and places us firmly on the edge of our seats - whether it’s plucky teenager Nancy Drew, quirky Belgian Hercule Poirot, lovable Miss Marple, or eccentric Sherlock Holmes. 

In The Residence, this character is “the best detective in the world” Cordelia Cupp, played with effortless ease by Orange is the New Black star Uzo Aduba. 

Cupp is assigned to solve the mysterious death of the White House’s chief usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito), whose body is found in the mansion’s private quarters on the night of an important state dinner. While The Residence showcases a generous amount of intrigue, suspense, and wit, it tends to lag and get repetitive in certain places. Despite these flaws, the series did spawn the most engaging television character I’ve seen in a while. 

Here are five reasons why Cordelia Cupp may just expand my list of iconic fictional detectives:

Flaunting both charisma and an enviable air of mystery, Cupp is meticulous in her inspection of the crime scene and adjoining areas in the 132-room mansion, as well as the multitudes of people - guests, staff, dignitaries - she’s surrounded by. To my untrained eye, the number of possible suspects is mind-boggling. But Cupp prefers the word ‘interesting’ to ‘suspect’ and takes her time zoning in on who could possibly be behind Wynter’s death. Her detached yet keen approach inspired an important life lesson. How often do we acutely observe what is going on around us, without our judgment being coloured by preoccupation or assumptions? 

Perhaps Cupp’s attention to detail, seemingly infinite patience, and the ability to refrain from drawing the most obvious conclusions could be attributed to her other passion, which is bird-watching. Amidst the investigation into Wynter’s death, she randomly whips out a pair of binoculars to observe exotic birds across the White House grounds, the names of which she then ticks off on a list. At first I wondered, what does this have to do with anything? But Cupp’s bird-watching somehow seamlessly intertwines with her work as a detective, and ends up being a quirk that only adds to her charm. 

When was the last time you used an actual journal? As a child, I remember having a colourful diary with a metallic lock and key, which I would regularly update in my best handwriting and zealously guard from my younger brother. While notebooks are still appealing, these are often purchased for novelty or nostalgia rather than for their actual usefulness. As we swap physical necessities from the past for an increasingly digital and often charmless existence, to see Cupp making copious notes and sketches of her findings (both investigative and bird-related) in journals, was intensely satisfying. 

While Cupp matter-of-factly declares that she doesn’t have a cellphone, she does make use of FBI sidekick Edwin Park’s (Fresh Off the Boat star Randall Park) satellite phone. When she decides to leave the White House investigation and embarks on a bird-watching stint abroad, congressional hearings get underway on the case. Park sends a phone to Cupp’s treehouse location, which she uses to transmit crucial questions to the senator holding the hearing. While not owning a cellphone in the 21st century defies logic, Cupp is after all a fictional character, whose vintage style might have been cramped if she had been too ‘hi-tech.’

Whether she’s cross-examining witnesses in an expressionless manner or tracking elusive birds with her binoculars, Cupp’s steely determination to accomplish her goal is evident. Her intent, searching stare is enough to get even the most unwilling people to talk and often throws up surprising information.As the eight-episode series unfolds, it becomes evident that the late Wynter clashed with several White House staff members due mainly to his unwavering dedication to duty, orderliness, and efficiency. But who hated or feared him enough to kill him? With detective Cupp on the case, the culprit had better watch out. 

The Residence is streaming on Netflix.