The Residence on Netflix | Episode 1 | The Fall of the House of Usher: Murder, Minogue & Mayhem

🥔 Welcome back, Couch Potatoes! 🥔

Episode at a Glance

The White House has never looked so deliciously dangerous! Episode one of The Residence, “The Fall of the House of Usher,” tosses us straight into the crispy fryer of Shondaland drama. On a stormy night, the staff preps for an Australian State Dinner—until a scream shatters the glitz, revealing a dead Chief Usher in the Game Room. Enter Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba): birding genius, detective extraordinaire, and queen of the dry comeback.

Here’s what’s sizzling:

🏛️ The White House isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a labyrinth of secrets, suspects, and staff. The camera sweeps us through every chandelier and corridor, making the setting a character all its own.

🍸 Jane Curtin’s Nan Cox steals the show with vodka, TMI, and a clock big enough to time a scandal. “It was not a porno!” she insists, but her priorities are clear: solitude, snacks, and avoiding her son’s husband (the President).

🔍 Cordelia Cupp arrives, binoculars in hand, and immediately calls out the “boys’ club” with a forensic smackdown: “There’s no knife.” “That isn’t his shirt.” “That’s not his blood.” She’s not here for optics—she’s here for the truth.

🎩 Political power plays abound: Harry Hollinger (Ken Marino) is spinning, Senator Filkins (Al Franken) is grilling, and Senator Bix is ready to burn it all down. Meanwhile, the President just wants Kylie Minogue to keep singing and the Australians not to riot.

🕵️‍♀️ Plot twists fly fast: a shirt swap, a missing knife, and a dead man who might not have died by his own hand. Cordelia’s bird metaphors are as sharp as her detective skills, and every room is a potential clue (or red herring).

By the end, the White House is locked down, the international incident is unavoidable, and Cordelia’s binoculars have blown the case wide open. If you thought state dinners were stressful before, wait until you see what’s hiding in the linen closet.

Totty Takeaways

This episode is a masterclass in pacing, plot twists, and pure potato vibes. The ensemble cast (from Uzo Aduba’s iconic Cupp to Jane Curtin’s scene-stealing Nan) delivers heart, humor, and high-stakes drama. The White House is a dollhouse of secrets, and every tot is golden brown.

🥔 Tator Tot Rating (1 to 5 tots)
Jen: 5 Tots 🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔 (Crispy, twisty, and impossible to eat just one!)
Ray: 4 Tots 🥔🥔🥔🥔 (Smart, dry, and totally binge-worthy)
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🔗 Links & Resources
The Residence on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81005297
The Residence at IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8740614/
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BONUS TRIVIA:
Tot-ally Random: Fact or Fiction – The Residence Edition

 

Julian McMahon, who plays the Australian Prime Minister, is the real-life son of a former Australian Prime Minister. (Fact!) 🇦🇺👨‍💼 

Uzo Aduba (Cordelia Cupp) was almost an Olympic figure skater before becoming an actor. (Fact!) ⛸️🌟 

When filming began, Giancarlo Esposito was the first choice for A.B. Wynter. (Fiction! Andre Braugher was originally cast.) 🎬 

Uzo Aduba’s favorite room on set was the Lincoln Bedroom. (Fiction! She loved the Treaty Room.) 🛏️📚 

Giancarlo Esposito is a licensed scuba diver and once worked as a waiter—skills that helped him play A.B. Wynter. (Fact!) 🤿🍽️ 

The White House cornerstone, laid in 1792, is proudly displayed in the Visitor Center. (Fiction! The original cornerstone is missing to this day.) 🏛️❓