Prime Video has a two-season and counting crime thriller that is part Reacher, part CSI, but is maybe even more ambitious than either of those two acclaimed series. Amazon has been releasing excellent original content at an impressive clip in the last few years, particularly in the crime category.
Reacher, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith have all received critical acclaim, and fans have given the shows warm receptions. Reacher in particular has become something of a phenomenon, with a spin-off set to premiere this summer, Ballard. Fans of the Alan Ritchson-led action series don’t need to wait until then to get a similar fix, however.
Cross is a 2024 crime thriller based on James Patterson’s Alex Cross novel series and stars Aldis Hodge as the eponymous Alex Cross, a forensic psychologist and Washington D.C. homicide detective. A year after the murder of his wife, Alex has dived headfirst into his work, trying to get into the minds of serial killers and their victims.
The series is a procedural with a similar style to CSI, with different crimes taking up the main plot every week, but with an overarching case threaded through each season. There’s also an element of vigilantism to Alex’s work, a result of losing his wife and his growing anger issues that Reacher fans will recognize.
Cross Is Overshadowed By Prime Video’s Other Crime Thrillers
Cross is an excellent two-season series, and the jump from a 76% on Rotten Tomatoes for season 1 to a 95% for season 2 indicates the showrunner has gotten over the hump of storytelling problems that a lot of shows face in their first season. However, it still feels like we don’t hear enough about this show.
It seems to have been overshadowed by not only Prime’s crime thrillers, but all their exciting shows, from The Boys to Scarpetta. Cross has struggled to get noticed in the vast library, but viewers should pay attention. It’s an ambitious and rewarding series.
Aldis Hodge is formidable and adept at catching murderers, but his sense of humor also catches you off guard at the best time. Season 2 is particularly impressive, seriously blurring the line between good guys and bad guys. It’s dark and bold, and features a fantastic antagonist to go up against Alex.
With only 16 episodes across two seasons, Cross makes for an easy binge, and anyone who’s a fan of Reacher, CSI, or similar crime thrillers should definitely take a look. There’s a third season on the way, so better to catch up sooner rather than later.
Cross Season 3 Is On Its Way
Just a month after Cross season 2 premiered on Prime in February 2026, the same day as the season finale, the series was renewed for a third season. Season 3 will also have eight episodes, and Peter Friedlander, Amazon MGM’s head of global television, has said about the renewal,
“Aldis has delivered a definitive portrayal of Alex Cross, anchoring the series with depth, intelligence, and heart. We’re thrilled to continue this journey with Ben, our collaborators at Paramount Television Studios, and the rest of the incredible cast to bring even more of James Patterson’s iconic world to our global Prime Video audience.”
Back in 2024, showrunner Ben Watkins told THR that he had thought through four seasons of the show and would be glad for it to go 10. According to author James Patterson, production had scripts for future seasons before season 2 even finished airing, so we could be getting season 3 very soon (via THR).
We even have a new cast member already announced, Ethan Embry as a character named Frederick, a charismatic sobriety coach who likes to practice tough love (via Deadline). Cross has quietly become one of Prime Video’s more acclaimed series, and it will be interesting to see where it goes next.
- Release Date
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November 14, 2024
- Network
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Prime Video
- Directors
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Craig Siebels, Nzingha Stewart
- Writers
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Ben Watkins
- Franchise(s)
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Alex Cross
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Isaiah Mustafa
John Sampson