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Narrative

TV series based on James Patterson’s Alex Cross novels

Alex Cross uses forensic psychology to analyze criminals’ minds, delving into victims’ psyches to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.. Aldis Hodge discusses starring in and producing the crime drama “Cross”; what he should be known for as an actor and producer, and his commitment to advancing diverse narratives through his production work.. Hodge is the third actor to portray Cross, following Morgan Freeman, who first played him on screen in 1997’s Kiss the Girls and again in the 2001 sequel Along Came a Spider; and Tyler Perry as the titular character in 2012’s Alex Cross, which bombed at the box office and prompted Lionsgate to scrap its previously planned sequel Double Cross.. I started following Aldis Hodge’s career when I fell in love with his character in Leverage. His performance as the “hacker”; Hardison was superb, and I completely agree with his portrayal of Alex Cross as well. The writing is strong, the performances are excellent throughout, and the direction and editing are top notch.

Here’s my problem

The lighting stinks. I don’t know anyone who lives every moment of their life indoors in such darkness. I’m only 40 minutes into the first episode, but I’m already struggling to see the details of many scenes. Three scenes in particular stand out. First, there was the cocktail lounge. I don’t frequent cocktail lounges and bars, but even the darkest restaurant I’ve ever been to had enough lighting that I could see the faces of the other people at the table.

Second, there was the bad guy’s lair

Would someone working on detailed plans and projects really do it in such dim light? Surely a perfectionist would want to be able to see everything they’re doing clearly. Third, there’s the house that Alex shows up at for dinner. This isn’t a romantic dinner for two. It’s a gathering of family and friends. The entire house is dark—the entryway, the living room, and the dining room.

Why so dark?

Plus, every room in the police building is dark. Wouldn’t a forensic scientist have a very well-lit operating room? If they’re trying to set a mood, I’m more focused on the struggle to see than the plot and dialogue. This is a choice that a lot of shows have made in recent years. You know, anyone with poor eyesight simply couldn’t watch this. My dad certainly couldn’t.

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That said, I could be wrong about the reason for the darkness. I stopped watching “How I Met Your Father” on another streaming service because it was so dark that it wasn’t enjoyable. A little internet research revealed that the problem was with the service, not the show. When the show aired on the network, the lighting was really good.. A new season of "Silo" is one of the biggest TV and streaming premieres this month.