Ben Watkins on the cultural importance of Alex Cross and John Sampson's friendship

The Prime Video mystery series Cross will join the long list of crime dramas that have captured the attention of a viewing audience hungry for more shows focused on case solving and the work that goes into apprehending the worst of humanity. But, after FanSided Entertainment and Lifestyle Director Cody Schultz spoke with showrunner Ben Watkins, it became clear that the show's launch would also be an important cultural moment as well. In part due to Watkins' decision to finally bring a live-action iteration of Alex Cross' partner and best friend Det. John Sampson to the screen in a way that honors the relationship they had in the books.

Watkins had brought this up in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, in which he noted that he wanted to bring elements into his show from the books that the movies either didn't do or didn't do justice. John is one example. I was surprised to learn that the film adaptations of Cross' story neglected to include, in a substantial way, such an important figure in the detective's life. Yes, the two work together but they're also each other's support and have the other's back. That's why Watkins considers their friendship to be the core relationship of the book series and why so much attention was paid to the two men's bond in the show's first season.

"For me, when I was thinking about what is the core relationship here? Generally, when you have a dynamic, you know detective or hero character, a lot of times their core relationship ends up being their love interest. But when you look at the book series, the thread that's most common is Alex Cross and John Sampson. So I decided to lean into that for season 1.

I wanted to really build that out and build out their friendship and make it layered. And also make it fresh because I think, especially the Black community watching two Black men who have this deep rooted affection for each other, that doesn't get depicted on television or on film as often as it probably should. It's a universal thing but it's also specific to Black culture. So that was a really exciting opportunity for us to tell that story. "

Due to a lack of diversity on television and in film, friendships between two non-white people of the same race aren't often shown consistently outside of instances where one of them is the lead and the cast is predominately of the same race. The visual storytelling medium has come a long way but this is still a hurdle and a notable one.

Some viewers might ask, "Well, why does it matter?" And the answer is because, no matter what's said, we still like a bit of realism in the media we consume, particularly in regards to characters' day-to-day lives. We relate more to media that turns the mirror back toward us in some capacity and, while that doesn't always have to relate back to the identity groups we inhabit, it really resonates when it does.

That's what Watkins is referring to when he describes friendship as being a universal thing but includes the addendum about Alex and John's connection being specific to Black culture. How they interact with one another is rooted in how they walk in the world as Black men, how they were raised, and where they're from. The show is set in Washington D.C., the language they use when talking to each other, their interests, all of that is informed by their location as well.

Whether viewers are from the DMV or areas like it, that's going to be something that resonates especially for Black people that tune in which is exactly what Watkins is hoping for. It's the opportunity that he noticed the movies didn't grab hold of and what he made sure had a major presence from the start in his own series. Cross is made all the better for it.

For American Undercover's full interview with showrunner Ben Watkins, check out the video below.

Stay tuned for more Cross coverage and follow us on X! The series premieres Thursday, Nov. 14 on Prime Video.