Cross parents guide: Aldis Hodge impresses as Alex Cross on Prime Video

Aldis Hodge takes on the role of Alex Cross in the new Prime Video series. Is this one to watch with the kids? It’s going to depend on the maturity of the kids.

Cross on Prime Video follows our titular character as he deals with the grief of losing his life and still hunting down her killer. When the past comes up in the middle of a new case, our forensic psychologist detective needs to get into the right mind frame to succeed.

This case is much bigger than it initially seems. It’s not a hate crime, but a serial killer who is looking for victims who look like other serial killers. Can he get to the bottom of the case?

Cross is officially rated TV-MA

The series has a TV-MA rating in the United States. In Canada, it is rated 18+, which is a little higher than a lot of other Prime Video shows with a TV-MA rating. We’re used to seeing 16+ for those shows up here, which may suggest what you’re about to witness.

Sex & nudity: There isn’t a lot of sex and nudity throughout the series. We get to see Alex be a romantic with his wife through flashbacks, but there is nothing gratuitous in the way of relationships. However, our main villain does end up on dating sites and uses dating as a way to lure a woman to his home. It’s not for those reasons.

There is a scene in the fourth episode where Alex finally accepts his feelings for another character. We get a scene in the bedroom where a woman's breasts are on show.

Language: There is some strong language throughout the series, with the F-bomb being dropped a lot. One I’ve not heard is the C-word, making the F-bomb the harshest of the swear words. This is a series that is grounded in reality when it comes to the way the detectives would speak and act when linked to a case like this.

Violence & gore: This is where the show earns its rating. We see a fair bit of gore from the opening moments. While we don’t see Alex’s wife shot on screen, we do see her gunshot wounds on her chest. There’s also a moment where a character has her throat slit on the camera, and we see the bloody aftermath of that.

Cross brings a lot of fight scenes and gun violence, throughout. The show doesn’t shy away from giving us a look at dead bodies and bloody puddles. There’s also a scene during an autopsy where we’re shown the leftover part of a meal in the stomach, which even one of the characters points out is just plain disgusting to show.

Alcohol & drugs: There is the use and mention of both of these throughout the series. The serial killer has to somehow get his victims unconscious enough to tie them up and make them into the serial killers he wants to kill. He mentions that he does that through the use of fentanyl.

There is also regular drinking by the adult characters. It’s a series that involves a lot of traumatic events, and we all know that most people will unwind at the end of the night with a drink. Alex does drink heavily at times, although it’s not shown in a gratuitous way; it’s to highlight how much he’s struggling mentally.

Overall verdict: Who is Cross suitable for?

This is one of those series that could work well for some older teenagers. I’d say the 17- and 18-year-olds. It’s the type of show I would have watched at that age, especially for those who are fans of the James Patterson books.

If your teenagers are squeamish or don’t like a lot of violence, then this isn’t the series for them. I recommend watching the first episode alone and making a decision for yourself. What you see in the premiere episode is the level of violence and language throughout the series.

Cross is now available to stream on Prime Video.