Season 2 of Prime Video’s Cross was meant to end very differently before the finale went through onscreen changes.
During the Wednesday, March 18, conclusion to the season, Alex (Aldis Hodge) found himself at a crossroads after trying to help Luz (Jeanine Mason) only for her to seemingly die — although the show hinted that she may still be alive.
Alex ultimately questioned his involvement with the Washington, D.C. police force after Kayla’s (Alona Tal) betrayal, his split from Elle (Samantha Walkes) and an uncertain future as a detective. He left his badge as his future remained unclear in the final moments of the show.
“I originally did not plan that at all,” creator Ben Watkins exclusively told Us Weekly about the conclusion to Alex’s story. “But that is a great example of being willing to let the story take you to where it’s going.”
Watkins didn’t mind adjusting the story, adding, “Sometimes you set the table and you just have to honor the path. When I got to that point, I was thinking if I’m really going to be honest about the decision Alex would make then he would turn in his badge.”
The plot change wasn’t an easy decision to make behind the scenes.
“I was like, ‘What am I doing?’ I had to now call the network and say, ‘This show about Alex Cross — a detective — now is him turning in his badge at the end of season 2.’ But my advice to any writer is to do the thing that scares you and so we did it,” Watkins noted. “Then that puts us in a position to figure out what could happen in future.”
Watkins teased how the choice will affect season 3, adding, “That would be so compelling to bring him back because anybody who watches season 2 will understand why he felt he had to turn his badge in. There’s very valid reasons and very valid questions and the conflicts and contradictions that he’s been dealing with.”
He concluded: “So it has to be a really compelling reason to bring him back. And therein lies the opportunity. So after that, I was scared and then all of a sudden I was like, ‘Oh now we’re on the hook for something so compelling when we actually figure that out.’ It’s going to be great.”
Cross, which premiered in 2024, is based on the Alex Cross novel series written by James Patterson. The series follows forensic psychologist and homicide D.C. Metro Detective Alex Cross, who pursues some of America’s most dangerous killers. Together with his partner, Cross navigates the perils of the criminal underworld while trying to keep his family safe.
In addition to Hodge, Tal, Walkes and Mason, Cross stars Isaiah Mustafa, Juanita Jennings, Caleb Elijah, Melody Hurd, Matthew Lillard and Jennifer Wigmore.
While reflecting on the ultimate conclusion, Watkins revealed the original vision.
“It was just going to be taking down Lance Durand. Then there was a little contingency thing where I wanted to have maybe one person that represented an institution that had gotten so cynical that it was OK with what happens during season 2,” he teased. “Whoever is representing that must have them go down along with Lance. But it just felt like the institution itself had become representative of the wrong thing. So then Alex Cross had to make an even bigger statement.”
Cross is currently streaming on Prime Video.