The best social medium is word of mouth. Until a friend told me about it, I was entirely oblivious to Netflix’s ecstatically hilarious White House whodunnit, “The Residence,” which premiered on March 20. It is the wittiest fictional expose from the bowels of the White House since “Veep.”
The plot revolves around the untimely death of the House’s chief usher, played with utter coolness by Giancarlo Esposito (who I’ve admired for years). But the star, Uzo Aduba (Crazy Eyes in “Orange is the New Black”), flawlessly plays an enigmatic bird-watching eccentric sleuth hired as a consultant to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. Aduba investigates obscure clues and shady White House denizens, including the President, Perry Morgan; the First Husband, Eugene; and a cast of dodgy House butlers, electricians, maids, footmen, administration toadies and security jokers. The scandal (is it murder or suicide?) takes place during a state dinner for the Australian Prime Minister, Hugh Jackman (played by the Hugh Jackman). Brilliantly created and written by Paul William Davies, the tropes of the classic cop procedural are hysterically deranged. (Oh, and I almost forgot: Former Senator Al Franken plays Aaron Filkins, the Democratic Chairman of the Select Senate Committee investigating the investigation. His nemesis on the committee? Margery Bay Bix, the doppelgänger of Representative you-know-who.)
The reason for this post, however, is not to lavish more praise on the show—which, for your sanity, should be watched one episode per sitting—but to point out the atypical murder mystery genre title sequence art created with panache by Maira Kalman, who illustrates the various characters and plot twists of each of the eight episodes.
I caught up with Kalman vacationing in Paris (where else?) and asked her to comment on her contribution to this must-see series.
‘The Residence’ is sarcastically off the wall. And your titles are so counterintuitive for a procedural detective series. How’d they come to you, and what did the producers want?
Paul William Davies, the writer of the series, got in touch. He liked my work and thought it would suit the show. There was no expectation other than I do what I thought would be interesting.
Are these your very first film or TV titles?
Yes.
On the Netflix website, the logo for the series is more conventional for the genre. Instead, on the actual show, your delightful, informal lettering style gives a less cliche vibe. Was there any resistance to anything you did for the show?
None at all. The opposite. A refreshing openness.
There is limited animation in a few of the title illustrations. Was that your idea?
There was very little time in the run of the show for animation. So each painting had to have very simple ideas for the animation. But I thought it would be really nice to do a little bit of movement.
Do you think the absurdist style and quick pacing of the show fits well with your own work?
The show is very funny. Paul is a fan of madcap comedy. A genre that I adore. There were so many wonderful visuals to connect with. It just flowed.
You must be happy with the results. Are you pleased?
Terrifically.
The post The Daily Heller: Maira Kalman on Her Titles for ‘The Residence’ appeared first on PRINT Magazine.