'The Residence': a new Netflix murder mystery from 'Bridgerton' and 'Inventing Anna' creator Shonda Rhimes

Introducing 'The Residence'—Shonda Rhimes' new White House 'Whodunnit' for Netflix

Shonda Rhimes attends the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California
(Image credit: Dia Dipasupil / Getty)

The creator of hit shows Bridgerton, Grey's Anatomy, How to Get Away With Murder, and Inventing Anna (phew!), Shonda Rhimes, has a new project in the works. As if she hasn’t given us enough already, she’s bringing a new murder mystery series to Netflix, and it looks seriously juicy. Here’s everything we know about The Residence so far!

Rhimes and her production company Shondaland can truly do it all, from romance to heartbreaking drama (no, we’re still not over the death of McDreamy)—so we have seriously high hopes for this new mystery series.

Rhimes will be producing the upcoming series, alongside Shondaland alum and fellow producer/showrunner Paul William Davies, and it looks set to be a real binge-watch.



Everything we know about 'The Residence': Shonda Rhimes' latest Netflix project

The series will be called The Residence, and it’s based on the bestselling novel, ‘The Residence: Inside The Private World Of The White House’ by Kate Andersen Brower. 

The book details the behind-the-scenes stories of what it’s like to work in the White House, giving in-depth anecdotes and accounts from outside the inner circle, from Butlers, maids, and electoral staff within the iconic building. 

The series has an intriguing murder mystery twist, turning it into an exciting White House whodunnit.

As Netflix writes in the synopsis: “132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. One wildly eccentric detective. One disastrous State Dinner. The Residence is a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world's most famous mansion.” We're thinking The West Wing, but with murder?

The show will span over eight episodes, all landing on Netflix. Sadly, we don't have a release date yet, nor any cast info—but given the Rhimes' past casting choices (we're totally not jealous of anyone who may be dating Regé-Jean Page...), we have no doubt that there will be some incredible names joining the project. 

You’ll be the first to know as soon as we know more—and at least we have Bridgerton season 2 to tide us over until then!

Naomi Jamieson
Lifestyle News Writer

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Women's Lifestyle team, where she covers everything from entertainment to fashion and beauty, as well as TikTok trends for Woman&Home, after previously writing for My Imperfect Life and GoodTo. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but lept into the media world in 2020, after always having a passion for writing and earned her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ.

Before working for Future Publishing’s Lifestyle News team, she worked in the Ad production team. Here she wrote and designed adverts on all sorts of things, which then went into print magazines across all genres. Now, when she isn’t writing articles on celebs, fashion trends, or the newest shows on Netflix, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping.