What Happens At Ramsey’s – As the fifth episode of Cross begins, workers get ready for Ed’s birthday dinner. Ed Ramsey (Ryan Eggold) puts on a mask and receives pleasure from a woman. Later, he receives the book. Ed tells Shannon Whitmer (Eloise Mumford) what he likes about this project. Ed explains he’s going to make her teeth look just like Aileen Wuornos’s teeth. He promises it won’t hurt as much as the hammer. Shannon tries to prevent him from opening her mouth. He eventually gets the mold in her mouth. Ed is adamant that this is going to happen one way or another. After the intro, Ed greets Senator Caitlin Goldman (Marion Adler) and Horace (Rex Hagon). He says a young representative brought him on board her reelection campaign. Chief Anderson (Jennifer Wigmore) arrives and says hello to Ed. Elle Monteiro (Samantha Walkes) is the next arrival.

Ed tells her he’s been prepping Lawrence Buckley (Rob Stewart) all week on the Somewhere Foundation. Elle says she brought backup, Detective Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge). Three days earlier, John Sampson (Isaiah Mustafa) and Alex box while talking about Ed Ramsey. Alex says he found a guy who has a story to tell about Ed, but he only wants to tell it in person. Cross wants Sampson to see what he can dig up. Cross can’t go because he’s going to Ed’s birthday bash. He thinks he can get inside Ed’s house and get inside his head before Ed knows they’re onto him. Later, John arrives at the meeting point. Dex Notarile (Jim Annan) arrives and begins speaking to Sampson. Dex says he and Ed grew up together. Their mothers want them to be best friends. Dex could tell something was wrong with Ed even when they were kids. At the party, Felicia (Esther Chung) says he’s targeting people who look like serial killers.

Anderson is surprised to see Alex at the party. Horace tries to get Alex to talk about the serial killer. Anderson admits there are multiple victims and no suspects yet. Alex reveals they have a profile of the killer. He goes through the characteristics of their likely killer. Dex tells Sampson that Ed could lay on the charm when he wanted to. When people weren’t looking, Ed would always be watching people and taking pictures of them. When Dex was 14, they had a problem in town with dead birds being found everywhere. Their feet had been cut off. Dex thinks it was Ed who was torturing them because he saw the feet. He says Ed was taking pictures of his father. If Dex said anything, Ed would’ve destroyed his life. Ed wrote him letters after high school. He was talking about some guy in Philly named White Mike. Dex indicates that Ed’s mother is alive. John messages Alex to say they need to talk. Cross calls Sampson who tells him about Ed’s mother.

Cross searches Ed’s property and takes pictures of documents. Ed asks Elle where her bodyguard went. Elle says he went to the powder room and she’s starting to believe he got lost. Ed excuses himself. Cross is busy looking through Ed’s stuff. He finds a letter before hearing Ed coming looking for him. Ed catches him elsewhere. They talk about the art in the room before Ed offers Cross a drink. Cross says they’re after an exceptionally brilliant man, but his intellect masks a deep insecurity. The man worships other, more impressive serial killers. Ed suggests he respects what they’ve accomplished. Cross says he knows he can stop the killer because he knows him better than he knows himself. Cross claims they nicknamed the killer “The Fanboy”. Ed goes to Shannon and complains about Cross. Alex returns to Elle. John tries to speak to Mrs. Ramsey. Meanwhile, Ed tells everyone that this is a milestone birthday for him.

He asks everyone to donate to a charity of their choice instead of giving presents. He begins talking about his mother’s murder. Ed says he gave his time, energy, and love to a young boy named Isaiah. He begins telling a story about Isaiah that sounds similar to Cross’s story. Elle asks Cross if Ed is talking about him. Ed mentions Isaiah’s wife being gunned down. In private, Elle asks Cross what is going on between him and Ramsey. Cross insists he doesn’t know. He eventually tells her that Ed Ramsey is “The Fanboy”. Elle admits she wouldn’t be there if she knew. She accuses Cross of lying to her. Cross calls Sampson to ask for more information. He asks Sampson to try something called paradoxical lucidity. Ed checks on Elle and says he knows she’s been crying. He reminds her it’s time to pitch to Buckley. Sampson reads to Mrs. Ramsey. She says Ed’s sister was a saint. She also asks if Ed did something else bad. Elle struggles when speaking to Buckley who wants to know if she’s attended an anti-police protest.

Elle admits she has attended police protests. Ed says that doesn’t make her anti-police and she’s also dating Cross. Alex joins them moments later and learns Buckley is going to contribute to the Somewhere Foundation. Shannon tries to escape. Cross speaks to Elle in private about what happened back there. She complains about Cross putting her in that position. She leaves. Ed asks Cross if he should talk to her. Cross plays him a recording of his mom, Eleanor, singing happy birthday. Ed warns him he’s digging a deeper hole. He says Eleanor is a fragile old woman. Cross suggests Ed had to make his mom dead. Otherwise, he would have to realize that his mom was alive and didn’t care about her. Ed says he never told his mother about the birds, but he told her he’d do anything to be an only child. He says they all have secrets. He’s ready to bring his into the light. When he’s alone, Ed messages Pendleton to tell them to do it now. Ed returns to the hidden room where he’s nearly assaulted by Shannon.

She cuts him and flees. Shannon makes it to Senator Goldman and pleads with her to open the door. Caitlin tries but can’t before Ed shows up. Shannon cuts her face so she can’t be perfect like Aileen. Ed knocks her out before telling Caitlin not to say anything. Then, he tends to the nasty cut on his side. Caitlin returns to the others and asks for gin. Cross asks her if she’s okay. Ed arrives in time to blow out the candles on his cake. Cross tells him he knows he showered and put on a fresh shirt. Ed says he’s glad Alex stayed because he wasn’t sure he’d get to see the moment he turned into a pumpkin. Tania has a video of Cross attacking someone. Chief Anderson asks Cross if that’s the incident Sampson reported him for. Cross tries to explain himself to Elle who leaves without giving him a chance. Cross blames Ramsey and calls him the killer. No one believes him. Dr. Marla Daine (Kristine Booth) tells him he’s the only monster in the room.

Cross shows them the video of Ed’s mother. Ed says nothing. Anderson tells Cross to go home and call his union rep. Cross gets upset and insists Shannon is alive. He suggests she’s probably in the house somewhere. Cross is forced to leave moments later. Shannon is shown in the hidden room.

 

Cross Review

The fifth episode of Cross led to the eventual face-to-face confrontation between Cross and Ed Ramsey. The encounter wasn’t particularly thrilling or psychologically successful either. It’s hard to know what Cross was shooting for here because there’s been no mystery and no cat-and-mouse game.

It was likely a mistake to reveal the killers in the opening episode because there’s really no reason to remain engaged. There needed to be a mystery or something to keep viewers guessing. Instead, we have a very predictable plot with a predictable ending. We knew Cross’s job would be put at risk at some point and that no one would believe him.

We also know that Cross will be right because he has to be and we already know he is. Unfortunately, the Ed Ramsey character is quickly becoming dumber and dumber to the point he should’ve already been caught. He allowed the police to search his first hideaway without bothering to move Shannon Whitmer.

Now, he’s hosting a party in the very house where he’s keeping Shannon held captive. Ed also pretty much gave himself away to Cross during their private conversations which were less than thrilling. Some performances aren’t great during the scenes when they really need to be. The story is ever so slowly crawling towards the predictable finale.

This should’ve been cut in half at four episodes and it should’ve been more intelligent. It needed suspense, mystery, or something to make the show at least somewhat interesting. Instead, it’s just a slog to get through because we all know where it’s going and how it’ll all end. With so many writers and executive producers on this, one would expect a lot better.

However, Cross could end up on the Lifetime Network and no one would know the difference. This episode scores a 4.5 out of 10. Recaps of Cross can be found here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. Join the discussion here.