Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Residence.
The Chief Usher’s White House role and responsibilities inThe Residencedeserve to be closely examined since they play a crucial role in determining why he was killed. Similar to most murder mystery shows,The Residencebegins with the death of a main character. In the series, this character happens to be Giancarlo Esposito’s White House chief usher, AB Wynter, whose dead body is found in the presidential residence’s main Game Room. To solve the mystery behind his death, the world’s best detective, Cordelia Cupp, is brought on board.
With this, theShonda Rhimes Netflix seriesbegins to unravel the complex web of relationships, secrets, and power dynamics that exist within the walls of the White House. The more she learns about Wynter’s role in the central residence, the more she understands what might have led to his murder. Since Wynter’s responsibilities in the White House were, in many ways, interwoven with the events that led to his demise, viewers may be curious about what he did as the Chief Usher.
From The Residence’s Budget To People Operations, The Usher Seemingly Handles Everything
As shown inThe Residence, a Chief Usher oversees everything from managing the staff at the White House to coordinating major events and keeping an eye on their budget. Nearlyevery main character inThe Residenceworking under Chief Usher AB Wynter at the White House eventually ends up becoming a prime suspect because Wynter’s history reveals he has had a conflict with nearly everyone. The show establishes thatbeing a chief usher is not an easy job and requires one to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics with other White House workers while maintaining professionalism.
How AB Wynter Really Died In The Residence & Who Killed Him Explained
After introducing many red herrings and gripping plot twists, The Residence finally reveals the truth about AB Wynter’s murder & killer in its finale.
AB Wynter is also held responsible for keeping an eye on all the repairs in the White House and ensuring that the budget for every event is used efficiently. Owing to this, he maintains accounts of every expenditure to ensure there is no room for waste or misuse of funds. AsThe Residence’s endingestablishes, his habit of taking intricate notes is what eventually helped him realize that the President’s social secretary, Lilly Schumacher, was not only stealing money but also mindlessly giving away contracts in exchange for kickbacks. When he confronted her about her malpractices, she decided to murder him.
The Chief Usher Position Is Not Political
The Residence establishes that the chief usher’s position has no political affiliation but is crucial in running the White House’s everyday operations. Although the show does not explore how a chief usher is chosen,they are typically appointed by the President and the First Lady. The position is often held by someone who has been working in the White House for quite some time and has enough experience to understand the presidential residence’s inner workings.
Unlike the President, whose tenure in the White House is fixed, ushers can retain their positions for as long as they are deemed capable.
Even the series portrays this by showing how assistant usher Jasmine Haney, who was a crucial part of the White House staff, was all set to replace Wynter after he announced his retirement. Unlike the President, whose tenure in the White House is fixed, ushers can retain their positions for as long as they are deemed capable. The current White Usher, Robert B. Downing, has been in his role since December 2021, and Irwin H. “Ike” Hoover even served as the chief usher for 24 years. This explains why even Wynter had the power to cancel his retirement inThe Residence.
The Residence
Based on the novel by Kate Andersen Brower, The Residence is a drama-mystery series created by Paul William Davies. The series follows a detective named Cordelia Cupp, who is brought in to solve a strange murder that occurs during a White House state dinner, causing the staff to begin to question one another as to who could have committed the crime.
