Episode 5 of "The Residence" kicks off with an intriguing scene: a boy approaches Cordelia across the sprawling lawns of the White House. He unveils a mystifying detail—a flickering red light in Room 301, the renovation space, roughly coinciding with the time Wynter met his untimely demise.
Flash forward to the contemporary Senate hearing, where Jasmine delves into Lilly’s haphazard stewardship during the state dinner. She recounts how the event was marred by such poor planning that the scheduled performer backed out at the eleventh hour. Desperate for a solution, Wynter reportedly enticed a celebrity guest to take the stage in exchange for a night in the prestigious Lincoln Bedroom.
Shifting gears to the ongoing investigation, Cordelia interrogates everyone who occupied the third floor that fateful night. Harry Harringer claims ignorance, Mrs. Cox recalls hearing a shout outside her door, and Tripp, the president’s brother, dismisses any meaningful knowledge.
Cordelia unearths that Tripp was a thorn in the White House’s side, exiled there by his sibling amidst multiple scandals. On the dinner night, excluded from the festivities, Tripp vented his frustration on Wynter. Their relationship was further strained by Tripp’s hobby of hoarding White House artifacts in his room, which only exacerbated Wynter’s irritation.
Moreover, Cordelia discovers that two unauthorized guests slipped into the state dinner, prompting her to instruct staff to meticulously verify all attendees—a clear indication of security breaches.
Through Jasmine, she gleans more about the frayed ties between Wynter and Harry. Wynter inadvertently overheard Harry and other executives discussing confidential diplomatic matters. Although staff were instructed to steer clear of such conversations, Harry accused Wynter of espionage. Despite Wynter’s vehement denial, Harry’s response was unusually belligerent.
Back at the Senate hearing, suspicion starts to coalesce around Harry. A carpenter reportedly witnessed Harry exiting via the pathway near Wynter’s office. Furthermore, someone was overheard in a heated altercation with Wynter shortly before his death. Post-mortem, Harry was seen rummaging through Wynter’s office, ostensibly in search of political documents. The episode concludes on a foreboding note as a senator notes Cordelia Cupp’s conspicuous absence from the hearing.
