Ben Watkins is kind of a unicorn in Hollywood. You’ve probably seen his name pop up on your Prime Video splash screen or in the credits of that show you binged three summers ago, but most people don't realize just how much he’s shifted the landscape of modern thrillers. Honestly, the guy didn't even start as a writer. He was an actor first—a "soap opera stud," as some called him—playing Dr. Wesley Carter on The Young and the Restless.
But that was just the preamble.
When people search for ben watkins movies and tv shows, they usually land on the heavy hitters like Cross or Hand of God. What they miss is the weird, gritty, high-stakes journey it took to get there. He went from being a 35-year-old staff writer on a cable spy show to the guy entrusted with the multi-billion dollar legacy of James Patterson’s most famous detective. It wasn't luck. It was a specific kind of obsession with characters who are, frankly, a bit of a mess.
The Burn Notice Years: Where the Polish Came From
Before he was running his own rooms, Watkins spent seven seasons in the trenches of Burn Notice. If you remember Michael Westen and his duct tape solutions, you’ve seen Watkins' work. He started as a junior writer and clawed his way up to Executive Producer.
That show was a masterclass in "blue sky" TV—slick, fast, and satisfying. But if you look closely at the episodes Watkins wrote, like "Brotherly Love" or "Things Unseen," you can see him poking at deeper themes. He wasn't just interested in how to turn a toaster into a bomb. He was interested in the cost of that life.
It was during this time that he learned the "Watkins Rule" of TV: You show up for the mystery, but you stay for the people. This period basically served as his grad school. He learned how to manage massive budgets and even more massive egos, all while keeping a writers' room from spiraling.
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Hand of God and the Risk of "Unlikeable" Characters
In 2014, Amazon was still trying to figure out what it wanted to be. Ben Watkins handed them Hand of God.
It was a massive swing. Ron Perlman played Pernell Harris, a corrupt judge who has a mental breakdown and starts hearing the voice of God through his comatose son. It was dark. It was uncomfortable. Critics sort of hated it at first, with some calling it "mind-bogglingly bad," while others found it "oddly compelling."
The show didn't care if you liked the lead. That’s the thing about Watkins’ projects—he’s not looking for your approval. He wants to explore zealotry. He lost his father to cancer around the time he was developing the show, and that grief poured into the script. He wanted to know why people become fanatics. Whether it's religion, politics, or even art, he’s fascinated by that singular, dangerous focus.
The cast was insane:
- Ron Perlman as the Judge
- Dana Delany as the calculating wife
- Garret Dillahunt as a sociopathic, born-again ex-con
- Andre Royo as the corrupt mayor
It only lasted two seasons, but it proved Watkins could handle prestige drama that didn't play by the rules. It wasn't "safe" TV.
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The Cross Era: Redefining a Legend
Fast forward to now, and we have Cross. This is the crown jewel of ben watkins movies and tv shows right now.
When Amazon announced a new Alex Cross series, everyone expected a reboot of the Morgan Freeman or Tyler Perry movies. Watkins had other ideas. He didn't adapt a single one of the 32 novels. Instead, he wrote an original story that stayed true to the vibe of the character while dragging him into the 2020s.
He cast Aldis Hodge, whom he’d known since Hodge was a teenager. Watkins basically saw Hodge as the "blueprint" for the character—someone who could be physically intimidating but intellectually superior and, most importantly, vulnerable.
The show is a massive hit. Over 40 million people watched it in the first three weeks. It’s been renewed for a second season (dropping February 11, 2026, for those counting the days) and is already adding heavy hitters like Matthew Lillard to the cast.
Why Cross Hit Differently
Most police procedurals ignore the "Black man in law enforcement" tension, or they make it the only thing the show is about. Watkins threaded the needle. He made it about brotherly love—specifically the bond between Alex and John Sampson (played by Isaiah Mustafa).
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It’s a thriller, yeah. There are gruesome bodies and a sadistic serial killer. But at its core, it’s about a father trying not to lose his mind while raising kids in a world that’s constantly trying to break him. That’s the Watkins touch. It’s personal.
The Lesser-Known Credits
You can't talk about his career without looking at the connective tissue. He was a consulting producer on Wu-Tang: An American Saga. He executive produced Truth Be Told for Apple TV+. He’s even developing a reboot of New York Undercover.
He’s also an actor, appearing in his own projects occasionally. He’s got a recurring role in Season 2 of Cross.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators
If you’re looking to dive into the world of Ben Watkins, don't just start with the newest thing. You have to see the evolution.
- Watch "Burn Notice" for the craft. Pay attention to how the episodes move. It’s a lesson in pacing.
- Watch "Hand of God" for the guts. It shows you what happens when a creator doesn't care about being "likable."
- Study "Cross" for the modernization. Look at how he took a character from the 90s and made him relevant without losing the fans of the original books.
The biggest takeaway from Watkins' career is his "bold naiveté." He moved to LA with two kids and no plan, worked 30 different jobs—from plastics salesman to paralegal—and eventually became one of the most powerful showrunners in the game. He proves that having a life outside of Hollywood actually makes you a better writer inside of it.
If you're tracking his next moves, keep an eye on his production company, Blue Monday Productions. They are currently the ones pushing for more diverse, complex stories that don't feel like they're checking a box, but rather just telling a damn good story.