TV Review: ‘Paradise’ Season 2

The second season of Hulu’s twisty thriller expands the storyline, but sometimes dilutes the impact and can’t quite match the first for effectiveness.

Sterling K. Brown plays Agent Xavier Collins in 'Paradise' Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.

Arriving on Hulu on February 23 with three episodes (with five more to follow once weekly) is the second season of ‘Paradise’, the thriller series from ‘This is Us’ creator Dan Fogelman that keeps audiences guessing.

The cast for the show, led by Sterling K. Brown (‘Black Panther’), Julianne Nicholson (‘I, Tonya’), Sarah Shahi (‘Black Adam’), James Marsden (‘X-Men’), Nicole Brydon Bloom (‘1BR’) and Krys Marshall (‘Alone in the Dark’), expands this year to include Shailene Woodley (‘Divergent’) and Thomas Doherty (‘The Invitation’).

Initial Thoughts

Shailene Woodley plays Annie in 'Paradise' Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.

Talking about ‘Paradise’ is a dicey prospect for any reviewer, since it is predicated on a giant, twisty premise. But if you’re here reading a review of Season 2, we have to assume you’ve seen the first season (if not, go and watch it!) so I can talk about the fact that it revolves around an underground community that is designed to keep a limited population safe after an Earth-shattering environmental incident.

The first run of episodes was full of twists and turns, and the second keeps the pace up, even if much about the community has been revealed. But the best idea here was to send Brown’s Xavier Collins on a hunt for his wife, who has survived the cataclysmic events elsewhere, opening things up to new avenues.

Script and Direction

Krys Marshall plays Agent Nicole Robinson in 'Paradise' Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.

Dan Fogelman, no stranger to both narrative rug pulls and tugging on the emotional heart strings, has here managed to keep the story of ‘Paradise’ moving even after the revelations of last year. The expanded plotline is worthwhile, even if it sometimes dilutes the overall effectiveness.

Filmmaking duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa are the primary directors for the series, and working alongside a couple of others, they keep ‘Paradise’ looking good, with the visual palette of the post-apocalyptic outside world just as impactful as those inside the show’s usual community.

Cast and Performances

Julianne Nicholson plays Samantha Redmond in 'Paradise' Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.

It’s no accident that Fogelman chose to work with Sterling K. Brown again after helping him break out with ‘This is Us.’ Here, Brown gets plenty of chances to showcase his considerable acting chops, bringing lots of layers to Secret Service officer Xavier Collins.

Julianne Nicholson remains superb as the calculating tech billionaire Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond who conceived of the bunker, while in-Paradise highlights include Krys Marshall as dedicated officer Robinson and Nicole Brydon Bloom as the psychopathic Jane.

Woodley, meanwhile, enjoys her own storyline as survivor Annie, who made it through the environmental chaos holed up in Graceland.

Final Thoughts

Sarah Shahi plays Dr. Gabriela Torabi in 'Paradise' Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.

‘Paradise’s first season was a series of mystery box reveals, and while elements of that remain in the second, the focus is also on the emotional stakes for the characters, letting some accomplished actors revel in solidly written scripts.

‘Paradise’ Season 2 receives 71 out of 100.

Nicole Brydon Bloom plays Jane Driscoll in 'Paradise' Season 2. Photo: Disney/Ser Baffo.

What’s the plot of ‘Paradise’ Season 2?

A shocking murder turns the serene community of Paradise on its head. Kicking off a high-stakes investigation that uncovered secrets that some hoped would stay hidden.

And in Season 2, the world expands yet further as both Sterling K. Brown’s Xavier Collins and the story venture beyond Paradise’s borders.