Plot: Set in a serene community inhabited by some of the world’s most prominent individuals. But this tranquility explodes when a shocking murder occurs, and a high-stakes investigation unfolds.
Review: You are not prepared for Paradise. Sure, the trailers make it out to be a somewhat run-of-the-mill political thriller about the murder of the President of the United States and his most trusted protector, who may be involved in a massive conspiracy. Still, it is so much more than that. Built as a serial drama with a fantastic ensemble cast, Paradise draws structurally from series like Lost and Yellowjackets by combining a contemporary timeline with flashbacks that fill in the gaps of how the characters got to where they are today but also manages to upend the conventions of what we expect from a series like this. Having seen the entire series (except for the finale), I have a lot of thoughts about Paradise, but I have to be very careful with what I divulge here, as the twists and turns of this story must be watched and appreciated. Regardless, Paradise benefits from the fantastic Sterling K. Brown in a lead performance enhanced by James Marsden, Julianne Nicholson, Sarah Shahi, and more, who elevate this series to a new bar of originality. Avoid any spoilers if you can because Paradise deserves to be seen without knowing what you are in for.
So what can I tell you about Paradise? As you have likely seen in the trailers, the series follows Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown), the head of the detail for President Cal Bradford (James Marsden). Early in the series premiere, Collins has breakfast with his daughter Presley (Aliyah Mastin) and son James (Percy Daggs IV) before heading to protect POTUS. On this particular day, Collins discovers the leader of the free world murdered in his bedroom. As the investigation begins, Collins is initially a suspect while also investigating the various others who could have been involved. From the President’s mistress (Krys Marshall) to Collins’ teammates Billy Pace (Jon Beavers) and Jane Driscoll (Nicole Brydon Bloom) to the President’s father Kane (Gerald McRaney) and his son (Charlie Evans), the list of suspects is limitless in the idyllic town they find themselves in. But, the stakes are even higher when Collins learns from Dr. Tripani (Sarah Shahi) that the President may have known secrets that led to his death. From there, Paradise shows us how all these characters came together and how their past has influenced the current chain of events.
Thanks to the flashbacks in each episode, James Marsden is a consistent presence throughout the series despite dying in the early part of the premiere. Sterling K. Brown is solid as the stoic agent trying to solve the murder of his boss and friend who often comes into conflict with the powerful Samantha Redmond (Julianne Nicholson), a key advisor to the President and one of the richest people in the world. With a solid cast across the board, Paradise benefits from playing with expectations as it keeps close to the television drama tropes but approaches them from a truly original angle. As each episode unfolds, we learn more details about everyone’s role in the series and the hierarchy of Paradise. It is an intriguing concept that follows many of the network television serials’ playbook with the added benefit of airing uncensored on Hulu. There is no needless nudity or any restrictions regarding profanity, but despite being aimed at a mature audience, there is nothing outwardly inappropriate for general viewers. That being said, the subject matter revealed as the series progresses may be challenging for some viewers.
While the trailer is intriguing, I was not sold until watching the show. Series creator and showrunner Dan Fogelman has created a lot of stories over his career, but none of them made me think he could pull off a thriller like Paradise. Fogelman is best known for NBC melodrama This Is Us, where the writer and star Sterling K. Brown became acquainted. Brown serves as executive producer on Paradise, but even that did not get me to buy into this series. Fogelman’s credits include Fred Claus, Cars and Cars 2, Tangled, Bolt, the musical series Galavant, and Crazy.Stupid.Love. Despite many being well-crafted projects, none of those projects is a political thriller. I will not underestimate Dan Fogelman again, as I have been hooked on this series from the outset. By the end of the series premiere, I knew this show was the real deal. The series manages to combine trademarks from the writer and producer’s career, including believable family dynamics, realistic romantic subplots, complex character relationships, and organic dialogue.
The eight episodes comprising Paradise‘s first season hail from Fogelman, Katie French, Jason Wilborn, Stephen Markley, Gina Lucita Monreal, and John Hoberg. Directing duties fell to Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, Hanelle Culpepper, and Gandja Monteiro (Brand New Cherry Flavor, Wednesday). Ficarra and Requa have teamed with Dan Fogelman in the past on This Is Us, as well as directing Focus and Crazy Stupid Love, as well as writing Bad Santa and Jungle Cruise. Culpepper has been a small screen staple with credits on Star Trek: Discovery and Picard, Westworld. The Acolyte, and more. The creative team works to imbue Paradise with a scale that fits the material, keeping the pace moving while wasting little opportunity on cliches. I had many moments watching this series that could have fallen into mistakes that other series have fallen prey to. However, the tight season length and cohesive narrative throughout make this a very engaging mystery that will keep everyone glued week after week. What remains to be seen is how the finale will craft the next part of this story or if audiences will be willing to stick with it once the truth is revealed.
Paradise worked so well for me because it is an engaging drama with well-crafted characters. What elevated it for me is the secret that I hope is not spoiled for anyone before the show debuts. Some shows make plot twists integral to their marketing campaign, and I am very glad that this is not the case with Paradise. This is a shocking series that will blow people away once they see it, and I don’t mean based on what happens in the first episode alone. The penultimate episode of the season is one of the most anxiety-riddled episodes of television in recent memory, and I could not look away as I watched it. I cannot wait to see the finale along with everyone else. I hope it either concludes with a massive cliffhanger for a second year of storytelling or ties everything up satisfactorily. Paradise is one of the most intriguing series of the decade, with a great cast that could kickstart a new wave of brilliant serial dramas. Whatever you do, avoid spoilers and go into Paradise fresh.
Paradise premieres with three episodes on January 28th on Hulu.
The post Paradise TV Review: Sterling K. Brown leads the twistiest original series in years appeared first on JoBlo.
Leave a Reply