‘Paradise’ Expands Its World In Season 2

Every year, amidst the swath of shows that we’re bombarded with, there’s always that sleeper series that you didn’t expect to be that good, but was. Paradise was definitely that, for me, at least. Created by Dan Fogelman, the post-apocalyptic political thriller closed its first season by resolving the central mystery of President Cal Bradford’s murder and revealing the truth behind “The Day,” the catastrophe that forced a select group of Americans into an underground city. On the surface, it was a classic whodunit story, but by the finale, this Pandora’s Box of possibilities was opened, and it built much anticipation for February 23. 

When viewers last saw Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins—portrayed by Sterling K. Brown—as he was preparing to fly to Atlanta in search of his wife, Teri. He operated from a place of suspicion, challenging leadership and exposing cracks in the system. Now, he moves with a different purpose. “Everything is flipped, turned upside down,” Brown said of Xavier’s headspace. “He goes from someone who is lacking in trust to now trusting and believing in the best, because if he gets there and he doesn’t find her or she’s not alive, that I think is too much for him to bear.”

In Season 2, before Xavier’s search unfolds in full, the story rewinds to show how others survived “The Day,” including a new and intriguing character, Annie, played by Shailene Woodley. Her introduction broadens the scope of the series and reframes what survival looks like beyond the bunker’s engineered safety. While many people inside had this perception of the outside world being some sort of wasteland; it actually was fully functional, but still highly flawed. 

As Julianne Nicholson teased, “The world is much bigger than we know it in terms of the outside world. I mean, does quantum physics mean anything to you?” That hint signals that the show’s mythology is expanding in ways that push beyond political intrigue and into something more existential.

Back inside the bunker, Nicholson’s Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond is now in an unfamiliar position. Last season, she was in full command, shaping the narrative of the “greater good,” by any means necessary. This year, there is some restriction on her power, and Nicholson welcomes the added dimension. “The glorious thing about doing television is that you just get to go deeper with each episode,” she said. “Hopefully in this season, it will give the audience a bit more of a feeling of em>Hulu.

TOPICS:  paradise Sterling K. Brown

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