Hulu’s ‘Paradise’ blends suspense and drama

Joe Sanders
2 Min Read
Hulu's 'Paradise' blends suspense and drama

Sterling K. Brown stars as Xavier Collins, a Secret Service agent tasked with protecting Callum Bradford (James Marsden), the former president of the United States. Bradford now resides in a controlled, pristine gated community.

Despite Collins’ vigilance, the community appears unconcerned about the presidential security risks. This changes dramatically when Bradford is found murdered at the beginning of the first episode. The real twist comes at the episode’s end—we learn that this gated community is actually an underground bunker in Colorado.

The residents are not just wealthy people but the last survivors of a global disaster. President Bradford isn’t merely a former president; he leads this bunker community, having fled to it during the catastrophe that wiped out humanity.

Gated community reveals shocking secrets

Collins harbors resentment towards Bradford, who didn’t save his wife, even though Collins’s children made it into the bunker. ‘Paradise’ stands out by seamlessly blending a murder mystery with its apocalyptic setting. Unlike ‘This Is Us,’ which used perpetual twists to reveal character backstories, ‘Paradise’ drives its plot forward in a more straightforward manner with occasional flashbacks that enhance the narrative.

The show maintains brisk pacing and continually shifting plot points to hold the audience’s attention. Although not without flaws—overly serious tones and reliance on predictable soundtrack choices (‘We Built This City’ covered by emo or techno artists, for example)—’Paradise’ remains engaging. Its broad, snappy pacing and constant twists make it an entertaining watch among the high-gloss competition of other apocalypse-themed shows.

It respects its audience by delivering a thrilling story without demanding patience or deep analysis, making it a “smooth-brained” but fun venture into dystopian fiction. The show’s central premise—an underground community grappling with a murder amid an apocalyptic backdrop—provides a fertile ground for suspense and drama, blending familiar genre tropes with fresh story-driving twists.

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