Becoming The Muse

Paradise Series Review

Paradise is a post-apocalyptic political thriller television series released on Hulu in the United States on 28 January 2025.

The series follows a secret service agent Xavier Collins as he seeks to discover the truth behind the killing of the President of the United States. The quest for answers reveals that things might not be as they seem in Paradise.

The Good

The show offers an unpredictable ride as it switches genres from being a secret service thriller to a murder mystery with mystery box undertones of Silo meets Under The Dome… You wont know what to expect which is part of its appeal.

There is an engaging and nuanced performance from Sterling K. Brown as Agent Xavier Collins a secret service agent navigating the fine line between his duty to his country, president and family, giving a depth to the narrative, counter-balanced by the President’s character as played by James Marsden. James Marsden infuses his character with a quirky charm that makes him endearing despite all the small ways he will rub you up the wrong way. 😂

The show also has some colourful characters, whom despite not having fleshed out story arcs will grow on you in unexpected ways, as the show’s multi-twist plot unravels.

Paradise has a kickass soundtrack that comes across as a greatest hits mixtape with classic tracks and their hauntingly captivating remixes.. Naturally, I curated a playlist of the tracks that were dropped in each episode, you are welcome.

The Bad

With so much going on the show can feel a bit chaotic and over-stuffed with not enough time spent on fully developing aspects of the plot and characters, giving it a bit of an absurd narrative, like a house of cards which could collapse upon too much scrutiny.

Consequently, the pacing is erratic and the tone is inconsistent, shifting from thriller to mystery with Sci-fi undertones and family drama punctuated by some dry borderline gallows humour which might fall flat on tonal grounds.

The Ugly

The show paints a grim picture of society’s gullibility and how easily people are manipulated by those in control. Truth is a fickle commodity, weaponised to make us pliable like sheep lined and led to the slaughterhouse…

Final Thoughts

Paradise offers a bold and ambitious narrative with strong performances from the cast delivering a series whose 8 episodes are a breath of fresh air that neatly wraps up all its plot threads and still leaving room for another season. Paradise was renewed for a second season in February.

Is this something you would watch or have watched?