Let Hulu’s head-scratching Paradise suck you in

Paradise is rarely what it appears to be. At first glance, Hulu’s series is a murder mystery about a former President’s death, with his trusted Secret Service agent as the prime suspect. Classic whodunit elements like red herrings, multiple investigations, and intense interrogations are part of the intrigue. But creator Dan Fogelman and star-producer Sterling K. Brown’s previous collaboration, This Is Us, is an indication to expect the unexpected here. The duo strikes gold again with another non-linear, gripping, and schmaltzy narrative, now with far crazier twists and stakes.  

This show demands a degree of patience and suspension of disbelief, to be clear, but Paradise is rewarding as its strangeness unravels. The wildly entertaining suspense is peeled back like an onion with every hourlong installment (seven of the show’s eight episodes were screened for critics), blowing up any notion of an ordinary political thriller. Thanks to its incisive if at times goofy scripts and terrific performances, the show evolves into a multifaceted drama that’s both thought-provoking and head-scratching.

Paradise’s hook is the chase between the head of security Xavier Collins (Brown) and whoever killed his boss, POTUS Cal Bradford (James Marsden). In the present day, Xavier hunts for the real culprit after he’s accused of the crime, while flashbacks depict the ups and downs of their friendship once Xavier is assigned to Cal’s detail during his second term. With the White House stint done with, they now live in an idyllic town straight out of Gilmore Girls with their respective families and other government officials. The apparent tranquility shatters when Xavier discovers Cal’s body, sending him on a path that upends his world. 

However, the world Xavier lives in already feels askew with cheesy dialogue and visuals in the first episode that might induce some eye-rolling until a couple of curveballs make them track. The action kicks up a notch once the cards are laid out in the three-part premiere (so be patient), with the show relishing in a layered approach to its sociopolitical conflicts and grand themes. 

A part of Paradise’s big picture is figuring out how power operates and gets corrupted in a tense, pressure-cooker environment. In the vein of recent hits like Silo, Severance, and Squid Game, it ponders about speaking truth to power, hierarchical anarchy, and how being in a position of authority can cloud judgment. These timely issues can get unwieldy in this show, but Paradise remains grounded mainly due to its character-driven momentum that’s similar to This Is Us. 

With its skilled timeline-jumping, the scripts flesh out its protagonists and antagonists to reveal they’re complex human beings, each responding to disaster in disparate ways. Take Julianne Nicholson’s Samantha (code name Sinatra). A close confidante of Cal, she makes dangerous decisions for her benefit regardless of the consequences to others. And yet, her grief-laden backstory contextualizes her actions well. Nicholson masterfully brings Sam’s dualities to life and does some particularly moving work in episode two. 

Likewise, Sugar’s Jon Beavers stands out when his shifty supporting character gets the spotlight in the fourth installment. If only a similarly focused lens was given to stars Sarah Shahi and Krys Marshall, who still make meals out of their relatively limited screen times. Of course, Paradise’s mania is anchored by an empathetic, understated lead performance by Brown. While on duty, Xavier isn’t allowed to express his thoughts, forcing the actor to convey charged feelings (concern about his wife and two kids, helplessness about society’s state, rage about the injustice he’s suffered despite his loyalty) in silence.

It’s still a Fogelman joint so there are tear-jerking monologues and montages aplenty. The challenge here is to weave these intricate personal arcs with the overarching mystery satisfyingly, which is achieved for the most part. Ultimately, the show searches for an answer to whether utopia is possible, highlighting the internal sacrifices made for external peace. It makes Paradise an audacious next step for the This Is Us helmer. And thankfully, it pays off, as Fogelman and the writers blend genres to present a poignant, nail-biting tale that might just become your next TV obsession.  

Paradise premieres January 28 on Hulu