A Familiar Setup With a Jaw-Dropping Twist
At first glance, Hulu’s new series Paradise looks like your standard high-stakes thriller—a murder mystery set in a seemingly peaceful, affluent community. The show reunites This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown with creator Dan Fogelman, centering on Xavier Collins (Brown), the head of security for President Cal Bradford (James Marsden). When Cal turns up dead, Xavier is the prime suspect—not only was he the last person to see Cal alive, but he also wished for his death in their final interaction.
With a premise like that, Paradise could have easily been another slow-burn crime drama, stringing viewers along for an entire season with ambiguous clues and unreliable narrators. But then, in the final moments of the first episode, the show delivers a game-changing twist that shifts the entire narrative, making it clear that Paradise is not the show you thought it was.
The Moment That Changes Everything
Throughout episode one, Paradise presents its setting as an idyllic, sun-soaked town—the kind of place where residents greet each other warmly in the town square, where community events feel straight out of Gilmore Girls. But then comes the reveal: Paradise isn’t just a quiet town—it’s the world’s largest underground city, designed to keep the rich and powerful safe from global catastrophe.
Yes, that’s right—what seemed like a run-of-the-mill murder mystery suddenly transforms into a sci-fi thriller. The “sun” is a giant heat lamp, the “sky” is a dome projection, and the residents are the last 25,000 people on Earth. The only thing more shocking than this setting? The fact that the show is just getting started.
More Than Just a Murder Mystery
What makes Paradise so compelling is that it refuses to be confined to one genre. While the murder of President Bradford drives the story forward, the series uses flashbacks and shifting perspectives to unravel its deeper mysteries.
Xavier’s relationship with Cal, once one of deep trust and friendship, eroded over time—leading to the fateful moment that placed Xavier at the center of the investigation. But as he digs deeper into what really happened, Paradise expands its scope, introducing a cast of characters with their own hidden agendas:
- Samantha (Julianne Nicholson) – The mastermind behind Paradise, a brilliant but ruthless tech mogul who built the city to ensure her own survival.
- Gabriela (Sarah Shahi) – A power player with mysterious motivations, operating behind the scenes.
- Secret Service Agents Robinson (Krys Marshall), Jane (Nicole Brydon Bloom), and Billy (Jon Beavers) – Enforcers of the rules in a world that’s already fallen apart.
With each new episode, the show pulls back another layer, revealing secrets that shake the foundation of Paradise itself.
The Social Commentary Hidden Beneath the Surface
Like all great sci-fi, Paradise uses its premise to explore real-world issues, particularly wealth disparity and survival in the face of catastrophe.
The residents of Paradise—billionaires, politicians, and industry leaders—were given a second chance at life, continuing their existence in comfort while the rest of the world perished. Meanwhile, the very workers who built this underground utopia were left behind. The city is designed to look like a quaint American town, but it’s a façade—a desperate attempt to maintain a familiar sense of normalcy in a world that no longer exists.
The show makes this even clearer through its darkly funny worldbuilding. Resources are carefully rationed, meaning citizens eat fake meat and synthetic cheese, yet somehow, there’s still room for a carnival with a Ferris wheel and rubber duck prizes. If that doesn’t say something about the priorities of the wealthy elite, what does?
The Thrill of the Unexpected
For all its serious themes, Paradise never forgets to have fun. The show embraces both the tension of a gripping thriller and the absurdity of its premise, resulting in moments that are shocking, thought-provoking, and, at times, just plain ridiculous (see: the dramatic slow-motion covers of ‘80s hits at the end of almost every episode).
But that’s what makes Paradise work—it knows how to balance intrigue with entertainment. Every time you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, the show hits you with another twist that demands you keep watching.
Why Paradise Is a Must-Watch
In a TV landscape filled with predictable plotlines and drawn-out mysteries, Paradise stands out by embracing risk. Its shocking first-episode twist transforms it from a basic murder mystery into something far bigger, richer, and more compelling.
So if you’re still on the fence about watching, let this be your sign: don’t sleep on Paradise. With its genre-blending twists, sharp social commentary, and a cast that delivers at every turn, it’s the kind of show that keeps you guessing—and coming back for more.