Why Hulu Show ‘Paradise’ Has Captivated Viewers

Have you seen the latest emotionally gripping show, Paradise, on Hulu? It received a lot of social media buzz due to the infamous bathroom scene, which showcased Sterling K Brown butt naked and caused an uproar amongst women online. The reception was quite overwhelming, leading Brown’s wife to respond to the comments of people lusting after her husband during a TikTok live. She affirmed that she is not ready to tussle, but will cuss someone out if needed. This publicity, in addition to the incredible writing, intentional storytelling, and authentic acting performances, were instrumental factors that captivated viewers throughout the first season of Paradise.

Paradise follows the life of Xavier Collins (Brown) as he navigates his role as the lead secret service agent for US President Cal Bradford (James Mardsen). This occurs against the backdrop of an underground town established, due to a catastrophic world-ending event. The first episode of the show reveals that President Bradford was mysteriously killed in the underground town, and Xavier’s initial motive is to uncover the killer. As Paradise progresses, other motives are revealed, such as the secrets of Samantha Redmond (Julianne Nicholson). As the richest billionaire woman, who orchestrated the creation of the underground town and runs it, Redmond deceives the townspeople about the potential survival of humans outside the bunker.

The show uses flashbacks to narrate the story from multiple timelines. Knowing that the creator of the show is none other than Dan Fogelman, who was responsible for the masterpiece, This Is Us, it is no surprise that he employed timeline shifts as a storytelling tool. It works effectively in Paradise because the actions of the past intentionally inform what is happening in the present. The timelines allow the writers to create fully fleshed-out characters by helping us understand the motives behind their decisions, even if the audience doesn’t fully agree with them. Episode seven of Paradise has been praised as the best performance of the first season due to the intensity of the storyline and the urgency expressed by the characters when retelling how the world came to an end.

Episode seven, titled, “The Day,” employs three different timelines to illustrate the severity of what’s to come, how the world ends, and the aftermath of this catastrophic disaster. The opening scene, set in 1972 in Paradise, features a colonel reflecting to his wife on the Cuban Missile Crisis. He conveys how close the world would have come to a disaster if the Russian Captain who was ordered to launch nuclear weapons against the U.S. had followed through with the plan. Fast forward to the end of the world, when an intense tsunami wipes out multiple cities, leading the white house to initiate the backup plan of taking designated pre-approved civilians to the underground town. When Paradise returns to the present moment, Samantha reveals that a last-minute decision made by President Bradford actually saved his wife, whom he assumed died on, “The Day.”

The skillful use of multiple timelines adds layers to the storytelling and builds suspense for what is to come. The opening scene of, “The Day,” seems trivial at first, but the writers excellently utilize it as a foreshadowing tool that comes full circle by the end of the episode.

The themes tackled in episode seven of Paradise reveal what morality and ethics look like when faced with an impossible dilemma. President Bradford is aware that the end of the world is here, but protocol encourages him to act cool and not alert the public, so that it doesn’t disintegrate into chaos. He also lies to Xavier that he will get a plane to pick up his wife in Atlanta so she can join them in the underground town.

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Xavier also promises a White House staff member that he will speak to the president about saving her son, a promise he is unable to fulfill, but he lies to prioritize his mission of getting the president to safety. The writing does a great job of balancing the fast-paced intensity of the scenes with heartwarming moments of reflective pondering. This is beautifully displayed in Paradise through the actors’ emotionally gripping performances.

The chemistry between Brown and Mardsen cannot be overlooked because their performances are the foundation of why the show is so well-received. In, “The Day,” of  Paradise, Xavier and President Bradford manage to make it to the plane that will transport them to the underground bunker. However, Xavier’s wife has yet to arrive, which results in him confronting President Bradford about how long he’s known that his wife wasn’t going to make it on time. After learning the truth, Xavier’s emotions overcome him, and it is clear from his body language that part of him doesn’t want to get on the plane, even though time is of the essence. President Bradford reminds him that he still has two children, who have already boarded the plane, that cannot afford to lose two parents. Paradise beautifully contrasts the emotions between the two characters: Xavier expresses rage while Bradford conveys deep remorse. The audience can’t help but feel sorry for both characters, because we simultaneously understand where they are both coming from.  

Ultimately, the overwhelming social media reception goes beyond Brown’s bathroom scene because his performance is palpable throughout Paradise. The show tackles what morality looks like in the face of an apocalypse, which is very eerie considering the current climate crisis is worsening. The fact that billionaires have immense resources to mitigate the effects of climate change but choose to prioritize profit is a sad reflection of our current reality, which Paradise intentionally highlights. These timely themes, in addition to the writing, storytelling, and acting, are exactly why people are ready for season two. Luckily, season two has already been renewed, so if you have yet to watch it, be sure to binge-watch the current season on Hulu.