Paradise earned a lot of well-deserved hype, and I was included in the number of those excited for its release for two big reasons — Sterling K. Brown and Dan Fogelman. Arguably since his days on Army Wives, Brown has been a must-watch actor who has consistently risen to the occasion, whether that be with Emmy-nominated performances in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, his Oscar-nominated role in American Fiction or his Emmy-winning work in American Crime Story and This Is Us.
Speaking of This is Us, that brings me to its creator, Dan Fogelman. The super producer created one of the best primetime dramas in the last decade, one that elicited many tears from viewers over the years, along with general fanfare. So with Fogelman and Brown partnering once again on Paradise — with Julianne Nicholson (Mare of Easttown) and James Marsden (Enchanted) also in the mix and both phenomenal in their own right — how could the new series not be a hit? Well, unfortunately, Paradise doesn’t live up to its namesake.
Paradise follows Brown’s Agent Xavier Collins as he tries to get to the bottom of who is behind the most treasonous act in America — murdering the president. While the premise itself would suggest to viewers they'll be on an exhilarating ride, that’s not exactly the case.
Unlike primetime dramas that have more episodes to set up and tell stories, with Paradise being only eight episodes it didn’t have that luxury but took the slow-burn approach anyway. The first two episodes at times move rather slowly in laying down the foundation of the plot, which is ironic considering the amount of flashbacks used to tell the backstories of the characters. Because it takes a little longer to get to the motive and the “why” someone may have wanted to kill President Bradford (Marsden), it becomes easy for one’s attention to drift.
Additionally, while flashbacks were the bread and butter of This Is Us, less may have been more for Paradise. On occasions, the jumping back and forth in the past feels disruptive rather than helpful in moving along the story.
Then there’s the special apocalyptic plot twist. As intriguing as it may be to think about the world should the sky actually fall, this added layer to the Paradise storyline inherently feels unnecessary. Almost like slapping a bumper sticker or eyelashes on a car. Despite my misgivings about the pacing of the whodunnit plot, it’s still one that had the bones to stand on its own without adding this kind of frill. Yes, the extra component makes the series stand out from similar political thrillers, but this level of distinction is one that perhaps I could have done without.
But it’s not all bad, as the show is watchable. The performances from Brown and Nicholson were as expected, incredibly solid. Brown impeccably portrays a relentless truth-seeker, out to find all the mysteries behind the central murder and dig deeper into the suspicious status quo. Nicholson on the other hand, plays a layered billionaire, who while guilty of selfish ambition, is capable of relatable everyday human qualities. The tension between the stars’ roles makes for some great dramatic moments.
To my surprise though, Marsden’s execution as the mature and brash playboy president is what stands out the most. The character strikes a different tone from Marsden’s other onscreen showings, so you aren’t reminded of X-Men’s Cyclops, Enchanted’s Prince Edward or Sonic the Hedgehog’s Tom. If Marsden’s performance in Paradise is a glimpse into what the actor stands to give as he enters this new phase in his veteran career, then color me intrigued.
Also, despite my questioning the frequency of flashbacks used, admittedly, some served an entertaining purpose as they cleverly tied into some big reveals. When these occurrences come along, you’re reminded of all the potential the series had.
Once more, Paradise has its share of flaws, but with the talent of those in front of the camera like Brown, Nicholson and Marsden, the series is at least worth tuning into so you can be the final judge. However, for those fans of the political thriller genre, your appetite may be better satisfied with shows like The Night Agent and The Diplomat, or even revisiting fan-favorites Scandal and The Blacklist.
Episodes of Paradise are available to stream on Hulu in the US and Disney Plus in the UK.
