In the Palaces of Crowned Kings

There are only so many iterations of the same story. This show could have been another Silo, or another Wayward Pines, but what sets this apart from all the others is the intentionality, the writing, the careful editing, the nuanced acting and most of all, the humanity. This is storytelling on another level. The personality of this show is entrenched firmly in Generation X, with its apathy, and its influential popular culture. The show takes 80's musical classics and transforms it into its own, elevating the story. This is what happens when studios allow producers and writers and directors and actors the freedom to express themselves.

In this pivotal episode, writer Stephen Markley brings matters to a head: built around the backstory of Marsden the president, with effective and emotional scenes involving three male generations of his family, the story becomes increasingly bleak. Not only is the ironically named Paradise a dystopia, but it appears that the negative forces (personified by Julianne Nicholson's Sinatra character) have so much control, what's a lowly agent played by Sterling K. Brown to do.

I enjoyed the plot twist at the segment's end, but had a lot of trouble digesting the pretentious mixture of allusions, ranging from a Lord Byron poem that seems to have inspired the whole show, to very silly insistence on pop culture references, especially that "Rocky III" anthem "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. Net effect is needlessly condescending to the audience.

Kane Bradford might be hard to like, but it's still emotional when he tells Jeremy (thinking he's Cal) that he's proud of him... something Cal never got to hear. Having Kane narrate the episode was perfect. It shows just how little control Cal actually ever had over his own story. Paradise is a solid dystopian show, but it's an even better story about what it really means to be human. Cal's gone, but his impact keeps on sticking. I'm here for it.

Layers of emotion. Tidal waves of plot. Mists of angst and remorse. Piles of extra characters because they're saying this review is too short. Done.